African Violets are one of the most recognized flowering house plants, and it seems that almost everyone knows someone, or has a relative, who is “into” growing them. Those who are successful know a few “secrets” and have discovered that the African Violet really is easy to look after, and will bloom continuously through all those long dark months if given what it needs. This is something special that very few other house plants can match. Those drawn to the furry soft leaves and dainty pink, blue and purple blooms often find it difficult not to buy or propagate just a few more... and a few more. . . For others, African Violets have a reputation of being “fussy”, “difficult” house plants. Nothing could be further from the truth, and with a few care tips, anyone can successfully keep African Violets and will be handsomely rewarded for their devotion.

Temperature Requirements

The good news is that African Violets are quite well suited to the temperatures that most of us like to keep our homes. As long as daytime temperatures do not exceed 85F and nighttime temperatures remain above 65F they will be happy. It is very important not to allow African Violets to experience temperatures below 65F. They have a difficult time recovering from even a short exposure to the cold. African Violets can benefit from good air circulation, particularly when humidity is high. This will help prevent the development of harmful fungi. When in doubt about air circulation add a small fan to the growing area.

Light Requirements

One of the attractions of African Violets is that they don't need direct sunlight to do well. They may even grow well in low light areas, but they need some good defused light in order to flower. Find a spot that has about 1000 foot-candles of light for 8-12 hours each day. This can generally be provided by placing the plants a few feet back from a sunny, perhaps east facing window.

In dark areas of the house, African Violets can grow well under artificial lighting. When selecting a grow light, it is important to make sure it emits light in both the red and blue spectrums. Red light is essential for African Violets to bloom. Blue light is necessary for photosynthesis to occur and, thus, is vital for the development of green leaves and the production of plant carbohydrates.

Keep in mind that the output of foot-candles is usually rated at the bulbs surface and the intensity decreases exponentially as the light is moved away from the plant. In order to have 1000 foot-candles of light at the surface of the leaf it is necessary to have 2000 foot candle output from a bulb that is placed one foot above the plant. It is possible to have healthy African Violets with less light (600 foot-candle) if the light is provided for 16 hours each day. In fact, a plant that gets weak light for a long period will generally do better than one that gets the right level of light but for too short a period. In any event, African Violets need 8 hours of total darkness to bloom properly. Sometimes indoor growers forget that their plants need all the lights out to get a good night sleep.

African Violets show some recognizable signs if light levels are not optimal. If the light is too low, the leaves are usually deeper in color and thinner than leaves on plants receiving higher levels of diffused light. If the plants are getting too much light, the leaves become pale or yellowish green and are much lighter than normal.

A good investment for checking the light for all indoor and outdoor plants is an inexpensive light meter. Light meters are available starting at around $20. Some of these meters come with lighting suggestions for many popular plants to help identify the best light level. The following online source can be helpful in comparing brands and prices: Wards Natural Science www.wardsci.com

Potting

Many commercially sold African Violets are not potted in the best mix for the long term health of the plants. For this reason it is a good practice to repot the plants after they have had a couple weeks to adjust to their new environment. It is even more important with African Violets than it is with most house plants to use a potting mix that provides good drainage. Success can be had with a well balanced soil based mix that creates good drainage, but it may be easier to “get it right” using a fool proof soil-less mix of equal parts of peat moss, perlite and vermiculite. Pre-packaged African Violet mixes are also readily available. Soak the soil-less potting mix with a limewater solution (one tablespoon of dolomite lime to one gallon of warm water) each month in place of your regular watering to help maintain proper soil pH.

A common mistake in repotting African Violets is to use too large a container. The plants must be somewhat root bound to bloom. Choose a pot that is 1/3 the diameter of the plant. This will also help to keep the leaves out of the soil and root filled soil is less likely to remain too wet after watering. A general recommendation is to repot every six to twelve months. When repotting, gently shake away some of the old potting mix so that new mix can be added. This helps get rid of some of the fertilizer salts that may have built up.

Watering

By far, the biggest problem for African Violets is over watering. They should not be allowed to get too dry between watering (particularly when in bloom), but they only need moist, not soggy soil. Soggy soil can result in root rot and crown rot and can prevent the plant from absorbing nutrients. The proper potting soil will make this much easier to achieve.  They also do not like their leaves to be wet, so the best way to water is from the bottom. When the soil has dried to a few inches below the surface, it is time to water. A simple way to bottom water is to fill the saucers beneath the pots, allow this to absorb and then fill them again. As an added consideration, African Violets are more sensitive to chlorine than most plants, so it is best to use filtered water, or allow water to sit for a day or so before watering. Never use soft water as it increases the saline content of the soil and will adversely impact the violet’s ability to absorb nutrients.

An inexpensive moisture meter helps to take the guess work out of when to water. They are available at the following online sources:

Soil Sleuth offers a very inexpensive meter that gathers soil at 5 different levels www.soilsleuth.com.

Best Buds Garden Supply Company offers unique decorative ceramic birds that have an electronic sensor and sing when soil needs watering. Best of all they have a light sensor and will not sing at night http://www.bestbudsgarden.com/

Self Watering Pots

One of the most fool proof methods for watering African Violets, and one that is also a great time saver is to use self watering pots designed specifically for African Violets. These are some of the many sources available for this innovative product:

The Perfect Violet Pot www.theperfectvioletpot.com

Sir Amicks Handmade Self Watering African Violet Pots www.africanvioletpots.net

African Violet Pots by Jim and Martha Davis www.africanvioletpots.com

Country Living Creations Handmade Self Watering Pots http://www.clcvioletpots.com/

Humidity

Insufficient humidity can be a problem for violets in dry climates, or in homes using heat during the winter months. Insufficient moisture in the air can cause plants not to blossom, or blossoms to drop or fade more quickly. Humidity can be supplemented near the plants with small indoor fountains or even simple evaporation trays. Self watering pots also help to create a more humid micro climate around the plants.

Grooming

Taking a little extra time to tend plants each time they are watered can make all the difference in keeping African Violets healthy and attractive. Buy and designate a small artist’s paint brush specifically for this purpose and keep it near the plants. Use the brush to gently dust any potting soil or other debris off of the leaves. Remove any damaged leaves or spent blossoms. This will encourage new growth and make a big difference in avoiding pests, bacterial diseases, viruses and other microorganisms, such as harmful nematodes. Also remove any suckers to maintain a classic single crowned plant. If evidence of insects or other pests is found, treating early will offer the best chance of success.

Feeding

African Violets, like many houseplants, need to be fertilized regularly; in fact, if you're using a soilless potting mix, you should feed them every time you water them. A balanced water soluble fertilizer mixed at half strength works well. There are many commercial fertilizers formulated specifically for African Violets. Make sure to read the labels, and avoid any brands that use urea nitrogen.

Optimara Violets has a quality violet food and sells violets and violet pots www.optimara.com

AfricanViolets.com sells African Violets and carries Optimara Violet Food and self watering pots www.buyafricanviolets.com

Soil Leaching

Once each month, instead of normal bottom watering, it is a good idea to leach the soil. To do this, simply place the pot in the sink and slowly drench it with water until the water begins to drain freely from the bottom of the container. This will leach excess fertilizer salts from the soil and keep them from building up.

Propagation

Buy only one of several varieties of African Violets because they are so easy to propagate that it pays to start with some variety. They can be propagated by division, but leaf cuttings are more common and work well. Spring is a good time for starting new plants from leaf cuttings. Simple pick a healthy firm leaf and cut it off at the stem. Trim the leaf stem to about 1 ½ inch and insert it is a proper cutting medium. A simple and effective cutting mixture consists of half builder’s sand and half vermiculite.  Be patient, it may take up to six months for two or three sets of leaves to form, at which time the plants will be ready for repotting

For those wanting to speed up the process of propagation through cuttings various rooting gels and available and can be used with or without hydroponics cloning machines.

Clonex Clone Gel www.growthtechnology.com/prop-clonex.asp

Power Clone Rooting Gel www.americanagritech.com

Rootech Cloning Gel www.technaflora.com

Sea Pal http://www.seapal.com/

The following online vendors offer a good selection of cloning machines and supplies:

Discount Hydroponics www.discount-hydro.com

D&K Enterprises http://www.groclone.com/

EZ Clone Enterprises www.ezclone.com

Home Harvest Garden Supply www.homeharvest.com

Plant Lighting Hydroponics http://www.plantlightinghydroponics.com/

With these tips in mind, African Violets are one of the easiest plants to grow and enjoy in the home. They should prove to be colorful, cheerful and easy to care for companionship for years to come.