When you are choosing your plant, make sure it looks healthy. The leaves are a good indication of whether or not it is healthy. Also, try to get one that already has some flower buds on it. African Violets can be found at nurseries as well as supermarkets. Nurseries will be more expensive than supermarkets, but they will also have more choices.
Next you will need to choose what type of pot you will keep it in. You can get a plastic pot, an unglazed clay pot, or a glazed ceramic pot. A plant in a plastic pot or glazed pot won't need as much water as a plant in an unglazed clay pot because the unglazed clay pots let water evaporate throughout the day. Glazed ceramic pots are the most expensive and plastic is the least expensive.
When you are ready to put your plant into its pot, you need to get a few things ready. You will need the pot, a saucer to put under the pot, soil, pebbles and plant food. For the saucer, make sure there is space left around all sides of the pot. Don't get a saucer that is too small. For the soil, make sure it is good quality soil. They even make an African violet soil, which is perfect.
Cover each drainage hole in the bottom of the pot with a pebble. Fill the pot about halfway with soil and put the plant in. Then fill up the rest of the pot. Press down the soil using your fingers and add more soil. Feed your plant at this time using the plant food you got. Now, to water the plant, fill up the saucer with water. Put the pot into the saucer and let it sit for an hour. After that, take the pot out of the saucer and empty the saucer if there is any water left.
The best place to keep your African violet is in a window. Even though they may look better somewhere else, they will not grow as well. An east window provides the best lighting for the plant. If your plant doesn't make flowers, that means that it isn't getting enough light. If the leaves start to get brown edges of brown spots, then it's getting too much light.
When you water your plant, never water it from above. You should put some water into your watering can and let it sit overnight; this will let any harmful impurities evaporate out. Before watering, stick your finger into the dirt. If the soil feels damp, then don't water it. Every time you need to water the plant, fill up the saucer and put the pot into the saucer for about an hour.
After you get used to the care that African Violets require, it is very easy to do. If you care for your plant correctly, it will grow very easily. You will enjoy its beauty every day!
The plant got its botanical name, Saintpaulia, from Baron Walter von Saint Paul, who was the first to bring the plant from Africa to Europe in 1893. African violets have become enormously popular in the past decade, mainly because they are attractive, perfectly suited to indoor growing and produce flowers almost constantly.
African Violets are low-growing, hairy-leafed plants with dark green, oval-shaped leaves. More than one hundred varieties of African violets are known, some producing blooms as large as an inch and a half across.
Growing conditions - The reason African violets make such good houseplants is that they thrive in a warmer environment than most other indoor greenery, preferring temperatures ranging from 70 to 75 degrees during the day and 60 degrees or above at night. If your house is cooler than this on winter nights, you should protect your African violets by moving them away from windows or covering them with a newspaper.
Because they are accustomed to jungle conditions, African violets require a great deal of moisture. This may be achieved by placing the plants in a pan our saucer filled one inch deep with pebbles and covered with water that stops just below the pot. Another way to keep your plants humid is to place a bowl of water on a radiator near the flowers.
African Violets should be watered either from below unlike , or from above with a watering can with a long spout which will reach inside the foliage and wet the soil without splashing the leaves. If you splash cold water on the leaves, they can be afflicted with white spots on the leaves, one of the main problems encountered by African violet enthusiasts.
One way to avoid this problem is to only use warm or lukewarm water when watering your plant, and avoid the temptation to spray the leaves even with warm water. Another way to keep from splashing the leaves is to use a wick-watering system.
A benefit of African violets that makes them better suited to indoor growing than most other flowering plants is that they do not require much sunlight. Though the plants can succeed in a northern exposure, they do best when placed in an east- or west-facing window.
African violets do not require outdoor "plunging" in the summer, and they should never be placed outdoors. You can keep their leaves dust-free by cleaning them with a soft brush, such as a small, soft paintbrush.
Soil - African Violets like a soil richer in humus than the average plant requires. Special potting mixes made just for African violets are available at most garden centers. When potting your plant, make sure the soil is not too tightly packed, as African violets like well-aerated soils. And because they tolerate constant moisture at the roots better than most plants, they do well in a larger pot.
Food - While you're buying your soil, it's also a good idea to pick up a fertilizer made especially for African violets. Feed your plants according to label directions, and be sure to add fertilizer when you are re-potting or starting new plants from cuttings.
Propagation - Leaf-cutting is the most effective way to propagate African violets. Do it in the spring so cuttings will have all summer to grow. New leaves will appear on newly rooted plants within ten to twelve weeks, though some hardy plants will show foliage in four to six weeks. That means if you begin propagating in early Spring, you will have a flower Saintpaulia garden by fall.
Dividing plants is another propagation technique which is best done when the plant's crown becomes so thick that it stops flowering. To divide the roots, turn the pot upside down and carefully remove the soil from the roots, trying not to disturb them much. Next, use a gentle stream of tepid water to wash away the remaining dirt. Several segments, each with its own root, should be clearly visible at the base of the crown.
Gently pull them apart from the main plant and place them in appropriately-sized individual containers. Thoroughly water and fertilize the new plantings and place them in the shade for a few days before moving them to a window spot.
Pests and diseases - The worst enemies of African Violets are mealybugs and red spiders, but these pests are not commonly found inside homes. Should you encounter problems with them, though, there are special insecticides made just for African violets.
Both Michael Russell & Kent Higgins are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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