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A House Of Flowers

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By MONICA BRANDIES | The Brandon News

Published: February 26, 2007

When Nancy Kast does something, she does it 100 percent.

So even though she has only been raising African violets for five years and other plants in the Gesneriad family for three years, the other members of the Tampa African Violet Society said she is the woman to go to see how lovely these plants can be.

Nancy and her husband, Jerry, who have been married since 1952 and most often do things together, travel from Dade City to the society meetings, go to as many as six shows around the country every year, and are grooming many plants for the upcoming Tampa African Violet Society's 31st AVSA show and sale, which will be at the Hillsborough County Farm Bureau at State Road 60 and Mulrennan Road in Valrico Feb. 24 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Feb. 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission and parking are free.

"We have a great time and meet a great bunch of people," said Jerry Kast.

The Kasts have gorgeous plants in every room of the house starting from the front door. As one moves from wonder to wonder, Nancy Kast happily answers all questions, spells out the names, lovingly plucks any faded flowers, and says, "And then there's more."

They did not use the bathtub in the larger bathroom, so it now holds plants. The small bath is the isolation ward where she keeps any new plants until she is sure they have no diseases or insects that could spread to the rest.

I plan to have three stalks of flowers in bloom three weeks before the show (when these photos were taken) and then there should be six stalks blooming when the date comes," she said. Nancy Kast spends hours every day that she can working with them. It is stress release for her and she enjoys it to the fullest.

Like most of the members of this group, all of her plants are on automatic watering and feeding. But the reservoirs have to be filled. Jerry Kast starts in on that every morning. He has a reverse osmosis machine in the garage to clear the city water and keeps a good supply on-hand in empty milk jugs.
With 500 violets and 1,400 other plants, it is amazing the way they fit into the decor along with a fine collection of dolls and antiques. Every room could be a magazine photo. The shelves are mostly under florescent lights that make this a very bright house even on a dreary day.

There are perhaps more plants on the back porch than anywhere else, but even there they are interspersed with comfortable chairs and tables. Some of these plants grow in natural light.
"The plants on that rack are from seed I got from Brazil," Nancy Kast said.

They are about a year and a half old and look quite mature. For anyone who thinks these plants take great patience, that is true, but what one can accomplish in so few years is quite amazing. Few plants get a chance to grow old here because the Kasts take many of the larger ones to the sales. But sometimes Nancy Kast comes home with as many as 75 new starts.

"I like the unusual ones that are a real challenge to grow," she said. She is in charge of the plant sale for a big show in Miami over the Fourth of July weekend.

For the Valrico show, the Kasts will make as many as three trips to take in all their plants. Then they will be there to share their knowledge and their passion.

The best time to get arrive at the sale to purchase plants is first thing Saturday morning, but the show doesn't open until the judging if finished, closer to noon. Don't miss it.

Monica Brandies can be reached at monica@gardensflorida.com.

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