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African violets need indirect sunlight, direct can burn the leaves. Choose a north- or east- facing window for best results. Keep plants away from cold glass and rotate the pot once a week so all leaves receive light. Extend daylight by placing African violets under a grow light during winter months.
Do African violets do well in low light?
The best option when it comes to low natural light, is to move the plant to a location which receives indirect bright light. African Violets require at least 8hrs of light per day and at least 8hrs of darkness per night to thrive. For long lasting blooms, 12hrs a day of natural sunlight is ideal.
Can African violets get too much light?
African violets need the proper amount of light to grow and bloom well. Plants that receive too much light are stunted and produce small, crinkled, yellow leaves borne on short petioles.
How many hours of light do African violets need?
Light Duration Growth and flowering of African violets is also affected by duration of exposure to light and darkness. To bloom, they need 8 to 12 hours (up to16 hours) of light and 8 hours of darkness per day.
How often do you water an African violet?
An important point to remember when bottom watering African Violet plants is to top water at least once a month. This way you are flushing out any extra fertilizer salt build up and refreshing the soil/roots from the top too.
What color light is best for African violets?
For African Violets it is common to use a combination of one cool white bulb and one warm white bulb. This provides African Violet plants with a good balance of color temperature. Personally, I have only used cool white bulbs for my plants and they seem to work well.
What is indirect sunlight?
Indirect sunlight is when your plant is in a shady area within an area that receives bright sunlight. It may be behind another plant or a piece of furniture. Partial sunlight is when the light is direct only during certain times of the day, such as in the morning or late afternoon.
Do African violets like to be crowded?
Violets need to feel crowded to bloom, but when a plant gets too big for its pot, divide the plant’s separate-looking leaf heads. When you repot, tease the roots apart and plant in room-temperature potting soil.
How do I know if my African violet is healthy?
You can tell if your violet has proper sunlight by checking the leaves. In too much sunlight, the leaves turn yellow and the edges burn. In too little sunlight, the leaves will appear to be a healthy green, but there will be no blooms.
Why are my African violet leaves turning light green?
African Violet foliage will turn pale or light green when the plant is exposed to too much sunlight. Often this shading problem is coupled with bleached or burnt leaves. Such areas may be providing too much direct sunlight during the summer months, something which is not favorable to this plant.
Where is the best place to put an African violet?
Grow plants in bright, indirect light for the best color and blooms. A plant stand three feet away from a west- or south-facing window is an ideal location. Plants will still grow when situated right beside north- or east-facing windows, but leaves will be thin and spindly, and plants less likely to bloom.
Do Grow lights have to be purple?
The CRI value of Valoya lights is between 60 and 95. This means it appears to human eyes either as a pleasant, soft pink, or even plain white! LED grow lights do not have to be purple.
Why are my African violets not blooming?
Too little light can cause of African violets not to bloom well. They prefer bright, indirect sun. Too little sunlight causes them to stretch for the light and produce few or no flowers; too much sun can burn the leaves. An east-facing window is ideal, especially with a sheer curtain to block the sun’s harshest rays.
Does an African violet need sun?
African violets need indirect sunlight, direct can burn the leaves. Choose a north- or east- facing window for best results. Keep plants away from cold glass and rotate the pot once a week so all leaves receive light. Extend daylight by placing African violets under a grow light during winter months.
Should you water African violets from the bottom?
Should I water African violets from the top or bottom? Either is fine. It is important not to use cold water; lukewarm or warm is preferred. If you water from the top, be careful not to get water on the leaves when the plant is in the sun; this is to avoid leaf spots.
Should you remove dead flowers from African violets?
If you have success getting your African Violet to bloom, be sure to pinch or deadhead spent blooms. This allows the plant to continue to put energy into creating more buds/blooms and beautiful foliage.
How many watts do African violets need?
African violets thrive under fluorescent lights turned on for 12 to 16 hours a day. Use a single fixture with two 20-watt or two 40-watt lamps placed 10 to 12 inches above the plants. The optimum temperature for this houseplant is between 65 and 75 degrees F.
How many watts does an African violet need?
Most African violet light stands use 40 watt tubes, larger tubes are much dearer and 20 watt tubes are not so economical considering the cost of making a stand and the diminishing light at the ends of the tubes.
What kind of artificial light do African violets need?
The traditional form of artificial lighting for African violets and other house plants are fluorescent bulb lights. Time and time again I’ve seen growers successfully grow plants without the use of specific grow light bulbs, but traditional fluorescent lights like you would buy at a big box store.
