I would like to know how much water you put in the exterior pot (where the hole is). I have conflicting info, so I'm posting here hoping to get the straight & narrow.
1) Do you fill completely and let it evaporate? (seems like that would keep interior pot so wet it would eventually rot AV)
2) Do you add water, then drain exterior pot after 1 hour?
3) using this type pot, do you still let soil on AV go completely dry before watering again?
thanks
confused about AV self watering pots
These take in water as the interior potted plant needs it. The soil should stay constantly moist but not soaked.
All my african violet pots tend to dry out slightly before I refill the pot simply because I forget and they do very well.
I forgot, do NOT use cold water.
I too just fill them as they get low. I love the pots because it makes it so easy to keep the AVS healthy and pretty.
You know I must be the only one who has NO luck with these kind of pots???
I've tried several times and the plants always die...it's really frustrating too becuase there sre sooo many beutiful pots to plant them in.
Oh well, just another way my brown thumb shows it's ugly head..lol
MsC
lol MsC. Some pots are better than others, so blame it on the pot?
The water level on the outer pot will depend on the pot. Some have more porous inner pots than others. If the inner pot is very porous, then you want the water level to be lower or the soil will be like a swamp. Most pots on the market seem to lean in the other direction, however. A good place to start might be a water level about half way up, and see how it goes.
As with any other watering, it is good to let the soil dry a little from time to time. However, if you let it go bone dry and you are using a peat-based mix, remember that it often takes a very good long soak to get the mix to start absorbing water again. Anecdote: once I was repotting a plant that had gone bone dry. I submerged the whole root ball in water for a couple of hours, only to find out when loosening the rootball that some areas were still dry dry dry. Peat has... personality.
thanks everybody. your input gives me a lot to go by. Keyring, I think my inner pot is what I would consider very porous, looks like a regular clay pot. then the outer pot is glazed inside and out.
I read recently that AVs potted in peat will have a slow death. I'm not sure if this is true b/c it looks like those AV potting mixes are basically made up of the stuff.
Look in Lowes or Home Depot for your av pots Critter. I use these and always get good results.
If you're buying fancy ones or one that were made by some one, they might be using the wrong kind of clay consistancy or something.
interesting! I did buy pots that were not "factory produced" but some artsy type of pottery. I have already planted them in the inner pot. Did not water. Added water to 2nd pot to about 1/2 full. I'll let y'all know what happens. Funny, the 1st AV I got which I sort of tend to forget about is booming and it is just in a cheapy plastic pot. It just goes to show you the more you fuzz with plants, the more trouble they give you...
I have a few of my AV in these pots & they do great. I like not having to remember to water them every week. Ferns also do well in these pots.
Hmm, ferns. That's a good idea. My AVs have always done fine, but I've had bad luck with ferns. Maybe I'll give those pots a try! Thanks, BjsBloomers!
I've made a mistake. Mine aren't in african violet pots. The one that is is having absorbing problems.
Mine are in pots with drainage holes sitting in a outer pot of water. Sorry about that.
Has anyone ever used a wick in a pot to draw up water from another pot. Just received my first AV and did not have a pot. So I used two of the Campbell's select plastic containers. One fits into the other about half way. Put a hole in the top one and run a mop string doubled thru it with a knot so it would not pull through. Am I asking for trouble?
When I bought some african violet related plants, they came in pots with wicks, only the wicks were in the bottom hole of the pots, not in the side. I'm not sure if what you have would sufficiently provide enough water. Maybe it would though.
I like the self watering pots, but not every AV loves them. Some thrive and grow enormous, others just don't seem to like conditions quite that moist. For many, it seems they're happier if the water level is no more than halfway up the inner pot. I've switched some plants into pots with deep saucers (often improvised rather than something that came with the pot) for bottom watering, and now they're looking fine.
AVs are a little tricky in that, when they're parched, they droop (like most plants). And when they're overwatered, they also droop! In exactly the same way! So it's important to check the soil of a drooping plant before deciding it needs a good watering.
If you're either wick-watering or using a self watering pot, I think it's important to use a much lighter potting mix than you might ordinarily. I've been having better luck since I switched to 1 part perlite to 1 or 2 parts soil-less potting mix.
An AV grower I met in Winston-Salem, NC uses wick watering very successfully. She puts water into margerine tubs with a little hole cut into the lid (using the lid minimizes evaporation) and sets the plant on top with its wick dangling from the bottom drainage hole into the margerine tub. I would think you could tell if your wick is effective simply by checking with your finger to see if the soil feels moist.
criterologist I agree with your comments. My progress so far with the AV pots: I don't wet the plant, just put about 1" water in the outer pot. On the average all my pots are about 6". If the next day the soil feels soggy I toss out the water. I have 4-5 AV in these type pots and like Critterologist says they seems to act differently (like they have their own little personalities). When they start drooping that is my clue to water;however, I had one that was droppy and was pretty much rotten. Overall, I think the pots are helpful with the watering, but they don't free you from paying attention to your AVs.
Now i have a fern in one of these pots and I think they work much better with the ferns. It has freed me from daily tending to my little fern.
Still, my mini AV in a styro cup is the best performer. go figure!
Here is a photo of what I did with the two Campbell soup containers. I suppose you could add or delete the amount of wick that you use.
You can also write on them. Love the small metal rims.
That's what my pots looked like, with the wicks in the bottom. It seems to work pretty well.
Those would look even better if you painted them! When I get a pottery wheel, I'm going to make some pots like that.
TARogers5
I just came across your Campbell soup wicked pots. Those are wonderful ! Great idea look good wow. I don't use them so I can't get any but you did a great job, very creative ! How are your plants growing in them ? Have a new pictures of plants growing in your Campbell soup pots ! Thanks, Allison
Great idea TA.....I'll have to try that.
They have been working great for me. I also use them for starting cuttings.
All my mothers AV's we drilled holes with a concrete bit in the inner pot and use wicks now. They were not getting enough water thru the inner pot alone. They tend to stop un with time.
Bought a AV mold last year but have not fired any yet. Will do the same with them before firing.
I bought some two piece pots a couple years ago when I was going crazy on them ! They had drilled holes and came with wicks. I like that as the wick helps the water go up to the roots more venly. Their pretty for display.
Your Campbell soup pots are the best more creative and look like they would really work well.
I tried the ceramic pots and never had any success. I had some plastic two-part pots given to me as a gift and LOVED them. The inner pot had an extension protruding from the bottom of the pot; tappered from about 1" diameter at the base of the pot to 1/2" at the bottom and about 1" long. I was instructed to place perlite down in this extention and about 1/4" on the bottom and then the potting soil for the rest of the pot. The perlite wicked the water from the vessel and kept their roots (feet) a little drier. I kept my weak fertilizer solution in the vessel and had relatively constant blooms. Never worried about them drying out or being too wet. Worked great for vacations, too. I'll have to go see if I can find a name on the pots if interested.
My soil was 1/3 peat, 1/3 perlite, 1/3 vermiculite plus the extra perlite as explained above.
Wonder if the pots you used were Oyama pots?
I have some Oyamas and love them.
I started using the Self watering pots and lightened my soil mixture up alot...amazing the difference a year makes:) Now I really like the self watering AV pots.
I don't over water them anymore and haven't lost any Av's/ Now my collection is really growing:)
MsC
I'm with you MsC. I don't have special pots. I use glad wear and make my own. But the difference with lightened soil and wicking is amazing.
Nanna
I get my AV pots from Lowes. I always get the same ones because they work well. I simply fill the outer pot when the water line drops down some. It works by osmosis so the soil absorbs water as it needs it. I also put in a little AV fertilizer, superthrive, and magnesium sulfate in the water occasionally. My younger, smaller ones go into a home made wicking from the bottom setup. All my AVs are doing great.
They had some wicked violet pots at my LGS (Dutch Plant Farm) last week. They were bright pink, purple, or green plastic, with a scalloped edge on the top so the pot looked like a flower and a big, translucent flying-saucer reservoir base (also colored). Pretty tacky looking, actually, but I can see them really appealing to a youngster.... in fact, I may have to go back and get a couple for gifts... maybe with some doodads to glue to the pot and a paint pen too.... I mean, if you're going with colorful/tacky, you may as well let the kids embellish further. And, of course, they'd come with an AV from me! :-)
I just discovered that yogurt containers by La Yogurt are the perfect size for mini avs. The little 1 1/2 inch pot fits perfectly in the top. There is plenty of room for the pot and a water reserve for the wick. Hurray!!
Nanna
I wonder if the hardness of your water affects the way these pots work for you... Is it conceivable that you are having mineral buildup on the outside of the inner pot, thus hindering water movement? Just me thinking... :) If this is the case, then bottled water would do it... hmmm
Sarah