Yup. It showd up twice but the other photo is larger and takes a long time to download so please ignore it. The cottages outside the window belong to a new addition to the subdivision where I now live. The landscaping needs work but the drought has been uncooperative this year.
So, what do you think about Chlorox as an option?
Krys

Krys -

I am not sure that Clorox doesn't harm the roots. But in your case when you use trays for humidity only - I think it is a great solution.

Since I wick my gesneriads - the scum war is an uphill battle. I wash the mats with Clorox, use Physan in water - but the algae always comes back. My understanding it is not harmful, it just looks yucky. When there is too much of it - it eats your fertilizer. SO I am trying every 1-2 months - to get the trays out, leach the plants, wash the mats, remove spent flowers - just housekeeping. Not always keep up with the schedule, though.

You have a beautiful subdivision, open view - just do not put the blue spruce tree in front of your window ;-))

Irina

Hi Irina,
I don't have mats (what are the mats for and what are they made of?), just glazed pots sitting on a tray full of water for humidity. The plants can't touch the bleach-treated water. So far its working with the very diluted bleach.
The subdivison outside my apt window is part of the large "campus" of a continuous care retirement community. Those are rather large cottages that many of the residents have elected to live in. My husband and I opted for an apartment -- less work, close to services etc. We love the place. Mountains all around. Bears sometimes come visiting -- not so nice but exotic.

Krys

Krys - sorry for not replying - I was out of town.

I had the pleasure to visit Asheville years ago - and it so very beautiful.

Looks like I would never opt to live in apartment - I would be happy to have some dirt around so I would be planting roses, roses and roses around my house. You can create a beauty on your own with your paintbrush - and the rest of us less gifted - need to use somebody's else creations to surround our life with it.

About mats - if you search on light stands. wicks and mats - you will find lots of info - but basically - you use a fuzzy synthetic material - like fleece blanket - to line your tray. When wet - it provides humidity for your plants and of the pots have wicks - short pieces of yarn hanging out of their drainage holes - water with the fertilizer goes up into the pot by capillary action. To provide the constant source of water for the mat - you can put a support for it - usually it is an egg-crate grid - and let the edges of the mat soak the water from the bottom of the tray. So - you have constant fertilizing, source of water and humidity - and your violets are happy for 10 days between waterings.

I.

Irina,
Your mat-and-wick system seems loical and practical. I must try it.
 About life in an apt: My husband and I have lived in large houses and plenty of garden space. I loved gardening and everything was great as long as we could keep up with the work. Now we live in a big apartment (a bit over 1700sq.ft.) in a great independent retirement community surrounded by mountains and we don't miss the work one bit. I have a nice balcony for my bonsai trees as well as several roomy north-facing window sills for my av's and even a small room for my painting studio. There's plenty of time for travel and other activities.
There is life after mortgage:-)
Krys

Amen!!!