Hi Theresa,

I having been growing my violets in hydroton for the last couple years. I was like you in that I couldnt seem to successfully grow violets in the traditional methods. I tried various soil mixtures, top watering, bottom watering, wicking and I still killed them. I stumbled across the waterroots.com website and thought I would try a violet in hydroculture. It worked out so well that I now grow all of my violets using this method. I have yet to lose a plant when converting it over and my plants stay in bloom most of the year.

I also used to have problems propagating AV leaves. Once I started rooting leaves using hydroculture my success rate improved greatly.

Hi rambler! I'm glad to hear of your successes. Give me your method for rooting leaves in clay pellets. I haven't tried that yet. I have transplanted some babies but, my success rate is about 50%. Not sure where water level should be or no water, just misting...etc...???
The other concern I have is, I put all of my houseplants outside in the summer, but I've got quite a few in clear glass containers. I was debating whether I should repot into reg. pots with drainage or just keep them inside. I think it will be a real PITA to make sure water levels aren't too high with no drainage. What do you think?
Theresa

I actually root my leaves in perlite and then transplant the babies into hydroton. I still use hydroculture method to root the leaves. I take 3oz solo cups and poke a few holes in the bottom. Depending on the size of the leaves, I put 2 to 3 leaves per cup. Then set all the cups in a tray and fill with about an inch of water. The perlite absorbs the water from the bottom just like hydroton. When I have rooted leaves in hydroton, I have had more success when I keep the water level just below the bottom of the leaf stem until roots form.

Once the babies are large enough to be separated, I put them in individual 3 oz cups using the same set up as above. I community water all of my violets. I know the risks of spreading disease but I have accumulated so many that it takes too much time to monitor each pot's water level. Im not sure why your success rate is so low. What size cups/pots are you transplanting into? Also how high do you keep your water level? What kind of fertilizer are you using?

As for your other plants, I agree it will be a PITA. I still have a few house plants in clear glass containers but the majority of them are in regular pots with draingage sitting in a tray or saucer of water. I also prefer using reg pots with drainage because it allows me to just flush out any accumulated fertlizer salts every couple months instead of having to repot with fresh hydroton.

I've just begun to dabble in violet and strep propagation, so it's just trial & error right now. The AV babies were probably too small to be put in clay pellets, they dried up. But some of the bigger babies are fine. I poked the drainage holes up higher on the sides of the 3oz plastic cups so there would be some water retained in the bottom of the cups, but not touching the roots.
I want to get it right before I invest alot of $ in AVs.
I would love to see your setup. Post pix if you can.
I guess I'm repotting my other plants into pots with drainage:(

Theresa

Unfortunately I left my camera somewhere in vegas on vacation. I am getting a new one this week. I will post some pics when I get it.

I am glad you created this post. I was also curious if there were other people who used hydroton as their medium. I will be curious to hear other people's experiences as well.

Sorry about your camera.
I've posted this subject before on Houseplants and I think Brugmansia forum. Not that I grow Brugs in it but, Iochroma, a relative of Brugs, love it.
I only ever get one person that does, like here.LOL Someone that responded to my other post, was growing Orchids.
Here's some of my plants in Hydroton.
......~Iochroma~..............~Mini Orchids~..................~AVs~
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{{gwi:363018}}{{gwi:363019}}{{gwi:111813}}

I haven't tried AVs in Hydroton. I grow Hoya linearis, wandering Jew cuttings, and a spider plant in Hydroton. All seem to be doing alright. Believe it or not, the wandering Jew and the spider plant are my problem children... I can't seem to grow them in this house normally to save my life. And they're both supposed to be easy to grow. The reason why I say "this house" is because I was able to grow spider plants just fine in other places I've lived. But not here at all. I do have an AV in a gritty mix (bark, Turface, granite) and it is going well. But it is also in a terrarium, which may be helping. I'll have to remember about Hydroton if I have a struggling AV or strep... I might have to give it a try!