African violets, when in the right place, can bring such joy and color in the darkest of days. Many violet enthusiasts can keep their plant blooming a majority of the year with little bloom down time.
Best Watering Practices
African violets like their soil kept more on the moist side than dry, as they don’t want to go bone dry like your cactus. The biggest indicator of when to water is when the top of the soil starts feeling dry, then it’s time to water.
They like the method of bottom-up watering. Watering from the top can cause the crown of the plant to get too wet, and cause rot or powdery mildew.
To water from below, fill a bowl or saucer with water, set the plant in it, and let it drink until the water is used up. This of course is only possible if the pot has a drainage hole, or the plant is growing in a pot with an unglazed bottom, like a self-watering pot.
Key Tip: Don’t leave the plant sitting in water longer than 30 minutes. A half hour is a sufficient amount of time for it to soak up what it needs, then dump the excess water out of the saucer.
Feed with African Violet Food
After watering, it’s a good time to feed your African violet. When the soil is moist, the plant will absorb the fertilizer better than if it is dry. Also, if you fertilize while the plant is dry you can cause burning and other root issues which can lead to death (been there, done that).
We like the Espoma African Violet Food as it’s well balanced to keep your plant happy, growing, and blooming.
Place Your Plant in a Sunny Spot
Lastly, placement is very important when it comes to keeping an African violet happy. They enjoy a brightly lit area: window sill, or a table next to a windowsill. Best placement is where the plant receives indirect light that graces the foliage.
Repotting Advice
When should you repot your African violet? Here are our repotting tips:
- We recommend repotting when you have to water more than once a week to keep the plant happy.
- Only go up an inch in diameter from the pot size it’s currently in.
- Use a good African violet soil for good drainage.
- When repotting, do it slowly to avoid much disturbance to the roots.
Choosing a Pot for Your African Violet
When choosing a pot you have many options: glazed, self watering, plastic, and terracotta. No option is wrong, really it’s what is best for you.
Here’s a little pot breakdown for you:
- Glazed are decorative, drain, and sometimes have an attached saucer. They are a great accent to any room, and can complement your plant nicely.
- Self-watering is fun and different. They store water in a basin that the pot sits in, and the water is absorbed through the unglazed part of the pot. At times you may have to water from the top if water isn’t being absorbed as quickly through the raw clay.
- Terra cotta has its benefits as well. The terra cotta allows the plant to dry out more quickly as the terra cotta dries out, and can also be placed in a more decorative pot.
- Plastics are easy and can be placed inside a glazed pot until the plant is ready to be potted up.
Now that you’re charged and ready to go, what color of African violet do you add to your indoor space? Purple, pink, white, burgundy, blue, bi-color – the options are endless!