This channel is all about sharing the knowledge I have about looking after plants. I will go through various practices I use when looking after my plants in order to keep them healthy and happy. If you’re a beginner with plants, have inherited a plant, been gifted a plant or just love everything green then this space is for you!
Hi. I have been growing an anthurium in the same pot for about 4 years. This plant used to flower in my old house where it lived in a window that was north facing with little to no direct sun. It has grown quite a bit and has not bloomed in my new home. It probably needs a larger pot. However, I don't really want to repot it because it would require too large a pot. Is there a safe method for cutting away stems/bundles of the plant and then to repot the plant into the same pot? Any guidance you can offer would be great.
I love the gloxinia. It holds a very personal story for me. But, it was a challenge to grow. I bought seeds and nothing. So, I placed the pot with the seeds out in my backyard and sort of forgot about it. It was out there for 1.5 years (weathered a winter or two). I'm in the NYC area. All of a sudden I looked out and was shocked to see gloxinia leaves. and then it flowered. But, I moved. The movers placed a dinner plate on top of it. Yikes. They crushed it. I managed to save one of the plants and still had seeds left from before. I placed them on the top of the soil and sprayed almost on a daily basis. They all germinated. I didn't know you could grow them from corms. Beautiful plant.
The leaves left should allow the plant to still go through photosynthesis, but also take into account the pot you'll put it in. Most important it should still have a crown and that crown should not be covered completely by the soil
Hi! Last season, I grew this plant from some seeds I got out in the wild. It got some growth during the summer, but really not a lot (maybe 50 cm max). Definitely no flowers or anything… I’m really hoping it’s going to take off properly next spring. My guess is that it’s mainly been getting established and building out a root system during the first season. Did you get a lot more growth than I did during that first season? And around what time did your plant start growing again in the spring the season after? Did it die back completely down to ground level over the winter? I’d be interested to hear some more of your experiences so I can compare them to mine. Thanks in advance! Congratulations on your Lathyrus by the way, beautiful specimen!
Hello! The plant I had was purchsed as a young plant, It was hybridised which can determine it's perfomance. Q - Did you get a lot more growth than I did during that first season? A - The growth I had in the first season was more than 50cm, probably 3 times that amount Q - Did flower in it's first season. A- Yes, multiple blooms in season 1 Q - Around what time did your plant start growing again in the spring the season after? A - Yes Spring is when it will start to pick up again Q - Did it die back completely down to ground level over the winter? A- I ended up cutting it down to about 15-20cm off the base, to encourage new growth. I also don't like keeping of old leaves and stalks, for disease and aesthetics. I tend to believe that it will also encourage new growth by cutting it back. Even just before spring time March could work. I have a new one which I will grow in a container and hopefully I can show this one then. Thank you
I recently started wicking my streptocarpus plants and all of them are doing good. I now have over 50 so I needed to set up this system as some of mine were getting too thirsty waiting for once a week watering. I noticed when you potted up the violet you didn't keep it flush with the top of the pot. I heard it is good to make sure the crown is level with the top of the pot. Thanks for sharing your video. How many ounces was that 8 cm cup you used and where did you buy it. Also what size was the pot and where did you buy it from?
Hello! Thanks for taking time to watch the video and comment. I had a look back and I think from the video it isn't so clear as the plant is small and video quality not too clear but yes the crown is only just above the soil. It is true. If it is below the sould the crown can get wet and rot. I agree with the consistent watering wicking provides. It makes it easier going on holiday too without having the plants dry up. One thing I did find is those small fungas gnats (little black flies) in summer found a home in all my plants as the conditions were nice and moist and that was a problem. So if you notice any you may have to address that. Thanks again!
Hi there, yes apart from keeping a single crown which keeps the plant looking aesthetically well, the suckered require the plant's energy so if it produces many suckers it is less likely to flower and the leaves will also compete for light.
Hello, you can move this plant to a bigger pot of you see the plant isn't growing alot like ot used to (provided everything else is fine with the plant) and when the roots are very constricted.
I was wondering where you got this LiK Goose Feet as I recently purchased one and it has one bloom now, but it is most definitely NOT pink. It's white with a green edge. Like I say, there is only one bloom currently and maybe it will change color as it ages and/or more blooms appear.
Hi Norma, I bought this one a few years back on ebay. The plant was quite nice but I have lost it since. I had soil mealybugs from some of the other ones I bought and they devastated my collection but I've learned alot since then. The colour for this one was definitely a "chocolate-like" colour, almost a very light brown in person.
I’m not sure whether you ever have that same curling of leaves on your African violets. A few of mine have started doing it and I googled it but couldn’t really get a satisfactory answer. I wondered if I may be overwatering because that’s one of the things that came up on my search. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you.
Hello, I sometimes do have that on an occasional plant. It could be several things but I am not certain what it could be. I sometimes think it could be light issues, nutrients, or inconsistent watering. It is one of those issues that are by trial and error to resolve I suppose. Sorry, It doesn't help much
Hello! I could do a video if you would like. Basically, I found a few things that may help after using the wick but I can give the positives and negatives of the way I did it
They are very nice and they come back every year so there is no need to keep planting more. They do seem to spread alot which is why I've kept mine in a container
Hi Effie, I have made a video to show you the update, I hope I get more flowers this year (fingers crossed) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-PXYUIJxF6E8.html
Definitely needs much brighter light..They do fine with about twice the LED light of African Violets or in a very bright window. They also like heavy feeding - considerably more than AVs. But your AVs look under-lit too, if you don't mind me mentioning it..Those flexible clip on lights you are using are quite dim. I use aquarium LEDs which work well. Just keep the gloxinia much closer to the lights than the AVs. Good luck
Hi Jane, thanks for the help, I do struggle with the top shelf of my plants. I have literally just moved 2 standards and the Gloxinia to a sunny window
The leggy growth could also mean that it needed a little more light. I have a few like that and moving them into brighter light (or a longer time under the LEDs) might be the solution. Thanks for sharing!
Do the yellowish leaves green up again once you’ve repotted and watered in well? If not is suppose it then means another repot when those leaves have been taken off. I was surprised that you had such an infestation of mealy bug, nasty little critters, they’ve almost killed off a couple of my orchids. I know now what to look out for. Hope you get your plant stands up an going again. Good luck with your growing.
thanks Renate. The yellow leaves stay yellow. Once I repot, or if the plant doesn't need the leaves, I just remove them. The mealybugs seem to thrive and the plant grows well, then suddenly the plant suffers as all the roots have been eaten. I bought new plug plants (haven't yet uploaded this video) but I saw mealybug in the soil. So I will let the plants grow, cut them at the neck and repot them in clean soil once they are big enough. Hope your growing goes well too :)
I’m sure that someone starting out growing AVs would be delighted to receive a few free plants. The local clubs would take them off your hands and find a new home for them. They look so lovely when they are in bloom.
I’m working my way through your videos because I’m new to African Violets and lashed out and bought 10 plants. I’ve lost 2 already but did manage to save some leaves from each. I planted 5 plants in leca just as an experiment so I’ll see how that goes. I’ve finally settled on some grow lights that are not pink/purple and hope they will work for me. I’m enjoying the journey through this maze of growing violets with you and can learn as we grow our collection. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Hi Renate, it sounds like you will have your hands full with many plants. It is always nice to get new ones and also good that you are learning on how to care for them. I am no expert on them but learn as I go along so you will lose some along the way. Hopefully they will be blooming for you soon :)
I’m so glad I found your channel. I’ve been procrastinating about getting grow lights but have no idea what to get. I have two shelves in seperate parts of the room (dining/kitchen area) where I have violets on one and orchids on the other. I have heard that the pink/purple can be very annoying to be around, so what I’ve seen in this video may not be suitable for me. I’ve watched another of your videos, a later one, where you have the gooseneck type which doesn’t appear so pink. In your opinion, is the latter one sufficient for encouraging growth & blooming, keeping in mind that it may be more flexible in terms of where you can put it etc. I would appreciate some feedback from you, I’m not going to be in a rush to get some lights until I understand them a little more.
Hi Renate, thanks for watching. I agree with the comment that the purple grow lights are not ideal to have in a public area as it doesn't look very natural and can be annoying having that colour in the room. The other point to note is that with the purple lights you cannot actually see the plants well and have to turn them off to view your plants or inspect them. Having said this, I find the purple growlights are good for violets which are still small and they help them grow so much quicker than the full spectrum whiter lights. The gooseneck I find fit in well. My violets are flowering underneath them but I do find some need stronger light than those and others are fine so I feel like each plant needs different amounts of light. In short they will either do well or average under the gooseneck. I hope that helps 😊
Hello, where I am I did struggle to find it. I bought 3 in the pack and only 1 has grown. It is starting to grow again this year for the second time so I am very happy to look after it a little better 😊
Hello! What is the update on this terrarium? I'm curious how well they did without the drainage and if you like how it's turning out. I'm starting one also and wondering whether the gravel and other draining mediums are truly necessary...
👋 hi! The plants are doing well and growing. They still haven't got flowers but I find that I can regulate the water staying in or not by using a little cling film to cover the hole. The medium I used seems to be fine although I feel I would need to repot it after a year as it's really just a container holding the plants than a self sufficient terrarium. I can put a picture up on my Facebook page if you like to see the update?
@@judifruit618 I have made a short video update on the terrarium, when I look back the transformation isn't so great but I think I need to care for it a little better if I am honest, here is the link and I have uploaded it on my channel as well :) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Ica_Rvdjmj4.html
i received simillar lights today but with 5 led strips, what results have you noticed? and what distance would you suggest to keep them from the plant. im using them for mostera albo, adansonii..
Hi Adam, I have found the full spectrum setting to be the best and I have them on for about 8 hours a day on timer. I keep them about 10 to 12 inches away from my African Violets and the plants still seem to be doing fine. The distance is still experimental but over time you can bring it closer or put it further depending on how the plant reacts to it.
👋 hello.. it depends where you are located but alot of garden centres and grocery stores carry them in the USA and UK too. I hope you manage to find one
Hi there, for this light I have it on full spectrum now for 8 hours and almost all my plants are growing and flowering. I am only struggling with the distance the light should be from the plants but that's more something to do with me than the light itself. So far it seems to be ok.
Hi Tiare, I got these off Amazon, I find that they do work well in that the plants I have grow well under them. The downside is the colour, it can be distracting if in a room that you use frequently. The link to the description is below: www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07PKSG12N/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I have iI have so many don't know if I will get any more but when the catalogue comes through the door its hard to resist if any will definitely be miniature s,have tried amaryllis this year 6 new variety from Sutton,and a few that I had from last year all are in bud did stagger the planting so I get flowers for a few months, happy planting friend stay safe.
I hope they come out soon. I am trying to resist but I am waiting on Dibley's new catalogue. I may only get one or two new ones when they open up. Take care
