African Violet Wicking Pots vs Regular Pots: 7-Month Side-by-Side Comparison

I've been growing African violets for over five years and using self-watering wick pots for the past two.  To see whether wick pots genuinely improve growth, I grew genetically identical African violet plants using two different watering methods for around 7 months and compared their growth, leaf size, flowering, and overall performance. 

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I’ve been testing growing African violets in regular pots, against these small self-watering pots, and the growth difference has been surprising.   

Self-watering wick pot experiment showing increased leaf size and more vigorous growth

Do Wicking Pots Improve African Violet Growth?

Yes.

In my comparison using genetically identical African violet plants grown under the same conditions, the plants in self-watering wick pots produced:

• larger leaves
• thicker petioles
• earlier flowering
• more blooms
• less watering maintenance

The regular-pot plants still grew healthy, but they were smaller, produced fewer flowers, and grew more slowly.

Comparison of African Violets Grown in Wicking Pots vs Regular Pots

The wick pots cost more than standard nursery pots.  However, after using both methods for years, I find the reduced maintenance and improved growth easily justify the extra cost.  I lose fewer plants to drying out, spend less time watering, and achieve more reliable flowering.

This table summarises the key differences observed in the experiment, comparing growth rate, flowering, watering needs, and overall plant performance under identical growing conditions.

Feature	Wicking / Self-Watering Pots	Regular Pots
Watering frequency	Low - reservoir keeps soil consistently moist	High - needs regular manual watering
Growth rate	Faster, more vigorous growth	Slower, steady growth
Leaf size	Larger leaves with thicker petioles	Smaller, more compact leaves
Flowering	Earlier and often more abundant blooms	Later flowering, fewer blooms initially
Maintenance	Low maintenance, ideal for busy or away from home periods	Higher maintenance, risk of drying out in hot weather
Risk of over/under watering	Lower risk when using airy mix (e.g. perlite blend)	Higher risk, especially if inconsistent watering
Overall performance (this experiment)	Best performance: stronger, faster-growing plants	Good performance: healthy but slower growth

Are There Any Downsides to Wick Pots?

While wick pots performed better in my comparison, they are not perfect.

The main disadvantage is the higher upfront cost compared to standard plastic nursery pots. They also work best with a very free-draining potting mix.  I use roughly 50% perlite and 50% potting mix, which helps prevent the soil from staying too wet.

Wick pots can also encourage faster growth, which means plants may need repotting sooner than those grown in regular pots.

For me, the reduced watering and improved flowering easily outweigh these minor drawbacks, but regular pots are still a perfectly viable option for growing healthy African violets.

Recommended Self-Watering Wick Pots for African Violets

Based on this experiment, self-watering wick pots were the clear winner for faster growth, larger leaves, and more consistent flowering.

If you want to try the same setup, I recommend using small wick pots (around 7–10cm wide) with a built-in water reservoir.  These are ideal for African violets and help maintain steady moisture without constant watering.

• Consistent moisture for healthier root development
• Reduce watering frequency
• Less risk of drying out in hot weather
• Encourage faster growth
• Better flowering performance in this trial

See the exact wick pots I use

Watering frequency

Low - reservoir keeps soil consistently moist

High - needs regular manual watering

Growth rate

Faster, more vigorous growth

Slower, steady growth

Leaf size

Larger leaves with thicker petioles

Smaller, more compact leaves

Flowering

Earlier and often more abundant blooms

Later flowering, fewer blooms initially

Maintenance

Low maintenance, ideal for busy or away from home periods

Higher maintenance, risk of drying out in hot weather

Risk of over/under watering

Lower risk when using airy mix (e.g. perlite blend)

Higher risk, especially if inconsistent watering

Overall performance (this experiment)

Best performance: stronger, faster-growing plants

Good performance: healthy but slower growth

More African violets for comparison

I got my first African violet around May 2021, which is over 5 years ago now.  I have grown many African violets from leaf cuttings.  Some I grew in wicking pots like these ones, others I grew using regular watering.  I have a few plants in each type of pot, the photos you see below are all plants I grew.  I still have some of these plants, others I have since sold.

The wicking pots come in different colours, I have some white and some grey and I like them both.  The regular pots I use are about 10cm across, I tend to buy them in bulk like this as I find them perfect for many different plants that I grow.

Regular pot (left) showing slower growth vs self-watering wick pot (right) with larger leaves

The same plants as above - from a different angle

The potting mix I use for African violets

I tend to do things cheap, and I only want to do things that work long term.  You certainly could use specialised African violet potting mix, but it often seems expensive.  Instead I make my own blend of potting mix and perlite, it is inexpensive and clearly effective, as shown by the length of time my African violets have been thriving.  

I buy a cheap potting mix and mix it with perlite.  I mix them together in a 50:50 mix, but sometimes include more perlite than soil.  

It's very easy to make my own mix like this.  I get a pot full of perlite and tip it into an ice cream container, another pot full of potting soil, mix them by hand, and I have two pots worth of African violet mix ready to use.  This works over the long term, I have many African violets growing in this mix and have never had issues with rot or damping off.

My Simple African Violet Soil Mix (Budget-Friendly)

I don’t use expensive specialty African violet mixes.  Instead, I’ve had long-term success using a simple blend of standard potting mix and perlite.

•   50% standard potting mix
•   50% perlite (sometimes slightly more perlite) 

This creates a light, well-draining mix that works especially well with wick pots.

Supplies I use:

• standard potting mix 
• perlite 

My African violet wick growing vs regular pot experiment

I took a leaf cutting of an established African violet.  Once it had some leaf babies, I let them grow until large enough to handle easily, then I divided them.  

Interestingly, I find I can replant the mother leaf several times and get extra baby plants.  This is particularly useful when dealing with rarer varieties or varieties with sentimental value.

African violet leaf babies before division, all grown from the same parent leaf for a controlled comparison

By using leaf babies from the same mother leaf I was using genetically identical plants.  When I divided them they were the same age, and were much the same size.  This helps any differences I noticed to be based on growing conditions rather than genetics or age.

I used exactly the same potting mix, that I mixed on the same day, and transplanted them all the same day.  Some were planted into regular pots, some were planted into wicking self-watering pots, that was the only difference.  I don't have any photos of transplanting these because my hands get all wet and grubby while dividing African violets.

I grew the plants side by side in the same tray (I grow them in a tray so I can move them easily) for around 7 months.  All plants in this experiment were grown side by side under identical light conditions, mostly they were in the tray near a window, some days I moved the tray outside into bright shade.  The difference in vigour and size was noticeable from early on.  

African violets grown in regular pots

The African violets grown in regular pots grew well.  They are all healthy, and grew large.  I have grown plenty of African violets like this, it works well for me.

I tend to buy these pots in bulk as they look good and are perfect for growing many plants including herbs and succulents and ferns.

Growing like this means I have to water often.  If I go away, I tend to put them in a tray with a tiny bit of water, and hope they don't rot and don't dry out while I am away.

Overall this is not a bad way to grow them, and I have some plants that have been in regular pots for years and are still doing well.  

Over the years I have lost a few small plants in regular pots due to drying out.  This mostly happens if I have been unwell and the weather has been hot.  

African violet in regular pot showing healthy growth but smaller overall plant size compared to wick pot plants

Struggling with Drying Out or Inconsistent Watering?

One of the main issues I found with regular pots was inconsistent moisture levels, especially during hot weather or when I was away. 

Switching to self-watering wick pots helped remove that variability and made plant care much more predictable. 

Another African violet - looking good

African violets grown in wicking self-watering pots

The African violets grown in the wick watering pots also grew well.  I have grown many African violets this way, and am always happy with the results. 

Watering these is simple, when the little well is low I top it up.  This provides continuous moisture, even if I go away for a while or am too unwell to water plants.  

As the wick draws up moisture, but not too much moisture, there are no problems with rotting if I use 50% perlite in the soil mix.  Sometimes roots grow out of the drainage hole in the pot and reach down into the water.  This is fine, it doesn't seem to bother the plant.

African violet in self-watering wicking pot

Another African Violet grown in a wicking pot

Comparison between African violets grown in wicking self-watering pots or regular pots

As you can see above, African violets can and do grow well in wicking pots or regular pots.  Wicking pots are certainly simpler, but I was curious to see if there was any difference in growth rate.

The African violets grown in wicking pots grew better for me.  The leaf blade is larger, the petiole (leaf stalk) is longer and thicker, and there appear to be more leaves on the plants grown in wicking pots.  All of this indicates stronger and healthier plants.

Importantly, the African violets grown in wicking pots flowered earlier, and produced more flowers, than the ones in regular pots.  You can't really see this in any of the photos, but all the plants in wicking pots have flower buds, while all the plants in regular pots don't.  I am guessing I won't see flowers on the regular pot grown African violets until spring.  

I now use self-watering wick pots for most of my African violets because they reduced drying issues and improved growth in my comparison.

Side-by-side African violet comparison: self-watering wick pot (left) vs regular pot (right)

Additional comparison plants showing consistent differences in vigour between watering methods

Conclusion: Do Wicking Pots Improve African Violet Growth?

Based on my comparison, African violets grown in self-watering wick pots:

• grew larger leaves
• developed thicker petioles
• flowered earlier
• produced more blooms
• Were easier to care for

The plants grown in regular pots still performed well, but required more frequent watering and were more vulnerable during hot or dry periods.  I suspect the improved growth comes from the plants receiving a more consistent supply of moisture, rather than going between wetter and drier conditions as happens with conventional watering.  

Overall, I prefer wick pots for most of my African violets due to their consistency and reduced maintenance.

African violet leaf comparison, regular on left, wick pot on right

Underside of African violet leaves - slightly more colour in wicking pot

African violet grown in wicking pots produced larger leaves for me

Wicking pots long term African violet growth

So now you have seen how African violets performed better in wicking pots under my growing conditions, the sensible thing to consider is will this continue to work long term.  I don't care how fast and large they grow if they rot and die, I want long term successful growth, and I want many many vibrant flowers.  

I am happy to say that I have been growing African violets in these wicking pots for about 2 years.  The plants are healthy and strong, and they keep pumping out the blooms.  While the photos below are of a different variety than the one used in the comparison, these two have been flowering well in wicking pots for quite a long time.

Long-term African violet growth in self-watering wick pot showing sustained flowering and healthy leaves

Quick Summary

• Same African violet variety (grown from leaf cuttings from my existing plant)
• Same soil mix (50/50 cheap potting mix + perlite)
• Same light, temperature, water
• Only difference: pot type
• Wick pots = faster growth + more robust plants + more flowers
• Regular pots = still healthy but slower and higher maintenance

African violet in self-watering wick pot produce abundant blooms, sometimes with more flowers than visible leaves

Where to buy Wicking Pots for African Violets

I keep several wicking pots on hand because I find them useful for many different plant species, not just African violets.  I am even growing out some staghorn fern pups in them where they are performing beautifully.  

I can find wicking pots locally, but they tend to be over priced and rarely the size I am looking for.  For this reason I tend to buy them online such as through Amazon.  For African violets I generally go for something about 7cm across. 

Start Growing African Violets the Easy Way

If you’re setting up from scratch, the combination that worked best in this experiment was:

• Small self-watering wick pots
• Light potting mix with added perlite
• Bright indirect light near a window

This setup reduces maintenance and helps maintain consistent growth conditions year-round.

Recommended starter supplies:

• African violet wick pot
• standard potting mix 
• perlite 

Wicking pots produced larger African violet leaves

Frequently Asked Questions

Do African violets like self-watering pots?

Yes.  In my experience they grow larger leaves, flower earlier, and require less maintenance.

Can African violets stay wet all the time?

Not exactly.  The key is using a very airy mix with plenty of perlite.

What size wick pot is best for African violets?

I prefer pots around 7–10 cm wide for mature plants.

Do wick pots cause root rot?

Not in my experience when using a 50% perlite mix. 

How often do you refill a wick pot?

I water whenever the reservoir starts to get low, usually every few weeks.

Who should consider wick pots?

• People who forget to water plants
• People who water plants too much or too often
• Anyone growing multiple African violets
• People who travel frequently or go on holiday
• Growers wanting maximum flowering

You probably don't need them if you only have one violet and enjoy regular watering. 

African Violet Leaves and Plants for Sale

African violets performing well in wicking pots (please ignore the mess birds left on the railing)

I sometimes have African violet leaf cuttings available from my own plants, including the exact plants used in this experiment.  These can be used to grow new plants at home, and are taken from my healthy, well-established African violets.

If you would like to try growing your own African violets, I list available leaves and plants through my for sale catalogue page.  I am happy to provide detailed notes on how I grow them.  

Keep an eye on that page as availability is highly seasonal and varies significantly depending on what I am currently propagating. 

Growing staghorn Ferns From Spores: 6 month Update - Which Growing Method Worked Best

I experimented growing staghorn ferns (Platycerium superbum) from spores.  While they had good germination rates and they initially grew well, many refused to grow further until I divided and transplanted them.  I carried out this division around November/December 2025 when they were already about 12 months old.

Around that time, I separated and repotted my staghorn sporelings and wrote a previous post on the process of growing staghorn ferns from spores.  

Staghorn ferns grown from spores 

Growing staghorn ferns from spores can be a slow process, but it can be very rewarding once the plants reach the sporophyte stage.  I also wrote another update about their 3 month progress after division.  

It is now early June 2026, around six months since that division (meaning my spore grown staghorn ferns are now around 18 months old), and it is time to write another update on how these baby ferns are progressing.

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Staghorn ferns grown in seedling flat

These ferns did not perform well in the seedling flat.  Most eventually died, and the few that survived showed very little growth.  The humidity dome was helpful, not only to increase humidity,  but also protecting the tiny ferns from birds and temperature fluctuations.

The main challenge was moisture control, at times they were too wet, and at other times they dried out too much. 

From my experience, this setup is not ideal for beginners growing staghorn ferns from spores.  I won't be attempting to grow staghorn ferns like this again.

Small staghorn fern sporelings grown in a seedling tray after 18 months

Poor survival of staghorn fern spores in seedling flat setup

Humidity dome was helpful for growing sporelings

Staghorn fern sporelings in 24 cell tray

These spore grown staghorn ferns performed well.  Some died for reasons currently unknown.  Some survived but (again for reasons unknown) did not really grow much.  Others have grown large and strong.  I have high hopes these will survive my winter.

For beginners (such as myself), this method has been the most reliable so far.  I keep the trays under a humidity dome, like above.  This setup makes it simple to keep the humidity high, to keep the moisture at the right level, and basically keep everything going with little effort from me.

As the ferns mature, I will be able to open the vents to acclimatise them to lower humidity before eventually mounting them.

Over winter, even though they are under cover on my deck, it still can drop below freezing.  The humidity dome should provide some extra protection from the cold.  The dome should also help them get a little warmer on sunny days.  

This 24-cell propagation tray made moisture control much easier than my earlier setup (similar to this one). 

My staghorn ferns grown from spores

Some didn't survive, I don't know why

Some staghorn ferns survived and grew vigorously

Vigorous Platycerium superbum grown from spores in a 24-cell tray

Some spore grown staghorn ferns were larger

Other spore grown staghorn ferns were smaller

This setup worked well for growing staghorn ferns from spores 

Humidity dome helps staghorn fern sporelings 

Something unexpected happened in the 24 cell trays.  Spores that had not germinated over the past year have now started to sprout.

As shown in the photos, there are clusters of tiny prothallus emerging in several cells.  With any luck, these should grow and turn into tiny staghorn ferns.  Once they are larger, if they survive winter, I will be able to divide these and hopefully grow a few more staghorn ferns.

Given my success using the 24 cell trays in a humidity dome, this is the system I plan to use when dividing these extra spore grown staghorn ferns.

Staghorn ferns gametophytes and sporophytes

Some baby staghorn ferns are strong and vigorous

Growing staghorn ferns in wicking self watering pot

The staghorn ferns in the wicking pots all survived and have shown steady growth.  While they are not as large as those in the 24 cell trays, they have been much more consistent.

I keep these on a kitchen windowsill, where they receive stable light, more stable temperatures, and are easy to monitor.

For beginners, this has been one of the most reliable setups.  Watering is simple, humidity is easy to manage, and every plant I placed in these pots has survived so far.

I tend to use small wicking pots such as these.  They come with the pot, the base, and a wick.  I then used sticky tape and a clear container on top for humidity.  While the larger size pots would also work, I prefer the smaller size as they are great for several spore grown staghorn ferns, and I can also grow African violets and other plants in them. 

Every staghorn fern survived in a wicking pot

Wick watering pots make staghorn ferns from spore easy

Staghorn ferns in self watering pot

Staghorn fern sporelings prefer high humidity

If my staghorn ferns survive winter, I will think about trying to mount them in spring. 

Hopefully I will have some additional spore grown staghorns survive winter that I can divide and grow out. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to grow a staghorn fern from spores?

In my very limited experience, it took approximately 18 months to produce plants of this size from spores.  This timeframe could have been a little faster had I divided them earlier.

Do staghorn fern spores need high humidity?

Yes.  While mature staghorn ferns need far less humidity, spore grown ferns appear to have different requirements.  All of my successful methods relied on maintaining consistently high humidity.

What is the best container for growing staghorn fern spores?

The 24-cell propagation tray produced the largest plants, while self-watering wicking pots produced the highest survival rate.

Can old staghorn fern spores still germinate?

Apparently yes.  Some spores in my trays germinated more than a year after they were originally sown.

What I would do differently in my experiment growing staghorn ferns from spores

If I were starting again, I would use the 24-cell tray setup from the beginning.  While not every plant survived, many did, and they resulted in the largest and most vigorous staghorn ferns.  These 24 cell trays didn't take much space, and were able to fit a lot of plants. 

As a back up, I would also use some small self watering pots, as they were so simple to use, and resulted in no losses.  These look nice on the windowsill, but can only fit a small number of plants.

For beginners like myself who are attempting to grow staghorn ferns from spores outside their preferred climate,  I think a combination of the 24 cell tray setup and some small wicking pots gives the highest chances of success. 

After roughly 18 months growing Staghorn ferns (Platycerium superbum) from spores, I found that high humidity is a key factor.  The 24-cell propagation trays produced the fastest growth, while self-watering wicking pots produced the highest survival rates.  If I were starting again, I would use both methods and avoid the seedling flat approach entirely.

I plan to post another update in spring, to show what worked and what didn't over winter.  I'm learning a lot from my little experiment growing staghorn ferns from spores, and hope my posts help someone else attempting this. 

A Lifelong Fascination with Scorpions

One evening when I was a child, I had an unexpected encounter with a black rock scorpion began a fascination that has lasted for decades and eventually led to university research, keeping scorpions of my own, and a lifelong appreciation for these remarkable arachnids

The black rock scorpion (Urodacus manicatus) is the first scorpion I ever saw in real life, I was fascinated by it then and am still fascinated by scorpions now.  They are a small and relatively calm scorpion that is native to the east coast of Australia.  

Back then I had seen plenty of scorpions in encyclopedias and other books, and on documentaries, but nothing really prepared me for what it was like in real life.  These small creatures are amazing to watch, I still find it hard to stop watching them.

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Scorpions glow under UV light

The first scorpion I saw in real life 

I was watching TV one evening as a child and a scorpion ran across the living room floor.  I caught it and put it in a plastic ‘bug catcher’.  From there I kept it for a while, having no concept of how to look after it properly, marvelling at this amazing creature while it ate flies and other insects that I fed to it.  I eventually released this scorpion into the garden, which is a good thing because I can’t imagine it would have survived terribly long in a bug catcher. 

Now when I keep scorpions, even for a few days, I don't use 'bug catchers'.  I now use a small plastic aquarium because it is easy to clean, provides good ventilation, and makes observing the scorpion much easier.  These have a secure lid with ample ventilation.  

I also really like the look of the tiny aquariums that look like a lego block, they should work as they also have a secure lid.  I'll tell you why the lid is super important later in this post.  (Spoiler alert: I had a scorpion escape!)

Back then I was never confident to pick up the scorpion, and I am glad I didn’t because I could have hurt it.  

I was fascinated that they were arachnids, yet I counted ten legs.  It wasn’t until years later that I discovered that the pinchers at the front are not legs, but are pedipalps (pedipalps are almost like enlarged mouth parts).  If you don’t count the pinchers then the number of legs is eight, which makes me more comfortable as it fits in with my understanding of arachnids. 

Urodacus manicatus glows under UV light

My Scorpion Research at University

When I was a university student I got to see more of these delightful arachnids.  As part of "Behavioural and Physiological Ecology" I did an experiment involving scorpions.  A friend took me out to a hill where the scorpions lived, and we collected a few.  

For the experiment we got a light on a timer, put some scorpions in a tank with a thermogradient, attached a thermocouple to the back of each scorpion, and logged how changing light patterns altered their circadian rhythm.  

I forget how long that experiment ran, it was at least a few weeks, if not a few months.  I handled those scorpions every day and grew really attached to them.  At the end of the experiment we released them back on the hill where we collected them.  I was surprisingly sad to see them go. 

Black rock scorpion exploring the aquarium

Baby scorpions as pets

During that time I also kept two baby scorpions that I had also collected from the same spot.  These had nothing to do with the experiment, I thought they were cute and I kept them at home in a small container.  

They were both the same age, and much the same size, one was very shy and the other far more outgoing and interactive.  I used to catch small insects to feed them.  I tried to always keep some tiny insect in there for them to eat, but they couldn’t always find it.  I knew if they were hungry because they would walk around with their tail twitching slightly, so I would catch the insect with tweezers and hold it until a scorpion grabbed it.  I use long feeding tweezers for handling insects safely, I find feeding tweezers to be ideal for feeding scorpions.

One night I left the lid off the container the baby scorpions lived in, and the outgoing one escaped and was never seen by me again.  I missed it, but I still had one.  The one that didn’t escape eventually moulted, which was utterly fascinating.  They get very hungry for a while before moulting, and then stop eating completely.  To shed they squeeze their entire body out of a tiny hole near the mouth.  They have tiny wrists and big pinchers, so to squeeze out of here they are very soft.  

After moulting they need time to harden so must be left alone.  After a few days their exoskeleton hardens and they are ready to eat again. 

I had a bottle cap of water in the container and one day my tiny scorpion fell in and I had to rescue it.  I didn’t know how to pick it up without being stung, I panicked and put my finger in and it grabbed hold of me.  I then carefully lifted it out and let it walk off my finger back into the container.  It didn't sting me.  

After that I kept a damp cotton wool ball in there for water because I was scared it would fall in again when I wasn’t there to save it.  I can’t remember exactly what eventually happened to this little one, it was a lot of years ago, I have a feeling that I released it where I got it from before moving house.  

One really cool thing about all scorpions is that they fluoresce brightly under ultraviolet light.  The exact mechanism behind fluorescing in ultraviolet light is still under debate.  Their exoskeleton contains hyaline, which makes the exoskeleton strong, and is thought to be the part that glows under UV light.  The babies and ones that recently shed their skin don’t really glow, but once the skin hardens they all glow.  Even more remarkably, some fossilised scorpions even fluoresce under ultraviolet light.

I still keep its first exoskeleton safely in a little jar in my drawer.  Even though it has been over twenty years, the exoskeleton still fluoresces under ultraviolet light. 

Why do scorpions glow under UV light? 

Scientists are still debating the exact purpose and mechanism behind this, but compounds in the exoskeleton fluoresce brightly when exposed to ultraviolet light.  This makes scorpions easy to find at night using a cheap UV torch.

I like to use a small UV torch to make scorpions glow, these ultraviolet torches are ideal.  Going out on a warm night with an ultraviolet torch is one of the easiest ways to find scorpions.

While I rarely put the UV torch on my scorpions, some people have a UV torch to use when displaying them.  Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light reduces fluorescence over time, although the exact reasons behind this are not fully understood.  They will not glow as bright over time if you keep the light on them too much, but every once in a while does not appear to have any adverse effects.  

Scorpions aren't the only natural thing that glows under UV light.  I wrote an earlier post on glowing lichen, while my pictures don't do it justice, some of these lichens glowed bright orange.  I also wrote another post on using these same ultraviolet torches to make various things such as honey, spider webs, and corn stalks glow.  

Baby scorpion exoskeleton under normal light

The same baby scorpion exoskeleton under UV light

Black Rock Scorpion Conservation and Breeding

My fascination with these creatures eventually led me to consider keeping and even breeding them.  I have read that it takes about two or three years for a baby black rock scorpion to reach maturity, which is a long time.  From there it can be difficult getting them to mate and not harm each other.  

Scorpions give birth to live young, after mating the gestation period is about sixteen months, which is a very long time for such a tiny animal.  Sometimes the mother will eat the babies, other times she won’t, sometimes the babies will eat each other, and other times they don’t.  

All of this means it takes several years from a baby scorpion birth until it has a baby scorpion of its own.  This also means most scorpions for sale have been taken from the wild as breeding them sustainably takes a long time and a lot of effort. 

I am told that the black rock scorpion can live up to a dozen years, with eight to ten being pretty common in the wild.  Given how long they live, and how long they take to reach maturity, and how long their gestation is, and that collectors sometimes take every single mature specimen they can find in an area, these scorpions really do need to be raised sustainably rather than taken from the wild. 

I still find black rock scorpions fascinating

A Lifelong Fascination

It has been decades since that first black rock scorpion crossed the living room floor, yet I still stop to watch them whenever I get the chance.  What began as childhood curiosity grew into scientific study and a deep respect for these remarkable arachnids.  Every time I see one scurrying after some prey insect, or glowing under ultraviolet light, I am reminded of the fascination that started all those years ago.

Despite their fearsome reputation, black rock scorpions are calm, fascinating creatures that have taught me a great deal about observing and appreciating the natural world.  Even today, I still keep that tiny exoskeleton in a jar, a small reminder of an animal that sparked a fascination which never really faded.

At some stage I may sell scorpion kits, and possibly captive bred individuals.  If I do, they will appear on my for sale page.  Live animals would likely be offered for local pickup only rather than postage. 

Making Milk Kefir at Home: Simple Instructions From Years of Experience

I have been making milk kefir from traditional heirloom grains since 2010. Over that time I've moved house several times and the kefir grains have come with me.  In my experience, keeping milk kefir going long term is remarkably simple, the biggest challenge is paying for the milk!

To avoid any doubt, milk kefir 'grains' are not grains or seeds of any kind.  Other than the common name of grains they are not similar in any way.  Milk kefir grains are complex and continuously changing mixture of colonies of beneficial bacteria and yeasts growing in a matrix of kefiran that is bobbing around in milk. 

I drink milk kefir and make my breakfast with it, my kids drink milk kefir daily, over that time I have never had any issues with safety, over the years no one has ever fallen ill from consuming my home made milk kefir.  

My milk kefir grains in strainer

What ratio of kefir grains to milk should I use 

There seems to be a lot of confusion on the internet over how much milk kefir grains to use.  

If you're completely new to milk kefir, you may want to read my beginner's guide to milk kefir grains first, where I explain what kefir grains are and how to make kefir at home.

The thing to remember when making kefir is it is not an exact science, the temperature it is kept at is not overly important, and the ratios used don't matter hugely.  As long as you don't use too few grains for the amount of milk, it will still work.

Milk kefir originally comes from nomadic tribes in the Caucasus mountains in Russia.  These people weren't measuring anything precisely, they had kefir grains in a skin bag with mare's milk or yak milk, and they kept kefir going for generations.  A lot of effort was made by the government at the time to obtain the kefir grains, which is a fascinating story.  

Most people use between a quarter of a teaspoon of grains per cup of milk, up to a quarter of a cup of grains (16 teaspoons) per cup of milk.  

I tend to use far more grains than this for no other reason than I have them.  It ferments faster and gets a little more sour.    

If using too few grains for the amount of milk, fermentation takes longer, and you may run into issues with contaminants taking over.  For this reason I suggest not going lower than one teaspoon of kefir grains per cup of milk.  If using more grains, kefir ferments faster.  

I drink kefir plain, I soak raw buckwheat in kefir overnight to consume raw the next morning, sometimes (often around Easter) I make tvorog using kefir.  I like kefir, and some of my kids like it too.

It seems weird that you can leave milk on the bench for days and not have any problems, the living cultures generally create conditions that discourage many unwanted microorganisms from multiplying.  As mentioned, I generally use more grains than most people, this makes it highly unlikely anything undesirable can grow in there.  

Milk kefir I cover with strainer but a cloth also works

Simple milk kefir recipe 

(Note: this can be scaled up as needed)

1) Add anywhere between 1 teaspoon to 1/4 cup of kefir grains to a large glass jar (not metal).

2) Add about a cup of milk to the jar. 

3) Do not put on a lid.  Cover the jar with a cloth or something to keep out dust/insects but lets in the air.  I use a plastic strainer.

4) Leave the jar on the bench out of direct sunlight.  Do not put in the fridge.  

5) Leave for about a day (12-48 hours) to ferment.  The longer it ferments the more sour it becomes.

6) Stir briskly, then strain out the grains.  The strained liquid is your kefir to drink, this can be stored in the fridge for a few days until ready to drink.  

7) Put the grains and a few spoonfuls of liquid kefir in a glass jar.  Repeat from step 2.

One teaspoon of my milk kefir grains

If the kefir separates into curds and whey, that is normal, and it's still fine to drink.  Once you stir (step 6) it all gets mixed together.  

If you go away on holiday you can leave your kefir grains in some milk in the fridge, I recommend putting a lid on the jar while in the fridge.  The grains can survive in the fridge like this for a few weeks.  Being in fridge makes kefir angry, the next few batches will be sour.  

Your grains will multiply.  You can eat them, they are probably better for you than the kefir liquid.  The more kefir grains you add to milk, the faster it ferments.  

The speed of fermentation varies depending on the weather, summer ferments faster than winter.  You can adjust the amount of grains used if you want it more consistent, or you can embrace the seasonal changes.  Either option is fine.  You don't need to keep kefir heated, it was made by nomads living in yurts for generations, they certainly didn't heat their kefir.

Sometimes kefir is more yeasty and the kefir gets lightly bubbly.  Other times there is less yeast activity and the kefir is flat.  Sometimes your grains will be large, other times the grains will be small.  This will all change over time, it is all normal.

Milk kefir ready to be strained

New to kefir? See my beginner's guide to milk kefir grains for step-by-step instructions and troubleshooting tips.

Common Questions

How do I know when milk kefir is ready?

Fresh kefir usually thickens slightly and develops a pleasant tangy smell.  Small pockets of whey may appear around the edges of the jar.  Kefir is ready whenever it tastes right to you. Some people prefer a mild kefir after 12 hours, while others prefer a more sour kefir fermented for longer.  The longer it ferments, the more sour it becomes.

Why did my kefir separate?  Is this a problem?

This is normal, it means your kefir has fermented a bit more than normal.  This happens in warmer weather, or when using more grains.  Just stir before straining.

I have too many kefir grains, can I eat the grains?

Yes, kefir grains are edible.  Some people eat them directly or blend them into smoothies.  Kefir grains can also be fed to poultry.  

Why does fermentation speed change?

Temperature, grain quantity, and milk type all affect fermentation speed.  Don't expect it to be uniform, it will change with the seasons.

Milk kefir grains in a jar

Where to get heirloom milk kefir grains

If you'd like to start making your own kefir, you'll need a healthy culture of milk kefir grains.  

My kefir grains have been made for a few years using A2 milk.  My grains will work in any cow, sheep milk, goat milk, or milk from any other mammal - the taste will change depending on what type of milk you use.  I've never tried them in any plant based milk.   

I sell a decent amount of kefir grains, many places only sell 1 teaspoon

My kefir grains usually multiply faster than I can use them, so I occasionally have extras available on my my for sale page along with other fermenting cultures, perennial vegetable plants, culinary herbs, and seeds I offer.  

Most sellers provide around a teaspoon of grains.  I sell closer to a quarter cup of grains, which gives beginners a larger, more active culture and makes it easier to start producing kefir immediately and helps ensure beginners are likely to succeed.