African Violet Care

¨ NATURAL LIGHT- African violets are capable of blooming all year 'round. Adequate light is the most important factor in promoting flowering. Place the plants near any window that has bright, filtered light such as an east window with morning sun.

¨ FLUORESCENT LIGHT- Plants can be grown under fluorescent light when adequate light is not available. Have the lights on 10 to 12 hours a day. Place the plants so the foliage is about 8 to 10 inches below the tubes (bulbs).

¨ WATERING- A common reason for failure of African violets is over-watering. Water only when the top of the soil feels slightly dry to the touch. Use room-temperature (or slightly warm) water. Violets may be watered from the top, the bottom, or by wicking. Monthly, water plants from the top.

¨ FEEDING- African violets need fertilizer to bloom. Since most growers use a potting mix with little fertilizer, the plant needs a diluted fertilizer solution each time it is watered. Recommended dosage is 1/4 teaspoon to a gallon of water.

¨ ATMOSPHERE- African violets thrive in the same atmosphere as people: not too hot, nor too cold. They like fresh air but no drafts.

¨ POTTING- Most commercial potting mixes are "soil-less", meaning that peat moss is the main ingredient. African violet soil mix should be light and airy - adding vermiculite and perlite to a commercial mix accomplishes this goal.

¨ GROOMING- An African violet is beautiful if properly groomed, fresh and clean. Remove dead leaves and faded         blossoms. Flick away soil particles, lint, animal hairs, etc. with a soft brush, or gently wipe the foliage with a soft wet sponge. African violets also like a "bath" about once a month. Put the plant under a gentle stream of tepid water, tilting the pot so water doesn't run into the soil. Avoid getting water in the crown of the plant. Pat excess water off with a soft sponge or tissue. Allow plants to dry in a warm place out of direct sunlight.

¨ RE-POTTING AND DIVIDING- After a year or two, violets may have out-grown their pots or become overgrown and    unattractive. They will need to be re-potted or divided for maximum health and blooming. If violets display an extended woody-appearing center stem topped by leaves, the solution is often to merely re-pot them deeper using fresh soil and placing the woody stem deeper into the pot. If this stem is too long, it may be necessary to cut it off an inch or so below the leafy portion and repot it into a soil formulated especially for violets. The violet will soon root and begin growing. Toothpicks can be stuck into the soil around the leaves to hold the plant in place.

¨ DIVIDING- Overgrown violets with one or more "offsets" can be divided by carefully removing the new offsets with a sharp, sterile knife or razor blade. The blade can be wiped with alcohol to sterilize it. Start the small new plants in 2" violet pots. Stabilize the plants in the soil with toothpicks stuck in around the leaves for support. The parent plant can then be repotted with the stem deeper into the soil (as explained above).

¨ LEAF CUTTINGS- New violets can be started from leaf cuttings. Cut a healthy leaf with a long stem from the mother plant. Place the stem in water, supporting the leaf so that it stays dry. In a few weeks, roots will appear. When there are lots of roots, the leaf may then be potted up into violet soil and treated as other regular violets. Eventually a tiny crown will form where the leaf joins the stem and small new leaves will begin to emerge. The new crown and new leaves should be kept above the water. Be patient. Growing a new plant from a leaf cutting can take quite a while.

Miniature African violets require a little different care than their larger cousins:

¨ POT SIZE- Use 2" - 2 1/2" pots. Solo pots are great. This keeps plants the right size (minis up to 6" diameter and semi-minis up to 8"). Too big a pot discourages flowers and small foliage.

¨ KEY TO SUCCESS- Repot and freshen soil every 3 months. Prune root ball by cutting off half of it and repotting by adding fresh soil. For best bloom, cut out all suckers and fertilize regularly.