Bought Mason twine to be used as my wicking medium b/c I read about it, was cheap and hardware store was nearby. Cut a 10" length and soaked in water with a drop of d/w soap. My guess is that pre-moistening improves permeability.

After a few hours, threaded thru pot, leaving longer end on the bottom side.

Added about 1" of perlite to bottom of interior pot

Potted plant with premoistened, not overly wet soil. I used a mix of 2 parts cacti soil and 1 part perlite.

My reservoir (outer pot) was filled with just a bit of water b/c soil and wick were pre moistened. I went conservative, vowing to monitor soil b4 adding more water to reservoir. left the bottom end of wick at about 5" long.

I don't know if this is optimal soil or right sized pot, but based on what I read, I decided this was a good starting effort. Your comments will be appreciated.

ETA: I've always taken exception to "this is the only way" method to do things. And there seems to be a lot of that cr@p on the internet. I'm not sure how successful I will be, but i went with the GENERAL wisdom gleaned from my research and ignored any "you must do it this way or you will fail" data. I won't be too proud to admit and post here if it is a fiasco. How else do we learn?

You do not need the wick. Probably no harm though.

The crown should be potted above the rim. On a top of the mound. Streps need to have their growth point well aerated and relatively dry. So if your plan will be sitting on the top of the hill - the center will be happy. If it is low - like yours - sooner or later you will have brown edges on the young leaves. With time the soil will settle - and it will be even deeper.

And I think its' overpotted for it's size. Streps don't like to stay wet.

This is an Oyama pot - old style. Bossyvossy can control the amount of water.

I would just lift it up - add another inch of perlite on the bottom - remove the wick - and plop it back making sure that the center is on the top of a little mound. It will start growing like a champ. Would be adding water sparingly until it catches up.

I will raise the plants, thanks. I did not read the ebay description thoroughly enough and realized, too late, that these were an old model. I was wanting the funnel looking inner pot. But I'll make lemonade w/my lemons. Thank you both for your input.

No lemons. It is a very good one.

I have some streps and am learning also. I am listening Irina! Do they prefer squatty pots? Or just regular pots? Why no wick? With a fast draining soil and perlite at the bottom, would a wick be ok? Or should they get absolutely dry before they are watered again? I know there are different ways to grow them. So far mine look not too bad. I am even having luck propagating the leaves. Rosie

Rosie - cannot say for sure if they prefer square, round, oval or pink pots.
I do not do saucer watering - it is either Oyama - or wick. With wick - I need to be especially vigilant. Perlite in a soil, perlite in a bottom, plant on the top of the mound, extra holes on a sides - and main thing - do not let the roots fill the pot so they cannot breath - repot or divide earlier. A friend of mine does good job growing them in slotted orchid pots - the ones that look like baskets.

Thanks Irina! I want to wick but I felt as though I was missing a piece of the puzzle. I think I have it now. I am surprised that they don't like to be potbound. Ok, will do!!!! And thanks!!!!! Rosie

Here's my take: streps tend to prefer well-aerated soil, so in addition to potting mixture, I think a wider less deep pot would be preferable (azalea pots maybe or the orchid pot with holes).

I have heard "squatty" pots are preferable. Rosie

For my "Texas" method I use taller pots - because I load an inch of x-large perlite in the bottom. Karen Allen gave a presentation at the G-convention last year about her growing and hybridizing streps - and she grow them in oversize Solo cups. like 8 and 12 oz. I tried, they do very well - and then they tip over.

Streps rot if they are rootbound. They fill the small pot fast and create the dense mass of root so they cannot breath.

Orchid pots are great.

Well, that explains it! Now I know why my beautiful strep that I bought this past spring croaked! Remember Irina? She was so beautiful, name or not.

Anyway, I realize now I should have divided it. And started some leaves. Or done something besides admire it and think it was gorgeous!!!!! That strep was so potbound I could lift it entirely out of the pot without losing a morsel of soil. Because there was hardly any left!!!!!

"Streps rot if they are rootbound". sigh,,,,live and learn. Rosie

Rosie - I understand that you do not have any space on your shelves left - BUT it is a LAW - you got a new plant - put a leaf down. Life happens, plants die - but you have a leaf down. Extraterrestrial goats broke into your house and ate all the streps - but you have a leaf down. DH had an attack of a plant hatred (we had a thread some time ago) - and played plant soccer kicking them out through the yard... - but you have a leaf down.

Good to know about crowded roots. I was envisioning keeping in same pot forever or at least a long time.

What makes you think I don't have leaves down for the "newbies"????? hee hee! Irina,,,you of all people should know that I obey the LAW!!!!! Rosie

Then - no big deal, a new generation is coming.

Irina- DH played plant soccer? Where’s the thread? I would like to read to avoid that possibility, lol. I am having much trouble finding space this year. Toying with the idea of moving seating out of one room to make it just a plant space. Problem is, we each need a place to watch our own shows on TV. Then it begs the question- which is more important- a place to eat, or having two spots to watch TV?

Yes there was a thread, I remember it. Just can't remember the name of the thread but you can put something in the search and I bet you find it! Rosie

PS. Don't know if that hubby is still in one piece! Mine wouldn't be! lol

It was on AV forum. No , not mine, It was another lady's DH. He dropped it, chucked it outside, and pretended it never happened.

So I thought, maybe I’ll look for that post. Oh my, I feel very fortunate after reading some posts that showed up in my search. I think I’ll leave well enough alone....

It just may be safer that way! lol Rosie

Progress pics. One Plant is doing well. The other one died rather fast. Same exact care, so wondering if the casualty is a weak cultivar to begin with.

Some are definitely weaker than others...so it's possible.

Well at least you got the one going! Good for you! That strep of mine in the above post was the only thing I have bought in ages that I didn't hurry to put a leaf down until it was too late!!!! Still mad at me for that!!!! Rosie

Yes - some are always weaker than others and require more care and babying in the beginning.

More perlite in a soil would be better - like 50% of perlite - and what did I say about potting it higher in the pot???

Right now the survivor is doing good - stay stingy on watering and it will catch up.

But not so stingy as to cause wilt (which causes a setback). I think with appropriately light soil and good ventilation, streps would be a good candidate for wicking. I haven't had much luck with it for various reasons, but it seems like it should work well for them.