Well that was my decision a few weeks ago until I saw a plant I repotted earlier last year with a bloom stalk.

And I still have about 12 healthy ones so let's see what this year brings.

I am like an alcoholic who decide to stop until I see a wine bottle. I just love them so much, it's hard to imagine my grow area without them.

And I think my watering practice help to kill them.

This is an experiment to see if a more steady water supply will make them happier.

If it does well,You know what that means:) VELLETA

Lol, well, yes...I understand it all too well. And yes, I occassionally mistreat those streptocarpus too with regard to infrequent watering....but they bounce back easier than AVs do. I have the opposite problem from yours.

I think it's a plot from the Avs inner will to servive. It sense I was just about done and decided oh no, not by a long shot :') Velleta

Nice pix Velleta! Is this the one on a wick system? Rosie

Hi Rosie, no. This is the one that made me decide to still try to grow them.so that's why I am trying another way of watering to see if a more steady watering supply will give me better results. :) velleta

Velleta!

It's been a long time since I got the chance to talk to you and I am glad to see you have not given up on violets! A couple of thoughts-I have been wick watering since I began growing in 1972. It is the only way I grow. You may want to try using a plastic food storage container for your reservoir. It's more stable and won't tip over. I re-use the ones I bring food home from the grocery. Mix up your water/fertilizer solution in a plastic gallon jug in the proper proportion and use that. That way, you know that your solution is not too weak or strong. Your pot is a bit big so be careful that your soil does not stay too wet. You can split your yarn into one-ply and use that. I use 2-ply for standards and one-ply for minis. Yarn is fine-it's what I have always used- but make sure it is a man-made fiber. Cotton or wool will rot. It looks like you have done everything correctly so far. Let us know how it goes.

Linda

Hi Linda, I have miss you so much. I am happy to know your OK.

I will split the yarn in two when I get home. And watch to see my media does not stay too wet. And I will do over the fertiliser and change the reservoir.

Yes my yarn is man made fiber the one used to make cardigans.

I so want this method to work because I think my results will be better. Velleta

gonna change my reservoir to this. :) velleta

Velleta, I think you are on the right track for violet survival! I would put that violet (in the pix) on the wick, consistant watering is the way to go. The worst that can happen is you notice the reservoir is getting low on water. Easy fix. Easier than trying to keep track of soil getting dry enough to water. My luck I know I have to water within a day or so and BANG!!!!! senior moments happen and before I know it I have plants that are far to dry.

Use your judgement,,,,,but I would start wicking whatever you have left with a 1/2 Perlite to 1/2 Soil mix. (yes,,,,I use MiracleGro. It is available to me, I don't know what you have available). Good luck Velleta!!!! Rosie

Thanks Linda :) those are some beautiful plant. But one question please, how do I know if my media is holding too much water?

I am thinking that weather you use two or three string wick then the media would still suck up the same amount of water until it is saturated enough.

So my logic is that it's the media which holds the key. Too heavy media equals no air and the roots suffocate. Same amount of water. And light media equals air exchange so the roots breath and don't rot. But still same amount of water. ( because it's the same type wick).

I hope I am not over thinking this. And please excuse my stupid babble. I tend to like being comfortable with a logic explination. Anyway below is my humble excuse of a plant collection which if wicking works will improve in number:) Velleta

Velleta, I like a logical explanation as well so here goes! If you can get peat moss in Jamaica, use that . Add the same amount of perlite to your soil. Your soil will then be 'fluffy'. This soil is so light that when you plant in it, it will have many tiny air pockets. Do not tamp down in pots, just gently fill in. The air pockets are what you want. There is a gas exchange that takes place at the roots. If the soil and the air pockets are saturated, this cannot happen. If your soil is light and fluffy, it will have the air pockets that enable the air exchange to take place at the roots. Some experimentation is necessary but you have been at this a while so I think you are well on your way. Heat is your biggest enemy. Using one or two strands of fiber just helps control water uptake a bit. Again, experiment. In the winter, my plants go through water in a reservoir in a few days. In the summer, it takes them about 10 days. It's due to the humidity and you just learn to adjust.

Linda

OK Linda, now I get it. I don't have peat moss so I use miracle gro potting soil mix and use more than the half amount of perlite.

I will just watch and see. My yarn is three strands, I was trying to unravel one strand but it keeps breaking so I just let it be.

I am sure my soil is OK because theirs more perlite than soil , but what I notice is that it looks really moist which I am not used to so I guess that's OK.

I did water the plants after inserting the wick so that it drained through the bottom and down the wick so maybe that's why it looks that way.

I read that you have to do that to get the wicking process started. Well now we wait and see. I am sure my resoviours will be empty much quicker because it's in the 90 ties here now.

Velleta

Velleta, don't forget,,,,even though the medium looks really moist, at the same time that moisture is evaporating into the air! It is a continual process. Wick sucks water, water hydrates soil, soil gives it up to evaporation out of the top of the pot! It all happens all at the same time. The only thing that slows it down is if your soil is too heavy. Yours doesn't seem to be. You mix yours like I do mine and with the same stuff! So I am familiar with your dynamic. Your air temp may be a little warmer than mine, that just means you may have to fill your reservoirs a little more frequently, but I think you are on the right track! Good luck and keep the pix coming!!! Rosie

Like I said, heat is your biggest problem. Do you have air conditioning?

I can speak for Velleta on that (hope she doesn't mind), no she does not. It's came up in previous convos when cooler weather plants were discussed.

Thanks Dbarron. No Linda no air conditioning, and I would try fans but wellhubby thinks that is stupid (:(.

Hes not a plant person and don't get why I love violets so much.

So I am left to the devices of mother nature. I think I might need to try other measures. Not sure what, but I WILL come up with something.

I wonder how other people deal with the heat and no fan or Ac? Thinking, thinking, thinking. VELLETA

Well, most of us (I think from where I think forum users are) either have AC or live far enough north/elevation, that it's not a problem for us. Unfortunately, you're probably almost unique, in your climate Velleta.

I've seen how badly an AV fares left in a greenhouse (or even outside sheltered) here, and your humidity is higher than ours (if not your summer temps). You gotta remember, the violet thinks it belongs in a cool moist woodland in a higher elevation (maybe even cloud forest)...and your lowlands...are quite alien to it.

Well Dbarron, I guess Avs and I are in a love hate relationship :(. I came this close to giving up on them.

And the ones I have now are from last March to now, so if I do my calculations correctly, they serviced through one of my worst summers.

Well that tells me I did something correctly, so that hint of hope is still there.

Now I can understand they love cooler temps. But they did adjust a bit so let's see how they will do this season.

To be honest last year I placed all of them in my North window, I placed little bottle top with sulphur in between them, I placed them on bowls with stones and water in the bottom and I placed water in containers between and around them, so something helped.:)

Wicking was the other thing I wanted to try so here goes servival or die trying. :) Velleta

Shame you can't even use a box fan. Any air circulation would help. I don't understand the sulphur use though. Rosie

Hi Rosie I read somewhere here that the sulphur help prevent powdery mildew.

Now does it work? Some swear by it. But in my book prevention is always best. So it don't hurt to try. And since the odds are stacked against me, I figured every bit of precaution is wort the effort:) Velleta

Well, traditionally sulphur has been used on many crops, so I'm pretty sure it works. The risk would be acid burn or acidification of the soil (I think).

Yep, you're on a learning curve...of how to overcome those obstacles.

Do you know...I did some research before my last post, and looked at blog talking (and showing) Saintpaulia rupicola in habitat (behind waterfall in a cloud forest)....makes me want to try some of the species out.

Hey Dbarron, did sombody fall back in love with saintpaulia''s??.

Ha well I can't blame you what's not to love about our fuzzy leaves friends. To be honest right now I would trade my phals, for a few more. VELLETA

Well, I will admit to having weakened enough to be looking at violet barn, gary's out of africa, ebay, and a few others (lol). Not in the cards today, but it *could* happen....with just the right thought.

Well guys,I think it's safe to say someone has been rehooked. Just the right thought, Ha you already started eye shopping. Velleta

Hey dbarron,,,,,awwww come on, now you know you really want a violet. Their beauty is stunning, the varieties are endless and nicest thing of all,,,,,you can start trading for all kinds of different varieties! Nibbling on the hook yet??? lol

But back to sulphur. Is it a powder? Liquid? And you just leave it sit in between the plants? Spray it on? But what is it suppose to do exactly? If all it does is try to prevent powdery mildew (I understand,,,,caused by too much humidity) would you not get the same effect by just spacing your plants a little farther apart for air circulation? Really trying to understand. I don't like to use things I don't understand. I will have to google this I'm afraid. Rosie

Hi Rosie, well to what I understand you place it between the plant in little containers. Which is what I did. It's in powder form, this is supposed to help prevent the powdery mildew in the first place.

Yes spacing your plant is another way I suppose but I just figure it's worth a try :) velleta

Ok, it seems as if the sulfur absorbs the excess humidity? Hey Velleta, with the odds you are battling, try anything once, some things twice and go for a third if necessary. Use whatever works! I think wicking and a loose mix and trying to get rid of excess humidity no matter how you have to do it is worth a try. Good luck to you. Rosie

Hmm, in agro crops, you spray it on as a foliar, and it does help prevent mildew. The grape industry considers it essential. However, indoors, it's an irritant and allergen.

Well dbarron, I am far from being irritated and as for allergic I am OK. So I guess we will see the results.Velleta

Hey everyone, so I was doing a bit of reading on wicking and the article suggested that when you wick water you should allow your plants to dry out before refilling the reseviour.

This help to prevent root rot and springtails. Can someone please elaborate on this, because I thought the main reason for wicking was to provide constant moisture so as not to have the too dry, too wet situition.

Also how about leaching? Velleta

Velleta, here is what I do. Remember,,,,Just my opinion. I do let my container go dry for about 1-2 days. During that time the root ball does not completely dry out, but I believe it does give the plant a "break". The little bit of dryness that occurs allows the soil to move around a little. Is it necessary???? I have no idea. Does it improve my plant???? Don't know. But it is what I do.

In your case it may be beneficial to do so since you have a lot of humidity etc. A few days without water in the reservoir may help. Maybe I have it backwards or even sideways. I just wanted to tell you what I do.

Leaching is what I do when I refill the reservoir. Since wicking forces the plant to suck everything UP,,,,,,I hold the plant under the faucet and let the water flow from the top DOWN and thru the holes in the bottom! It "rinses" the root ball so to speak. That is leaching. If you have questions, let me know. Rosie

Thanks forty seven, so to make sure I got it correct once per month you allow the plant to dry out a bit then you water from the top with the fertiliser mixed in to restart the wicking process?

A bit meaning for three days? Less or more? I apologize for so many questions but this is all new to me and I would like to make sure I have it correct.

ĹINDA?? Any I'm put please?

, Velleta

That should have read, Insight. Sorry :) velleta

I do it constantly. Every grower has his own tricks - for Joanne it works the way how it works. More widespread way - is to use a low concentration fertilizer all the time.

1/8-1/4 of a teaspoon per gallon of water, use it all the the time. You either need to leach - or repot at least every 6 months. I would keep young plants on 1/8 of a teaspoon. Depending what fertilizer you use - if it is something wth the numbers like 10:10:10 - 1/4 of a teaspoon, 20:20:20 - 1/8 of a teaspoon.

Thanks irina, so repot every six months or leach the soil meaning remove it from the reseviour, run copious amount of water through the soil then return it to the reseviour?

OK I use the miracle gro African violet fertiliser it's a 7-7-7 blend

Also since I am wicking I think I will work with repotting every six months. I mean in my logic refreshing the soil is always better, this helps to get rid of a lot of stuff. Velleta

Yup. That's what I will do. My understanding that your humidity is quite high - so evaporation rate is low and the soil doesn't get salted with fertilizer salt too fast.

1/4 of a teaspoon per gallon should be OK. I looked it up = and it is 7:7:7 ratio of NPK.

Everybody's conditions are different - watch for the yellow crystals on young leaves - usually on the young plants. It is the sign of too much fertilizer. Usually the young plants need less - so you can cut the amount to 1/8 teaspoon per gallon.

Irina

Wow, so thanks Rosie, I think I got it down correctly now.

Allow the reservoirs to go dry at least once per month for a day or two then leach the plants then return to reservoirs with fertilizer mixed 1/8 teaspoon to a gallon of water.

Repotting every six months is also good because it helps to refresh the soil.

Thanks to everyone for your time and patients I have been well enlightened to wicking and it's requirements.

Just so you guys know it has been eight days and my plants look so perky and happy ( it's as if they are saying what took you so long).

This is way more convenient than having to remember to water. Thanks again. VELLETA

Oh,,,one more thing I forgot to mention. I do repot. Not on a regular schedule according to a calendar. They get repotted when they need it. I imagine it does balance out to every 6-8 months. When the need comes to take off the outer leaves because they have bloomed from those rows, I take off those outer leaves, shake off the soil and backfil with fresh then put it back on the wick.

Glad your plants look and feel so much better on wicks! Maybe you have finally found what will work for you and your plants!!!! Great to hear it! Rosie

Well Rosie, as I said before when I just started I had a really good feeling about the wicking.

I reported five and trust me when I tell you they didn't even show a drop of droopness. And now they are all spreading flat out over their pots.

I placed foil paper over the rims but I still had to use packaging to hold the leaves off the rim.

We don't get the rings you guys use out here. I was also trying to get the small sanitary plastic plates but no luck. Pic below. Velleta

Velleta!!!! What a difference!!!! So happy for you!!!! Keep the pix coming!! Rosie

ROSIE, I know they are not in bloom just yet but I am on cloud nine that they have responded so well to the wicking.

It's like they just transformed. I think I have finally found my " ahh" moment with them.

So do you know what this means??? Oh yea someone is dancing all over the place.

I am planning to repot in my own mix and place on wicks the ones I ordered the moment I get them.

I know some would say give them time to adjust but well they are gonna adjust anyways, so let them do one adjusting to both my mix and my climate at the same time.

I am sure they will be 100% happier that way. Thanks again.

Velleta I am very happy for you! Yes,,,,I hope this is your aha moment! Just make sure that you keep the medium loose. Keep posting. I am interested. You have come a long way since I first read your sad posts about giving up. Glad you didn't!!!!!! Hopefully you can keep dancing!!!!!!! Rosie

I didn't read through all of these so I hope I am not repeating. As for Powdery Mildew, I place a small container of it in my plant trays and that takes care of any that I might get. I know your hubby doesn't like your plants but try to get a fan going, (not directly on the plants) when it gets very hot. I have extremes of temperatures-right now we are experiencing near blizzard snow and 9 degrees- and in the summer it is sometimes over 100 degrees. But, my plants are in the basement so the temps. stay fairly warm and level. Also, it is cooler at floor level so maybe you can set something up at that level. Good luck!

Linda

Another thought-you mentioned that you didn't know if your soil was too wet. Feel it with your finger. It should be nicely moist, not soggy or soppy. And , sometimes you do have to 'start' the process by watering down through the wick to get everything going. I never do, but, everyone is different.

Linda

Thanks Linda. I suppose if the soil was too wet after 10 days my plants would be reacting to it by now so I guess it OK.

I suppose since I am not use to it like that was the concern but my soil is mostly perlite so I know I am good.

I am gonna try and see about the fan not sure how hubby will react but where theirs a will theirs a way.

About the sulphur I have lots of it around my plants in bottle caps plus I have phyton 27 so let's see what my dreaded summers will bring. Thanks again.

Velleta

You probably can have other problems in the heat, not PM. Root rot and bacterial blight - that what I would be careful of. Good ventilation and healthy plants usually resist. So - now you can build them up while it is not that hot.

Yes Irina, I agree because last year and the year before they suffered heat stroke.

But I guess I am gonna just have to fix the problems when they crop up. I have time now to get them strong so that's my main focus for now. Thanks again

VELLETA