Growing African Violet Plants

African violet plants draw people to them for the fuzzy leaves and small blooms, soon learn this plant is one of those plants that really are easy to care for, and will bloom throw winter if given what they need.

African violet plants make such an ideal house plant because they like the same temperature of about sixty five at night and seventy five during the day as we do. Never let the temperature become lower than sixty five degrees or the African violet will become stunted and will be slow to recover when put in a warmer place.

African violet plants are easy going house plants, they don't need direct sunlight, they do need good light, but not hot. Direct sunlight can scorch them and cause unsightly leave blemishes.

African violet plants need about one thousand foot candle of light for eight hours to twelve hours per day. For the best growth and flowering. You will be able to tell from the appearance of your African violet plants weather or not the light level is satisfactory. If the light is to low, the leaves are usually darker in color and thinner than plants receiving higher levels of diffused light. The plants may grow well but will flower poorly or not at all. If receiving to much light, the leaves become pale yellowish green, this is much lighter than normal, an some leaves my show dark areas where they have been shaded by other leaves. Growth at high light levels is slowed and although flowering my continue freely for a while it will eventually decrease due to chlorophyl destruction. You may want to use artificial lighting.

The fastest way to kill your African violet plants is to over water them, don't water on a fixed schedule, instead feel the soil around the top of the plant and if dry than water. Avoid getting water on the leaves when you water, this will cause unsightly blemishes, so water from the bottom. A good way is to fill saucers the plants are on with water, once the water is absorbed refill the saucer. After about an hour dump any water still on the saucer. Be sure to use tempid water as African violet plants don't like cold or hot water.

African violet plants like all house plants need to be fertilized regularly. If you use a soil less potting mix fertilize every time you water. You can buy special African violet fertilizer on line. The African violet plant society recommends letting the bottle of fertilizer you mix stand over night to let the chlorine in the water evaporate and bring the water to room temperature.

If you are potting new or just old African violet plants the first consideration is the potting mix, as drainage is very important. If using a soil, a mixture of about two parts fertile loam, one part peat moss and one part sand is ideal for drainage. The African violet plant society recommends one third vermiculite, one third peat moss, and one third perlite. You can also buy ready to use mixes on line.

The size of container you use to plant your African violet plants in is important as they need to be root bound to flower. Use a container one third the size of the diameter of the plant. Using the proper size will also prevent root root.

African violet plants, to stay healthy need to be repotted every six months to a year , this gives the plants new nutrients through fresh soil, and help get rid of fertilizer salts that have built up in the soil. If one of your plants develop a neck, a bare spot where the leaves have been taken off repot as soon as possible so the neck is completely covered by soil and can grow new roots.