QA

How To Care For An 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Can African violets go outside in summer?

During the summer, you can improve the health and appearance of your house plants by moving them outside. Most indoor plants thrive in outdoor conditions, although it’s best to keep tender tropical plants, such as moth orchids and African violets, indoors.

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.

Do African violets like to be misted?

African Violets do not enjoy misting, but if you really think you need to mist your African Violets, it’s best to do it rarely and when the humidity is below 30%. Misting frequently or for an extended time can cause leaf damage to the plant, which then has a direct effect on the overall health of the plant.

Why is my violet 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. If you grow African violets under lights, be sure not to run them more than 16 hours a day.

Why are the flowers on my African violet dying?

Flower loss is most often attributed to lack of water, too much light, or nutrient-deficient growing mix. Give your African violet a good drink, make sure it’s not sitting in direct sunlight, and start a fertilizer routine to nourish your plant.

How cold can African violets get?

Keep Violets as close to 70 degrees F as possible. In all cases, avoid prolonged exposure to temperatures below 60 degrees. Be aware of cold drafts coming through windows, and keep your Violets insulated from them. For more about proper temperature and other factors of air quality, see “Caring for African Violets.”.

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.

Why are my African violet leaves growing straight up?

African Violet leaves curl or reach upwards when the light they receive is too low. The stems start growing longer in size and growing upwards as if they are reaching for the light. This causes the plant to become top heavy full of leaves and just long stems at the bottom.

How do you water an African violet indoors?

Water – African violet plants are picky about water, so take extra care of African violets when watering. Water with lukewarm or tepid water that was allowed to stand for 48 hours. Water at the base and never splash the foliage with water; just a drop can cause foliar spots and damage.