African Violet Repotting - How To Repot African Violets

1. When should you repot African violets?
2. What kind of potting soil do African violets need?
3. Do you need special potting soil for African violets?
4. Do African violets like to be crowded?
5. Should you deadhead African violets?
6. What is the difference between African violet potting soil and regular potting soil?
7. Is Epsom salt good for African violets?
8. How often should I water African violets?
9. Can you repot African violets when they are blooming?
10. How do you force an African violet to bloom?
11. How do you revive old African violets?
12. How do you make potting mix for African violets?
13. Do African violets bloom all year?
14. Can you split African violets?
15. Why are the bottom leaves of my African violet dying?
16. How long does an African violet plant live?
17. How often should my African violet bloom?
18. Why are my African violet leaves growing straight up?
19. Are African violets really from Africa?
20. Can you use African violet potting soil for succulents?

When should you repot African violets?

African violets should be repotted about twice a year, or every 5-6 months. One mature, this simply means repotting the plant with some fresh soil, into the same size pot.

What kind of potting soil do African violets need?

African violets grow best in well-drained, slightly acidic soil. Miracle-Gro® Indoor Potting Mix is specially formulated to provide indoor plants like African violets with just the right growing environment.

Do you need special potting soil for African violets?

Typical houseplant soil is too heavy and restricts airflow because the decomposed peat it contains encourages too much water retention. This type of soil can cause the death of your plant. However, when it is mixed with equal parts of coarse vermiculite and perlite, you have an appropriate mix for African violets.

Do African violets like to be crowded?

Violets need to feel crowded to bloom, but when a plant gets too big for its pot, divide the plant's separate-looking leaf heads. ... Place in potting soil after the roots and leaves become well formed.

Should you deadhead African violets?

Deadhead African violets to encourage more blooms. African violets make useful flowering houseplants since they can bloom for up to nine months per year. They do need the other three months off as a rest period.

What is the difference between African violet potting soil and regular potting soil?

Commercial African violet mixes are generally more porous and have better drainage than house-plant potting mixes. African violet mixes also are slightly more acid than regular house-plant potting soil. Many growers use soilless mixes. They do not contain natural soil from outdoors.

Is Epsom salt good for African violets?

Applied once per month epsom salts will help trigger bloom in your violets and be a good companion to your African violet specialty fertilizer. Dissolve two tablespoons of epsom salts in one gallon of tepid water in a watering can or pitcher. Swish or swirl the salts in the water to dissolve them and combine the two.

How often should I water African violets?

“How often to water African violets?” is perhaps the most pondered African violet dilemma. The best guide is to feel the top of the soil: if it is dry to the touch, then it is time to water. African violets should be allowed to dry out between each watering for best results. Overwatering can kill a plant.

Can you repot African violets when they are blooming?

Think before replanting. African violets only bloom when they're root bound. When it is time to repot, be sure to use an organic potting soil made specifically for African violets, such as Espoma's African Violet Mix. They flower best in small pots — choose one that's about a third of the diameter of their leaf spread.

How do you force an African violet to bloom?

Humid conditions encourage an African violet to bloom. African violets grow and flower best in high humidity. Place a shallow tray of gravel, small pebbles, perlite or sand under the plant's container and fill the tray with water. The humidity in the air around the plant increases as the water evaporates.

How do you revive old African violets?

If a majority of the roots are still white or light-colored, prune off the rotted roots, and re-pot the plant in soil for African violets in a container with several drainage holes. You can water from top or bottom with water at room temperature or slightly warmer. Make sure the plant to drain well.

How do you make potting mix for African violets?

Below are three common African Violet Potting Mix recipes:

1. Two cups Peat Moss +one cup Vermiculite + one cup Perlite (50:25:25 ratio)
2. One cup Peat moss + one cup Vermiculite or Perlite (50: 50 ratio)
3. One cup AV potting mix + one cup peat moss + one cup vermiculite /perlite.

Do African violets bloom all year?

A: African violets are capable of blooming year-round in the home, but they won't bloom reliably if one or more of their basic needs are not being met. The most likely reason African violets stop blooming is because they're in too little light.

Can you split African violets?

The plants often develop multiple crowns, which can be split apart and used to propagate new plants. Division propagation creates mature African violet plants faster than other methods. However, they are susceptible to damage and must be handled with care to ensure success.

Why are the bottom leaves of my African violet dying?

Over-watering is the most common way that people kill their African violets. Leaf or flower loss, limp plants, and crown and stem rot are all results of too much water. Insufficient watering causes roots to shrivel and die, the plant to lose vigor and color, and then collapse.

How long does an African violet plant live?

African violets can live a long time, as long as 50 years! To get them there, you need to provide good care which includes repotting African violets.

How often should my African violet bloom?

How Often Do African Violets Bloom? One of the reasons African violets are so well-loved is that they can bloom nearly year-round with the right care. Each healthy flower will last two or three weeks. A happy plant can continue producing new blossoms regularly for 10 to 12 months out of the year.

Why are my African violet leaves growing straight up?

Why Do African Violet Leaves Curl or Reach Upwards? African Violet leaves curl or reach upwards when the light they receive is too low. The stems start growing longer in size and growing upwards as if they are reaching for the light. The leaves no longer grow flat as they usually should, but grow upwards too.

Are African violets really from Africa?

African violets (Saintpaulia ionantha) are native to rainforests in the mountains of eastern African countries like Tanzania. They are low-growing plants, thriving in the shade of other vegetation.

Can you use African violet potting soil for succulents?

For the best potting soil for succulents, start with a basic cactus and succulent soil mix, or even an African violet mix, available at most garden centers. ... The other main ingredient is an inorganic substance that allows water to soak into and then drain out of soil quickly, keeping the mix crumbly and airy.