Urea is a chemical that contains nitrogen. It is the least expensive form of nitrogen that is used in fertilizers, making it the most commonly seen. However, it is not a form that is readily usable by plants. It needs to be broken down by bacteria before the plant can use it. Because most AV potting mixes are soiless, they do not contain the bacteria required, meaning the plants become nitrogen starved while the urea builds up in the potting mix. Over time this can burn the roots. The Gro Best you have looks like a "bloom-booster" fertilizer as it has a high level of phosphorus compared to nitrogen and potassium. I don't like either of those fertilizers, but in a pinch they'll work. I use Optimara AV fertilizer at a strength of 1/8th teaspoon to 1 gallon of water for wick watering.

I would use Gro Best in a ration 1/8 per gallon. YOu can alternate it with a weak solution of fish emulsion - which is readily available - and mosty nitrogen.

Miracle grow will be wonderful outside. You can make a 1/4 teaspoon per gallon - and appy it to outside plants every so often. They will be very happy - there is plenty of the bacteria in a back yard soil to break the urea.

Optimara AV fertilizer - is really good, but it is not cheap if you have a large collection.

I.

Okay, I went to Home Depot couldn't find any Optimara, but I did find "Fish Fertilizer." Is this fish emulsion? It's 5-1-1. I also got some Shultz Av soil, Perlite, and spagunm moss, planning to repot my entire violet population-- a whopping 4. I will actually do some research this time and make my own soil. I planted in regular potting soil last time and it's a miracle I haven't gotten anything weird in my violets these last six months.

Optimara is not sold in HD. You can order it from Optimaras site I think.

I would wet the soil and nuke it in a microwave until it is almost boiling hot and leave it to cool naturally - just in case of some fungus gnat eggs sitting there. Since you need probably a quart of it - it wouldn't be too hard. Mix it wth 1/3- 1/2 of perlite. I do not add sphagnum moss to the violet soil - if you do it - do not put too much. It changes the Ph.

Yes - fish fertilizer is a fish emiulsion. They have some recommended amount - use 1/2 concentration of what on the label.

Good Luck and I am sure your 4 plants will attract more of the kind.

Irina

Unless the chemical companies have taken over, urea is urine. Unadultrated animal urine can burn AVs.

Urea was made for the purpose of farmers growing bigger, larger veggies. And that's what urea does. It get the plants to grow larger and faster.

Wait! Isn't that what we want, too, to get bigger, better African violets?

Problem is when certain plants grow too fast they become weak in some sections so urea does not work for us.

In my experience urea doesn't hurt AVs if you don't use it often. I would not say it helps them either. Go with the others and don't use fertilizers with urea.

Nancy

Thanks so much! Once again, I have neglected to do ENOUGH reasearch before repotting my violets... Now I have take them out to nuke their soil. I'll to do that later though, it's dark :0P Ahh well. I did do some research on fertilizer, though, which I found is a highly controversial subject with AVs (and everything else). I haven't fertilized my AVs since I got them and decided to do it before my county fair, where I plan on entering them under houseplants. Hoping the flowers will wow the judges and just make my plants healthier. Anyway... I found a link to another forum thread on high P fertilizer and read it - very interesting- and was hoping a ratio similar to 12-4-8 would be okay for AVs. I may already have some of that I use outdoors on my citrus trees - I've got to double check. To this I would add Epsom salt and fishy fertilizer as my fertilizing routine. How much of this (if its any good) would you recommend using? Half dose? I plan on using every time I water.

Slightly unrelated question: Can I put fertilizer in those "Aqua Globes?" I have a few already and have found them useful and more decorative than wicking but don't them to burn my AVs or anything.

Here's the link to the post I found concerning fertilizer:

Here is a link that might be useful: http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/contain/msg1020215928898.html?103

F. -

I am thinking that after you potted your violets - it is late to nuke the soil. Deal with fungus gnats - there are plenty of methods to take care of them. Keep the soil on the dry side, look into pesticides... Because - you will never remove all the soil from the plants - or if you will - you can kill the plants.

Thing is there is a learning curve - and you need to try this and that before you find the best for your conditions and grow super plants. The recipe 12:4:8 seems too heavy of N and to low on P - so the result will be Lots of leaves - and not enough flowers.

I wouldn't say it is impossible - but kind of complicated to mix your own fertilizer with all the necessary micronutrients and trace elements. Usually good growers alternate good urea free commercially made fertilizers to take advantage of different trace/microelements in them.

1/8 of a teaspoon of an Epsom salt per gallon of water once a month probably be good. You can put anything in Aqua globes - but there is a possiblility that if you put fertilizer in them they will start growing algae there - and how you are going to clean them? Fishy fertilzer - you cannot put this thing in your wicking water - it will stink you out of house and home. I am thinking that top watering once a month with half or quarter dose will be great. This thing is full of all kind of micronutrients.

I am thinking that you are so into details - you are doomed to be a winner. Probably it will take some time before you find something that fits your conditions - so may be not on this year fair though.

Good Luck

Irina

PS Nancy - so nice to have you back!!!

I think I will alternate the 12-4-8 fertilizer with that Gro Best so the low nitro in one is evened by the other and the P stays pretty high and I get a broad range of micronutrients. If anyone wants to post their own fertilizing routine, I'd be glad to hear from you! It's because of your advice that my violets are getting 7 new buds for first time in months! And its only been a few fertilizer applications!

As to the gnats, what are the symptons? Some of the leaves have turned yellow but that's because I think I sprayed too much Lysol on them to get rid of powdery mildew...

Also, for wicking violets, can I constantly give them a steady stream of weakend fertilizer? Can I even let them constanly wick water? This is the first time I am wicking violets (I used to top water when I only had one and didn't know any better) so sorry for the newbie questions :0)