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Mini African Violet Care – Tips For Growing Your Plant

Among houseplants, African violets are among the easiest to grow and care for. They are also one of the easiest flowering plants to care for. African violet care: Treat them like you would your child. I don’t know. Don’t forget about them, and give them what they need when they need it, but not too much. This is true for watering, feeding, and the environment. As a parent, your job is to listen if they’re not happy. We’ve given you some basic advice on how to care for your small African violets below.

Water

Water African Violets just enough to keep the soil moist, but not soggy. Violet is susceptible to such deadly pathogens if she drinks too much water.

Water should never be applied to leaves. You only need to mist plants when you want to increase their humidity.

African violets benefit most from watering from the bottom. Plants will absorb all the water they need if they sit in 3/4″ of water. Once they have absorbed all the water, remove excess water. Never let the Violet sit in water for more than 30 minutes!

Room temperature is ideal for water. Water that is too cold can cause leaves to curl and spot.

Don’t use soft water and don’t use highly chlorinated water. If your water smells of chlorine, you’ve used too much. You should put a small amount of water into a container overnight if you have access to highly chlorinated water.

Light Requirements

Indoor light that is moderate to bright and indirect is ideal for African Violets.

African Violets will cease flowering and become yellow and leggy if they don’t get enough light. Too much sunshine, on the other hand, can cause the leaves and blossoms to curl down and develop brown blotches.

Early or late in the day, African Violets may handle direct sunshine; the remainder of the day, they should be kept out of direct sunlight. Place your Violets in front of an eastern or northeastern-facing window; if your window faces west or south, adjust your blinds or use a sheer curtain to block off part of the light.

Remember that your African Violets will require more sunshine throughout the winter months than they would in the summer.

To stop their bending towards the light, rotate your African Violets once a week to ensure that they receive an equal amount of sunshine from all sides.

Temperature & Humidity

In a typical household setting, African Violets will grow. If you’re at ease, your African Violets are likely to be as well.

A temperature of 70 degrees F is generally as ideal as possible for your African Violets. Allow temperatures to not fall below 60 degrees Fahrenheit or climb over 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Extreme deviations should be avoided at all costs.

Stems and leaves will lengthen and get dry as the temperature rises, and blossoms will begin to fall. Cold temperatures, on the other hand, are significantly more hazardous for African Violet. They have the potential to expose the plant to dangerous diseases and stifle its growth. In the worst-case scenario, leaves and blossoms begin to wilt quickly, and the plant goes into shock.

African Violets require a high level of humidity to thrive. You should aim for a humidity level of 50 to 60 percent for your African Violets. Buds will fail to open, the plant will develop slower, and the leaves will begin to wither if the moisture level is considerably lower than this.

Keep in mind that both heating and air conditioning can dry up the air. You may use a humidifier or position water containers around your African Violets to enhance the amount of humidity surrounding them. Evaporation raises the amount of water in the air around your Violets.

Maintain sufficient air circulation around your plant at all times, but keep it safe from cold drafts, which can be lethal.

Soil Conditions and Food

The ideal potting soil for African Violets is essentially devoid of dirt. It should be light and porous, allowing the plant to breathe while being moist but not soggy.

To ensure ideal porosity of the soil, add some perlite or expanded polystyrene to a soil made mostly of block-harvested sphagnum peat moss.

Keep in mind that the pH of the soil should be between 5.8 and 6.2; you may adjust the pH with modest amounts of calcium carbonate or lime.

A somewhat modified fertilizer solution is required for miniature African violets. It is suggested that you use a 7-9-5 Miniature Plant Food.

In any event, be sure that the Violet Food you choose is 100% water soluble, or your African Violet may not be able to absorb all of the nutrients.

Overfeeding your plant will result in leaf damage.

It is also necessary to saturate the soil every three months with water. Any excess fertilizer salts that have developed in the soil will be washed away. Simply rinse the soil well until it is saturated, then let the excess water drain entirely.

Pots & Repotting

An Azalea pot is ideal for an African Violet since it is shallower than a normal pot.

African Violet roots prefer to grow outward rather than downward, therefore if planted in a normal pot, they will not reach the bottom, increasing the danger of root rot.

Don’t forget to check your pot’s drainage. If the drainage in your pot is poor or non-existent, holes should be drilled.

When an African Violet has outgrown its present container and its roots are growing out and around the rootball, it should be repotted.

About twice a year, repot with fresh potting soil, and pick a container that is the right size. Use the next biggest pot size that is available, with a one-inch increase. If you have an African Violet that is now in a 2-inch pot, repot it into a 3-inch pot.

The diameter of an African Violet’s leaves should be around three times the diameter of the pot if it is planted in the proper size pot. If the breadth of your African Violet’s leaves is 12 inches, for example, it should be planted in a 4-inch pot.

If you’re using a clay pot, clean the top edge with a damp cloth on a regular basis — extra fertilizer salts can build up on the rim of clay pots.

Frequently Asked Questions About Mini African Violets

How big do mini African violets get?

A single African violet plant can grow to about 6 inches (15 cm) in diameter when fully mature. A single leaf blade can grow to 1 inch (2.5cm) in length, and the flowers can grow to 0.75 inches (2cm) across the petals.

How long do African violets live?

As long as 50 years are possible for African violets! Providing good care is essential to get African violets there, which includes repotting them. A big part of repotting an African violet is knowing when to do so and which soil and container to use.

Why does African violet not bloom?

African violets can have problems blooming if there is too little light. Ideally, they should receive bright, indirect sunlight. Their leaves can be burned by too much sun, too little sunlight causes them to stretch for light, and too much sunlight causes them to produce few flowers. The best window for blocking the sun’s harsh rays is an east-facing window with a sheer curtain.

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