Sorry that I can't answer your question about the perlite. I have never seen that for sale around here. But I can relate to wondering why I am nervous now with my house plants, but when I was a kid and bought my first Av with my allowance I didn't even bother looking up proper care. That plant even bloomed again, it was in a dark corner that only a pothos would tolerate!
Good luck with your purchases. What hoyas and streps did you go for? I have cut myself off for the year from looking at the Violet Barn website... it leads to using a debit card.

Oh I know what you mean Frazzledgessie, I can't order again until middle of summer just so i can see if what i have makes it. I ordered 3 streps Bristol's Goose Egg, Bristol's Rhubarb, Bristol's Smelly Cat, and Bristol's Tractor Beam and Bristol's Potpourri are my alternates. Then for hoyas I am getting Cornoaria and Bella. Along with pots of the correct size for my violets. I am excited and very nervous.
Ann in So Ut

Hi Ann, I have that same perlite my husband just picked it up for me. So what I am thinking on doing is watering with plain water for a month as most of my violets are watered from the top.The ones I have wicked I will add a little fertilizer to the water and than once a month I will flush them with plain water also.It's just a little experiment I'm doing with myself, I'm alway's experimenting with one thing or another.-Terri

Does the bag say how long? I think some when they first came out was 3 months the fertilizer would last. If you have smaller violets and repot often, you might not need to add fertilizer. Too much is not good. I think Terri's idea to flush the pot will help get rid of the build-up of fertilizer but I think the fertilized soil and perlite might last longer than a month. When you get your plants wait a week or two before repotting, I like to say the plants need a rest from the postal trip and change of environment from the greenhouse. If they are pot bound you will need a larger pot, but if they are not you might could put them in the same one. Instead of 4 ply yarn which I too thought was keeping my plants too wet, I changed to the smaller baby yarn, that way I don't have to pull the 4 plys apart...it is working well for me. I enjoy the streps too. My friend wicks them with great results, but I've had no luck with that..I've started top watering and gotten my best results with streps. Enjoy the plants! tish

Those all look like great chooses. Is the Hoya Bella the variagated one? I need to stick to a max of two plants to obsess over, so I should not start thinking that hoyas would look great in the dining room.

No my Bella is all green but that's okay I am not worried about hoyas in the dinning room but living room, bed room and bath maybe in trouble. Dining room must a have a solid spider. My order should be here Friday. Get to play in the dirt again yeah!!!Went to lunch today resturant had spider plants when I paid my bill I asked if I could have a baby. She gave me some scissors and I cut one with two babies and then she gave me a wet paper towel to take them home. They are green it has been a good day. Was a good lunch and a nice lady.
Ann

That is really cool, good for you! Have fun Friday with your order.