Walmart usually has 2 pot sizes of violets. One is a medium pot and the other is itybity. I think the ones in the smaller pots are indeed minis. Not miniature though...semi-miniature. I have a mini from Rob's violets and the leaves are about half an inch long the longest. I'm stil wondering why I haven't accidently killed the thing yet.

Just looking at your leaves I'd say it is a Michelle. I got my first violet (Michelle) fom walmart. I'm looking at mine versus yours and they look a lot alike. Then again...it could be something completely different.

Britta:

It is better to underpot than to overpot any plant. When overpotted, the soil can stay too wet and the plant can drown.

Also, you cannot tell what variety an AV might be by leaf alone; you must have both blooms and leaves. Even then it can be dicey because with some varieties the differences are so miniscule.

It is my understanding that minis, semi-minis and standards by the size of the plant; not the leaves.

Good growning!

Linda

Good luck,
Linda

Hi:

I am just not used to potting my plants in such small pots!
I think I better stay with 4" pots.

Thank You!

Cometgirl,

We are here to figure out how to grow african violets in a way so they are healthy and bloom their heads off 10 months out of the year. (Not to how accommodate us...).

It is a free country, if somebody wants to grow the violet in a 5 gallon bucket - it is naturally up to this person. But - the violet will die.

It is a great way to start growing violets by buying them in WM., HomeDepot etc. and then trying to learn more and figuring out how to keep them alive and thriving. But - you need to know that the violets from Walmart are grown and shipped to us to be bought, enjoyed and thrown away in 2 weeks. So if we want to keep them happy and blooming - we need to repot them in a better soil - much lighter than they come and find the apppropriate pot for them. it can be a Solo cup or styrofoam cup with a hole in a bottom to start with - it just should be of the proper size. When your violet will catch up and grow bigger - you can use a nicer pot. Or slip the so-so pot in a decorative cup etc.

We strongly recommend for all newbies to read the info on AVs - usually we send everybody to the excellent site Rachel's Reflections with tons of pics.

It is sad when people kill this first plant from HD or WM and say - they are so hard to grow, I always kill them. They are not.

Good luck

grouchy on Mondays

Irina

Here is a link that might be useful: Rachel's reflections

~Irina
sorry to hear you are having a grouchy Monday. Trust me, I'm very thankful for all the info I found in old posts on this forum, and for the personalized care I'm getting for my questions. I was on Rachel's site and read how to repot, and many other things. I have not intention of killing my first WM AV, even if it was only $1.
To make a long story short, my AV is now in a 1.5" Oyama pot. Since Linda said it's better to underpot than overpot, I decided the 2.5" pot looked too big, especially because the rootball was very small. Here's a picture!
{{gwi:377104}}
Thanks again for all your help!
Britta

Looks like you did a great job repotting, Britta. The plant looks proportional to the pot, and you upped the odds of survival greatly.

Barbara

Britta -

You did a great job. You are up to a good bloom I think. I cannot see what kind of soil you used in your Oyama. Usually a layer of perlite in a bottom - and 1:1:1 mix is perfect. if yours is not as light - keep it on a dry side - means let it dry a bit before replenishing the water reservoir.

Monday is over. I am not grouchy anymore.

Irina

~Barbara
Thanks! :) I feel like I planted this AV in a thimble!

~Irina
The Oyama pots came with instructions (thank goodness!) There is a layer of perlite on the bottom, and the soil is AV soil mixed with perlite. I'm having the hardest time finding vermiculite here; maybe I'll have to get it online after all.

Britta

Britta,

I would suggest you call a nursery in your area to find vermiculite. They usually have that and perlite too.

Barbara

Well done, Britta!!! I know it's hard to pot down, but both of you will be happier ;-) And, for me it's all about what's best for the plants and I'm so happy you are of like mind! You'll have lots more success if you put the plants' needs first. That's what my AV mentor told me 35+ years ago.

Mrs. Nichols was a plain-spoken woman who loved and grew the most gorgeous AVs until her death in her late-80s. I was privileged to learn from her for nearly six years.

Lord help those who came to buy replacements for AVs which died because the buyer ignored her advice. I was at her nursery many times when she sent those people home empty-handed. She had no patience with those who, as she said, "Put person before plant." :-) I could tell tons of stories about Mrs. Nichols that seemed as if they happened only yesterday. I always like to think she would be proud that I'm still growing these beauties 30 years after her death.

I find my vermiculite in Lowe's and Home Depot. Have you tried a garden center? If you have a local AV club, members who make their own mix may let you buy from them. Go to www.avsa.org and click on "Clubs" to find the one closest to you.

Happy growing!

Linda

Congratulations on a successful potting down! I'm sure in a few weeks it'll be so happy you'll have to pot it back up.

If you can't find vermiculite, don't sweat it. Just use 1/3 Av mix to 2/3 perlite and it'll be happy. In fact, I'm going to experiment with growing one in pure perlite (wicked, of course).

Good luck and have fun!

Korina

'I'm the Doctor. And I just snogged Madam de Pompadour!'

Hi:

Irena, I haven't lost a plant yet. But to be honest I have never seen such small pots even at WM. I will however, try this suggestion!

Thank You for the Tip!

I've been to the two Nurseries here in the area, but remember seeing anything but garden soil. Then again, I probably wasn't looking for vermiculite then! :) I'll have to take a trip, soon, since I'm also looking for a yellow Thanksgiving cactus (which seem impossible to come by unless you order online).
Otherwise, thanks for the tip for perlite/AV soil. My mix is probably more 1/3 perlite and 2/3 AV soil. I'll fix that when potting up next time! :)
Britta

Britta - you will be OK till the next repotting time.
Hopefully you will post a pic of blooms for us.

Cometgirl - WM is a last place I would go for the pots and plant advice. The price for the sweatpants is good though.

There are vendors that specialize in goods for african violets and gesneriad growers. Usually they are small family outfits that do a lot of business by mail order. You can get the addresses of them at the African Violet Society site. If there is one you can drive to - it would be very interesting for you. These people are usually amazingly nice, will give you advice and troubleshoot your problems.

The second thing - check if there is an AV club in your area - also on AVSA site. It is very enjoyable to get to their show - after dealing with WM poor orphans - you will be for a real treat. And you will see all the kinds of violets and their pots - from micro-minis to large.

Good Luck

Irina

PS And the fact that you didn't kill one yet - just means you do not grow them long enough. Even the best growers lose them from time to time. They just see the first signs of problems - and take the leaves or crown to root again.

PPS Linda - Your Mrs. Nichols story is lovely and just on time.

Here is a link that might be useful: Florida vendors

Hi:

I don't buy my plants nor get advice from WM. I've only bought planters.

Thank you though for your expert advice!

Britta, you can always repot to a bigger size when it gets rootbound. You will wait a lot longer for the plant to bloom if it has little root and you put it in a bigger pot. I have several standard violets blooming in 3 oz solo cups..it's their first bloom and soon I'll repot them into a bit bigger. I have several times gotten violets from the grocery store/WM/HD/Lowes only to repot and find there is almost no roots...I imediately downsize the pot. I don't think you can determine the size of the pot to the width of leaf growth unless you have an established (like the one your mother-in-law gave you) plant...a plant with almost no roots needs a smaller pot. Yes, with proper care it can live in the 4" pot but you will wait months to get flowers again cause it will take a long time for the roots to fill in a 4" pot. Remember pot/root bound = bloom.

Rule of thumb for find the right pot size: Measure the circumference, as you did, leaf, to center to opposite leaf. Divide that number by 3 and that will give you the pot size.

So a plant measuring 12 inches across, divided by 3 says a 4 inch pot.

A plant measuring 9 inches across divided by 3 gives a 3 inch pot.

This may well be a semi miniature so it does need to be in the correct size pot.

Nancy

Thanks again for all the good advice. I've been putting it to good use, repotting the lovelies I've gotten so far. The one pictured here is doing well, but no buds yet. That's okay, I'm patient. But it will be fun to see what this mystery AV will end up looking like in bloom.
Britta

Cometgirl: Go with a smaller pot. I had only used 4" pots for years, and had few flowers. Since I potted down, they are blooming like crazy! You won't regret it.

I don't want to be nit-picky but I know Nancy meant to measure the diameter of the plant, not the circumference. So for any newbies to AVs and the pot size recommendations, there you have it.

I would have let this slide, but it probably is the only thing I remember (and use) from algebra.

And what a nasty expression, when you think of it - nit-picky. Picking nits. YUCK!

Barbara, starting to itch.............

Barbara -

It depends if you are artsy or logical. We have a family friend - a very talented artist - and this very successful lady told me once - that she was a total loss in her math. No way she could ever figure out why A + B = C. Why C??? Why not D???

Since -I am logical (and you are probably too) - my flower beds usually remind cabbage rows... But wake me in the middle of the night - and I will tell you about the circumference.

I.

Today being 11-17 I was surprised to find spahgnum peat moss, vermiculite, and perlite all at my local lowes. Many times last summer I went WM to try and save some AVS from their drowning them and had a lot of success even thou I was doing a lot of things wrong then, but even so my plants looked healthy but usually didnt rebloom. The plants are better and bigger at lowes , although the best and healthiest looking AVS I found at Meijers. So I repotted my 2 violets into the triple mix and oh what a shock it must be to them as I wonder and wait now to see if they will die from it, hope not. I have thought that one of my biggest problems thou was lack of light . I dont have an east window so I was using swest patio door which has blinds. I have one thought for you experts thou. When I went to robs violets in one place he says that the commercial av mix is ok if you dont have the triple mix. Now why would he ok that if its not a good thing to do?