Just enough water is required for African violets to keep the soil moist but never saturated. Be cautious since Violet will become vulnerable to such dangerous germs if she drinks too much water.
It’s crucial to avoid getting water on the leaves. The only exception is when you mist your plants to raise the humidity level surrounding them.
Watering your African violets from the bottom is the finest method. The plant will absorb all the water it requires if you let it sit in 3/4 of it. 5-7 minutes later, drain the extra water. The Violet should never be submerged in water for longer than 30 minutes!
Water ought to be at room temperature. Leaf spots and curling may result from using cold water.
Never use soft water, and steer clear of water with a lot of chlorine. Your water contains too much chlorine if you can smell it. If you can only access water that has been heavily chlorinated, put some water in a jar and leave it overnight so that chlorine gas can escape.
Do little African violets remain tiny?
Initially published in the “March 1987 issue of Empire Violet Magazine. Since then, many publications have reproduced it, including VioletsFun issue 4.
We are repeating the piece here, not because overgrown miniatures are a regular issue (although with many of today’s hybrids, it once might have been). We are publishing it again because it still offers some insightful cultural guidance that many people today could find useful.
How to stop some of these kinds from growing larger than necessary is a subject of discussion among producers of miniature and semiminiature violets. The proper size is determined as no larger than 6 in diameter for kinds classified as miniatures and no larger than 8 for semiminis. I shall just refer to both forms as “miniature moving forward This is not a major worry for individuals who have no interest in showing. In addition, the majority of current hybrids grow without difficulty within size restrictions. I believe that most skilled hybridizers err on the side of caution by overestimating the size of their varieties’ potential growth.
I have disproved my views regarding soils, watering, fertilizers, and other topics after speaking with a number of different growers and exhibitors. For any of them to serve as general answers, there just seem to be too many exceptions. I’ve used nearly every kind of soil, fertilizer, lighting, and watering technique imaginable throughout the past 20 or so years of growing. I’ve also had the opportunity to travel to other farmers’ facilities and see how other people raise their plants.
I’d like to put up the following hypothesis, albeit I’ll admit that it’s largely based on observation and not on rigorous science. I think that proper size necessitates giving the plants three things, in addition to miniatures, that are frequently absent in violet care. However, miniatures appear to be more negatively impacted than ordinary types. Because they need time and space—two of the grower’s most scarce resources—these three items are particularly in short supply.
Take the ensuing quick test if the scale of miniatures worries you. Honestly respond to each question. if you “If you don’t pass all three, you presumably have trouble getting some miniatures to grow to the right size. If you perform poorly on any one test, you can still grow your miniatures better.
The first test is to see if you can turn each plant on your shelf without letting any of its leaves touch those of another. If not, the environment is cluttered with the intention of raising tiny minis. We all want to grow more plants than we have room for, therefore I’ll wager that most gardeners will struggle with this.
Do any of the plants have leaves (or entire rows of leaves) that would need to be removed if they were shown today? If so, improper pruning is being done to the miniatures. Minis that have been properly pruned have no extra foliage at any moment.
Test #3: How many of the plants haven’t had their pots changed in the past six months? Anywhere near 25% of the collection indicates that repotting has been far too rarely to keep miniatures from getting too big. Once mature, the majority of miniature cultivars require repotting every 4-5 months.
I believe that relatively few people were able to pass all three exams, and that is the point being made. Because most of us find it challenging to supply the conditions necessary for their healthy growth, some kinds can be challenging to cultivate as truly little plants. I’ll go into greater detail about each.
Provide enough room for growth. Consider what transpires when the plants are huddled together. The petioles become lanky and feeble? Violets are more intelligent than we realize. The plant that can reach above the competing foliage and be nearest to the light can thrive in conditions of limited light and space. A small serving as a “Muscular beast is suitable for a mountainside but inappropriate for the neighborhood club performance. Plants with enough room do not require leaves to spread out in order to get more light (and air) than its neighbors. Shorter petioles and, to a lesser extent, smaller leaf blades are expected. I had to train myself over a long period of time to realize that it is preferable not to cultivate more plants than I can successfully care for. There is no guarantee that minis will endure overcrowding any better than larger kinds just because more of them can fit on a shelf. In reality, the general norm is that smaller growing minis require greater growing space.
routine pruning Another time-consuming chore that most people don’t perform as frequently as they should is pruning. Remember that despite its reduced size, a miniature plant can develop just as quickly as a regular variety. Many small types generate more leaves in a given amount of time than regular standard-size varieties (no science here, just an observation). However, leaf diameter is constrained, unlike a standard. The result is that pruning of older, extra foliage for miniatures is more necessary.
Control is the key to minis pruning properly. Is the plant in charge, or is it the plant’s grower? It’s important to promote the plant’s modest growth. If the plant continues to generate foliage without suffering any consequences, i.e. by eliminating an equivalent amount of foliage, it is in control of its size. More than merely removing the occasional yellowed leaf is involved in good trimming. Any extra foliage that wouldn’t be present if the plant were being displayed should be cut off. The less, the better is my general rule of thumb, and if in question, remove it. Keep in mind that keeping minis tiny is our goal, and that smaller plants generally have less foliage. In addition to controlling the amount of foliage, other measures also influence the foliage’s growth pattern, albeit to a lesser extent. More on this in a moment.
routine repotting To me, managing the plant’s size includes routine repotting. Some growers appear content to use three small pots to accommodate some larger semimini types. The plant must be grown large in such a pot for it to not seem horribly overpotted! This is an illustration of how the plant, not the grower, determines its size. Violets are amazingly adaptable, much like all other living things. Some of them will grow huge if given the chance. They learn to shrink if you don’t give them the chance to develop this way.
This is how I handle the semimini variety when it tries to expand a little bit past 8 in diameter. First, remove all but the four center leavesit immediately figures out who is in charge! Then, around two-thirds of the root ball should be removed before repotting the plant in a 2 1/4 or 1 1/2 pot. Repeat the procedure if it starts to expand as it did previously. Continue doing this until the plant reaches an appropriate size. Usually, it will sooner or later. More drastic pruning and more frequent repotting are typical with larger plants. This is not “bonsai” growing a violet; we are not “microminiaturizing the plant, as would be the case if we maintained the plant severely rootbound in a 1 thumb-pot. Simply training the plant to expand in a smaller area.
The plant’s size is lowered through persistent pruning and frequent repotting “reducing it to the barest amount of foliage. I’ve discovered that ultimately, the size of the leaf itself decreases, sometimes noticeably. In other words, if you were to compare a fully developed mini’s third row leaf to a properly grown mini’s third row leaf, the former leaf would be smaller. In addition to being shorter (from the neck to the base of the leaf blade), the petiole would also have a smaller leaf blade.
As always, smaller is preferable. Only when left unchecked will a plant grow out of control. Often, a little, well-grown, appealing miniature does not appear that way because the grower has made an effort to make it look that way “taught it to. Beautiful violet cultivation involves actively encouraging the plants’ growth rather than simply letting them do so. The plant’s behaviors during growth must be under the grower’s control.
How frequently should a little African violet be watered?
Depending on each plant’s unique location, African violet plants require varying amounts of watering. The frequency and quantity of water changes depend on whether African Violets are in a hot, dry, cozy, or chilly environment.
You may find answers to frequently asked questions regarding watering African violet plants below, along with hopefully some helpful TIPS for growing African violet plants.
- If the African Violet appears visually droopy, dull, or limp, it may be time to water the plant. The presence of enough water is indicated by the firmness, crispness, and shine of the leaves.
- The African Violet has to be watered if the top soil is dry and the leaves are drooping.
- Gently insert your finger into the soil (about 1/2 inch deep) to feel for dry soil. No watering is needed if a lot of the soil clings to your finger and feels damp. It’s time to water the African Violet, though, if your finger is clean and there aren’t many dry spots on it.
- Do not overwater the soil; just water it when the soil is dry. Overwatering can cause root or crown rot in African violets, as can be seen in the image below.
- Get a feel for the weight of the pot each time to determine whether an African violet plant needs to be watered.
- Lift the pot up after you’ve just watered it to gauge its weight.
- Lift the pot once more after a week; if it feels a little lighter, the soil is about halfway between damp and dry.
- Lift the pot after a few more days; if it feels significantly lighter than it did before, the soil is dry and only slightly moist.
- Watering this African violet is now necessary.
- You will quickly be able to determine whether your plant needs water after a few attempts at feeling the weight of the pot.
- Use a watering can with a long, slender spout, a small cup, or a turkey baster to water African violets from the top.
- Water should be added to the container, cup, or baster at a lukewarm, room temperature.
- Only water the soil with care from the top. If necessary, you could carefully push a few leaves aside and irrigate the area’s visible soil.
- Never spray water on the flowers, foliage, crown, or stems. Water the soil only.
- Additionally, only use water that is room temperature rather than cold or hot.
- After watering your African violet from the top, wait a few minutes until water starts to emerge from the pot’s bottom.
- Put your freshly hydrated African violet plant in its original spot after discarding the surplus water from the tray, saucer, or base.
- You should first fill a tray, bowl, or saucer with room temperature water before watering African violet plants from the bottom.
- Put your African violet plant on the tray, bowl, or saucer that has water in it. Ensure that the pot’s bottom is submerged or immersed in water to a depth of at least one inch.
- Allow the plant to absorb the water and the top soil to get moist for 20 minutes.
- Discard the remaining water in the tray, bowl, or saucer after 20 minutes.
- You can add extra water and let the plant sit for another 10 minutes if there is no more water and the plant has absorbed all of the water in the tray, bowl, or saucer.
- Place the African violet plant in its original spot after 10 minutes and once more dump the additional water that has accumulated in the tray, bowl, or saucer.
- Your African violet plants can also be bottom-watered by setting them on a tray of pebbles that has water in it.
- Aim to cover the stones with water when adding the liquid.
- Add more water to the pebble tray as the water begins to dry out and the level drops.
- The African Violet plants can benefit from increased humidity using this technique.
- If you only have a small collection of African Violets, this method is better.
- It’s crucial to top water African violet plants at least once a month when bottom watering them. By doing so, you are rejuvenating the soil/roots from the top and draining away any additional fertilizer salt buildup.
Self-Watering containers are used to water African violet plants.
- Self-watering containers can be a hassle-free solution for watering if you only have a small collection of African violets.
- It’s better to have a few African Violet plants because they take up a lot of room.
- Self-watering pots are made up of two baskets or containers. Your plant is kept in an inner basket or container, and the water is kept in an exterior basket or container.
- Usually made of porous material, the inner container that houses the plant will absorb water from the outside container.
- It is sometimes simpler to absorb water from the outer container when the inner container has perforations at the bottom or a cotton wick at the bottom.
- Water typically needs to be added to a self-watering system every 5-7 days. The outside container will have a mark or indicator for the water level.
- Keep in mind to apply a layer of perlite to the inner container’s bottom when utilizing self-watering containers. Above the perlite layer, plant your African violet in ordinary potting soil. This will provide appropriate soil water drainage.
- Visit our page titled “Wick Watering for African Violet Plants” for more information on how to water African violet plants with separate containers and wicks.
- Never forget to use tepid or room temperature water.
- I irrigate my African violet plants using tap water.
- If you detect spotting, black edges, or discoloration on your older outer leaves, it’s possible that toxins in your municipal water supply are to blame.
- In some local governments, the chloramine chemical is used to purify the water.
- If the African Violet plant is not treated for chloramine damage, the plants may perish.
- Requesting your water provider to send you the water’s composition is the best technique to determine whether chloramine is present in your water.
- On the websites of some towns, water source and composition records are updated on a yearly basis.
- Use a different source of water if there is chloramine present in the water. either rainwater or spring water from the supermarket. Avoid using distilled water since it lacks some nutrients that are essential for the healthy development of African Violet plants.
- African violet plants can recover to their healthy state after the water source is changed after being harmed by chloramine.
- The removal of chloramine by your home’s filtering system is not possible.
- If your water contains chlorine, that differs from chloramine; they are not the same thing.
- Allowing your water to remain overnight in an open container will help eliminate chlorine. The chlorine will be able to vaporize overnight as a result. Even if none of the chlorine evaporates, it will undoubtedly lessen the quantity of chlorine left in the water.
- African violets can also be watered with rainwater. However, it is not advised to use rainwater if you reside in a city with poor air quality, high levels of airborne environmental pollutants, and high levels of pollution. The likelihood of this water being contaminated is very high.
- Too-dense soil mixtures for African violets might cause root rot because they keep water in the container for too long.
- A lighter African violet soil mixture can help prevent packed, wet soil by allowing water to quickly drain through the pot.
- The soil mixture for African violets should be permeable and have sufficient drainage. Perlite can be used to do this by being combined with the potting soil and added as a layer at the bottom of the container.
- Keep the soil loose when potting the African violet plant, and add soil to the container slowly. Avoid packing the dirt in the pot too deeply because doing so will make the mixture thick and dense.
- Loose, light soil is preferred by African violet plants since it is simpler to irrigate. They dislike tightly packed soil that has been placed in a pot. This promotes water to accumulate in the thick, dense soil.