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

Africian violets

[(Anonymous)]

Hi, I grow a lot of AVs. I have used a couple of different of the AV self watering pots. Some work good, some don't. I know that when I use the clay ones I tend to put some water directly into the soil about every other time I add water to the base. The ones with a wick work really well. But they are mostly plastic so I don't use them. Make sure the edge is wide on which ever pot you use as a thin edge will tend to cut into the bottom of the leaves. If the leaves are turning crisp, it is getting too much light. I had that when I changed my lighting and had to increase the distance to the plants. I use Eleanor's VF-11 for my AVs. I use it about once every one to two months and mine do great. AVs bloom in the fall in nature, so if they are getting too much light, they won't bloom.