I am thinking that over weekend - it was hot and dry at the office - and its soil was dry to start with.

It is a good idea to let the soil dry up to some extent - not tone dry - before adding more water to the established plant . But when you repot - you need to make sure that the soil is humid. NOT WET.

Depending how much you disturbed the roots - if you removed a lot of
soil - it would be better to remove the blossoms to give a plant a
break. At this point - I would remove all the flowers - they are damaged anyway - make sure that the soil is humid - water from the top, but do not leave any water in a reservoir - and put a baggie on
the top of the plant to up the humidity. It will be OK.

Next time - follow Aegis suggestions.

Wait until it is done blooming next time. Enjoy your blossoms.

I.

Thanks - should i remove the entire flower stem for all of the flowers on this plant?

yes- from the leaf axil. If you take the tweezers - and pull it sideways - it will break off nicely.

Sorry she is droopy, hope she recovers! Beautiful flower. Good luck! Rosie

Self watering pots are very tricky. Unfortunately, an overwatered and under watered plant have the same symptoms. If the leaves do not firm up then I suggest removing one, soak in sugar water until firm , then pot it in perlite with a bit of miracle gro to start the plant over. It looks like you might possibly have optimara Tennessee, which is a very nice plant. Worth preserving. When you remove bllomstslks you can put them in a shot glass or cup with sugar water. They will last a long time as mini cut flowers. Joanne

I think it can be Optimara 'Alaska'. It was the first AV I grew. In a self watering pot. In the office.

Self watering pots are all different. If they are made in China, they might not have the correct porosity, I was told, and won't let enough water through. Or, they have the opposite problem of letting in too much moisture so the roots cannot breathe.

I am here with you. But it is a typical choice of a newbie. You get the plant - it is so pretty - you want it to bloom for you - aha - there is a special ceramic pot for it - , expensive though...but I want my violet will be happy..and $10-15 later you drag this contraption home. You can grow a plant in this ceramic pot - but there is more involved than just filling the bottom with water ..and you end watering from the top...

The bad thing about the self watering ceramic pots is you don't have a way of knowing how it was fired in the kiln.

Without knowing the correct firing temperature for maximum porosity, it may or may not "suck up" the water as it should.

Ceramic bisque is porous, just how porous depends on the firing temp.

You may do better on a wick system. That has been discussed on other threads. Try to find a current thread and see if that will work better for you. It is the same result,,,,just a different way of getting there. Good luck! Rosie

They are better ones and worse ones...but I think plastic Oyama pots are way superior in way how well the plants grow. You just need a cool cache pot for display purposes when your best AV is at its top and you want to put it on the dining table while it blooms.

Yes, Rosie knows so much about the porosity of these pots. Unless you know where the self watering pot came from, you won't know how effective it is. As Irina described, I have had that experience, with many people who fall in love with a pot then ask me to get them a violet for their pot, instead of the other way around.

I am not sure if I have a violet in an Oyama pot or not, as it was given to me.

The WaterMaid saucers from Selective Gardener (on the web) work well.

As Irina suggests, an interesting cache pot for display that you can slip the plastic pot into is nice. Also nice for gift-giving.

Joanne

I just want to be clear,,,,,the pots I was referring to (the ceramic ones, I do have the molds for them.) are kind of squatty with the 1/2 glazed 1/2 bisque insert that sits down into the pot. I don't have any experience with the Oyama pots or any other type self watering pots.

This pix shows one for mini violets. I don't have one for minis and this is a stock photo. But they do come in larger sizes. The shape is about the same for both. These have been around for years and years. Note on the left side of the pix you can see space? That should not be there. It should be a tighter fit. In my particular ceramic mold there is only one hole. Ideally you are supposed to add your water through this hole to keep the water level up.

I have a couple for standard violets but I haven't used them in years. Maybe I should try again. I didn't make them myself so it will be a crap shoot. AND I don't know how they were fired either! If I do use them I will post.

I am kind of satisfied with my wick system though. Plants just went thru a nice rush of bloom. AND I can see when the water level is low. My see thru cups at least let me see the water level at a glance. Rosie

Rosie - you can work on a tighter fit - and they are attractive pots, nothing wrong with having a little crack - shows character.

The issue is the whole idea. If you keep the water level low - barely touching - and the pores are just so - you are wicking your AV. Which is good. The problem - too many variables - you up the water level - and you use more pores - and the soil becomes too wet - off with the violet. Or pores get clogged - I guess depends on the minerals in your water - water is in a container - but the plant is bone dry.

When you wick - you chose your wick bu the size of the plant - large lant - thick wick or 2-3 skinny ones, Small one - you may use 1-2 ply out of the yarh. So - it is consistent, you decide how much water the plant needs - and it will hopefully get delivered for 6 months.

Whe you use the pretty ceramic pot - you really need to keep your index finger in the soil all the time...

"When you use the pretty ceramic pot - you really need to keep your index finger in the soil all the time…"

… which makes it tough to drive … ha!

So true!

I agree. Had I cast this pot myself it would have been a good fit! And it should be a good fit because you don't want the water to evaporate. If there are too many holes to evaporate out of,,,,,,you lose water that should be soaking up into the inner pot!

And the theory behind these pots I guess is good if you fire them at the right temp to maintain porosity. I think I am going to give mine a try. It is handy and I am NOT going to sacrifice a violet. I will use something a little sturdier. I will still let you know how it works.

The important thing about getting one of these pots ready is that you have to soak that inner pot until it has absorbed all of the water it can, only then do you plant in it and you have to make sure everything is damp and makes connection etc. Oh a lot of work just to get it going, but I think I will try! Wish me luck! Rosie

Rosie -

I had a large Nematanthus sitting in a large ceramic double pot - and it grew and bloomed all the time. But - Nematanthus - is pretty much a cast iron gesneriad.

Yes - the pots made in China have small pores... But even the properly made inner pot - will eventually clog. Then you need to refire it at 1500F in a kiln - and the pores will open again.

The fact that there is some evaporation through the holes or off the soil surface is actually good. It creates an ambient humidity for the AV.

But - I am still to see a decent looking AV in a double pot. They grow better in plastic - probably because they get better air access to the roots - and roots need to breath.

I.

You know, Irina, after all of this discussion,,,I really do agree with you about those pots. That is why I don't want to sacrifice a precious violet. I think violets do much better in plastic with a light mix. I still may use it on something that I won't cry over if it dies in that pot.

Gee I haven't seen a Nematanthus in real life for years and years! I had one somewhere in the 70's. I really did like it also. Ahhhh memories! Rosie

Rosie -

We grew in 70s and still growing today! I guess we are evergreen. I only had one sunny window in 70s, so I had a hoya that bloomed all the time - very heady fragrance - and dripped nectar all over the place, I had 2 cacti - one Epyphillum that bloomed with large raspeberry red flowers and one large Opuntia - that never bloomed but was covered with very long white brittle prickles that had a nasty tendency to get into your plam and break off so you cannot pull it out....

Actually I started in the 60's. But my dad, his mom and my mom's gr-ma all grew stuff and they raised me doing the same. But my love affair with wiolets started in the 60's. I still like hoya! And stapelia! And,,,,,oh let's just say anything that grows!!!!! I guess it is in my blood. Along with my coffee.

But the thrill of raising violets???? Second to none! And so here I am. Of all of the forums I could participate in,,,,this is the "go to" every single day!

Ouch! that is bad when you get cactus needles large or microscopic imbedded in skin! Especially if you can't see those little fine ones!!!! Rosie

You cannot see them - but you sure can feel them darn needles...

Yup I grew stuff in high school too - loved Bryophyllum - with babies growing on the leaves. Mother had a huge Aloe vera - for medicinal purposes - and I was supposed to eat with sugar - do not remember against what sickness - but it was ver bitter.

do you think i should do anything else?

thanks for the help!

Looks good!

Next time you are repotting - add a heap of perlite to your soil - it is too black to my taste and can get too wet.

If it is still in the pot in the photo, and you are watering from the top, there is no drainage hole for excess water to escape is there? I know the bottom of the insert is ceramic bisque and the idea is that the bisque sits in the water and absorbs the water thereby transferring dampness to the soil that is in contact with the soil and roots and should evaporate out of the top of the soil.

If you want to, you can make a hole(s) in the bottom of the bisque insert. You will have to go very slow but it can be done. Then you won't have to worry about watering from the top and you won't have to keep water in contact with the insert. I have carefully drilled ceramic bisque before.

Unless I am misunderstanding????

And yes I agree with Irina, add perlite to the mix! Good Luck!!!! Rosie

I think that in case of accidental overwatering - the bisque will absorb the moisture.. may even drip it down. The double pot works if you have a strong large plant that sucks the water out of the soil fast enough - so the soil doesn't get waterlogged. After the repotted AV will catch up and start growing - I think you can start adding the water to the bottom pot - in moderation and giving enough time for all water be absorbed and plant slightly drying before adding more. You can grow plants this way... just pay attention to plant - there is no definite time schedule - may be once a week in summer - may be once in 2 in winter - but if it is a cold spell - i would be watering from the top.

The bisque will only absorb overwatering if it is not sitting in water itself as it is supposed to be doing. Just like a clay pot. A clay pot will wick away water from the soil because the pot has dried out. However if the pot is soaking in water and you are overwatering the plant from the top, there will be no wicking action. It has no where to wick it to.

Those pots can be tricky if they dry out. AND if her violet has the usual peat type soil that we all love to hate, if it dried out she will have a dickens of the time rehydrating it and getting the wicking action going again.

Since it has, by her admission been in the same place/soil for 2 years, I think it is long overdue to repot. And maybe put down a couple leaves!

Just my own thoughts on the subject. It is such a beautiful plant I would hope she could save it with all of our "helps"!!! Rosie

Hear, hear...

Ok, come on. Does that look like a dead plant to you????? Just because it is not blooming doesn't mean it is dead. It is now up to the point of healthy. Now may be the time to gently fertilize? I bet if you look way down into the plant, you may see little buds start to form. Take a look and let us know! But rest assured,,,,,,,you didn't kill it!

Alive and healthy ... probably gearing up for its next bloom cycle ...

Looks like you did a good job with whatever changes you made to its care. Very healthy and good new growth. They do need a rest from blooming now and then, you know. Very few AV's will bloom constantly. And there are even a few I've run into that seem to bloom only occasionally, but that's not what you're dealing with here, I'm sure. Just keep up the good work and there will be flower buds forming again soon.

Jb,,,OMG,,,,,looks soooo much better!!! HOORAY!!!! Happy Dance!!! Yipppeeeeeeee!!!

I cut or gently pull apart if I am actually transplanting at the time, the mom leaf when the plant has a nice crown to it. If the leaf doesn't easily pull off I will cut it, but usually they pull apart easily. Lucky you,,,I never could master that water rooting thing! Good luck to you! Beautiful plant!!!!!

I have the same plant in similar condition - leaves dropping and flowers turning brown. Looks like overwatering, it was over watered in the shop :( . I didn't water it till now after buying, it's almost 2 weeks and looks like the plant is dying. Please suggest what i should do. I have 2 other plants bought from a friend and they look good.

If you can show us a photo, it would help.

Otherwise, if you suspect over-watering, pull/cut off the faded bloom-stalks ... and let the plant soil dry out. Once the soil is drier, you can add a bit of water just to moisten the soil. (Others here may suggest that you take the plant out of its pot, cut of any limp/brown (i.e. dead) roots, and then repot. They may advise bagging or doming the plant also, but I'll let them speak to that.)

If you're fortunate, the plant may revive in a few weeks to a month.