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

[nephir.livejournal.com]

My experience with African Violets is that they like to be watered frequently enough to keep the soil moist but not wet and that they love indirect sunlight. If you have these two conditions they will bloom and bloom frequently has been my experience. It may be that mine have learned to thrive in my carelessness as I never repot them unless the pot breaks and I water 2-3 times a week during the summer (Pacific Northwest, so fairly mild summer conditions) and once or twice during the winter to combat the drying from the heater/wood stove running in the house.

Best of luck.