African Violets - Repotting a Plant That Grows on a Wick

In this episode, I show how I repot an African Violet plant that grows on a wick.
Wick watering method: • How I Wick Water My Af...
Potting mix video: • African Violet Potting...
Sucker removal demo: • African Violet SUCKERS...
Propagation containers: • African Violet PROPAGA...
3.5 inch plastic pots - looks like only the tall variety is now available, I was using the shallow version: www.amazon.com...

[@dyanalayng5507]

From the crisp 'snap' as you remove the extra leaves, it seems everything is full of water and healthy. 💖 I like the squeeze bottle idea as an easy and controllable watering tool.

[@grayturtleviolets]

Thank you so much! I recently got a fancier, gooseneck watering bottle too, but, a creature of habit, am still using my old ketchup squeeze bottle, lol! Appreciate your feedback!

[@dyanalayng5507]

@@grayturtleviolets Probably because I'm a Pisces, water * always * goes where it's not supposed to when I water plants 😂, so I like your squeeze bottle for control. And the wicking. I'll try that too.

[@mhb32068]

​@@grayturtleviolets 17:42 18:14

[@bethrezek7587]

Very informative. Thank you for taking the time to help all of us who are interested in growing and caring for African violets. 😊

[@grayturtleviolets]

Appreciate your feedback! Happy to share my growing experience with fellow AV enthusiasts!

[@LiverpoolGarden]

Very good video! Precise and to the point. Thank you for sharing your technics for growing beautiful, healthy African Violets.

[@grayturtleviolets]

Appreciate your feedback! Thank you for watching!

[@dinorossi3837]

Thank you for sharing your videos, again. I have started to wick my A.V.'s and will try the method you showed on my next one.....Kristen R.

[@grayturtleviolets]

Wick-watering is great, such a time-saver! Happy growing!

[@motled]

Fantastic video, as always. Happy June, my dear. ❤️

[@grayturtleviolets]

Thanks so much! Happy June!

[@karenstaskavage9869]

Great Video, I wait too long on my transplants because I can't bear to take off the blooms and all those leaves. I know it will come back stronger.

[@grayturtleviolets]

They sure will! They love fresh potting soil!

[@nancyriley3929]

Thanks for sharing your video. Love you see how your method of repotting your wicked plants.

[@grayturtleviolets]

Glad you like it! Happy to share!

[@happyhooker71]

Love your videos. My violets are loving the water wicking method. Its easy.

[@grayturtleviolets]

Wonderful, glad you like them!

[@nancylee1883]

Very interesting and informative. And two new plants also!

[@grayturtleviolets]

Thank you!

[@zuzuspetals8323]

Your videos are so helpful. Thanks from me and my African violets. 😉

[@grayturtleviolets]

Happy to help! Thank you for watching!

[@carolsantos4167]

Hi, I enjoy all of your videos, so informative, all of your violets are so beautiful and healthy! I was wondering why you don’t use Jack’s fertilizer especially for African Violets? I use it, and like it very much, but if there is a reason I should use the one you do, I’m interested to know why! I’m always learning, that’s what keeps it fun. Thank you❣️

[@grayturtleviolets]

Always learning here, too! When I just started my AV collection in 2019, I used the one other growers recommended, Dyna-Gro 7-9-5. Then I learned about Jack's Classic 20-20-20, and started using it too, so now I use either one, or another, at 1/8 teaspoon/gallon. Hope making a video about the fertilizers I've used in the past two years - stay tuned! Appreciate your feedback!

[@nadiaandrusca8479]

Thank you! It was very helpful.

[@grayturtleviolets]

Appreciate your feedback! Thank you for watching!

[@jasmines4268]

Your videos are so helpful, thank you! I did not know they had suckers and I have been wondering why mine has little leaves coming out of the side!

[@grayturtleviolets]

Glad you find them helpful. Appreciate your feedback!

[@mhb32068]

TYFS YOUR REPOTTING AV TUTORIALS BLESSINGS ❤

[@grayturtleviolets]

Thank you!

[@kathleenspracklen6849]

Interesting that such a small amount of wicking at the very bottom of the pot works to keep the soil most.

[@grayturtleviolets]

Yes, the capillary action does miracles! It does need to be replenished about once a week, the larger the reservoir, the less frequently it needs to be added.

[@HealingPlaceEnergySchool]

I’m learning so much. Ty

[@grayturtleviolets]

Glad I can help. Happy growing!

[@helencriddle3651]

Fantastic video, thank you so much for showing it. 😊

[@grayturtleviolets]

You are very welcome, happy to share!

[@johnnyhuen7483]

Thank you for this video.... so many things I am doing wrong.....

[@grayturtleviolets]

There are many ways of growing them, there is no one right or wrong way, just watch your plants and if they look happy, you got it! Happy to share!

[@RenegadesDozer]

That was stressful! Half the plant is gone 😳. I just got my first AV, that’s going to be tough

[@grayturtleviolets]

@@RenegadesDozer It will bounce back after repotting in no time and will be even better than before!🌸

[@mangalagowda6141]

Hi. Your videos are very informative and well done. I want to know when selecting pots for wick watering can you use inner pots that have slit openings on the side, similar to Orchid pots or hydroponic pots? Thank you.

[@grayturtleviolets]

That's a great question. I happen to have one of those inner pots, with vertical slit openings, but I haven't tried using it yet. I am afraid the potting mix will be falling out through those openings - potting mix for orchids, having bark and other stuff, might be better suited for those kinds of pots.

[@mangalagowda6141]

Thank you. I have used it for other plants and the soil has not come out. There is a lot of aeration due to these slits on the side. I am not sure if it is good for AV plants or not.

[@grayturtleviolets]

@@mangalagowda6141 AVs love well aerated soil, that's how their roots grow best, so that might work!

[@cathyharston9632]

Love your videos. My question is, why do you use plastic pots and not terracotta ones?? Do AV's grow better in plastic ones.? Thank you, your videos help me alot.

[@grayturtleviolets]

I wick water most of my plants, and because terracotta is water absorbing, they often develop root rot due to excessive moisture retained in the walls of the pots. In addition, the mineral sediment from water and fertilizer forms white crust on the terra-cotta pots, so I have to grow mine in plastic pots.

[@cathyharston9632]

Thank you for info. Now I know why my violets are looking droopy. I'm going to repot to plastic. Also, do you keep water in reservoir at all the times ? I'm learning so much from you. I'm a av newbie

[@grayturtleviolets]

@@cathyharston9632 Yes, I keep reservoirs filled with water at all times, maintaining the water level at about 1-1/2 inch below the bottom of the pot. Check out my How I Wick Water My AVs video for more info!

[@tameracoelho87]

The suckers that you potted I am wondering if you cut holes in the bottom of those pots please

[@grayturtleviolets]

Yes, I use soldering iron to make holes in the plastic cups.

[@jodyblas986]

I really enjoy your videos! Always informative! I lost my Wild Irish Rose sadly. Can you recommend a place to purchase one? Thanks

[@grayturtleviolets]

Thank you so much! So sorry about your Wild Irish Rose! I've seen it available at Lyndon Lyon occasionally, and eBay.

[@jodyblas986]

@@grayturtleviolets Thank you!

[@grayturtleviolets]

@@jodyblas986 You are very welcome!

[@dyanalayng5507]

I'm learning so much watching your channel! The domed cup is perfect as a tiny greenhouse. Do you clean these and reuse them?

[@grayturtleviolets]

So glad it is helpful! Still learning here, too - having started in 2019, I am an intermediate grower, and enjoy sharing what I've been learning with fellow enthusiasts. I do reuse the domed cups, the plastic is quite sturdy, so I just wash and dry them and they are ready to go! Happy growing!

[@sheilabroad8192]

Repot every 6 months 😧. ? I had no idea. What is the best time to repot ?

[@grayturtleviolets]

Optimara and Violet Barn recommend twice a year, or even more, depending on the variety. I heard minis need more frequent repotting than standard varieties. I am always behind, trying to catch up, lol. Best to repot between the blooming cycles, anytime in the controlled environment, and spring-fall for window-grown.

[@tomjones2157]

Do you use ordinary tap water on your violets or distilled or rainwater?

[@grayturtleviolets]

I use rain water for mine, they seem to like it. Back in LA, I used tap water, and it caused all sorts of pH issues. Tap water is not equally bad, depends on the local city water treatment, I'd definitely recommend using neutral regulator to remove chlorine and chloramine, and to adjust the tap water pH to 7.0.

[@vanschermerhorn7167]

Thank for your response . What size do you use or what is mostly The name brand and dimension or size .,

[@grayturtleviolets]

Happy to help! I show the yarn I use in this video, check it out: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3nGinZ5n7WJfdE

[@vanschermerhorn7167]

What happens if you don't do anything ? Will the babies die or you just remove bottom leaves to make more plants ?

[@grayturtleviolets]

It’s a good practice to repot African Violet into fresh potting mix every 6-12 months. Peat-based growing medium usually gets increasingly acidic over time, preventing plant’s normal nutrient intake, resulting in nutrient deficiency and nutrient toxicity if plants are left in the old potting mix for longer periods of time.

[@mhb32068]

TYFS. BLESSINGS

[@grayturtleviolets]

Thank you!

[@nirmaliedesilva2497]

Can you substitute Pumice for Perlite?

[@grayturtleviolets]

I am not sure, never used pumice for mine.

[@sharonholmes4444]

Excellento 👌💚👌

[@grayturtleviolets]

Thank you!

[@suebabe100]

I'm so happy I found your channel!! So informative, thank you!

[@grayturtleviolets]

You are so welcome! Thank you for watching!

[@suebabe100]

@@grayturtleviolets I won some of your auctions YAY!!! :)

[@grayturtleviolets]

@@suebabe100 Congrats! Happy to serve my KZbin people!

[@humeyraharputlu]

Harikasınız.

[@grayturtleviolets]

Thank you!

[@AaronEKaroly]

Where to purchase the wick?

[@grayturtleviolets]

I use 100% acrylic yarn, check out my How I Wick Water My African Violets video, for more info.

[@ewaskibka7957]

Hello! I don,t know English well, so I am asking for subtitles as previuos movies. It easier for me to understand written than spoken English.

[@grayturtleviolets]

I have enabled auto-translation, check this out: to activate subtitles, click "CC" icon on bottom right corner of the video player, under the video; then click on the Settings (gear icon to the right of the "CC" icon); then click on "Subtitles/CC (1) English (auto-generated)"; on the next list select the "Auto-translate" option on the bottom, and scroll down on the list of languages to select your language - the video subtitles will be in the language you selected. They are auto-generated, so they might not be perfect - hope they are helpful. Thank you for watching!

[@ewaskibka7957]

@@grayturtleviolets Thank You!

[@grayturtleviolets]

@@ewaskibka7957 You are very welcome!

[@vanschermerhorn7167]

Does it make a difference as what diameter wick to use ?

[@grayturtleviolets]

I am still researching this - some believe it makes a difference, others say once the potting mix reaches its saturation point, it can’t take on more moisture, regardless of the wick diameter. I feel that the latter makes sense, however, the saturation speed, the evaporation speed, and the air humidity must be also taken into account - in this case the wick diameter would matter for saturation speed.

[@vanschermerhorn7167]

Thank you for answering my question . There are different sizes ?

[@grayturtleviolets]

@@vanschermerhorn7167 Yes, acrylic knitting yarn - this is what I use - comes in different weights, from 0/lace to 6/super bulky. There are also other materials that can be used for wicks, with different wick diameters, too!

[@happyhooker71]

Love your videos. My violets are loving the water wicking method. Its easy.

[@grayturtleviolets]

Glad you like them! Appreciate your feedback!