african violet soil - acid or base?

[pc macdonald]

In an unreferenced rec.gardens post from Feb 28, 1997, "Acid-loving plants (long)", Frank Monroe's material states that african violets are in the category of plant that thrive in a soil pH of 4.5 to 5.5 That's _very_ acidic.

Most formulae I find for african violet soil include lime, which is very caustic (raises pH.) For example, the formula included in the pot by The Violet Pot recommends:

2 quarts peat moss 1 quart vermiculite 1 quart pearlite 1 cup powdered lime 2 cups dehydrated cow manure

I was reluctant to include either the manure or the lime as they are both so powerful, and I was concerned I would damage the plants (isn't manure caustic? you can sure smell the ammonia...)

What's up with this?

tx

pc

[Phisherman]

I think there's something wrong with the above recipe with 2 cups of cow manure! See another post with subject "The Soil Recipe."

[Pam - gardengal]

The recommended formulation should be *slightly * acidic - 6.0-6-5 pH. Use equal parts regular houseplant potting soil (never use regular garden soil for containerized or houseplants - too heavy and won't drain freely), perlite and peat. No compost, no lime.

pam - gardengal