African Violets

[Shmoopie11]

Hey all! I received an african violet as a gift.  It is a pretty mature plant that used to be in my grandmother's house, then my mothers and now *sigh* in mine.  I am pretty novice when it comes to plants. I have managed to keep a few plants and herbs alive in my kitchen window but I am learning as I go.

 

Rather than get generic info off the web, I know there are many very knowledgeable people on here I hope can help me with real experiences, tips and tricks.  How much sun do they need?  How often should I water and do I need to feed it special plant food? There are no blooms on it and I do not remember seeing any in some time.  Anything I can do to get it to bloom again?

 

Thank you for your help in advance   I REALLY don't want to be the one to kill Grandmom's plant lol  

[jettavwdrvr]

The one thing I do know about African violets is to water from the bottom of the planter....do not water the top soil as it could rot the leaves.

[Shmoopie11]

Thank you, jetta.  That i did not know

[CommanderPost17]

Also have to be careful with the stems of the leaves. I've had some laying on the rim of the pot and they tended to rot where they were touching the rim. Beautiful plant though... Good luck!

[Shmoopie11]

Thanks, Commander!

[Petee]

Amen to "do not water from the top".  That will kill it fast.  An african violet food added to room temperature water will always help but don't overdo it.  No direct sunlight but keep it in a brightly lit area away from really cold windowpanes.  If the soil feels cool and damp to the back of your finger then it's good.  

 

The leaves are really easy to start too so you can always have new plants to give to friends.  Just break off one adult leaf and tuck the stem end through a teeny hole in a piece of plastic wrap right up to the leaf.  Lay that over a small clear cup like a solo plastic party cup and add room temperature water till about a quarter inch of the stem is actually in the water.  Set it in a bright place and wait for roots.  Then transplant it into african violet soil and treat gently till it grows more leaves.  You can even add more than one leaf but don't let the water level drop below the level mentioned before.

[Shmoopie11]

Amen to "do not water from the top".  That will kill it fast.  An african violet food added to room temperature water will always help but don't overdo it.  No direct sunlight but keep it in a brightly lit area away from really cold windowpanes.  If the soil feels cool and damp to the back of your finger then it's good.  

 

The leaves are really easy to start too so you can always have new plants to give to friends.  Just break off one adult leaf and tuck the stem end through a teeny hole in a piece of plastic wrap right up to the leaf.  Lay that over a small clear cup like a solo plastic party cup and add room temperature water till about a quarter inch of the stem is actually in the water.  Set it in a bright place and wait for roots.  Then transplant it into african violet soil and treat gently till it grows more leaves.  You can even add more than one leaf but don't let the water level drop below the level mentioned before.

Petee, this is perfect.  Thank you! My Mom always watered it from the top which probably explains why it is looking like it needs a little extra love.  I'll get it a new set-up (main pot was sitting in a decorative basket rather than on a plate or bowl) and keep it off the window.

[lavender]

African violets require acid soil so if you fertilize make sure you get an African violet fertilizer or something like Miracid. Yellowing leaves mean that the soil is getting too alkaline. Get rid of the pot when it gets all crusty. That is from minerals in the water.

African violets don't particularly like to be pot bound so repot if the roots are starting to wrap the soil. Use the special potting mixes for African violets or go heavy on the peat and use a good potting soil with some pearlite in it if you decide to mix your own. They like a rich mix with air at the root.  

The bigger the plant the less likely it is to bloom although I've seen some big ones bloom very well. You may want to separate it as I'm sure there are lots of little plants in there if it is an heirloom.  It's not accident that most violets are just a plant or two and they are grown in smaller pots. That is what keeps them happy and blooming.

If you keep it on the window sill in the winter make sure it is not too near the glass at night. I don't suppose it happens too much anymore with the insulated and double paned windows but they used to freeze on the windowsill if the weather got too cold. They are susceptible to cold.

[Shmoopie11]

I will take a look at the plant and see what I can do it separate it. Thank you, Lavender! Looks like I am making a trip to the greenhouse this weekend for some soil and a new planter.  I'd love to see it thrive again.

[wildflowerpa]

I was always told not to water from the top also. and to put fertilizer on it whenever it was suppose to. But mine always rotted and died. Now a friend of mine has them and waters from the top, never fertlizes them and even some of the eaves are in the water. They are beautiful . Now go figure.

[Guest snellma]

My mom had lots of African violets when I was growing up.  We always watered ours from the top and never had any problems.  She was also told to fertilize them with dissolved birth control pills.  This was not an issue for her as she used to work for Dr. Yoo so was always able to get samples.  Hers grew like crazy.

[Staci]

My african violets are in the pots that you water from the bottom. They have the ceramic (?) ones that are actually 2 pots. The top one sits in the bottom one and wicks the water thru the porous ceramic pot. I have a tendency to over water, so this setup is perfect for me. I have never fertilized mine and it blooms very often. Good Luck.

[lavender]

I can see the look on a doctor's face when when he gets a request for birth control pills for the African violet. I've heard that this will make orchids bloom too but I've never tried it.

I think if you have a nice airy place and water early in the day you can probably slosh water all over the place with out having problems. You can also top water without getting the crown of the plant wet if you put it in from the side. If the plant has other issues the water on the crown might just be the last straw. African violets like to be moist but not have wet feet. It is important to have a light soil that retains water but also drains well. I have some in the greenhouse and I water them with the hose. Haven't had a problem yet.