African Violet Assist?

[rolanni]

I brought my poor African violet home from its perch on the windowsill at the day-job; the leaves had started to crisp in the heat. As a general thing, African violets grow for me grudgingly for about a year, then die precipitously. This one, though, been doing champion work -- it's even bloomed once or twice in the couple years that it's managed to survive my care.

I figure that, while I have it at home, I'll give it a new pot, and some nice, fresh African violet potting soil, to prepare it for the excitement of the coming school year.

Thing is, the local Agway has pots that they're specifically calling "African violet pots," that include an "automatic waterer." Does anybody have any experience with these contraptions? I know that African violets don't like to stand around with their feet in the wet, and I've been very careful not to keep this one too damp -- maybe too careful, considering the scarcity of flowers. I'm willing to pay for a fancy pot app, but only if it's actually useful.

Anybody?

Comments

[aspidites.livejournal.com]

I've tried those pots a few times - if you're referring to the ones with a glazed outer pot to hold water and the unglazed inner one that holds the plant - but I haven't had much luck with them. This may be due to my potting mix rather than any intrinsic fail on the pot's part, though.

I also frequently have the "one year and death" problem with AVs... I think mostly because I'm too lazy to do annual repotting. I have noticed that if I really like a particular plant and remember to repot it, it tends to last longer. Go figure.

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

African violets grew like weeds for my mother. She puttered with them a little, mostly deadheading, moving plants into larger pots, and starting new plants from leaves. I came away from this with the Unshakable Belief that African Violets are "easy," even though I've never actually had one thrive under my care.

...think I'd learn.