Violets

How To Care For African Violets

Rating: 4.1 (7 votes) 6 comments
 
Mary Smith
By Mary Smith. Updated: January 16, 2017
How To Care For African Violets
Image: jardineria.pro

An African violet is a fantastic plant for decorating your home, both indoors and in your garden or yard. Its name indicates the most common colour, but you can also find some kinds that are white. Besides adding colour and elegance to your home, violets also give off a wonderful scent. If you would like to grow this plant or if you already have a violet at home, pay attention to the next article. Here at OneHowTo.cm, we'll explain how to care for African Violets. Follow these tips and your flowers will grow healthy, strong and beautiful. Take note!

You may also be interested in: Caring for hydrangeas

Steps to follow:

1

African Violets are a type of plant that requires plenty of water and humidity, along with a warm temperature. Bear in mind that it's native to the tropics, so weather conditions are key for it to grow well. Make sure your plant is within a temperature of approximately 70°F (21°C), though they will stand temperatures as low as 60°F (15°C).

2

Irrigation. To care for African Violets, you should know that they need plenty of water, they need to be planted on rich, moist soil. Water them two to three times a week. Watering should be done with lukewarm water. Try not to do it with cold water, as this may leave dark spots on the leaves.

How To Care For African Violets - Step 2
3

Sun exposure. Violets can be kept indoors or outside, away from direct sunlight. However, hey do need some light to be able to bloom and flourish at their maximum. Their ideal position is in semi-shady areas that are still warm. Remember, too much light can make the flowers wilt or even burn. A yellow tone appearing on the leaves will be a sign of this. If you have your plant indoors, make sure all the sides of your plant get some sunlight every week.

How To Care For African Violets - Step 3
4

Cold. As already mentioned, violets originate in warm areas, so, excess cold can affect them badly, weakening them. It is important that you never place them in places where the temperature is less than 53ºF (12ºC). Cold temperatures can cause color loss, turning them a yellow color.

5

Pests. Violets are often affected by mealybugs, aphids or whiteflies. If your plant is affected, use an organic pesticide on the soil in in its pot. Spray in the early hours of the morning, avoiding leaves or flowers, as this could damage them more. Apply the pesticide on the soil. Wave goodbye to any pests!

How To Care For African Violets - Step 5

If you want to read similar articles to How To Care For African Violets, we recommend you visit our Gardening & plants category.

Tips

  • Make sure you keep African Violets away from places where there are strong air drafts.
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6 comments
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Elfriede E Mottin
My African Violet seems to have tiny spider web coverings on some leave stems. The plant was repotted with soil specifically for violets and is in a self watering pot with a piece of yarn leading from the soil down into the water. What needs to be done to prevent more of the spider webs?
OneHowTo Editor
Is it indeed spiderwebs? It is possible the problem is due to mealybugs which leave a web-like reside on leaves and stems. If it is spiders, the spiders can reach the plant by simply crawling up and into them. General hygiene of the home is the best way to avoid them, but make an assessment first and see if there is any other evidence of insects or mites present.
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Debi Jenkins
I have 5 African Violets but only one has ever had flowers. The one that blooms has the least amount of water in it. I was told to boil Cammomille Tea and use that to water them. Didn't seem to make any difference. My windows have sun screen built in so they are getting filtered light.
Thanks
Rating:
Sandy
Some of my violets have babies come up in the pot next to them and need to be divided. But other that I wish would do that don't. I know you can put a leave in the soil and it will create a new plant, but I have only had luck doing that once. Do you have any other suggestions for starting new plants from the ones I prefer?

I use the special pots so I only have to fill up the reservoir with water and they are self watering.

Thanks, Sandy
OneHowTo Editor
Hi Sandy,

Why not start an egg carton plant pot and then transfer the ones that grow into larger pots later. This article shows you what you can do:

https://arts.onehowto.com/article/how-to-make-a-flower-pot-with-cardboard-10451.html
Sharon King Tomblin
To root a plant, you cut off the leaf. Then take that stem and cut it an an angle. After this you can place the stem into soil. It may take several weeks or a month, but just water once a week and little leaves will start coming out. I have started about a dozen this year using this method. Also, I don't overwater the plants. I only water mine once a week.
Rating:
Carol Smith
my African violets have been doing wonderful, blooming all the time, I have the m in a self watering planters, up until a few weeks ago they were great, now they have stopped blooming and the leaves look wilted and no blooms, they are in a window, I keep the curtains closed, so the light is filtered, but I have a small lamp with a forty watt bulb on all day, and shut it off at night when I go to bed. Any suggestions on what could be wrong
wrong
OneHowTo Editor
Hi Carol,

Is it possible the self-watering planters are providing too much or too little water? Either are a common cause of wilting and affecting blooms.
Sharon King Tomblin
I only water mine once a week, and I use Job's fertilizer for indoor plants every other week. Mine do not have blooms all the time, but a good bit of the time. Maybe a little fertilizer would help. I get the kind you mix with water.
Rating:
Diane Myers
How do you care for spent blooms?
Mary Morris
When the blooms die, what should I do? Should i take the whole stem off?
Rating:
Ross
My plans have developed stems or trunks that are nearly an inch thick. I did not realize I needed to repot them. Now what do I do?
Joyce Reid
my violets grow long stems that dry up and leave the soil. Please help.
How To Care For African Violets
Image: jardineria.pro
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How To Care For African Violets