African Violets are delightful houseplants and will brighten up any room with their purple, pink, or white colors.
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Growing African Violet Plants: Watering, Light, Repotting, and Pests
Planting
How to Plant African Violets
- You can use an actual African violet potting mix or an all-purpose potting soil, as long as it is well-draining. Here鈥檚 how to create your own mix.
- Keep African violets planted in small pots and repot every few years to mix in fresh soil. Being a bit pot-bound encourages African violets to bloom more, so don鈥檛 be too quick to give them more space.
- The soil should be loose and well-drained; high organic matter content is a plus. Learn about organic soil amendments.
- When repotting African violets, don鈥檛 plant them any deeper than they were already planted, and be careful not to bury the crown. African violets鈥 stems can be susceptible to rot if kept too moist.
Growing
How to Care for African Violets
Watering
- Keep the soil lightly moist, but be careful not to overwater, as African violets鈥 soft stems are very susceptible to rot. Learn more about proper watering and care.
- Use room-temperature water, as chilled water can leave marks on the leaves.
- Leaves are susceptible to rot and fungal spots if kept in high humidity, so water African violets from the bottom to avoid getting excess water on the foliage.
Lighting
- African violets prefer bright, indirect light. Avoid direct sunlight and keep them at least a few feet away from bright south- or west-facing windows. An east- or north-facing window gives them the best lighting without the risk of burning their sensitive foliage.
- Artificial lighting works well, too. Use fluorescent or LED bulbs to supplement natural lighting.
- Thin, dark green leaves and leggy stems tell you the plant is getting too little light; light green or bleached leaves indicate too much light.
Fertilizing
- During the active growing season (spring and summer), fertilize every 2 weeks with a high-phosphorous plant food. Only start fertilizing when the plant appears to need an extra boost (slow, thin growth; pale or yellowing leaves).
- Over-fertilizing is a more common problem than under-fertilizing since most soil mixes come infused with plenty of nutrients.
General African Violet Care
- According to Julie Weisenhorn, an Extension educator at the , 鈥淚f you are comfortable, your African violet is comfortable. Optimal room temperature for growing African violets is between 60掳F and 80掳F and ideally 70掳F.鈥 However, some are more tolerant of cooler conditions. In any case, keep them away from drafty windows in winter.
- Plants should be shifted to larger pots as they grow, but keeping African violets slightly root-bound can encourage them to bloom. One sign that your violet needs repotting is wilted leaves.
- The fuzzy leaves have a tendency to collect dust and dirt. Brush them off gently with a small, soft-bristled paintbrush.
- Blooming issues? Check out our tips on how to make sure your African violets flower.
For more information on African violets, visit the website of the .
Catherine Boeckmann
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My violets, about five and ten years old, bloom fully and beautifully but the leaves have become very long and large. Should I repot? Are large leaves normal?
I鈥檓 having trouble with my violets having two plants come up side by side. Why is that and how can I just have one
My plant has grown nicely & has a large clump of flowers, but there is hardly any roots. The plant top is heavy and leans. What should I do to get the roots to grow deeper?
Encourage the roots to grow deeper by water from the bottom of the pot rather than the top. Set the pot in the a saucer (if it isn’t already) and put water in the saucer; the soil will soak it up. Remember to dump out any excess water from the saucer after the soil is sufficiently moist.
How often do you water African Violets?
There is no set schedule to watering鈥攊t all depends on factors like how warm and dry your home is, the time of year, how large your violet and its pot are, and the quality of the potting soil. Generally, the goal should be to keep soil moist鈥攏ot wet鈥攕o this could mean that you need to water once a week or only once every few weeks. Over time, you’ll learn what’s best for your plants and can develop a schedule!
My African violet bloom looks exactly like a rose, would any of you be able to explain to me?
African violets come in range of varieties, including those with 鈥渄ouble鈥 flowers, which resemble roses!
Hi, my violets were in a low light window for several months because of moving, home renovation etc, and now are leggy and leaves stretching out and upwards. They are now in a much better window- how would you reccomend correcting the growth if its possible? just wait until there is enough new growth and eventually snip off the older leaves? or is there anything quicker? thanks! Jane T
my african violet has flowered, and one of the flowers has produced a small green tear drop shaped bulb-like growth in the middle of the flower. is this something i can use to grow more african violets?
