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.
Can African violets be potted when they are in bloom?
It’s time for a haircut after you’ve given your roots some tender loving care. By removing any damaged or dying leaves, you can give your plant more energy so it can reroot. Trimming uneven leaves and satellite suckers now is an excellent idea because African violets typically develop irregularly.
The More, the Merrier: Healthy leaves and suckers don’t necessarily have to go extinct as a result of this. Try your hand at African violet propagation—simple! it’s
Can you repot an African violet when it’s blooming?
The stress of moving is enough! Before you repot, we advise waiting for a blossoming lull. That being said, it’s acceptable to repot your plant when it is in bloom if it has tightly tied roots or is in danger of topple. To allow your plant more energy to heal, some experts advise cutting off any existing blossoms (don’t worry, it’ll recover!).
Repot Your African Violet
The root ball should be placed on top of a thin layer of dirt in the pot. Just enough should be covered and patted down to stabilize the area up to the base of the leaves. (Stay loose!) Put your plant in a saucer of water and let it soak up as much as it wants.
What is the best soil for an African violet?
African violets want light, somewhat acidic soil; a typical mix won’t work for them. To understand everything there is to know about the ideal mixture, read our guide to African violet potting mix.
How do I repot an African violet with a neck?
African violets produce new leaves all the way out from the crown. Older leaves at the bottom eventually wither and drop off, perhaps leaving a neck that resembles a tree trunk. Though it’s a simple remedy, this can make your plant more prone to tipping over. As usual, repot your plant, but switch to a deeper container. The bare neck is completely covered in soil, down to the base of the leaves.
Optional Aftercare
After repotting, think about putting your African violet in a transparent plastic bag for a week. This increases humidity, providing your plant a little more fuel. Just watch out that the leaves don’t get crushed or damaged by the bag or container. To ensure that you don’t forget when you last repotted a plant, we also advise writing the date on a paper plant tag.
Which method is ideal for repotting African violets?
I remove any dead or damaged leaves as well as any that are growing in unexpected areas or in odd directions, starting from top view and working my way outward.
Symmetry is the goal, but if your plant is as severely overgrown as these, it might not be attainable.
Ideally, I have approximately 10 people standing in a neat, circular configuration, but in practice, it might only be half that.
Preparing Crowns for Repotting
The lower leaves of an African violet planted correctly should only be one-fourth to one-half inch above the earth (potting mix).
The plants frequently get “leggy,” with the crown (the thick, main stem) growing tall and woody and rising several inches above the ground.
These crowns can become rather gnarly and crooked, similar to succulents that are bending toward the light.
The next image depicts a leggy crown. I’m going to trim the crown off this one to get it back on course, about 1-2 inches below the lowest leaves.
If the interior appears healthy and green, I will use a clean, dull knife to gently scrape the woody surface off before planting the entire thing in a mixture of moist African violet potting soil and perlite.
If it is internally rotting, I will continue to cut until I am certain I have a rot-free part.
I will just repot the African violet at the suggested depth, again with the lower leaves 1/4 to 1/2 inch above the soil, if it has roots but no crown or an insufficient crown (potting mix).
Pot Size Matters
African violets prefer roots that are reasonably compact. After washing the plant, you may not always need a larger container size. If properly cared for, tiny breeds can live out their entire lives in a 4-inch container.
It’s preferable to just increase the pot size by 3/4 to 1 inch at a time when you are simply repotting a plant because it is growing, and then only if necessary.
Repotting overgrown plants that you have divided into smaller, individual plants will work well if you use a pot that is the width of the root base or crown plus two inches in diameter.
If possible, use pots that are as deep as they are wide but no deeper. I struggle to locate pots I like in the proper sizes, but I ultimately chose these.
Even though the crazy, ancient plants belonging to my friend were difficult to clean up and repot and are unlikely to ever place first in a beauty contest, they are still magnificent plants that will provide an abundance of blossoms for many years to come.
for ideal growing circumstances. Each newly potted plant can be placed in a sizable ziplock bag and sealed, maintaining the ideal humidity level for the plant.
Use a bag that is large enough so that the leaves don’t touch the sides to avoid exposing them to the moisture directly, which they don’t enjoy.
In situations like these after transplanting, when the plant has been under stress and needs to recover and flourish, a humidity cover is especially helpful.
Do yourself a favor and inspect the structure of your violets every few months in addition to your regular fertilization and watering schedule.
In addition to repotting as necessary, take care of suckers, crowns that appear suddenly, and unusual leaf growth. You will receive healthier, prettier plants as a result.
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.