I grow my violets on capillary matting (read that polyester or acrylic blankets, old shirts, or quilt batting). This means that I have a plant tray that has no holes and holds water with a piece of capillary matting cut to fit it in the bottom of it. The matting, whether commercial matting made for this purpose (expensive!) or cut up blankets, is intended to hold a fair amount of water to continuously provide it to the violets. Sometimes, the violets are sitting in more water than is really good for them and the soil mix has to be very airy as well as attract water efficiently. or the plants will drown. Regular violet potting mix is too heavy. It holds water well, but too well if a lot of water is available.
I like to use 1 part regular potting mix, and this can be for any type of plant to 10 parts perlite. I was using vermiculite in this mix as well, but it seemed too heavy. The perlite attracts the water very rapidly as long as the media itself isn't saturated, the pot drainage holes are in contact with the matting, and the mix is so open that there is still lots of air space to keep the plants from drowning. The amount of regular potting soil helps to retain some moisture, though not a lot and the trays need to be monitored and more water added if they are drying out, and sites for nutrients to adsorb to.
I eventually will post an article on growing violets on this matting in a future article. Must go make dinner now.
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