Uncategorized

What is the correct pot size for African violets?

The 2019 May- June issue of the African Violet Magazine clarified this by stating, “pot size should be 1/3 the diameter of the plant”. This is repeated on numerous sites providing growing information, including the African Violet Society of America, and it is stated almost daily in African violet Facebook Groups.

If a plant shows any signs of decline or problems and is in a pot larger than 1/3 the diameter, owners are immediately told to repot it into a smaller pot.

That advice and the 1/3 rule are incorrect.

Watch the video version of this blog post: https://youtu.be/03mihVFxkKA

Key Takeaways

• The 1/3 pot size recommendation for African violets is wrong.
• Taller pots are drier than shorter pots.

Read More

Wick watering is a fairly popular way to water houseplants. The initial setup is more complicated, but once a pot is set up for wicking, you spend less time watering your plants.

This post looks at the underlying science and uses that information to debunk some common myths about wick watering.

Watch the video version of this blog post: https://youtu.be/D7WEMqPPAYw

Key Takeaways

• The size of the wick does not affect the moisture level in a pot.
• The wick can’t make the potting media too wet, but the technique can produce pots that are too wet for plants.

Read More

There are four basic ways to water a houseplant: from the top, from the bottom, with a wick system, or with self-watering pots. Which is best? What are the pros and cons of each method?

Let’s look at the science behind each method to see whether they work and which plants actually prefer each one.

Watch the video version of this post: https://youtu.be/E8m2Aoh5ClQ

Key Takeaways

• All 4 methods work if used correctly
• Match the method to your environment and habits.

Read More

If you scroll through online health forums, social media, or sensationalized health blogs, you have likely seen alarmist headlines claiming that a humble bowl of rice is poisoning you with toxic heavy metals. Some claim you should cut rice out of your diet entirely, while others insist that organic rice is somehow immune to soil contaminants.

Internet health claims are often rooted in a kernel of truth that gets blown entirely out of proportion. Let’s skip the fear-mongering and look at what actual scientific research tells us about arsenic levels in rice.

To watch the video version of this post, watch: https://youtu.be/oZOSkMTUCN4

Most fertilizer sold to gardeners uses urea as the nitrogen source, but most commercial greenhouses use nitrate as their main nitrogen source. Why?

I have been spending time in the African violet (AV) community, and most growers, including the African Violet Society of America (AVSA), recommend using nitrate rather than urea. But Schultz African violet fertilizer is very popular in this group, and it is mostly urea. In a test reported on by AVSA of the top AV fertilizers, one used only urea, and the other used no urea. A prominent breeder stated: “I’ve used fertilizer containing urea for nearly 30 years“.

I have used urea-based fertilizer for 50 years on all kinds of houseplants, and it seems to work, though recently some of my streptocarpus seedlings may be showing yellow leaves. It is time to understand the urea vs nitrate controversy in more detail.

Watch the video version of this blog: https://youtu.be/YdY5S7RUKMo

GMO food labeling compliance became mandatory starting June 23, 2025, but if you look at the label on processed food in the US, you won’t see a GMO label.

The reason for this is that the FDA has decided to use a different term. The food will be labeled as “Contains a Bioengineered food ingredient”. The word Bioengineered (BE) is replacing the term GMO.

The general public has been asking for GMO labeling on food for many years. After spending many millions of dollars, they now have their wish.

Key Takeaways

• USA now labels GMO food.
• GMO is now called “Bioengineered”

Read More

I’ve been writing about garden myths for about 15 years, and there are still many more that need attention. I have over 300 started posts that could be finished.

However….. I am also interested in a wider range of myths and it is time to widen the scope of my myth busting.

You might have noticed I have started writing about food and food nutrition myths, and even climate change. So far I have dabbled in these but now it’s time to follow this interest more deeply.

I have decided to start a new venture called Reality Time.

Read More

I know that many of you think that this question has already been settled and that 97% of scientists agree that global warming is anthropogenic, i.e., it is human-caused.

The question is far from being settled

The goal for this post is to present some of the arguments presented by both sides of the debate.

Key Takeaways

• There is clearly no consensus about climate change among scientists.
• There is no consensus about the extent of human-caused global warming.
• We know a lot less about the climate than we have been led to believe.
• Society has been misinformed by the news – no surprise there!

PDF version of this post

Read More

Gardeners talk a lot about dynamic accumulators, and they are important for techniques such as permaculture and regenerative agriculture. The problem was that we didn’t have an accepted definition for them – nobody agreed on what they were.

The science of dynamic accumulators has recently advanced, and we now have a proper definition, an extensive database of possible candidates, as well as some research supporting claims about them. There is also new testing of weed teas made from them.

This may become more important to gardeners than you realize.

Key Takeaways

• We have an official definition for Dynamic Accumulators.
• About 10% of plants in the database qualify as dynamic accumulators for at least one nutrient. None qualify for all nutrients.
• Nutrients in weed tea are lower than most people expect.

Read More

Is fish fertilizer better than a synthetic fertilizer like Miracle-Gro?

If you read the advertising for fish fertilizer, you might conclude that it will grow much better plants, but those same products don’t show you any data to support the claims. Where is the proof?

I decided to run my own test to see if fish fertilizer grows bigger tomato plants.

Key Takeaways

• Fish fertilizer did not grow statistically better plants.
• The extra cost of fish fertilizer can’t be justified based on growth.

This post uses affiliate links

Read More