Hello to all, I am really enjoying the lovely pictures of the violets, there are very good growers in this group, I lost all of my plants due to soil mealy bugs earlier this year hope to get started when the weather cools off, being on oxygen 24/7 with copd i am a little afraid to use chemicals, this is only the second time i have the mealy bugs since 1969 when I first started growing violets, there is a question that comes to mind Lyndon Lyon used the 3/2/1 mix yet he grew some beautiful plants with HYPONEX 20/20/20 in the old GSN magazines nearly every one used it, it definitely contained "urea" the violets never looked better, my daughter uses peters triple 20 with urea she needs to transplant after a year in the same soil-- constant feed- the roots are pretty and white- she waters with optimara's watering saucer is there any one else using fertilizer with urea.? Thanks Morganberg
fertilizer
I have never used fertilizer with Urea. I use very little fertilizer. Urea can burn the roots you all have been lucky.
My understanding is that urea isn't necessarily an immediate problem (unless you really overdose your plant), but it can build up in the soil over time, something about indoor plants in potting mix not having the symbiotic soil bacteria etc. that break down urea... regular "flushing" of the pots with water and/or regular repotting are ways around the issue, but I think it's easier just to avoid a potential problem by using a non-urea fertilizer.