I would be afraid of the plants overwatering themselves with self watering pots. I have never used them, so I don't know. And if the plants become overwatered often, you would have to repot more often to prevent root rot.

Nancy

When you use self-watering pots, it is important to lighten up your soil mix by adding more perlite. The mix should be light and not stick together if you sqeeze it when moist. If you wick water then the mix you already use for this should be fine for selfwatering pots. Commerically made "african violet" soil (in the bags at garden stores) is much to heavy for these types of pots, so remember to add peat moss and perlite to these mixes if you want to wick water or put in these planters.
I do use some selfwatering pots, especially for my miniature violets.
I find they the violets do much better as they always have water and nutriets and therefore yes, they grow faster and you will have to repot them sooner. However this is not a bother for me as my plants look so much healthier and bloom more often when they have a constant source of water.

-Renee

So I can use the 1:1:1 ratio of PM-P-V, or can I just use AV potting mix, with more Perlite and Vermiculte added?

I always used the 3:1 mixture. Does it really matter either way, just add more Perlite to the AV potting mix?

You got it! Let us all remember that those "ceramic" self watering pots are sucking up the water through the clay---and so you dont have your plants sitting in water--I wouldn't worry about overwatering--as long as you dont add water into the potting mix itself! ----I hope I am making sense I feel all jumbled--LOL! What I am trying to say is these pots dont have a hole in the bottom of them--the water will be absorbed THROUGH the pot! SO you dont want to add water to the pot--unless it is completely dry then only add a little bit--as the system will get itself going again!

One word of caution! Over time salts will begin to accumulate in the soil and the pot itself! The pot will then need to be "cleaned". You can do this by soaking the pot in warm water for a day! A lot of the minerals and salts will be leached out of it--and you can replant it with AV! So the time saved from watering--is made up for in more frequent repotting. Once you plant stops growing actively or showns signs of stress--usually, because of the accumulation of salts, you will need to repot!

Long story short--repot more often when using these kinds of pots! UGH! I should just leave my number on here so you can call me to find out what the Heck I am talking about! LOL!

Best Wishes Heading into the New Year!

Ryan

Ryan, your advice makes perfect sense to me. Now I want to know if that makes me weird? LOL.

All my Av's are in self watering pots and they love them, as well as I do. I put water in the bowl about once or twice a week and all is well. Good luck.

My wife just got started with African violets. I bought her a self-watering container. She has been keeping the water level such that the violet pot itself is always suspended in the water. Is this incorrect? She is concerned that the soil will continue to constantly absorb water, causing the violet root system to rot. Would like some opinions on the proper use of these self-watering ceramic pots.

I've been using the two part pots for a while. Yes I added more perlite to the violet mix. I fill the water and then wait until the plant shows signs of being dry, slightly wilted. Since I watch them daily its been a good way for me. Don't find that I repot anymore then what is normally recomended.

I just bought 3 self-watering pots and filled to the water line suggested. They feel really wet. I'm going to keep an eye on them and see if this continues. Maybe I need to add less water than suggested.

My violets LOVE living in two-piece ceramic self-watering pots. I do add extra perlite and vermiculite to the AV potting soil as recommended by the other posters. Also, I make sure the pots arenÂt too large for the plants, using the right pot size equals the plant diameter divided by three formula. When I first started using the pots I thought the soil was staying too wet, but the plants really thrived  I never had any rotting. I did read a recommendation that the plants be periodically allowed to dry to give them a break from always having wet feet. I havenÂt had to repot mine any more often than generally recommended either. I really like that I can be gone for one to three weeks and not have to worry about my violets.

I have been raising AV's off and on for over 40 years and have never used self watering pots or the wick system. I use just regular plastic or clay pots and it has worked well for me.

My AV has been in a self watering ceramic pot for 5 years. I used regular potting soil straight from the bag, Miracle Gro plant food spikes for flowering plants, I never let the water container dry out and it has bloomed continously for 4 1/2 years.

Katlady -

if you use Donna's advice - you will be OK. You just need to pay attention to your plants - until you figure out your routine - how often to water, when to repot and what is too wet etc.

Sandra Jean - wicks are invented by the people who accumulated hundreds or thousands of plants - and there is just no way to take care of them individually. There are certain conditions when wicking is very beneficial - for example low humidity.

Happy Growing and Blooming to alll of us

Irina