I'm no expert, but our African violets are relatively hands off. They get watered when dry, which usually works out to be about once a week in our house, but varies by season/weather. They get tap water; our town water is hard. I don't think we've ever fed them. They're in regular potting soil. At least one is usually blooming among these three and the one in the other room, often multiple. They get mad and don't bloom well or as often if they don't get enough light. The flowers also shrivel up if they get too much of a desert test.

We prefer glazed ceramic pots over plastic; it just seems to work better. All four African violets are in about 4" pots; the front two are about 7-8" across the back one might be closer to 10" (it blooms purple, if you're wondering); the one in the other room is more oblong, 7" the long way but only like 5-6" across the shorter dimension (it's got single pink flowers, though not currently).

The window in the picture faces east, those are are cafe curtains, so the top of the window is unfiltered, and that's the kitchen sink next to them. The one in the back blooms the least, as it gets less light.

Bloom booster, may be too much for an african violet, a balanced fertilizer will work well ( more tips here, https://www.babyviolets.com/fertilizer-for-african-violet-plants/ ). Yes, you can flush out, if you see signs of overfertilizing, like brown spots, rusty leaves or crusty pot rims. Otherwise its ok. Normal tap water should be fine for watering, I havent had any issues. There has been mention of Chloramine in tap water, https://www.babyviolets.com/how-to-water-african-violet-plants/, but my municipality doesnt use that. If your using lake water that shouldnt be an issue.

Cooks.

Cooks, thanks for that link to babyviolets, great info there that doesn't pop up on the top of my searches. I misstated re Blossom Booster: that's what I've been using for my amaryllis collection. It's just Schultz's liquid 10-15-10 for the violets. (Whew, hah!)

I'm digging deeper on some of the links you've offered for more advice. Thank you so much!

Joan

Aw, thank you so much, Rosie!

Re flushing "every once in a while for a couple weeks" - that's pretty vague, hah! So what do you think, maybe two weeks plain water, then six to eight (??) weeks weak fertilizer? For orchids the advice I've had is to flush once a month. It's about 1 part flush to 3 parts fertilize. African violets...?

I spent a couple hours this morning reading more about violets on the link Cooks sent, and eventually poked around long enough to find some more in-depth info as well. Meanwhile I kept grabbing my two violets and peering intently at their structures.

It seemed to me that the soil was WAY too water retentive (more like what you'd want for a water-lover like iris pseudacorus or elephant ear), including in the second plant: not a Walmart baby, but bought for a higher price (and at a lower health point) from a reputable nursery/garden center in Minneapolis area. Soil type exactly the same in both. So today, after all the reading and thinking, I decided to take over these pups' lives, unpotted them, and groomed them (removing all older leaves and even any hint of leftover cut-off flower stems) back to the central rosette. I had made up a soil mix of approximately one part "Jiffy Seed Starting Mix," which is very fine but has quite a bit of vermiculite in it; one part perlite; and one part of coconut coir, which is amazingly gritty and airy. It felt good in the bucket. I tend to go by feel when judging this kind of thing. If this mix ends up being "too" airy, that'll be fine with me. I don't mind fussing over plant babies.

The one from the MSP nursery had a little sucker. It was all but loose already, I just had to give it a little tug and it came away whole, along with a few tiny root hairs; so I potted that up in the tiniest 2" pot I could find, and bagged it, with an opening for some air. I'll be watching closely to see what happens.

The big fat Walmart violet that's putting out a healthy flush right now got quite a haircut, and went into a 4" pot. That was the one where the root ball was totally solid, but had pulled away from the sides of the 3" pot it was in. Don't know exactly what was up with that, and I did my best to knock as much of the old soil out of there as possible, but it was tricky because I didn't want to damage good roots. It was a pretty tight mass, as if pot bound. Maybe I ought to try to propagate this one, just in case that too-much-peat soil and dense root mass gets to be a future problem.

Lake water: DEFINITELY lucky. So, so lucky. I fill 12-15 plastic gallon jugs every fall and put them in the no-freeze 45F "shop" inside my garage, to use on all my orchids. And now, on violets. :) I'm less worried about the amaryllis collection because I change that soil every year. Really glad that I don't have to use my well water, which while it's okay and even tasty to drink, once softened, it has a lot of iron in it. And I don't know what the water-softening process might do to its chemistry, with regard to plants.

I'm much happier with these two violets tonight. I feel better about their prospects in the very loose mix I've made for them. Looking forward to watching, and to seeing any more comments anyone makes.

Thank you, AV, community!

Let me clarify "flushing". Put plain water in a watering can. Set your violet on an overturned glass or plastic container in the sink. Slowly pour water from top to bottom until it runs out the bottom and into the sink. Keep doing it just for a few minutes until the soil is "flushed" or cleaned. This is supposed to remove the buildup of salts and fertilizer minerals from the top of the soil.

Now a couple questions. Do you wick water? Or do you water from the top and let it soak up water for about 10 minutes to make sure the entire rootball is wet?

If you wick water, because water is constantly drawn up by the wick, it is a good idea to flush now and then. A lot of people don't ever do it and a lot swear by it. Your choice.

If you water from the top and it runs through to a holder below, it is not as critical to flush but you still may want to do it now and then.

Any questions????? Rosie

I don't do continual wicking, but I do usually water from the bottom because it's just easier, what with the rosette covering just about the entire soil surface. I'll flush every couple months, I think. Thanks again!

Sounds like a plan. Remember, a lot of people never flush and everything is fine. Your choice! Good luck!!! Rosie

Another thought,,,,,watering from the bottom is similar to "wicking". Water is continually drawn upward. Sooo, once every month or so use about a quart of water and slowly water from the top, aka "downward" !!!!

And for violets repotting is done every year or whenever the particular violet needs it. Some people do it sooner, and miniatures need it more frequently. Ahhhh more research to do,,,,yes?

Don't be afraid to take a violet to the sink and use a gentle spray to wash it, also another way to "flush it"! Just make sure you set it aside on the counter out of sun or light until it is totally dry. You don't want sunburned leaves!

Please use this link to learn everything you need to know about perlite and vermiculite. https://www.gardeningchannel.com/perlite-versus-vermiculite/ So interesting and informative!

I am not familiar and have never used coir so no advice on that.

Never use softened water for violets. Water softeners use salt and that water will wipe out every plant you have. That water is toxic to plants of all kinds. On the other hand I don't think well water would hurt the plants in its "pre softened" state. Maybe someone else could address that.

When a plant pulls away from the side of the pot the soil ball is too dry. When I buy a plant from anywhere, I get a little container of water with a couple drops of dishsoap, take the plant out of the pot, put it in the water and try to wash as much of that crappy soil as possible. Then repot it in the soil mix you prefer.

Sounds like you are making good progress! Keep learning and asking questions! That is what this forum is all about. But remember there is a wealth of information in the back posts. Good luck!!!!! Rosie

Yeah Rosie, I wonder if this plant's root ball dried out at some point before it went to market and the issue was never dealt with. My experience (as nursery staff) is that when it happens you have to break that root/soil ball down a bit. Some solid but careful pressure with the thumbs is usually enough. But this violet was definitely NOT allowed to totally dry out at amy point during my care. It was gapping from the pot sides from the get-go, and so solid that try as I might I couldn't loosen it without unpotting and making a general mess anyway. Time to just deal with the whole constellation: pot-bound and too-water-retentive.

I actually knew most of that stuff about vermiculite and perlite. :) But not all the details re pH. I actually remember the asbestos contamination outcry in 1990 too! Became aware during Master Gardener education. Somewhere up in the barn I have at least a half bale of each of these wonderful media. Most of the time I use perlite because stuff that's potted out in the yard gets hit with irrigation (from the lake: booooy am I spoiled) regularly enough to need excellent drainage, not water retention.

Oh, and thanks for the tip about it being okay to let the violet leaves get wet. They don't sit in sun anyway, but if I do get them wet I just blow hard on the leaves to remove the bigger droplets. Just in case. Orchids are *really* fussy that way, so I've learned to be careful.

Slightly off-topic: have you ever used Forsyte pots for rooting various cuttings? It's just about 100% reliable for ANY cutting I've tried! And wonderfully techie and satisfying. But I've gotten lazy lately because I get such good success with plain old plastic pots, a well-aerated but humid medium, and a plastic bag for humidity retention. I only mention it because after grooming these violets I have a bunch of leaves laying around, and am considering setting up a Forsyte arrangement for propagation. Not that I need more of either of these, but just, you know, "practice." I can always give them away...

Oh I didn't mean to imply YOU let it get that dry. I am sure it was that way when you bought it. I usually get an empty cottage cheese or similar container and soak the plant until it gets thoroughly hydrated. Then I try to get the "gunky soil" off as much as I could and repot.

Thanks for mentioning the Forsythe potting method. Never heard of it so I googled it. I thought it was interesting enough to post to this forum! Thanks again!

And yes,,,,,you can always give/trade away any babies you raise!!! Rosie

Hi, Joan,

It is so interesting to read your thoughtful questions and enthusiasm! You obviously are an avid and inquisitive gardener and know what you are doing.

The great responses and advice you received from Rosie are perfect.

The mix you use is very good, as it seems to work.

The plant you have is a classic beauty. It is most likely from Optimara. Their plants are intended for natural window-sill light.

They tend to sucker, as you discovered. They are bred for "looks," to give a satisfying full head of long-lasting blooms with "stick-tite" features. (They will not fall off, you remove the spent blossom stalk from the base. As you discovered.)

They are a commercial vendor that developed the features that make AVs ideal houseplants, such as slow-growing symmetrical foliage. They have extensive information on their website. Optimara.com. Their store is Selective Gardener.

AVs grow leaves in a whorl of three at a time. If a leaf is removed, a new leaf will not grow in its place. But a sucker might.

Your plant can stay in that 4" pot size. When repotting, it is advised to trim the bottom roots and add fresh mix. As Rosie advised. More on that below.

In general, Optimara plants come packed in peat for transportation purposes. Peats tends to dry out and pull away from the sides of the pot. Many people leave the plant in peat while blooming and just make sure they water frequently.

Others repot right away in their own AV potting mix, which is looser.

If the mix your plant is in is caking, try to loosen it up and add fresh potting mix.

After repotting, it will not need refreshing of the potting medium for about one year. Ordinarily, fertilizer is not needed when freshly repotted. The bag will tell you.

When repotting, remove the plant from the pot when dry. If it looks root-bound, gently pry off or cut off the lower 1/3. Place fresh AV potting mix in the bottom. Remove any tired looking leaves. Scrape off old mix from the top and replace.

It can remain in 4". The rule of thumb is the leaf span can be 3 times the diameter of the pot. So, theoretically, 12" in a 4" pot.

Plastic pots are fine. The flimsy peat pots have larger holes. When selecting a new store-bought, thicker plastic pot, look for narrower drainage holes.

Capillary matting is for larger collections for people who don't have time to check frequently or water lots of plants.

Clay pots are fine but need more frequent watering. Ceramic glazed can be used for cache pots with the AV in a plastic pot.

As Rosie said, for just a few pots you check often, wicking is not needed. But nice to have as insurance.

Optimara (Selective Gardener) makes an attractive self-watering plastic pot for their size of AVs. They are good if you need to be away from watering for a few days.

Some people like the self-watering ceramic pots made for AVs. However, they must be made in the U.S. or Canada and must be decalcified annually. Those made in China do not work. They lack sufficient porosity

There are other potting methods that give good results but those are usually reserved for specialty plants.

Optimaras are rugged and bred for average skills. No fuss, no muss.

If you want to add another AV to your collection, I can recommend Simpler Times. It is an older, classic variety that will thrive for many years and can grow large. It can grow to need a larger pot size, 6" or more. The flowers are dark blue double petal "star" (round) shape. The leaves are deep green.

It is available from Lyndon Lyon. Com. I

If you place an order, you might as well order a few other varieties because there is a minimum shipping cost.

The older varieties are stable and tested by time for longevity.

Yes, AVs bloom cyclically and usually in the brighter, faster-growing times of year. Blooms typically come from beneath the top row of leaves only. As you noted, from deep beneath leaves. Avs have no center stalk, so the blooms emerge, tucked beneath.

They normally last many weeks. Perhaps 3 or 4. Once the blooms are spent, you can use your foliage booster. They grow out from the crown. They won't bloom again until the crown leaves have matured.

You were wise to let the foliage develop strength.

Eventually, some people switch to organic fertilizers and potting mixes.

As for light, some people recommend 12 hours of light, 12 hours of dark. However, your method sounds fine.

Best, Joanne

Hi, Blueberry Bundtcake,

Regarding your pretty violets, you might want to consider amping up their care a bit. The pink one in front is an unusual variety, hard to find. It has "girl-type" leaves, that is, a lighter area in the center that are fancier, ornamental leaves. The blossom is lovely.

To encourage blooming, I suggest you feed it with African Violet fertilizer you can get from a gardening shop or hardware store. It is inexpensive and long-lasting. Then also check for repotting. If it has not been repotted in more than 9 months or a year, then it can benefit from nutrients in fresh potting mix. For repotting tips, see the replies to Joan, Northern Gardener above.

When they stop blooming, you can switch to a green formula for replenishing leaves.

Ditto for the middle one regarding amping up its care. Also very pretty.

The one in the back appears to have interesting foliage. Perhaps you can find a way to change its location and feed it to encourage blooms.

As for the one in the other room, same advice. Feed it appropriately and repot at least annually. Usually, they can stay in the same pot after replacing the potting mix and trimming a little off the roots.

After they bloom, they do need to rest and strengthen their leaves.

Joanne

Huh ... I didn't know they were unusual. The front and back were gifts from a neighbor for pet sitting, and the middle came from a Hannaford; I picked it because it was pretty and different from the other three. The fourth is simpler and was purchased from a college snack shop, where it was almost killed as a dorm plant. Ground floor northeast dorm room windows with questionable temperature control/gradient are not spectacular places for African violets. Its leaves turned practically yellow and it refused to rebloom. Once it escaped its dorm/doom, and got repotted and given proper light, it recovered and blooms regularly; the poor thing keeps getting bounced around the house trying to find its best home, though. It was living by a west window with filtered light, but it lost its flat surface in a furniture shuffle; then it was living in no man's land for a bit - too far from the same window and refused to bloom; then it moved into the dining room by a south window with sheers, and it was able to bloom, but it didn't seem happy, possibly being too close to a heating vent; now it's got a temporary home by a south window that leads to a covered area. maybe it would be happier if it was repotted or fed, too.

I'll have to see if the garden center has curbside pick up ...

forty-seven_gw/Joanne,

WOW. You went ALL OUT in your reply! Thank you so much! There is so much detail in there that I've copy-pasted it all into a separate document for my files, just in case my contact with GardenWeb ever fails and I can't find it again.

I'm an experienced gardener, and have Master Gardener training. All that the "MG" credential means is that I'm well rounded regarding general principles. To tell the truth, I already knew almost all of what was presented in classes (thirty years ago), having learned it from my mother from my first consciousness. In my opinion the only thing that makes anyone truly a master gardener is the willingness to keep observing, deducing, and passing on observations, through a lifetime. The more you do of it, the better of a "Yoda" you are. And STILL nobody has it all!

That's why I turn to GardenWeb. The world of plants is a wonderful and BIG place, and the details of observation for any specific plant, such as you've shared, make people like me oh so much richer.

I expect my three new AV babies to arrive maybe tomorrow, or else Friday. So excited! I've been asked to post photos, but of course I don't expect these probably tiny examples to have so much as buds. We'll see.

Meanwhile, thank you again, Joanne, for your fellowship.

Joan