Use the sterilized knife to cut through the root ball that lies in between the several crowns. Make sure there are an equal number of stems and roots in each crown. Cut through the roots without employing a sawing motion as this could harm the African violet severely and permanently.
When ought my African violet to be divided?
Because of their lengthy lives, repotting these flowers is crucial. Ryan McEnaney, public relations and communications specialist for Bailey Nurseries, advises consumers to keep in mind that African violets can live for up to 50 years. To avoid becoming overly root-bound, plants can be repotted into larger pots as they mature. It’s probably time to relocate your African violet when it has doubled or quadrupled the size of your container and the leaves are beginning to wilt, according to McEnaney.
However, you don’t have to repot your plants right away. If your African violet appears to have outgrown its container, don’t rush to relocate it, advises Brian Parker, senior merchant for Live Goods at Home Depot. “African violets are best when their roots are in a little bound condition,” he adds. “They will produce and perform for years and years with just a simple routine of the right light and food,” the speaker said.
What does an African violet’s crown resemble?
A single center of growth, including all the leaves that emanated from it, is referred to as a “crown” in plants.
The new leaves of African violets emerge from the middle of the crown. The lowest row of leaves attached to the main stem will be the oldest leaves extending out from that center of growth.
The leaves appear to radiate out in a beautiful swirl of ever-expanding leaves, forming a magnificent crown. A rosette is a common name for that swirl.
An additional crown can occasionally form. The secondary crown, also known as a sucker, typically develops where bud stems do. It’s excellent news that suckers can be pulled out and planted in new pots to create new plants.
However, if a sucker is not cut off, it might enlarge to the size of the original crown and tip the pot. Additionally, it may throw off the balance of the plant’s overall appearance and impair its capacity to bloom.
How are African violet crowns rooted?
You informed me that you could send plant crowns—which have no roots or soil—into my nation. How can I rot these successfully?
It is not possible to transport potted plants to several nations, including many in Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and Russia. Only cuttings or plant crowns—the violet’s top after all the roots and dirt have been removed—can be sent. Surprisingly, this is something that is both doable and successful. Root the crown as soon as you can after receiving it, much like you would a big sucker. Moisten the dirt in a 2- or 2-1/2-inch-tall container (wet, but not soggy). Create a little “divot” or hole in the middle of the surface. Consolidate the soil around the crown after dropping it into the hole. It’s crucial that the crown is well embedded in the soil and doesn’t abruptly “pop out” when touched. You might have to take out a few more leaves to do this. If you can’t, push the crown into the hole as deeply as you can. The plant will eventually expand out as long as its minuscule center is not completely covered. After the crown has been rooted, put it in a clear plastic bag or deli container, seal it, and let it sit there for about four weeks before removing. The result will be a little (rooted) plant. With great success, we’ve used this method to export thousands of plants to our worldwide clients.
If you want to root suckers, especially those from chimerasthose that you can’t grow true from leaf cuttings, follow the same procedure. You can also do this if you divided a plant with multiple crowns and some of the crowns didn’t wind up having roots. When starting a plant that has gone so long without a repot that its neck is too long to bury, you might want to purposefully remove and root the crown. This is also a good idea if you have acquired a plant that you fear may have soil-borne issues like soil mealybug.
Can two African violets be planted together?
I have a beautiful decorative pot that I would want to place three small violets into. The pot includes drainage holes and is around 10 wide. Is this possible?
both yes and no. The violets can be placed in the same pot as long as they are otherwise taken care of appropriately. Watering should be done with caution because these violets will be grossly overpotted. Even while three miniature violets’ leaves could readily fill a container with 10 gallons of surface area, their root systems couldn’t. The amount of soil in this pot is significantly greater than the sum of the soil volumes in the three minis’ individual pots. Additionally, keep in mind that violets develop best when they are not forced to compete for space and are not crowded together. Plants must compete with one another for light, water, and nutrients when they are packed together, which can prevent leaves from growing fully or correctly.
If you still want to combine three violets into one pot, we advise keeping each one separate first before adding it to the larger container. Given that the individual plants’ root systems would remain in their appropriate size pots, at the very least, this will lessen the chance of overwatering. Additionally, doing so would make it simple for you to switch out one plant for another in the future, ensuring that the arrangement always looks its best. If you decide to plant a violet in the large container, using a trailing variety would probably be the best option. Trailing kinds can more easily fill a container with such a huge diameter because they are spreading plants by nature. However, they still develop thin root systems, thus the depth of the container can be a problem. Fill the bottom of the container with very porous, well-draining material, such as perlite, if it is deeper than a few inches. This size container would be filled the fastest and most easily by a standard-size trailing variety, which is also the easiest to produce. Although it would take much longer, micro and semiminiature trailers would also expand to fit the container.
Do African violets require deep containers?
age of development The violet is growing in a pot that has a diameter that is one-third that of
violets. Rarely does an adult African Violet require a pot bigger than 4 or maybe even
The neck or primary stem of the plant is revealed after the older outer leaves wither and fall off.
This indicates that the plant needs to be repotted. Crash off almost all of the
callous. To allow the stem to eventually develop new roots, you must remove the callous.
plant in a plastic bag big enough to hold it, then zip the bag shut.
If you just allow one rosette of leaves to develop on one root system, it will grow more densely.
Keep the roots of plants with a root system attached. According to
Are African violets tolerant of root binding?
Respected Master Gardener: Although it keeps growing taller and leaning to one side, my African violet is blossoming. Dare I repot it?
Reply: Yes! Because they require less maintenance and light than many other plants, African violets (Saintpaulia ionantha) have long been a favored indoor plant. Violets are available in a wide variety of hues, as well as various leaf and foliage colors and sizes, from tiny to enormous. They will need to be repotted, nevertheless, if they have a bright place, are well-fed, and receive careful watering. African violets should not simply be moved into a larger container because they prefer to be root-bound and frequently won’t flower until they are. It’s time to perform some surgery if your plant is beginning to resemble a fuzzy version of a palm tree with a barren stalk and all the leaves at the top. Any baby plants you find should be carefully clipped off and rooted in little pots. It takes a few weeks, but it’s always good to have extras to enjoy or trade. Save a few healthy bottom leaves to root in water or moist vermiculite. Cut the stem of the main plant just below the first set of desired leaves. With a gentle scrape of your knife, you can initiate the root-producing process on the stem. A sprinkle of rooting hormone would also be beneficial. After that, plant the entire thing in brand-new African violet potting soil and give it a good watering, making sure to allow any extra water drain. Keep the soil damp but not drenched. It is advised to use plastic or ceramic pots with good drainage. Salts build up along the top rim of clay pots because they dry out too soon. When your plant starts producing new leaves once more, start fertilizing with a very small amount of fertilizer every time you water. Remove faded flowers, keep water off the leaves, and occasionally brush them with a soft brush to remove dust. In order to prevent root rot, water carefully from the top or the bottom, making sure there is no stagnant water. Every time you water, turn the pot a little to prevent the plant from leaning toward the light.
Answer: Only seasoned gardeners are aware of this code! Zone 3 is actually a guide to assist gardeners in determining what should endure our winter temperatures. Known as the USDA Hardiness Zone Map in full (
), using the typical winter low, zones are displayed in 5-degree increments, corresponding to 3a and 3b. The average of the lowest temperature, not the low temps on average. Since Brainerd reached 33 below zero this week, let’s hope that’s the lowest we go this winter before averaging that number with previous winters. That serves as our data point for the winter of 2021–2022, even if the remainder of the season is kind to us. The good news is that we have a lot more protection against exposed plants freezing thanks to our deep covering of snow. Just keep in mind that the hardiness zone numbers are only guidelines and not strict laws. As we demonstrated last week, we are probably only safe buying Zone 3b plants because Minnesota no longer shows any Zone 2 (40 to 50 degrees below zero), southern parts of the state have become Zone 5a (15 to 20 degrees below zero), and Brainerd is almost considered Zone 4a (25 to 30 degrees below zero) (30 to 35 degrees below zero). Remember that your yard can include covered places where the temperatures aren’t quite as low, or you might be a gambler and want to take a chance on planting that Zone 4 or 5 plant. With a little extra care, my Zone 5 roses have endured for many years. Until the ground freezes, keep the roots moist. You can also add more mulch. Pay close attention while purchasing perennials from seed catalogs. The country as a whole refers to perennials, but we frequently have to plant them up here as annuals.
Respected Master Gardener: Some companies including the hospital use a lot of salt to thaw their pavements. We should reduce our use because the lake and river discharge is poor.
Excellent inquiry, answered. Because there is currently no simple way to remove it, the high amounts of chloride in our rivers are essentially permanent. Five litres of water are permanently contaminated by one teaspoon of salt. The majority of us have observed what occurs in our yards when the snow plow grinds up salt on the margins along the road or when the grass doesn’t grow well next to our sidewalks in the spring. Fish and other aquatic species are badly impacted. On slippery walkways, use sand, clay kitty litter, or chicken grit to add some traction. Use just enough salta coffee mug for ten patches of the sidewalk! Keep salt from running into the gutter or the grass by sweeping it up off of dry pavement. When sidewalks are shoveled, the wind and sun will usually keep them clear without the need for salt.
Respected Master Gardener: Can I try any odd flowering houseplants than the normal ones?
Answer: The following are three unusual flowering houseplants, albeit availability may be a problem. One of the most exotic and simple to grow potted plants is the bird of paradise, a relative of the banana. In addition to its beautiful fans of blue-green leaves, which are attractive year-round, mature plants also send up stalks topped with interesting bird-like flowers in the warm seasons. These flowers have the colors peacock blue and golden orange. A lily family member called clivia is more unique than an amaryllis and easier to grow than an orchid. It has thick clusters of orange flowers that emerge against a backdrop of leathery, black, evergreen foliage. There are several yellow cultivars, but they are rather pricey and hard to find. Another choice is a zebra plant. When not in bloom, it is not only a lovely houseplant thanks to its dark leaves with eye-catching, light-colored veins, but it also produces spikes of long-lasting waxy bright yellow flowers. Due to their need for high humidity and consistent watering, zebra plants do have a reputation for being fairly challenging to grow.