I've decided that growing and showing African Violets well is like dieting. Everyone seems to wish you a 'one-size-fits-all-because-it-fits-the-teller' answer. The shocking proof that there are not easy answers to what makes a violet a show winner is readily apparent when you see club grown plants as each member is handed a new plant, everyone getting the same variety. In our club, (mine had died in infancy) only one plant was blossoming and \l the rest were in varying stages of size, color, shape, etc.
Growing African Violets can be grown for show on window sills providing you wish to turn yourself into a perpetual 'lazy Susan'. Unless you can turn them faithfully so that the light from the sun (which does not take into account cloudy or rainy days) will make a plant irregular. Winners at shows are mostly grown under artificial light from the top. Even then, they are groomed for shape just as Christmas trees are trimmed and trained for shape on farms from their tiny selves. Leaves are pulled off to make the plant symmetrical and blossom booster is started a proper time before the show. Nature rarely turn s humans into beauties without help, as well...
Having volunteered to clerk (translates to being being a 'go-fer' for the judges) I can say that if all judges were like the ones I saw today, it was impressive. The tiniest blemish was noticed as in, "Oh dear, there is a bit of pollen under the flower on this leaf." or, "See this leaf. It has a little tear in it. The house must have a cat....points off.". Certain plants ( a collection of at least three of a kind by one grower) are judged on a very critical point system starting with 100 and taking away for every fault such as lack of symmetry, smaller leaves under bigger ones, blemishes on leaves, and a host of variables that would make the hardiest researcher go ashen.
Consequently, you must understand the criteria used by the judges (which would make you qualified to be a judge yourself) to win prizes. Additionally, the categories are many. There are plants grown in unusual containers (one lovely, creative one was in driftwood), terrariums, designs which follow a theme and are artistic which may be in 6" x 6 x 6" frames.such as in a thimble for one lovely display; another was under water in a clear bowl. Like any other hobby, there are those whose efforts go into pleasing the judges while some of the rest of us are cowards who are either too lazy (though I prefer to believe it is too content) to enjoy the plants for themselves.
Growing African Violets can be grown for show on window sills providing you wish to turn yourself into a perpetual 'lazy Susan'. Unless you can turn them faithfully so that the light from the sun (which does not take into account cloudy or rainy days) will make a plant irregular. Winners at shows are mostly grown under artificial light from the top. Even then, they are groomed for shape just as Christmas trees are trimmed and trained for shape on farms from their tiny selves. Leaves are pulled off to make the plant symmetrical and blossom booster is started a proper time before the show. Nature rarely turn s humans into beauties without help, as well...
Consequently, you must understand the criteria used by the judges (which would make you qualified to be a judge yourself) to win prizes. Additionally, the categories are many. There are plants grown in unusual containers (one lovely, creative one was in driftwood), terrariums, designs which follow a theme and are artistic which may be in 6" x 6 x 6" frames.such as in a thimble for one lovely display; another was under water in a clear bowl. Like any other hobby, there are those whose efforts go into pleasing the judges while some of the rest of us are cowards who are either too lazy (though I prefer to believe it is too content) to enjoy the plants for themselves.
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