Are you ready to bring the gorgeous African violet into your home but you’re not sure about the watering requirements?
How Often to Water African Violets?
The best way to determine when it’s time to water the African violet is simply to check the moisture level of the topsoil. Whenever the top is dry to the touch, you can add water. Avoid getting water on the leaves of the plant to avoid yellow spots. You want to water African Violets a minimum of once per month.
How to Tell if African Violets Need Water?
To determine when to water, just feel the top level of the soil. If it feels dry to the touch, it is time to water. If you want the greatest results from your African violets, allow them to dry completely between waterings.
Overwatering can cause a plant to die. The delicate roots of the African violet require air, which cannot be provided by a soggy, damp soil mass. Once you’ve learned the art of watering African violets, you’ve accomplished half of your task.
How Do You Know When Your African Violets are Sufficiently Watered?
Since the African violet is best watered from the bottom, you have to pour water into a tray and place the pot on top of it so that the bottom of the pot sits in the water. This way allows the soil to soak up the water it needs.
Once you place your African violet in water, wait for about 45 minutes and remove the pot from the watering tray. 45 minutes should be more than enough for the soil to absorb the water the plant needs. Also, you can double-check to see if the top of the soil is moist.
Can You Overwater African Violets?
Overwatering can potentially cause root rot and crown rot in African violets, both of which can be fatal to the plant. To keep an African violet healthy, it’s best to keep it in a pot with drainage holes and a soil mix that provides both air and water access to its roots without allowing the soil to become too soggy.
What are Signs of Overwatered African Violets?
If your African violets are overwatered, you’ll notice the crown of the plant starting to rot. That means that root rot is present, a disease that eventually extends throughout the whole plant, causing it to wither.
Another sign of overwatering is the apparition of yellow or brown limping leaves. As a general rule, it’s always best to add less water to the soil of the African violet than to overwater it.
How Long Can African Violets Go Without Water?
The answer to this question is a bit tricky because African violets don’t have a very strict watering schedule. They only need water when the soil is dry, so testing the soil is the best way to figure out they need water.
A good approach to determine how much your plant can go without water is to see how long the soil takes to dry since the last time you watered it. The number of days can vary based on different factors, such as sunlight exposure or indoor temperature and moisture conditions.
Why are African Violets Turning Brown/Yellow?
When you notice the leaves of your African Violet plant turning yellow or brown, that means the plant is likely overwatered. But, it could be a sign that you’re not watering the plant using the correct techniques.
The leaves of the African violet do not tolerate water falling directly upon them, so you’ll have to water them at the base of the plant, right above the soil to prevent leaves from turning yellow.
Why are my African Violets Droopy?
Droopy leaves on an African violet plant can indicate one of two things: Either your plant is not receiving enough water or you’re overwatering, and the roots have started to rot. The good news is that, once you have identified the cause, you can also save the plant.
Do African Violets Need Fertilizer?
African violets are low-maintenance flowers that require little attention. They do require adequate exposure, heat, and the removal of water from the leaves, but they typically continue to produce those lovely flowers for the majority of the year. It is necessary to feed your violet to keep it in excellent health.
We will provide answers to the questions of when, how, and with whom. Even African violets require adequate macro and micronutrients as well as soluble vitamins, which are not provided by their natural environment. African violet fertilizer must be water-soluble and in a ratio that has been specifically designed to meet the plant’s requirements.
The optimum time to fertilize African violets is in the spring. Winter is the best time to avoid feeding African violets. Some growers advise against fertilizing the plants while they are in bloom, while others advocate for the practice.
However, given that blooming depletes the plant’s energy reserves, it would seem natural that the nutrients that it consumes should be returned to the soil for plant uptake after flowering.
How Much Sunlight Does African Violets Need?
Roughly 12 hours of sunlight per day. If you have a window with good, strong light, you should be able to cultivate African violets. Use sheer drapes or blinds in the summer to keep the hot sun off your violets. In the winter, African violets thrive in a south-facing window.
Verify that the plants in front of the west and east windows are not overheated by the sun. North-facing windows will provide enough light throughout most of the year to allow the plants to thrive.
Maximize light exposure by keeping plants close to the windowsills. If you place an African violet on a table in an area where it doesn’t get adequate light, it may not be able to blossom.
Will Temperatures and Humidity Affect African Violets?
A nighttime temperature of 65 to 70 degrees F is ideal for the growth of African violets, although they can also thrive at temperatures between 60- and 80-degrees F.
However, the plant’s growth and flowering will be hindered if it is exposed to extreme temperatures for an extended period. Plants should be in the coolest part of the house or an air-conditioned room during these times.
African violets are tolerant to dry air but require high humidity to thrive. Use sand or wet pebbles to boost the humidity surrounding plants in water-tight metal or plastic trays. To protect the roots, never submerge a pot directly in water.
Will African Violets Survive in the Winter?
The most important part of achieving success with your African violet throughout the winter is to find the optimal location for it. Even in the winter months, it is unable to resist intense, direct sunlight. It is preferable to avoid windows that face south.
If these are the only options available, make sure to cover your African violet with a curtain or some window slats to keep it protected. During the brightest hours of the day, the slats should always be angled upward.
Will African Violets Survive in Direct Sunlight?
African Violets do not require direct sunshine to grow and thrive. What they need is bright and moderate indirect light. You want to avoid placing the plant in direct sunlight.
Should African Violets Be Watered from the Top or Bottom?
Bottom. African violets do not tolerate having their leaves wet, which is why watering from the top is not an option. When you water from the bottom, you prevent getting water on the crown of the plant. The bottom watering method (like placing water in a saucer under the top) will ensure the soil gets moist without watering the crown.
Should I Water African Violets with Cold or Warm Water?
Violets of the genus Africana prefer water that is around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Wait until your plants begin to droop before you water them since this will harm the roots and any new flower buds that may be forming.
Final Words
African violets are not picky plants when it comes to water. However, the time they require between two waterings is not an exact science, so some might find that baffling. Simply observe the plant in your home’s habitat, see how long it takes for the soil to dry, and you can make an estimate of the time required between waterings.
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Jamie is the founder of The Backyard Pros. When he was 15 years old he started working at a garden centre helping people buy plants, gardening products, and lawn care products. He has real estate experience and he is a home owner. Jamie loves backyard projects, refinishing furniture, and enjoys sharing his knowledge online.