Ultimate African Violet Pots- Oyama Pots
April 11, 2009 by Papa
Filed under Uncategorized
Oyama Pots
My African Violet addiction is well known. I have about 30 violets in Papa’s sun room, office and kitchen window. All but 4 are in Oyama Self-watering pots. The Oyama pots range in size from 1 1/2 inches to 8 inches in diameter. They come in white, dark green and the harder to find tera cota color. The darker colors help keep algae growth down if you have the pots in use in a really sunny spot. The smallest pots are great for leaf starting and mini-violets. The Oyama pots are made of 2 pieces- the inner and outer cup. The outer cup is what you see and it holds the water that is wicked up through the bottom of the inner cup.
To use an Oyama planter you need a layer of Perlite. Perlite is an organic material formed from volcanic ash. It is technically a rock and is white, light and porous. One quart of perlite will setup quite a few Oyama pots since you don’t need too much. There is a perlite fill line on the inside of the inner cups. Simply fill the inner pot to the line and add a good African Violet soil mix on top. I then add the violet from its former pot and use a tablespoon to add soil around the sides of the root plug.
Potting African Violets can be an art form- if done wrong you could loose the plant or at least a set of leaves. I take my time during this step and pack the soil around the roots and make sure the leaves are not touching the soil. If I’m intending on using a leave trainer I add it now. Then I fill the outer cup with room temp water and let the perlite and soil absorb the water for 4-8 hours before topping it off again and placing the African Violet in its intended spot.
Each size of Oyama Pots has a different water reservoir to inner pot ratio. The biggest and smallest cups need more frequent water checks because the water holder has less volume than the mid-sized Oyamas. I avoid using the 6″ or larger pots simply for this reason. Twice a week I check the water levels in the outer cup and top off the level as needed. Once a month I rinse out the cups and add fertilizer to the mix.
I use the Oyama pots not only for African Violets but a few moisture loving plants such as sinulara and jewel orchids. I am sure there are other plants that would thrive in these pots; I just haven’t planted any yet. If I had to come up with one complaint on the pots it would be how it is sometimes challenging to lift out the inner pot to add water and place it back without crushing or breaking a leaf or 2. If I was asked how the pots could be improved I’d add a clear strip into the outer cup so the water level can be checked without having to lift out the plant. Of course I’d also add a watering hole so water levels can be topped off without needing to lift out the plant.
I love my violets and love these pots. They can be hard to find but I know a seller who has a constant supply, great prices and ships fast. You can see his selection below and use the link to buy your very own Oyama pots.
