- Overtime, as more and more lower leaves are lost or removed a bare stem or neck forms on the African Violet plant.
- As the African Violet plant grows, the neck pulls the plant away from the soil and the pot.
- This is when the neck needs to be buried/hidden underneath soil and the Violet needs to be repotted.
Do African violets need to be repotted?
This is much the same with African violets. We repot to make sure our growing African Violets have room to keep growing. If your African Violet is outgrowing its environment and quite literally growing out of its pot, it’s time to repot and move it to a larger pot. Finally, we repot to bury the neck of our African violets.
When should I repot my Violet?
If it’s been more than 6 months, and it’s time to repot your violet. It’s best to do this when it when needed . Don’t wait until your violet stops blooming–well cared for, it might not stop blooming! Waiting too long only makes the job more difficult.
How often should you transplant African violet plants?
This article will be discussing the best way and time to transplant and repot your African violet plants. Generally, when growing African violets, you need to transplant or repot these plants twice a year, every 5 to 6 months. However, it is also crucial to listen to what your plant is telling you.
How do you know when to prune African violets?
In fact, a good indicator of owning a healthy African Violet is if the lowest rows of leaves have grown from the trunk of the plant to a few inches above the rim of the pot. At this point, it’s time to get rid of the neck – usually done every six months.
How do you know when to repot an African violet?
"As the plants grow, they can be repotted into larger pots so that they don't get too root-bound." Once your African violet has doubled or tripled the size of your pot and the leaves are starting to wilt, it's probably time to make the move, says McEnaney.
Does an African violet like to be root bound?
It's important to know that African violets prefer to be root bound and usually won't flower until they are, so don't just do the typical move into a larger pot. If your plant is starting to look like a fuzzy version of a palm tree with a bare stem and all the leaves at the top, it's time to do some surgery.
Can you repot African violets while they're blooming?
Can you repot an African violet when it's blooming? Moving is stressful enough! We recommend waiting for a lull in blooming before you repot. That said, if your plant is tightly root-bound or at risk of toppling over, it's okay to repot while flowering.
What is the best way to repot African violets?
There are several schools of thought on the right way to repot, but all agree you can buy or make your own African violet mix. Before removing your plant, select a container that is one third the size of the plant's leaf spread. Most collectors recommend repotting at least once and up to twice per year.
What kind of pots are best for African violets?
For best results, plant African violets in African violet pots, which are small (4- to 5-inch) ceramic or plastic self-watering containers. Growing plants in these pots will provide the proper amount of continuous moisture to the plants.
Do African violets like bigger pots?
African Violet plants potted in a too small or large pot, will not grow to its full potential. The growth may be slower, leaves smaller and blooms/bud may not produce. The African Violet plant will still survive, however it will have an uneven growth habit.
How often should African violets be watered?
Overwatering is one of the most common mistakes made with this type of plant, so it is essential to be cautious. Generally, African violets need to be watered about once a week, although this may vary depending on the climate and the potting mix.
Do African violets need deep pots?
Most experienced growers prefer squatty shaped pots called tubs for violets. A full grown African Violet rarely needs a pot larger than 4 or perhaps 4 1/2". After having grown in such a pot for 8 - 12 months the main stem of the plant will begin to be visible above the soil level.
How long do African violets 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. The trick is knowing when to repot an African violet and what soil and container size to use.
Do you water African violets after repotting?
Packing down the soil eliminates air pockets, increases the chances of root rot, and will actually stunt the violet's growth. Air pockets in the mix will discourage rot diseases and allow roots to flourish. Adding water after repotting will compact the soil to some degree, but this is unavoidable.
Why is my African violet wilting after repotting?
After repotting your violet needs some time to fill the fresh soil that you've added with new roots. Until it does, this additional soil will hold water that can't be used by the plant's roots (there aren't any there yet) and, if kept too wet, will only make it susceptible to rotting.
What makes African violets bloom?
They prefer bright, indirect sun. Too little sunlight causes them to stretch for the light and produce few or no flowers; too much sun can burn the leaves. An east-facing window is ideal, especially with a sheer curtain to block the sun's harshest rays. They also need eight hours of darkness every night.
How often should African violets be watered?
Overwatering is one of the most common mistakes made with this type of plant, so it is essential to be cautious. Generally, African violets need to be watered about once a week, although this may vary depending on the climate and the potting mix.
How do you perk up an African violet?
Give your African violet a good drink, make sure it's not sitting in direct sunlight, and start a fertilizer routine to nourish your plant. Professional Tip: Encourage big, strong blooms by using African Violet Plant Food, a gentle fertilizer formulated to stimulate growth and keep your plant hearty year-round.
What kind of soil do African violets like?
A good potting soil for African Violets actually contains no soil (or dirt) at all. A good potting soil will be very light and porous, a quality which enhances aeration, while keeping the soil moist, but not soggy. Such a potting soil will be made primarily of block-harvested, sphagnum peat moss.
What makes African violets bloom?
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 long do African violets last?
Repotting these blooms is so important due to their long lifespan. "Remember that African violets have a very long lifespan and have been said to last up to 50 years ," says Ryan McEnaney, public relations and communications specialist for Bailey Nurseries.
How to remove a plant from a pot?
Gently tap the sides of the pot against a hard surface to loosen the plant from the pot, according to Martha. If necessary, slide a knife around the edges. Then, once removed, take the knife and slice off the bottom third of the root ball.
Do you need to rush to transplant African violets?
That being said, you don't need to rush to repot your plants. "African violets are healthiest when their roots are in a slightly bound condition, so don't rush to transplant them if your violet looks like it has outgrown its container," warns Brian Parker, senior merchant for Live Goods, Home Depot.
How to repot violets?
Select a pot one size up when your violets need more space. When you notice roots breaking from the root ball and pushing out of the soil or pot, repot the violet. If you are unsure of what size pot you need, use the plant’s leaf span as a guide. Get a pot about a third of that size.
How to get root ball out of African violet?
2. Stick your hand into the soil to hold onto the root ball. African violet leaves are delicate, so avoid touching them. Instead, put on a pair of gardening gloves. Work your hand into the soil , feeling out the root ball and lower stem. Hold onto them with 1 hand.
How to grow violets in potting soil?
Get vermiculite and perlite from the gardening center as well. Put on gloves and mix 1 part vermiculite and 1 part perlite with 1 part potting soil.
How to cover a violet plant?
Add more soil as needed to cover the root ball. Gently push some dirt over the root ball to cover it. Avoid pressing down on the soil. Add more soil as needed to cover the roots and keep the violet upright. Remember to leave space between the soil and the pot’s rim.
How long does it take for violets to set in a saucer?
Remove the excess water after 30 minutes. Give the water time to spread out through the soil and pass through to the saucer. After about 30 minutes , the violet should be well set in its new home. Remove the saucer to dump out the excess water.
How to get violets out of pot?
Tip the pot over while pulling the plant out. Be very gentle to avoid damaging your violets. Hold the bottom end of the pot with your free hand. Tip the pot upside down and attempt to move the plant away from it. Tap the pot’s bottom or, if it is plastic, squeeze it a little.
Can violets grow in plastic pots?
Violets grow well in a variety of different pots. Clay or terracotta pots tend to drain better by letting more air into the soil. However, violets are easier to remove from plastic pots. As long as you can ensure the soil doesn’t get soggy, use whichever type you are more comfortable with.
How cold is it to repot African violets?
For best results, don’t do any repotting in a room that is colder than 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
What to do if your African violet is rootbound?
For rootbound African violets, you need to both cut off the root ball and prepare a brand new pot; otherwise, the plant will get sick and die (rootbound plants have taken the shape of the pot and are in effect strangling the soil, so it can’t get the water and nutrients it needs).
How to grow African violets in a pot?
African Violet Pro-tip: Place small pieces of pottery shards (plastic also works) over the drainage hole. Fill the pot halfway with African violet specific potting soil – the soil mix should be light and moist, containing perlite and peat moss which help the aeration process.
How to tell if African violet is healthy?
In fact, a good indicator of owning a healthy African Violet is if the lowest rows of leaves have grown from the trunk of the plant to a few inches above the rim of the pot. At this point, it’s time to get rid of the neck ...
How to get an African violet out of a pot?
2. Cut the Root Ball. Once you have the African violet out of its pot, cut off the root ball in size relative to that of the neck . For example, if the neck is a half-inch long, you need to cut off a half-inch from the root ball. Note: this task becomes more difficult the longer you have gone without repotting.
Why do you want to remove flowers from a plant?
Why? Simply put, you want your plant focused on new roots, new leaves, new growth, rather than focusing on allocating some of its nutrients and energy to keeping its flowers in bloom.
Can you see the neck of a plant in a pot?
This way, the plant can be pushed into the pot so the lowest row of leaves aligns with the pot rim – to clarify, the neck should not be visible.
Why do I need to repot my African Violet?
First, we want to promote a healthy growing environment for our plants. This means that the mix it is growing in should be relatively fresh. Over time, with any mix, you will notice it begins to get funky and break down. If we really want to ensure our plant is growing in fresh potting mix, we should rotate out the old mix with new mix.
What would happen if we never repotted African violets?
If we never repotted, our African Violets would outgrow their living environment, look less attractive, and eventually succumb to old, broken down mix.
What does “bagging” African Violets mean?
Bagging your African violet, simply put, is putting a clear plastic bag over it after you repot. We do this to keep the humidity up after a repotting to help ease the transition of the African Violet into its new mix. We can’t say this often enough, make sure the bag is large enough to not touch your African Violet's leaves. The condensation built up on the sides of the bags will damage them.
What to do if African violets are outgrowing?
If your African Violet is outgrowing its environment and quite literally growing out of its pot, it’s time to repot and move it to a larger pot. Finally, we repot to bury the neck of our African violets.
How to keep violets warm?
For many gardeners, an easy solution to the bag method is to use a grow dome. This will allow you to keep humidity and warmth in your violets growing environment, without the hassle of putting a bag around each plant.
What is the neck of an African violet?
The “neck” refers to the trunk of your African Violet that gets exposed more and more as its older leaves either fall off naturally or are removed by the grower. In a cosmetic sense, the neck isn’t very attractive and can be hidden during a repotting.
Can African violets be repotted?
Next, African Violets can become seriously root bound and may need to be potted up. If never repotted, we would be neglecting our African Violet's need to move to a bigger environment as it grows. As we grow from children into adults, we need room to grow into our eventual living environment. We buy bigger clothes, shoes, and beds to accommodate our growth as we age. This is much the same with African violets. We repot to make sure our growing African Violets have room to keep growing. If your African Violet is outgrowing its environment and quite literally growing out of its pot, it’s time to repot and move it to a larger pot.
How often should I repot my African Violet?
Optimally, we would repot our African Violets 2 or 3 times a year. However, we know how busy people are and understand that a perfect repotting schedule is not always practical. If you can’t repot twice a year, it’s completely understandable, but making an effort to repot at least once every calendar year will do your African Violet a world of good.
What would happen if we never repotted African violets?
If we never repotted, our African Violets would outgrow their living environment, look less attractive, and eventually succumb to old, broken down mix.
How to keep violets warm?
For many gardeners, an easy solution to the bag method is to use a grow dome. This will allow you to keep humidity and warmth in your violets growing environment, without the hassle of putting a bag around each plant.
Do African violets bury their necks?
In a cosmetic sense, the neck isn’t very attractive and can be hidden during a repotting. This method of burying the neck keeps your African Violet looking beautiful year round.
Can African violets be repotted?
Next, African Violets can become seriously root bound and may need to be potted up. If never repotted, we would be neglecting our African Violet's need to move to a bigger environment as it grows. As we grow from children into adults, we need room to grow into our eventual living environment. We buy bigger clothes, shoes, and beds to accommodate our growth as we age. This is much the same with African violets. We repot to make sure our growing African Violets have room to keep growing. If your African Violet is outgrowing its environment and quite literally growing out of its pot, it’s time to repot and move it to a larger pot.
How to know if you need to transplant an African violet?
Another indication to transplant is when the plant is twice or thrice the size of its pot. Don’t worry. There is no rush into repotting. African violets tend to love a slightly compact root as it induces flowering.
How to ensure African violets grow?
One way to ensure its growth is by giving it enough root space, and this could be done by transplanting or repotting the African violet at the right time in the right ways. This article will be discussing the best way and time to transplant and repot your African violet plants.
How to prevent wilting of plants after transplant?
Lastly, put the plants inside a clear plastic dome after transplanting. In doing so, it will prevent wilting especially in areas with warmer and drier climates. This lessens the transpiration rate and loss of water. A clear plastic bag or any clear dome-shaped cover may be used.
How long does an African violet live?
Did you know that the African violet ( Saintpaulia) lives for 30 years or more? As a perennial plant, it can continue to grow for up to 50 years! But for this to happen, the plant needs the correct care.
How to divide and replant a plant?
Dividing and replanting are performed with the use of a garden knife. When the plant is already uprooted, carefully sort the roots and detach the plants. Be careful and avoid accidentally cutting the stems or leaves.
What is the third tip for a Saintpaulia?
The third tip is to use shallow pots. However, this should be done with discretion based on the size of the Saintpaulia .
What does it mean when a plant starts to wilt?
When your plant starts to have stagnant growth and more wilting happens, it is a sign for you to repot. These signs may be brought upon by overcrowding. Overcrowding means having multiple plants in a small space. This setup is not ideal, especially for flowering plants like Saintpaulia, as it could result in malnutrition and competition for water.
How long does it take for violets to repot?
African violets: Repotting. If it’s been more than 6 months, and it’s time to repot your violet. It’s best to do this when it when needed . Don’t wait until your violet stops blooming–well cared for, it might not stop blooming! Waiting too long only makes the job more difficult.
How to keep violets blooming after repotted?
First, remove all but the freshest, healthiest, leaves and blooms.
How to grow violets in a 4x4 pot?
Using a clean pot (a 4″ pot is sufficient for a standard size violet), fill the bottom with fresh soil. Then, holding the violet over the pot, tilt it to one side, and add fresh soil. Turn the pot, tilt the plant to the other side, and add more fresh soil until the pot is full .
How to cover a plant's neck when repotting?
Since the neck is only about 1/2″ in length, it will be easy to lower the plant and cover the neck when repotting. Pull the plant out from the pot. This should be easy with a mature plant having a full root system. Gently massage away much of the old soil and root system.
How to remove old roots from a plant?
A general rule is this: the size of the root system below the soil should be large enough to support the foliage above the soil. Since we’ve remove about half of the foliage, we can remove about half of the roots. Don’t worry, we want to encourage new roots and leaves.
can you repot African violets when they are blooming?
Let’s find out in more detail can you repot African violets when they are blooming and what are the main reasons to do so.
How to repot African violets when they are blooming?
It is necessary for all growers to know how to properly transplant a violet when it blooms. There is hardly a florist who wants to interrupt the picturesque flowering process without a good reason. But, if the reason really exists, then it is better not to hesitate, otherwise, the tender and moderately capricious violets will begin:
Partial replacement substrate African violets when blooming
Partial soil replacement in most cases is carried out on young rooted plants . This method is typical for transplants of healthy violets, which require an increase in the flower pot.
Conclusion
A delicate and capricious indoor violet, like any other plant, has a negative attitude towards any changes in the external or internal environment. Therefore, no matter what the transplant is, planned or emergency, it is necessary to approach it with knowledge and rely on the recommendations of experienced florists.
