Amending potting mix

9 years ago

Just wondering- what is the recommended way to amend regular potting mix to best suit african violets?

I grow all mine in all purpose miracle gro and they do great. But Im wondering if a lighter mix would loosen the centers a bit and/or encourage faster growth?

Of course, they are under a grolux and according to the time I have been turning it off at night, the light duration is pretty long. They have only been getting 6 hours of dark. This is part of the reason they arent flowering, but I have been encouraging leaf growth in favor of flowers temporarily.

Would longer day-length affect the centers?

Or is this AV pretty typical and Im just nitpicking?

Comments (2)

PRO
Whitelacey
9 years ago
Laura,

If your mix is working, don't 'fix' it unless you want to experiment a bit. The usual mix is 1-1-1, peat, vermiculite, and perlite.

Your day length is too long. Reduce your lights to about 10-12 hours and you will see better centers and blooming. You really do not need to regulate the blooming to obtain better leaves unless you are showing. Plants are very capable of regulating their own growth!

Plants have three functions that they carry out: Photosynthesis, respiration and transpiration. Photosynthesis requires light and respiration requires darkness. Plants must have both to grow properly.

Linda
lauraeli_
Original Author
9 years ago
A lot of my AVs are very small still. I also have thrips in here, so until I find a way to discourage them from the flowers, there isn't much reason for them to flower. The flowers don't last long with thrips feeding on them.

I wont spray any chemicals, so nothing systemic. Right now I am trying neem oil insecticidal soap. If I spray it on the blooms just as they are opening, it doesnt seem to harm them. But I need something I can use on open buds before i will let them put energy towards flowering.