Thank you for the training. I have been using your mix and all your ideas for the past three years. My African Violets are large, healthy, and frequently blooming. Some plants are as large as 8 inches wide. I use your soil mix recipe and fill a 4-inch pot, bury the acrylic yarn wick, and place it on top of a cut-down soda pop bottle, to hold the rainwater or melted snow. Since my plants are 8 inches wide, I cut clear plastic pop bottles at various heights to stagger the potted plants under each other saving table space. I always add a few Dollar Tree smooth stones into the pop bottle for weight since the potted African Violet can be top-heavy. In time, the clear plastic bottles will grow algae and I wash the stones and bottles out with soapy water. Sometimes, the wicks rot out and need to be replaced. The best thing about this wick-watering system is that I can travel for 2-3 weeks, at a time, and I don't need to have someone water my plants. I found the taller the pop bottle, the greater the water reservoir, therefore the less handling makes a more beautiful flowering specimen.
This was so helpful. I planted African violet leaves today in soil made for them. I just ordered all the mixes to make my own. I will replant the leaves. I do have a question.. Do I add a fertilizer to the homemade mixture like you made? Thank you for your videos.. So helpful.
I don't like most pre-made potting soils because they usually have fertilizer in them and I like to control my own nutrients. I add a top-dressing of worm castings when I repot.
Thank you for sharing your recipe, your violets are beautiful. I love violets but have gotten away from them and more into tropical houseplants. I do have one right now that I found with green flowers, my question is when you transplant it in your soil do you try to remove most of the soil it’s planted in? Also what recipe do you use for your tropical houseplants?
Do you add lime to your potting mix? You used to use High Yield african violet fertilizer. Can you tell me what you use now? Thank you for your videos./
Coco coir needs to be hydrated BEFORE adding to the mix. It expands when water is added as they are usually sold in bricks. I did this mix today… equal parts perlite, vermiculite, sphagnum peat moss and coco coir. I mixed the peat moss and coco coir first and added water. Then I added the vermiculite and perlite. I didn’t use any soil. My pots drained well after transplanting with this new mix. My typical soil wasn’t draining when watered and after pulling my African violets out I discovered the soil was too saturated. I have drainage holes but it just wasn’t draining with my commercial potting mix. I used glazed ceramic pots which is part of the problem. My African violets were getting mildewy. I hope this mix works well. I added no more than 1 tbsp dolomotic lime to my mix (no more than 1 tbsp per gal). I think the lime lowers the Ph of the peat moss and adds calcium mg and something else.
I have learned so much from your videos. Thank you for taking the time to make them. I do have a question. After you mix your potting soils and moisten it to pot a plant, how do you store the leftover soil mix? Should it be in an airtight container or left to dry again for the next use.
+Linda Wegienka thank you. I’m glad that my videos helping people to learn something. If you moisted it before using and the rest soil you can keep close ( I keep it in a bucket from ice cream) or you can leave it open and moist again before use. There is no difference. If you use it often it’s better to keep it closed , later you don’t need to moist it again. That moisture is not gonna harm the soil. There is no need to dry it.
I'm so depressed. No one ships these items to my home in Texas. Only one was available from Menards and that was the Coconut Coir (Seed Starting Mix). The rest of the stuff they would not ship to me.
I have been devouring you videos all afternoon. I love AV's and now realize my soil is too dry. I think because the soil looks dry from the top i water them too often. I have tried the wicks using panythose but space is my problem. Do you let them dry out a bit before topping up the water and why do yours get overwatered? How does this happen. I get confused between over and underwatering. I use natural light near a north window. Thank you for your informative videos.
Marcus Tatters, water from the bottom to soak the soil. I water from the top being careful not to wet the leaves then let them soak from the bottom for about 20 minutes. To keep from overwatering you might use a moisture meter, it tells wet/dry. Also, I found somewhere on UTube that when he leaves get limp then water well. The leaves, when you touch them are “stiff” when needing water they are floppy. Hope this helps and it works for me. I almost killed one before finding this out.
Oh, I forgot to tell you that I watch so many of your videos, that I feel I really know you! Anyway, I went to Lowe's in Buffalo NY today. The plant department is using wick watering systems on their houseplants. The clerk said the wicks system has changed their sales because the plants remain healthier.
I am so sad this morning I lost another orchid it breaks my heart to see them fall apart !!!!I sure don’t know what I’m doing wrong I have followed you and a couple other ladies on the RUclips and I try to do the best I can and they still are falling apart either is there rotting underneath I took them out of water culture and put them in I put them in perlite one cup vermiculite one cup and bark I watered them like you said with the fertilizer I soak them for five minutes and they still are falling apart!!!
+Lillian Elliott don’t be sad. If you don’t have roots you still can save them. You have to put in sphagnum moss. Don’t plant in sphagnum moss. Put in a container moistened moss and lay there your orchid. Rootless orchid will root that way. I also have problem with couple of new ones and now I am growing their roots
+Lillian Elliott you have to place them in a bright place. They have to see sun or need to be under the growing light. That way they will grow new roots
Lillian Elliott don’t use vermiculite and make sure your bark it chunky and your moss is New Zealand long fiber and use hydrogen peroxide after cutting away dead roots
Perlite helps aerate and cause the excess water to drain away while the vermiculite helps aerate and retain some moisture so the soil doesn't dry out as fast. This way you don't have to water your plant as often.
Thanks for the videos. Have you ever had any african violet infestation? from the store or the potting soil? I just went out and bought some of the stuff and then I read that miraclegro has fungas gnats in them which grossed me out. This is my first time working with soil at all. Bugs are the worst so I am afraid of bringing that into the house Thanks
+aeptacon I never had AV infestation. I use pro mix soil always. It costs 14$ , seems expensive, but it is not. Try to use that. I didn’t have problems with that soil. You are welcome.
Thank you for the training. I have been using your mix and all your ideas for the past three years. My African Violets are large, healthy, and frequently blooming. Some plants are as large as 8 inches wide. I use your soil mix recipe and fill a 4-inch pot, bury the acrylic yarn wick, and place it on top of a cut-down soda pop bottle, to hold the rainwater or melted snow. Since my plants are 8 inches wide, I cut clear plastic pop bottles at various heights to stagger the potted plants under each other saving table space. I always add a few Dollar Tree smooth stones into the pop bottle for weight since the potted African Violet can be top-heavy. In time, the clear plastic bottles will grow algae and I wash the stones and bottles out with soapy water. Sometimes, the wicks rot out and need to be replaced. The best thing about this wick-watering system is that I can travel for 2-3 weeks, at a time, and I don't need to have someone water my plants. I found the taller the pop bottle, the greater the water reservoir, therefore the less handling makes a more beautiful flowering specimen.
Thank you for excellent advice..my violets and orchids are doing so much better after listening to you :)
+Loshini Rangan you are welcome. Thank you for your comment!👍
Thanks for the videos.
Thank you
Thank you for taking your time and explain us with all details. Beautifully done!
Thank you so much for your video. I am going to make that soil for all my plants. It is great that you are sharing your ideas with us .
+abiszu you are always welcome! Thank you also for watching my videos and commenting.
Hello Emaan, Do you have a video on treating mealybugs in African violets? Thank you for for your very informative videos.
Excellent video. Thank you.
Thank you
Thank you for sharing your recipe.
+Doreen alexander you are welcome 🌺
great demo
This was so helpful. I planted African violet leaves today in soil made for them.
I just ordered all the mixes to make my own.
I will replant the leaves.
I do have a question.. Do I add a fertilizer to the homemade mixture like you made?
Thank you for your videos.. So helpful.
As always, your video's are thoroughly explain.I have one question, where did you buy the promix potting soil?
She said Menards but buy it on Amazon
Would love to see how you care for Hoya please? Medium, watering etc.. Thank you.
+Usa Klein thank you! I will make a video soon.
This vedeo is very helpful for me .Thanku for sharing
I don't like most pre-made potting soils because they usually have fertilizer in them and I like to control my own nutrients. I add a top-dressing of worm castings when I repot.
Thank you for sharing your recipe, your violets are beautiful. I love violets but have gotten away from them and more into tropical houseplants. I do have one right now that I found with green flowers, my question is when you transplant it in your soil do you try to remove most of the soil it’s planted in? Also what recipe do you use for your tropical houseplants?
Do you add lime to your potting mix?
You used to use High Yield african violet fertilizer. Can you tell me what you use now?
Thank you for your videos./
Thanks! I am going to repot very soon my AV seedlings and I was looking for this information :D !!
+Mónica Bravo you are welcome. Good luck!🌺
Coco coir needs to be hydrated BEFORE adding to the mix. It expands when water is added as they are usually sold in bricks.
I did this mix today… equal parts perlite, vermiculite, sphagnum peat moss and coco coir.
I mixed the peat moss and coco coir first and added water. Then I added the vermiculite and perlite.
I didn’t use any soil.
My pots drained well after transplanting with this new mix. My typical soil wasn’t draining when watered and after pulling my African violets out I discovered the soil was too saturated. I have drainage holes but it just wasn’t draining with my commercial potting mix. I used glazed ceramic pots which is part of the problem. My African violets were getting mildewy.
I hope this mix works well. I added no more than 1 tbsp dolomotic lime to my mix (no more than 1 tbsp per gal). I think the lime lowers the Ph of the peat moss and adds calcium mg and something else.
I have learned so much from your videos. Thank you for taking the time to make them. I do have a question. After you mix your potting soils and moisten it to pot a plant, how do you store the leftover soil mix? Should it be in an airtight container or left to dry again for the next use.
+Linda Wegienka thank you. I’m glad that my videos helping people to learn something. If you moisted it before using and the rest soil you can keep close ( I keep it in a bucket from ice cream) or you can leave it open and moist again before use. There is no difference. If you use it often it’s better to keep it closed , later you don’t need to moist it again. That moisture is not gonna harm the soil. There is no need to dry it.
I'm so depressed. No one ships these items to my home in Texas. Only one was available from Menards and that was the Coconut Coir (Seed Starting Mix). The rest of the stuff they would not ship to me.
Good talk. Will try your soil.
+Shawn Power thank you
I have been devouring you videos all afternoon. I love AV's and now realize my soil is too dry. I think because the soil looks dry from the top i water them too often. I have tried the wicks using panythose but space is my problem. Do you let them dry out a bit before topping up the water and why do yours get overwatered? How does this happen. I get confused between over and underwatering. I use natural light near a north window. Thank you for your informative videos.
Marcus Tatters, water from the bottom to soak the soil. I water from the top being careful not to wet the leaves then let them soak from the bottom for about 20 minutes. To keep from overwatering you might use a moisture meter, it tells wet/dry. Also, I found somewhere on UTube that when he leaves get limp then water well. The leaves, when you touch them are “stiff” when needing water they are floppy. Hope this helps and it works for me. I almost killed one before finding this out.
Oh, I forgot to tell you that I watch so many of your videos, that I feel I really know you! Anyway, I went to Lowe's in Buffalo NY today. The plant department is using wick watering systems on their houseplants. The clerk said the wicks system has changed their sales because the plants remain healthier.
I thought you said the seed starting mix was same to use as the potting mix, If you use seed starter do you need the potting mix from the bag?
Do you use 8oz or 16oz cup? Thanks
Hello, Love all your videos, but where can I buy the coconut soil here in Canada? Please and Thank you
Thank you very informative videos.
+Jean Williams you are welcome. Thank you for watching
I am so sad this morning I lost another orchid it breaks my heart to see them fall apart !!!!I sure don’t know what I’m doing wrong I have followed you and a couple other ladies on the RUclips and I try to do the best I can and they still are falling apart either is there rotting underneath I took them out of water culture and put them in I put them in perlite one cup vermiculite one cup and bark I watered them like you said with the fertilizer I soak them for five minutes and they still are falling apart!!!
+Lillian Elliott don’t be sad. If you don’t have roots you still can save them. You have to put in sphagnum moss. Don’t plant in sphagnum moss. Put in a container moistened moss and lay there your orchid. Rootless orchid will root that way. I also have problem with couple of new ones and now I am growing their roots
+Lillian Elliott you have to place them in a bright place. They have to see sun or need to be under the growing light. That way they will grow new roots
Lillian Elliott don’t use vermiculite and make sure your bark it chunky and your moss is New Zealand long fiber and use hydrogen peroxide after cutting away dead roots
Menards is not selling the potting soil on line , where else can we buy this?
You can buy it on amazon.
Should the potting mix be moistened before planting a violet in it?
+Linda Grigsby yes, I always moist the soil little bit before planting my violets . Thank you for asking
Is this soil mixture just for African violets or can you use it for succulents and other house plants?
+Mya Taylor you can use for other plants too. I use for my succulents and... this is very good mixture.
What's the point of using pearlite and vermiculite if their function is the same?
It’s not the same. Perlite let’s it drain, adds aeration. Vermiculite holds a lot more moisture.
Perlite helps aerate and cause the excess water to drain away while the vermiculite helps aerate and retain some moisture so the soil doesn't dry out as fast. This way you don't have to water your plant as often.
Thank you so much. Your AV soil is very healthy and airy. Excellent video. Will you be doing the video for hoya? Thank you again.
+Usa Klein you are welcome. What kind of video do you want me to make about the hoya? Do you wanna see how many varieties of hoyas I have?Thank you !
Thanks for the videos. Have you ever had any african violet infestation? from the store or the potting soil? I just went out and bought some of the stuff and then I read that miraclegro has fungas gnats in them which grossed me out. This is my first time working with soil at all. Bugs are the worst so I am afraid of bringing that into the house Thanks
+aeptacon I never had AV infestation. I use pro mix soil always. It costs 14$ , seems expensive, but it is not. Try to use that. I didn’t have problems with that soil. You are welcome.
@@EmaansGarden Ok thank you
Hello there, I have a question I need to ask. Is this type of potting soil used for other plants or just for the african violets?
+Rea Dallas Hello! This potting soil I use for all of my plants. Because I save lots of money if I buy this.
@@EmaansGarden thank you very much! I'll give it a shot