St Paulia Variegate

It looks lovely especially in amongst the lovely coloured foliage

Thank you. The contrast is really catchy. I love the furry variegated leaves enough, but a bunch of blooms is very welcome.

Greenthumb is this the same as an african violet

Is this because there is less green on the leaf? do they need more fertilizer? or less? same pretty five petal flower...I have a number of violets and have used one type of fert. exclusively ..but recently tried fish emulsion...the jury is still out!

It is the same Rkalyan. Saintpaulia is the scientific name.

Lori, I really haven't figured it out. I don't fertilize any of them. And it has actually started to really bloom now, about four flowers. It is branched into two plants so I'll wait to split it after the flowers. Odd the cold winter has got them going, right after the sun disappears. :-)

I've always found the saintpaulias are very hungry creatures...they won't do their best unless they are receiving good light and a nice phosphorus rich fertilizer! The best results I've attained with them was with egg shell fertilizer (homemade)

They have not been very demanding and perform well with good solid watering. I do divide and repot often so they get plenty of new soil. Every variegate I've ever had takes a lot more light and attenetion. Might be a difference in cholorophyl levels or something. I'm slow getting a good composting system up and running but its coming. :-)

have you thought of buying "red wigglers" for a vermicomposter? it works really well on kitchen scraps...and the bin fits under the kitchen sink...

Having never seen a worm here, I'm not sure what I would be doing shipping them in. I'm turning the classic 'heap' beside the garden for now, and plan to setup wire columns so it can aeriate better. I've seen that process work very well. My fence and gate will open to that, so it can be masked. Currently 'under the sink' is a grey water catch system, not the traditional under the sink storage space. :-) Thank you for the suggestion. I found some great websites on vermicomposting..