A Beginners Guide to Beautiful Flowering African Violets
African Violets are lovely little plants and are fairly easy to grow. If
you haven't had good luck with them in the past, follow a few simple
rules to get them blooming in no time!
Basic Care for African Violets
African Violets really can be easy to grow and have bloom for you.
They do need a few special things though, to really be at their peak.
Sun
The first thing that your African Violets need is sunlight. Lots of it
too. However, you may not want to put them right in the direct sun of a
sunny south facing window. Many house plants will burn if set in a hot
southern exposure, so if that is where they need to be, set them back a
little bit from the window.
Bright indirect light is the best
for African Violets. The more, the better. In theory, they should have
over twelve hours or very bright indirect light. However, if you can't
provide that, find a good bright place and give that a try. The plants
should do just fine.
Water
Watering African
Violets can be a little tricky. Their leaves are fuzzy and, as with
almost all fuzzy-leafed plants, you should not get their leaves wet.
They will not like this at all. The leaves which have been wet will turn
brown and die.
It is best to water your African Violets from
the bottom. Add water into the saucer at the bottom of the flower pot
and let it seep in to the soil.
In addition, do not over water
your plants. If you find that your African Violets are growing but not
flowering, try cutting back on the water. Let the pots dry out almost
completely in between waterings. If you stick your finger in to the
soil, it should feel dry, but not crusty. If it is hard or crusty, you
have let it get too dry. Generally, try to water your African Violets
every week or ten days.
Fertilizing Your African Violets
You can readily buy some African Violet fertilizer. The liquid type
makes the job very easy. Just add the fertilizer to the water you are
going to water your plants with. You can dilute the fertilizer by half
and fertilize every time you water if you like. During the winter, it is
not a bad idea to give your plants a break and skip some fertilization.
Don't forget to get back in the habit as the days start to lengthen.
This is the plant's signal to get growing.
Potting Your African Violets
African Violets do best in small pots. Make sure that the pot has
drainage holes in the bottom, as sitting in water will kill them. You
can purchase special potting soil for African Violets.
You may
never have to repot your African Violets, but if you decide to change
their pot, make sure to keep them in a container which is about the same
size as the previous one.
Put some rocks or a piece of paper
towel over the drainage holes, but make sure that water will seep out.
Then add a layer of fresh African Violet soil into the bottom of the
pot. Position the plant in the pot and make sure that the previous soil
line is just under the rim of the container.
Fill up the pot,
making sure to keep the plant straight and pat down the soil gently but
firmly. Make sure to give your plant a drink (from the bottom) now that
it is in its new home.
Propagating African Violets
African Violets are easy to propagate and can make great gifts. Why not take some cuttings and make new plants?
Make sure that the plant you are taking the cuttings from is in good
health. You might want to water it if it is dry a little while before
you take the cuttings. This way, the cuttings will be hydrated and in
good shape.
Cut off a few leaves from the plant. Try to take the
more mature leaves at the bottom of the plant. Pinch off the stems and
keep them as long as possible. You can take several leaves.
Take
the leaves and put them into a small pot filled with rooting mixture or
African Violet soil. Just stick the stems into the soil and pat down
the soil around them. Water the pot, this time from the top, remembering
not to wet the leaves. This will tamp down the soil and remove any air
pockets.
Leave your leaf cuttings in a spot which gets plenty of
bright indirect light. Too much heat may keep them from rooting,
though. Remember to water as with the host plant and in four to six
weeks, many of your leaves should be rooted.
African Violet Varieties
African Violets come in many colors and varieties. You can find them
in white, pink, purple and more. You also can find variegated flowering
African Violets and plants which have ruffled leaves and flowers.
Get Growing
Go buy some African Violets. They are inexpensive and easy to care
for. If you find that they are not flowering for you, give them some
more light or less water and you should be good to go. These lovely
little plants are a fantastic addition to any room. Enjoy!
