QA

Question: How To Care For African Violet Plant

African Violet Care Light. Bright, but not direct sunlight. Soil. A well-drained potting mix is essential. Water. Keep soil moist with warm water and strive for high humidity. Temperature and Humidity. Do not allow to fall below about 60ºF. Fertilizer. Feed with an African violet fertilizer every other week.

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.

Do African violets need direct sunlight?

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.

How can I make my African violet bloom again?

8 Ways to Get Your African Violet to Bloom Again. Let There Be Light. Turn Up the Humidity. Replenish Essential Nutrients. Keep it Pleasant. Choose the Right Soil. Protect From Pests & Disease. Constrict the Roots.

Are African violets hard to care for?

African violets are among the easiest of all houseplants to grow and are probably the easiest flowering houseplant to care for. A basic rule in African violet care is this: treat them as you would your child. What does that mean? Don’t neglect them, and provide all of their necessities when they need it, in moderation.

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.

Are coffee grounds good for African violets?

Is Coffee Grounds Good for African Violets? Yes, coffee grounds are a great homemade fertilizer for African Violets. Make a mixture of dried coffee grounds and dried egg shells, then work the coffee ground mixture into the top of the soil. Replenish every couple of months.

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 African violets prefer morning or afternoon sun?

Violets require 2 to 4 hours of morning or afternoon sunlight. If they don’t receive enough light, they will not bloom. They will look like a healthy plant with dark green leaves but no flowers. Too much direct sun will give the appearance of reddish yellow leaves and spindly flowers.

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.

How long do African violets live?

Repotting these blooms is so important due to their long lifespan. “Remember that African violets have a very long lifespan and have been said to last up to 50 years,” says Ryan McEnaney, public relations and communications specialist for Bailey Nurseries.

Why is my African violet not flowering?

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.

When should I repot my African violet?

African violets need to be repotted about once a year to keep them growing big and beautiful. It is best to inspect them first to see if their leaves and roots are healthy.

Why are my African violet leaves growing straight up?

When African Violet plants do not receive enough sunlight there growth slows down. The leaf stems start to become elongated/leggy. The leaves start to grow upright/upwards as if trying to reach for the light.

What color grow 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.

Can you repot African violets when they are blooming?

Can you repot an African violet when it’s blooming? Moving is stressful enough! We recommend waiting for a lull in blooming before you repot. That said, if your plant is tightly root-bound or at risk of toppling over, it’s okay to repot while flowering.

Why are the bottom leaves of my African violet dying?

Root rots are usually caused by overwatering. African violets prefer an evenly moist soil. They don’t like wet or dry potting soils. In wet situations, root rot fungi gradually destroy the African violet’s roots, causing the plant to decline.

How do you trim African violet leaves?

When trimming, be sure to cut it at a 45 degree angle to encourage root and plant growth. Find a small container and fill it with Espoma’s Organic African Violet Potting Mix. Make a shallow hole, using your finger or pencil. Place your leaf cutting in, stem side down, and firm the soil around it.

What kind of fertilizer do African violets need?

About African Violet Fertilizer The recommended ratio for African violets is 14-12-14. There are commercial formulas available specifically for fertilizing African violets, but many of these use urea as the nitrogen source. In certain conditions, urea can burn the plant’s roots.