Your video is the best one I have seen on African Violets! Thank you for sharing your knowledge! You make it simple and understandable and your camera work is excellent! I learned so much from your grooming video. I will definitely keep following you.
This is one of my favourite jobs at the light shelves. For good shape, get those suckers when they’re tiny, but for propagation, wait until those suckers are big enough for you to handle. I like to propagate to share with others at the AV club! I think removing old baby leaves stimulates new growth. Unfortunately those leaves won’t propagate well, but no harm trying.
I cannot thank you enough for your videos. As someone new to growing African Violets, all the reading in the world doesn't teach me as well as showing what you are doing and explaining why. You have taught me so much. Thank you!
I love how tender and efficient you are with the grooming. Your plants are amazingly beautiful and healthy. You inspire me a great deal! Please continue your fantastic tutorials! Love them! 💚
Good morning, a lot of precise work, studying and removal of unwanted leaves and then the suckers. This video was most informative and will guide us "how to do" for our plants in future. Many tanks, take care, kind regards.
I only have three very small African Violets, but I do so want them to be happy and healthy. Thank you so very, very much for such detailed, clear instructions! I have watched other videos on YT, but this one has helped me understand so much! I am now following!
I just found your channel a few days ago. I've been bindge watching your channel for a couple days.Honestly love everything thing about your channel.Lol, especially the "hot mess violet 😊 . Learning so much following you,Thank you so much for the info and laughs.I tried the wicking system today on a few of my violet,so we shall see how I did.
Just subscribed to your channel!! What is more exiting that I heard some Russian accent , and then reassured myself when you pronounced some Russian names!! Hello homegirl!! I am not an experienced violet grower like you, just have my windowsill full of African Violets and trying to learn some tips !! Thanks for your videos, very informative and helpful!!🤗🤗👍
Hello and welcome! Thanks so much for subscribing! I am still learning, too - it's been 3 years since I started my new AV collection. I figured why not share my progress with fellow AV enthusiasts, so here I am - learning together with everyone else on here, and sharing the beauty of these special plants with the world. Happy growing!
I found your Chanel today and had to subscribe. I’m very pleased with the information presented. I see that you reply to questions❤️. I was curious about the plants need for reporting to new soil and do you have algae forming in your water chambers? I have cut off pop/soda bottles with a few stones in the bottom filled with rain water and sometimes bloom fertilizer. The bottles hold the pot/wick. I cut different heights in the plastic bottles so I can squeeze the wide plants closer to each other on my plant table. So, throw out algae water?
These are all great questions, thank you! Yes, I do have algae forming in wicking reservoirs, most of mine are clear glass, and water gets exposed to light, causing the algae growth. I used to add hydrogen peroxide, and later stopped as I didn't see significant improvement. Now I just discard the algae water, wash the reservoirs, and add fresh water with fertilizer when the algae starts growing out of control. Here is how I repot plants growing on wicks: ruclips.net/video/u1YOsTJ5_sE/видео.html. I do not use bloom fertilizer because the high ratio of phosphorus used to kill my plants when I was using it. More about fertilizers here: ruclips.net/video/qqmRHHf3NNw/видео.html and here: ruclips.net/video/YbAROKrhDW0/видео.html. Happy growing!
Great video. Nice selection of different tasks. I learned a lot and feel better about going ahead with my violets in their care. Do you recommend waiting until spring to repot? Some of mine have necks that need to be taken care of.
Thank you, appreciate your feedback! It depends on the growing environment. If you grow in natural light, and the growing temps are lower in the winter season, then I'd wait until spring to repot, whereas those growing in a controlled growing environment, e.g. same temps and light settings all year round, can be repotted anytime. Happy growing!
I always look forward to new videos on your channel. You are a wonderful teacher and videographer! It looks like you've changed from your Promix potting mixture (which I started using) to 50/50 peat moss/perlite. Do you use this just took get the suckers started?
Thank you, appreciate your feedback! Good catch - just started trying out using regular sphagnum peat moss instead of Pro-Mix BX in my mix, for all AV sizes, keeping all other ingredients the same as in my Pro-Mix BX recipe. Pro-Mix BX being mostly peat moss-based (75-85% sphagnum peat moss), I figured why not. Also because I wick water, didn't really care for vermiculite and wetting agent that Pro-Mix comes with. So far so good - will observe the results for a while, and keep everyone posted.
Excellent video - thank you. What is the reason for the suckers being removed please? I hear a lot of people talking about suckers but am interested to hear more about their origin. Thank you.
I’m so new to AV’s .. I see you have a see through pot to hold your potted plant. Is that something to do with wicking. I’ve heard of it but I don’t know about it. Have you made a video about it please? Sorry to be so ignorant & thank you so very much for your channel x
Hi! I am a newbie, and have a question about a miniature trailer, Chantaspring: it has a growths on one side. I don't think they are suckers ( they are not in the main plant) so would they be new crowns? 🤔 They are somewhat disfiguring. Should they stay, or should they go? And, what is the relationship (if any) between trailers and these crowns? TY 😊
Great questions! I noticed Chantaspring has a tendency to grow sidewise, it grew the same in my conditions. I stopped growing this variety after it sported, producing plain blueish white pansies instead of yellow bell-shaped blooms. As far as trailer growth habits, check out these two videos on my channel, for more info - Rob's Vanilla Trail & African Violet Trailer Basics: ruclips.net/video/wxYwchrbWIg/видео.html and African Violet SUCKERS - Removing and Potting Up: ruclips.net/video/woHaCMjRuA8/видео.html
Trailers like Chantaspring have a different “growth habit” than single-crowned varieties, they’re supposed to have multiple crowns, and instead of the radial symmetry of the single-crowned varieties, trailers ideally grow in a balanced way, with at least 4 crowns for show. They’re usually heavy flowering, and they can grow to a huge size, many make terrific hanging baskets. I have just completed one class on trailers, and I hope to show a couple little ones next month at our local judged show and sale. Shallow pots are best, saucers with holes drilled are ideal to grow impressive specimens!
Hi - I just purchased a number of "starter plants" and to be honest, I'm petrified, as I usually only purchase fully mature and in bloom plants. Do you have any videos where you talk about dealing with starter plants? - Thanks.
@@patrickbowen5398 I would recommend repotting them into fresh potting mix with systemic insecticide granules, and placing them in quarantine as shown in this video: ruclips.net/video/FR3srOXimVY/видео.htmlsi=IOWrcNIpnS2fhavn. The video is about a fully grown plant, otherwise the new plant intake steps are the same. Use the pot size that is not larger than 1/3 of the plant’s crown diameter. Happy growing!
I used to buy them from my club when we were still meeting in person, now I buy them online from Amazon, Violet Barn, and Enchanted Gardens Plant Supplies.
If the variety is a cascading trailer, the stem will keep growing, ok to leave some of it exposed. Otherwise, cover it with potting mix and it will grow some new roots.
They don’t dry out with wick-watering. Some growers do let them dry out a bit before refills. I tried it, and in my conditions, it caused the capillary action failure, and the need to repot the failed plant with the new wick. Check out my Top Watering vs. Wick Watering video for more info: ruclips.net/video/YrzAJonzYE8/видео.htmlsi=rEAIbWtdOppHCEWS
Great question! Single-crown varieties grow faster with suckers removed because suckers also consume the plant's growth energy/essential nutrients that plant needs to grow, just like the main crown. The sooner suckers are removed, the healthier the main plant will grow. Check out my AV Suckers video, for more info, in the AV Care playlist.
You say African Violets don't like to be pot bound. I have been watching many different websites on the care of the African Violet family, and everyone says the opposite?? I don't know maybe I misunderstood? Can you please advise?
It depends on the watering method. I use smaller pots with my wick-watered plants because the potting mix in them remains constantly moist and the plant needs to be have well developed root system to be able to process all the moisture. With my top-watered plants, I can use larger pots. You can see the latter in my channel’s Shorts features. Happy growing!
I have a separate video explaining suckers, and when and why they need to be removed, check it out: ruclips.net/video/woHaCMjRuA8/видео.htmlsi=iJ4T8bRSB-KX5eJt
I started african violets last year and was so afraid of handling them until I found your channel. Thank you so much for your tutorials!
So glad it’s been helpful! Appreciate your feedback!
Your video is the best one I have seen on African Violets! Thank you for sharing your knowledge! You make it simple and understandable and your camera work is excellent! I learned so much from your grooming video. I will definitely keep following you.
Appreciate your feedback! Glad it’s been helpful! Happy growing!
This is one of my favourite jobs at the light shelves. For good shape, get those suckers when they’re tiny, but for propagation, wait until those suckers are big enough for you to handle. I like to propagate to share with others at the AV club! I think removing old baby leaves stimulates new growth. Unfortunately those leaves won’t propagate well, but no harm trying.
I cannot thank you enough for your videos. As someone new to growing African Violets, all the reading in the world doesn't teach me as well as showing what you are doing and explaining why. You have taught me so much. Thank you!
Appreciate your feedback, it means a lot to me! Not so long ago, I too was an AV newbie, so I can totally relate! Thanks so much for sharing!
@@grayturtleviolets Thank you very much .
I love how tender and efficient you are with the grooming. Your plants are amazingly beautiful and healthy. You inspire me a great deal! Please continue your fantastic tutorials! Love them! 💚
Thank you, appreciate your feedback! I enjoy growing them and sharing my journey with fellow enthusiasts!
@@grayturtleviolets I'm very grateful that you love your violets and share your journey. I learn so much from you. Thank you!
Thanks for using everyday items as tools. It’s nice to know what I have around the house that I can use to assist in working with the violets!
Appreciate your feedback! Glad it’s been helpful!
Good morning, a lot of precise work, studying and removal of unwanted leaves and then the suckers. This video was most informative and will guide us "how to do" for our plants in future. Many tanks, take care, kind regards.
Appreciate your feedback, glad it was helpful!
Love this. 💜. Great idea with the watering bottle. That’s smart. 😉
Thanks so much! Happy to share!
Thank you for the great educational video regarding suckers. Very thorough and a pleasure to watch.
Glad it was helpful! Appreciate your feedback!
I only have three very small African Violets, but I do so want them to be happy and healthy. Thank you so very, very much for such detailed, clear instructions! I have watched other videos on YT, but this one has helped me understand so much! I am now following!
Appreciate your feedback, glad it’s been helpful! Happy growing!
Thank you! I began my collection last year after being inspired by your videos. Now, I’m watching them again and learning so much more. 😊
Appreciate your feedback! Happy growing!🌸
Thank you for sharing your expertise and your challenges with all of us growers. Very informative and appreciated.
Appreciate your feedback! Happy to share!
I just found your channel a few days ago. I've been bindge watching your channel for a couple days.Honestly love everything thing about your channel.Lol, especially the "hot mess violet 😊 . Learning so much following you,Thank you so much for the info and laughs.I tried the wicking system today on a few of my violet,so we shall see how I did.
Welcome aboard! Glad it's been helpful. Happy growing!
Amazing collection. I just got my first African violet. ❤
@@MsRoun thank you! Congrats on your first AV and happy growing!
Just subscribed to your channel!! What is more exiting that I heard some Russian accent , and then reassured myself when you pronounced some Russian names!! Hello homegirl!! I am not an experienced violet grower like you, just have my windowsill full of African Violets and trying to learn some tips !! Thanks for your videos, very informative and helpful!!🤗🤗👍
Hello and welcome! Thanks so much for subscribing! I am still learning, too - it's been 3 years since I started my new AV collection. I figured why not share my progress with fellow AV enthusiasts, so here I am - learning together with everyone else on here, and sharing the beauty of these special plants with the world. Happy growing!
@@grayturtleviolets Thanks!! Want to order some violets from Violet Barn! Very reputable seller!! Stay in touch, till new videos!!
Great video and channel! I'm glad that I have found you and subbed! You have beautiful collection, love those variegated leaves! Thanks for sharing!
So glad you like them, welcome! Happy to share!
Second that- your plants are amazing!
Thank you to share the details works. Very helpful for the new person. Thanks again.
Glad it was helpful! Thank you for watching!
Thank you for sharing. As I am new to African violets, this info was extremely helpful!!
Glad it was helpful! Appreciate your feedback!
I found your Chanel today and had to subscribe. I’m very pleased with the information presented. I see that you reply to questions❤️. I was curious about the plants need for reporting to new soil and do you have algae forming in your water chambers? I have cut off pop/soda bottles with a few stones in the bottom filled with rain water and sometimes bloom fertilizer. The bottles hold the pot/wick. I cut different heights in the plastic bottles so I can squeeze the wide plants closer to each other on my plant table. So, throw out algae water?
These are all great questions, thank you! Yes, I do have algae forming in wicking reservoirs, most of mine are clear glass, and water gets exposed to light, causing the algae growth. I used to add hydrogen peroxide, and later stopped as I didn't see significant improvement. Now I just discard the algae water, wash the reservoirs, and add fresh water with fertilizer when the algae starts growing out of control. Here is how I repot plants growing on wicks: ruclips.net/video/u1YOsTJ5_sE/видео.html. I do not use bloom fertilizer because the high ratio of phosphorus used to kill my plants when I was using it. More about fertilizers here: ruclips.net/video/qqmRHHf3NNw/видео.html and here: ruclips.net/video/YbAROKrhDW0/видео.html. Happy growing!
Wow look beautiful I love it❤️💕🌸
Watching your vlog from philippines 🇵🇭
Glad you like them! Thank you for watching!
Thank you so much for your videos. I learn so much from you!
@@kimberlyarthur9895 Glad it’s been helpful! Appreciate your feedback!
Great video. Nice selection of different tasks. I learned a lot and feel better about going ahead with my violets in their care. Do you recommend waiting until spring to repot? Some of mine have necks that need to be taken care of.
Thank you, appreciate your feedback! It depends on the growing environment. If you grow in natural light, and the growing temps are lower in the winter season, then I'd wait until spring to repot, whereas those growing in a controlled growing environment, e.g. same temps and light settings all year round, can be repotted anytime. Happy growing!
@@grayturtleviolets thank you for the guidance. It's quite a bit cooler now so I will wait till spring.
I always look forward to new videos on your channel. You are a wonderful teacher and videographer! It looks like you've changed from your Promix potting mixture (which I started using) to 50/50 peat moss/perlite. Do you use this just took get the suckers started?
Thank you, appreciate your feedback! Good catch - just started trying out using regular sphagnum peat moss instead of Pro-Mix BX in my mix, for all AV sizes, keeping all other ingredients the same as in my Pro-Mix BX recipe. Pro-Mix BX being mostly peat moss-based (75-85% sphagnum peat moss), I figured why not. Also because I wick water, didn't really care for vermiculite and wetting agent that Pro-Mix comes with. So far so good - will observe the results for a while, and keep everyone posted.
Thanks! The Promix is hard to find now, so I'll use it up then look for your update.
This was so helpful! Thank you.
I haveget new ideas from intŕoducing your plants.thank you very muçh.
Glad it was helpful! Appreciate your feedback!
Watching you from Australia, l lorne a lot from you thanku very much 🍀🌿🌱
You are very welcome! Glad you find it helpful!
Excellent video - thank you. What is the reason for the suckers being removed please? I hear a lot of people talking about suckers but am interested to hear more about their origin. Thank you.
Thank you! I have a video about it, check it out: ruclips.net/video/woHaCMjRuA8/видео.html
I’m so new to AV’s .. I see you have a see through pot to hold your potted plant. Is that something to do with wicking. I’ve heard of it but I don’t know about it. Have you made a video about it please? Sorry to be so ignorant & thank you so very much for your channel x
Yes, in this video I show my wick watering method, check it out: ruclips.net/video/iHcYCCjPVGo/видео.html
@@grayturtleviolets brilliant thank you so very much 👏👏
My violet has beautiful green leaves but it doesnt want to bloom
😢
Same here. No blooms
Such an informative video. Thank you!
Appreciate your feedback, thank you for watching!
Where did you purchase the large trays under your Violets? TIA 😊 2:47
Dollar Store🌸
Hi! I am a newbie, and have a question about a miniature trailer, Chantaspring: it has a growths on one side. I don't think they are suckers ( they are not in the main plant) so would they be new crowns? 🤔 They are somewhat disfiguring. Should they stay, or should they go? And, what is the relationship (if any) between trailers and these crowns? TY 😊
Great questions! I noticed Chantaspring has a tendency to grow sidewise, it grew the same in my conditions. I stopped growing this variety after it sported, producing plain blueish white pansies instead of yellow bell-shaped blooms. As far as trailer growth habits, check out these two videos on my channel, for more info - Rob's Vanilla Trail & African Violet Trailer Basics: ruclips.net/video/wxYwchrbWIg/видео.html and African Violet SUCKERS - Removing and Potting Up: ruclips.net/video/woHaCMjRuA8/видео.html
@@grayturtleviolets Thanks very much!
Trailers like Chantaspring have a different “growth habit” than single-crowned varieties, they’re supposed to have multiple crowns, and instead of the radial symmetry of the single-crowned varieties, trailers ideally grow in a balanced way, with at least 4 crowns for show. They’re usually heavy flowering, and they can grow to a huge size, many make terrific hanging baskets. I have just completed one class on trailers, and I hope to show a couple little ones next month at our local judged show and sale. Shallow pots are best, saucers with holes drilled are ideal to grow impressive specimens!
Hi - I just purchased a number of "starter plants" and to be honest, I'm petrified, as I usually only purchase fully mature and in bloom plants. Do you have any videos where you talk about dealing with starter plants? - Thanks.
@@patrickbowen5398 I would recommend repotting them into fresh potting mix with systemic insecticide granules, and placing them in quarantine as shown in this video: ruclips.net/video/FR3srOXimVY/видео.htmlsi=IOWrcNIpnS2fhavn. The video is about a fully grown plant, otherwise the new plant intake steps are the same. Use the pot size that is not larger than 1/3 of the plant’s crown diameter. Happy growing!
Very informative video thank you! (I wish i had all the leaves and try my !!😂)
Glad you find it helpful. Some leaves just got to go, that's the way it works, lol! Thank you for watching!
Why do the suckers appear? Can you just let them grow? I’m new to this process.
I talk about it in this video, check it out: ruclips.net/video/woHaCMjRuA8/видео.htmlsi=6rlHu19KKE8WPnyj
Where do you purchase your white pots or any color pots? Thanks, Nora
I used to buy them from my club when we were still meeting in person, now I buy them online from Amazon, Violet Barn, and Enchanted Gardens Plant Supplies.
Is it ok to leave stem exposed and not buried ? I like the stem look 😅
If the variety is a cascading trailer, the stem will keep growing, ok to leave some of it exposed. Otherwise, cover it with potting mix and it will grow some new roots.
I thought African Violets don't like to stay wet? My question is ... how do they get a chance to dry out with wick watering?
They don’t dry out with wick-watering. Some growers do let them dry out a bit before refills. I tried it, and in my conditions, it caused the capillary action failure, and the need to repot the failed plant with the new wick. Check out my Top Watering vs. Wick Watering video for more info: ruclips.net/video/YrzAJonzYE8/видео.htmlsi=rEAIbWtdOppHCEWS
Very helpful.
Thank you!
Çok güzeller ellerinize sağlık 🙏💐💞💞🌹🌹
Thank you! Glad you like them!
Love your videos. Your AV collection is very impresive. Trying implement your suggestions.
Appreciate your feedback! Happy growing!
Why get rid of the suckers?
Great question! Single-crown varieties grow faster with suckers removed because suckers also consume the plant's growth energy/essential nutrients that plant needs to grow, just like the main crown. The sooner suckers are removed, the healthier the main plant will grow. Check out my AV Suckers video, for more info, in the AV Care playlist.
You say African Violets don't like to be pot bound. I have been watching many different websites on the care of the African Violet family, and everyone says the opposite?? I don't know maybe I misunderstood? Can you please advise?
It depends on the watering method. I use smaller pots with my wick-watered plants because the potting mix in them remains constantly moist and the plant needs to be have well developed root system to be able to process all the moisture. With my top-watered plants, I can use larger pots. You can see the latter in my channel’s Shorts features. Happy growing!
I don't understand removingthe sucers
I have a separate video explaining suckers, and when and why they need to be removed, check it out: ruclips.net/video/woHaCMjRuA8/видео.htmlsi=iJ4T8bRSB-KX5eJt
So gorgeous 😍
Thank you!
❤❤❤
GOOD👍🇯🇵
Thank you!🌸
Are your African violets iwater?
They are wick watered, here is how I grow them: ruclips.net/video/iHcYCCjPVGo/видео.html
Great video, I learned so much, thank you
Appreciate your feedback! Thank you for watching!