Category: Houseplants

Blooming almost continuously throughout the year, African Violets possess astonishingly exuberant flower power. It’s no wonder so many people become lifelong collectors of these charming plants with their Easter-egg colored blooms!

In their native habitat of mountainous Tanzania where they grow on the forest floor, African Violets are well protected from harsh sunlight by larger plants and a thick canopy of trees. Although they originated from this tropical environment, today’s modern hybrids enjoy the same comfortable daytime temperatures as we do at 65F to 75F, and will even tolerate dry heated air if kept reasonably moist. They do require bright light to bloom but you don’t need a glass greenhouse to keep them happy. Today, I’ll give a few simple tips on how to successfully grow these delightful beauties.

PROVIDE ENOUGH LIGHT

Bright light is the key to getting your violets to bloom but in order to provide the best window light for any houseplant, one has to make changes with the seasons.

My African Violets grow near a large and bright west window which is perfect for them during the dark fall and winter months but would cook them with harsh sunlight come summer. As the sun grows stronger in early spring, I use sheer curtains to soften the intensity of the light. In the heat of summer, I may place some sun-loving plants in front of my violets to provide an additional sunscreen. When the days grow shorter again in fall, I work in the reverse and gradually provide more light.

By doing this, I’m able to provide the level of light that my African Violets need to thrive. Remember that plants will lean towards any light source so rotate your violets once a week to keep growth centered and even.

If you lack adequate window space and natural light, don’t despair! African Violets are the perfect candidates for a side table with a lamp and an LED light bulb. In fact, bright supplemental LED lights work wonders on all plants, especially during the dark winter months.

Sansi makes an excellent LED light bulb that fits standard size sockets and mimics bright natural sunlight. Since you can use it in most household lamps, you don’t need to purchase a special light fixture. I’ve included a link below if you’d like more information.

USE WARM WATER

I water my African Violets the same way I do most of my houseplants, from the top, using a narrow spouted watering can to help get through the dense rosettes of leaves. When the soil feels dry, I saturate my plants with room-temperature rainwater and then pour off any standing water that remains in the saucer after about 20 minutes; this gives the plants a chance to soak up all the moisture they need.

In winter, you’ll want to group your plants together to keep humidity levels up. You can also place your violets on a dish or tray of pebbles which will catch excess water and humidify the surrounding air. Make sure to have your plants sit on top of the wetted pebbles, not in standing water.  

A couple of times a year, I give my African Violets a warm water spray bath to clean off the leaves, flush out fertilizer salts and give the plants a good soaking. Never do this with cold water which will shock these tropical plants and cause unsightly spots on the leaves! After the plants have drained, and this is important, make sure to allow the leaves to dry thoroughly in a warm room before returning them to bright light; otherwise, remaining water droplets will intensify any light which can then burn the leaves!

FEED REGULARLY

Organic liquid fertilizers made for in-home use are best but avoid fish emulsions which, for obvious reasons, are best used outdoors! For the majority of my houseplants, I begin feeding when I spy signs of new growth, usually mid-February to early March, and stop fertilizing altogether after mid-October to allow them a winter rest.

For my African Violets, which bloom throughout the year, I use half-strength fertilizer twice a month beginning January 1st and supplement this by adding some finely crushed eggshells to the soil. The eggshells provide beneficial calcium as well as trace elements and minerals. Each time I water my plants, they slowly absorb these nutrients which encourage healthy growth and abundant flowers!

REVITALIZE AND REPOT

Sometimes you can revitalize a tired violet by removing the old outside ring of leaves which helps the plant direct more energy into making flowers. Regular grooming by removing dried flowers and stalks helps, too, as it encourages repeat blooming. At some point, however, your African Violets will stop thriving and need to be repotted. Plants may stop blooming, the outside leaves may begin to droop and die off causing a long ‘neck’ to appear, or a plant might divide itself into two separate crowns; in short, they’ll show obvious signs that it’s time for attention. Many experts simply repot their violets once a year, invigorating them with fresh soil and thus avoiding any decline in their plants’ overall health.

There are special pots designed just for African Violets, many with wicking systems, but a plain pot with drainage holes is less costly and will work just fine. Choosing a new pot for your violet is really a matter of personal preference. Ceramic and plastic pots tend to hold moisture longer while clay or terra cotta ‘breathes’ but dries out faster. Placing plastic inside a decorative cachepot is fine as long as you don’t allow water to puddle at the bottom and drown your plant.

One important consideration is that African Violets prefer shallow or squat pots rather than tall narrow ones and they like a snug fit around their roots. Never put a little violet in a large pot! The photo below will give you an idea of the pot size in relation to a plant.

Since the art of repotting is another story, I won’t go into it on today’s blog but will direct you to this page for an excellent basic tutorial:

https://www.repotme.com/pages/how-to-repot-african-violets

Do you have some struggling African Violets at home? If so, try practicing the above tips and your violets will thank you with increased vigor and blooms! If you’ve never grown them before, I hope I’ve encouraged you to give them a try. Beginners will have the greatest success using fertilizer and soil made especially for African Violets and I’ve included some helpful links below.

Although these tips are just the basics, following them will get you off to a good start. My only warning is that once you start collecting these sweet tropical violets, you may find it hard to stop!

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