If you scrap the brown "bark' off those trunks on one or two sides, it speeds up rooting directly from those trunks. I've also rescued AVs where the trunk had broken off completely from the roots that wya, sometimes putting them in a sandwich bag for a week or two to get them started, same as I do for rooting leaves.
Many thanks for this informative and inspiring video Susan. I'm starting off again, trying to grow these beauties, after an almost 30 year hiatus. Hopefully I'll succeed. Greetings from the UK
Misnomer: African Violets do not mind getting their leaves wet (but should be watered from the bottom with a wicking system for perfect, constant moisture), just make sure the water is room temperature, never cold. African Violets love small pots! No need to bump up pot size when repotting, as you did. In fact, some of those AVs could probably have gone into smaller pots. Love your new AV, very pretty!
Hi there. I've been growing AV for a few years now, killed a few and saved a few - as well...so I can rise my hand up saying that I have some experience. I can honestly say that the wicking method is the best one, and the plants are growing so healthy that none of the other methods or type of soil used by most of people are giving similar results. If you watch American AV Society's videos - all the details are explained there and I've been practicing exactly as they are advising. All the best and wish u all, happy AVs ! :)
I've never had that happen. The important thing is to keep the soil lightly moist but not sopping wet because if it's the latter, yes, the stem will rot!
I was really sad you threw away away the side plant. I always split my plants without trouble and am always propagating by just planting leaves. We have had three generations of homes filled with African violets and given away more than we can count.
Hi - thanks for the great video! I have a question that I hope you can help with....I have several plants with the neck exposed, like yours, and some are pretty crooked. Do you touch the neck at all in this case? Or just place it in the pot so that the plant itself is straight? What if the neck goes to the side so much that it makes it unable to go in the appropriately sized pot? Thanks so much! Beth
Hi, Beth. Thanks for your note. When you re-pot the plants, plant them a bit deeper and more straight, then they should be in good shape! With the one that really goes to the side, can that one have a bit of its roots shaved off (like I do in the video) and then also be planted a little more deeply than it used to be? It's quite normal for the plants to get a little leggy over time and then need a bit of sprucing up.
Hi Susan, thanks so much for the video. I have a question. My African violet has a lot of new healthy leaves growing in the middle/center of the plant. They are blocking the new blossoms. Should I get rid of the leaves? My only hesitation is that they look so healthy and I feel bad removing them.
Question violet had beautiful blossoms when I brought it home I took good care of it and used a self watering pot It got more beautiful. Then the flowers started dieing. I carefully snipped offdead flowere and when steam they were on had no more blossoms I pulled that stem out of the plant. Now no blossoms and no new stems.. Wil the stems?? Blossoms ever come.back or have I ruined my beautiful healthy. Plant.
Hi, Helen. It is normal for the flowers to just last a week or so, and you were correct to remove them once they died, as well as the stem once all of the flowers on it had died. There are 2 things I would suggest: I love self-watering pots but please check to make sure the soil isn't too moist. Also, for the winter months, I would put the pot in either an east-facing or south-facing window (provided you live where there isn't too much sun and warmth from that direction). Also, are you fertilizing the plant with an African Violet fertilizer (or something similar)? Look for either a container of it or another fertilizer that has the same numbers on the package (usually 8-14-9 or similar) and follow the directions on the label as far as when and how often to apply it. I usually don't fertilize houseplants during the winter months since the plants are essentially resting this time of year. I hope this helps.
Thanks for the video Susan. I didn't realize you could replant AVs deeper than prior the planting. My AV is around 7 years old and I have never transplanted it. It now has a very crooked trunk of about 4 inches that I have staked. What is your advise to get the leaves back down to soil level?
Hi, Scott. It will probably need a couple of cuts to get the planted centered in the pot again as well as lower in the pot. If there are any leaves left on the 4" "trunk" part, remove them (not the upper leaves!). Then slice off some of the soil and lowest roots to plant it lower in the pot. The other slice you might have to make is a vertical one on one side to fit the plant so the main trunk is in the center of the pot. Does that make sense?
Noooo! The other crown you threw away is perfect for rooting! The long neck on the other one can be snapped off! The crown will reroot and be much happier.
I like your videos. Could you help me please? I have 2 worries! I bought my african violet last week and it was raining as I carried it to the car and brought it home. There are many leaves on mine, and even a few blossoms beneath some leaves! But 5 or so leaves have shriveled up since I got it. So I cut those ones off. Would you say I should re-pot it yet? Maybe it got a bit stressed getting rained on? Also, I have it a few feet away from the window now, but there isn't really a way I could put a shelf near the window. And we do have a tree just outside so it isnt really bright for a very long time just a few hours in the morning. Should I think about hanging it up to be closer to the window? Or maybe move it to the south side of the house in my kitchen somewhere?
Hi there. It's possible that if the plant got quite wet from the rain and it was chilly at the time, that might be causing those leaves to shrivel up. Are you keeping the soil evenly moist (but not sopping wet)? Re: the amount of light they require, north or east-facing windows are best. South-facing windows are OK during the winter if the light isn't too intense, but definitely avoid south-facing windows during the rest of the year.
@@SusansInTheGarden THANK YOU 👏 I put it into a new pot, and have kept it in its fairly shady spot. It hasn't lost any more leaves and it seems to have perked up a bit.
Thank you for the tips and tricks. Makes sense to me. I have a couple of questions, I know everyone is supposed to water their african violets when they are thirsty but I am curious how often do you happen to water yours? Also, with the african violet that had the L-shaped stem, how did you handle that one? Did you cut off the L-shape or were the roots below the L-shape and you buried the L-shaped portion to the side of the pot to center the plant after trimming? Your plants look very happy; I hope I get to the point where I have the same successes. 🤞❤️
Hi, Maureen. I water my African Violets once a week and also give them a diluted African Violet fertilizer (Schultz brand) in their water. As far as what I did with the one plant, gosh, that was 5 years ago! But I would assume I trimmed the root ball so I could center the plant better in its pot, plus I planted it a bit more deeply. Happy gardening!
Hi, Sharon. That's a puzzler, although I feel it still has something to do with water and light. African Violets do best with north or east-facing windows (although south-facing is OK during the winter months). If they are getting a lot of sunshine, they might not be getting enough water after all. Or they might also be getting too much water. I would recommend poking your finger down into the soil to the first knuckle and see how moist it is and then adjusting your watering schedule accordingly.
Susan, I learned a great deal from this video. Noticing your choice of pots, I recently repotted my AVs in AV pots...pot inside a chamber that holds water..and slowly seeps through the bisque pot. I'm noticing that the soil stays VERY wet. I'm beginning to worry about this seemingly overwatering of my violets (they are descendants of a 65 year old African violet..and I worry about harming them). What is your opinion of these African Violet pots? I thank you.
Hi, +blmenden. Sorry for the slow response. I've been out of town for a week. The pots I'm using aren't ideal because you can't water the plants from the bottom, which I much prefer. I wasn't familiar with AV pots until you mentioned them. Now that I see they're self-watering pots, I'm not crazy about the idea. I think that would keep the soil way too moist. Considering your heirloom AV's, I think I'd go with something else that isn't self-watering. I water my plants once a week and they seem quite happy with that. Good luck!
Hmm, that's puzzling. Are you using an African Violet fertilizer? It could be the fertilizer you're using has more nitrogen in it (which promotes leafy green growth) than phosphorus (which plants need for blooming). Phosphorus is the middle number on packages of fertilizer, nitrogen is the first number, if you want to check. That's my only thought at this point.
hi there.... I just got an African violet and I transplanted it from the nursery container into my own pot and it looked good for a couple of days but now the leaves are really droopy I'm not sure if it needs more water or less water or more sun I would really like for it to grow please help!
Hi, Elizabeth. Well, darn, that wasn't supposed to happen! Was the new potting soil that you added to the new pot lightly dampened or dry? If it was the latter, that could be the problem. The plant might me going through a little state of shock. I'd be careful about not overwatering it, but if the potting soil feels dry, you'll definitely want to give it some water. African Violets do not like their leaves to get wet, so either water from the bottom if possible, or gently lift the leaves to water it. Also, they prefer more of an indirect light, near either a north-facing or east-facing window. Good luck!!
You might try using an African Violet fertilizer to see if that will help. The plants should be watered regularly and placed in an east-facing or north-facing window. I hope this will help.
This may seem like a stupid question for everyone.. but what is the easiest way to "fill in" around the plant? I just re-potted my AV from it's store bought container. Soil got all over the leaves and now matter what I do, the soil is now stuck to the leaves. Help! :)
Hi, Megan. I know exactly what you mean and have dealt with this, too! All you can do is try to gently lift the leaves out of the way as you slowly add in the potting soil. You'll probably still get a bit on the leaves but you should be able to kind of "flick" off the soil that does get on them.
Hi, SF. There are African Violet fertilizers available at garden centers. I wouldn't fertilize the plant during the winter months but perhaps yours just needs a little help in blooming. Also, the plants do best in a north or east-facing window and they need to be watered regularly, but just so the soil stays evenly moist (but not sopping wet). Hope this helps!
Oh no, this is everything you shouldn't do with African violets. The roots do need air, you shouldn't push the mix in. Your potting mix is way to dense and dry. It's best to add perlite and preferably make your own mixture half perlite, half peat moss. Regular potting mix isn't good. Also that long neck just needs to be sliced off, then you gently slot it back into fresh potting mix, and it will root (some people would bag it up for 2 weeks) your pots are also far too big for African violets. The sucker you threw away would've rooted easily, and made a new violet. Lastly, African violets do best when they're wick watered too. But not essential.
I despise these plants. They're too finicky and picky. Everyone says "they're easy" is full of shit. Easy for them maybe. I'd rather have cats. At least they cuddle.
Great information delivered clear and precisely . So much info in your video .thank you
If you scrap the brown "bark' off those trunks on one or two sides, it speeds up rooting directly from those trunks. I've also rescued AVs where the trunk had broken off completely from the roots that wya, sometimes putting them in a sandwich bag for a week or two to get them started, same as I do for rooting leaves.
By "scrap", do you mean scrape it off? That seems gutsy, but doable. How do you do it?
Very nicely done! Simple, clear instructions, good quality sound and video. Thanks so much!
Thank you, Jaroslav!
Many thanks for this informative and inspiring video Susan. I'm starting off again, trying to grow these beauties, after an almost 30 year hiatus. Hopefully I'll succeed. Greetings from the UK
Hello, Gabor, and thanks for your nice comments. Best of luck with the African Violets and greetings from eastern Washington state!
Very helpful, thanks for the help!
This was even more informative than Martha Stewart's African violet segment. Thank you!
Your A.V. are very pretty and looks healty too.Nice video...you give me courage to grow thm too and the colour are stunning.Happy growing 😊
Misnomer: African Violets do not mind getting their leaves wet (but should be watered from the bottom with a wicking system for perfect, constant moisture), just make sure the water is room temperature, never cold.
African Violets love small pots! No need to bump up pot size when repotting, as you did. In fact, some of those AVs could probably have gone into smaller pots.
Love your new AV, very pretty!
Hi there. I've been growing AV for a few years now, killed a few and saved a few - as well...so I can rise my hand up saying that I have some experience. I can honestly say that the wicking method is the best one, and the plants are growing so healthy that none of the other methods or type of soil used by most of people are giving similar results. If you watch American AV Society's videos - all the details are explained there and I've been practicing exactly as they are advising. All the best and wish u all, happy AVs ! :)
If you keep the AV in smaller pots the will stay in bloom all the time. They like their roots crowed but not the leaves.
Won’t the long neck start to rot once it’s placed under the soil?
I've never had that happen. The important thing is to keep the soil lightly moist but not sopping wet because if it's the latter, yes, the stem will rot!
Thanks! Love these plants :)
I was really sad you threw away away the side plant. I always split my plants without trouble and am always propagating by just planting leaves. We have had three generations of homes filled with African violets and given away more than we can count.
Well, I guess I was just a bit too efficient there, Karen! ;o)
You can also root branches in water and perlite
Hi - thanks for the great video! I have a question that I hope you can help with....I have several plants with the neck exposed, like yours, and some are pretty crooked. Do you touch the neck at all in this case? Or just place it in the pot so that the plant itself is straight?
What if the neck goes to the side so much that it makes it unable to go in the appropriately sized pot?
Thanks so much! Beth
Hi, Beth. Thanks for your note. When you re-pot the plants, plant them a bit deeper and more straight, then they should be in good shape! With the one that really goes to the side, can that one have a bit of its roots shaved off (like I do in the video) and then also be planted a little more deeply than it used to be? It's quite normal for the plants to get a little leggy over time and then need a bit of sprucing up.
Hi Susan, thanks so much for the video. I have a question. My African violet has a lot of new healthy leaves growing in the middle/center of the plant. They are blocking the new blossoms. Should I get rid of the leaves? My only hesitation is that they look so healthy and I feel bad removing them.
Hi there. If the leaves are healthy, I would leave them in place. Perhaps the blossom stems will grow longer to get more light.
Thanks so much for your response, Susan!
Question violet had beautiful blossoms when I brought it home I took good care of it and used a self watering pot It got more beautiful. Then the flowers started dieing. I carefully snipped offdead flowere and when steam they were on had no more blossoms I pulled that stem out of the plant. Now no blossoms and no new stems.. Wil the stems?? Blossoms ever come.back or have I ruined my beautiful healthy. Plant.
Hi, Helen. It is normal for the flowers to just last a week or so, and you were correct to remove them once they died, as well as the stem once all of the flowers on it had died. There are 2 things I would suggest: I love self-watering pots but please check to make sure the soil isn't too moist. Also, for the winter months, I would put the pot in either an east-facing or south-facing window (provided you live where there isn't too much sun and warmth from that direction). Also, are you fertilizing the plant with an African Violet fertilizer (or something similar)? Look for either a container of it or another fertilizer that has the same numbers on the package (usually 8-14-9 or similar) and follow the directions on the label as far as when and how often to apply it. I usually don't fertilize houseplants during the winter months since the plants are essentially resting this time of year. I hope this helps.
Thanks for the video Susan. I didn't realize you could replant AVs deeper than prior the planting. My AV is around 7 years old and I have never transplanted it. It now has a very crooked trunk of about 4 inches that I have staked. What is your advise to get the leaves back down to soil level?
Hi, Scott. It will probably need a couple of cuts to get the planted centered in the pot again as well as lower in the pot. If there are any leaves left on the 4" "trunk" part, remove them (not the upper leaves!). Then slice off some of the soil and lowest roots to plant it lower in the pot. The other slice you might have to make is a vertical one on one side to fit the plant so the main trunk is in the center of the pot. Does that make sense?
Purchased the African Viloet fertilizer. Keep the soil moist, diffused light.
Noooo! The other crown you threw away is perfect for rooting! The long neck on the other one can be snapped off! The crown will reroot and be much happier.
exactly
I like your videos. Could you help me please? I have 2 worries! I bought my african violet last week and it was raining as I carried it to the car and brought it home. There are many leaves on mine, and even a few blossoms beneath some leaves! But 5 or so leaves have shriveled up since I got it. So I cut those ones off. Would you say I should re-pot it yet? Maybe it got a bit stressed getting rained on?
Also, I have it a few feet away from the window now, but there isn't really a way I could put a shelf near the window. And we do have a tree just outside so it isnt really bright for a very long time just a few hours in the morning. Should I think about hanging it up to be closer to the window? Or maybe move it to the south side of the house in my kitchen somewhere?
Hi there. It's possible that if the plant got quite wet from the rain and it was chilly at the time, that might be causing those leaves to shrivel up. Are you keeping the soil evenly moist (but not sopping wet)? Re: the amount of light they require, north or east-facing windows are best. South-facing windows are OK during the winter if the light isn't too intense, but definitely avoid south-facing windows during the rest of the year.
@@SusansInTheGarden THANK YOU 👏 I put it into a new pot, and have kept it in its fairly shady spot. It hasn't lost any more leaves and it seems to have perked up a bit.
Thank you for the tips and tricks. Makes sense to me. I have a couple of questions, I know everyone is supposed to water their african violets when they are thirsty but I am curious how often do you happen to water yours? Also, with the african violet that had the L-shaped stem, how did you handle that one? Did you cut off the L-shape or were the roots below the L-shape and you buried the L-shaped portion to the side of the pot to center the plant after trimming? Your plants look very happy; I hope I get to the point where I have the same successes. 🤞❤️
Hi, Maureen. I water my African Violets once a week and also give them a diluted African Violet fertilizer (Schultz brand) in their water. As far as what I did with the one plant, gosh, that was 5 years ago! But I would assume I trimmed the root ball so I could center the plant better in its pot, plus I planted it a bit more deeply. Happy gardening!
Susan's In The Garden you’re an angel. Thanks so much for the answers. Hope you and yours are safe and sound. ❤️🌸❤️
Why are the leaves on some of my AVs limp? I don’t overwater and they have lots of light.
Hi, Sharon. That's a puzzler, although I feel it still has something to do with water and light. African Violets do best with north or east-facing windows (although south-facing is OK during the winter months). If they are getting a lot of sunshine, they might not be getting enough water after all. Or they might also be getting too much water. I would recommend poking your finger down into the soil to the first knuckle and see how moist it is and then adjusting your watering schedule accordingly.
Susan, I learned a great deal from this video. Noticing your choice of pots, I recently repotted my AVs in AV pots...pot inside a chamber that holds water..and slowly seeps through the bisque pot. I'm noticing that the soil stays VERY wet. I'm beginning to worry about this seemingly overwatering of my violets (they are descendants of a 65 year old African violet..and I worry about harming them). What is your opinion of these African Violet pots? I thank you.
Hi, +blmenden. Sorry for the slow response. I've been out of town for a week. The pots I'm using aren't ideal because you can't water the plants from the bottom, which I much prefer. I wasn't familiar with AV pots until you mentioned them. Now that I see they're self-watering pots, I'm not crazy about the idea. I think that would keep the soil way too moist. Considering your heirloom AV's, I think I'd go with something else that isn't self-watering. I water my plants once a week and they seem quite happy with that. Good luck!
Thanks so much, Susan! I'm at Home Depot and going to get "the right" pots for my AVs. I feel better now. Again, thank you. Barbars
My pleasure!
looks great!
I have several pots of beautiful healthy leaves. i fertilized and give it light. but no flowers for over a year.
Hmm, that's puzzling. Are you using an African Violet fertilizer? It could be the fertilizer you're using has more nitrogen in it (which promotes leafy green growth) than phosphorus (which plants need for blooming). Phosphorus is the middle number on packages of fertilizer, nitrogen is the first number, if you want to check. That's my only thought at this point.
hi there.... I just got an African violet and I transplanted it from the nursery container into my own pot and it looked good for a couple of days but now the leaves are really droopy I'm not sure if it needs more water or less water or more sun I would really like for it to grow please help!
Hi, Elizabeth. Well, darn, that wasn't supposed to happen! Was the new potting soil that you added to the new pot lightly dampened or dry? If it was the latter, that could be the problem. The plant might me going through a little state of shock. I'd be careful about not overwatering it, but if the potting soil feels dry, you'll definitely want to give it some water. African Violets do not like their leaves to get wet, so either water from the bottom if possible, or gently lift the leaves to water it. Also, they prefer more of an indirect light, near either a north-facing or east-facing window. Good luck!!
Susan's In The Garden ok thank you for the advice I will keep trying! ☺
How do I help my African violet flower when it has little flowering buds?
You might try using an African Violet fertilizer to see if that will help. The plants should be watered regularly and placed in an east-facing or north-facing window. I hope this will help.
Thanks for this wonderful video. Do you use a potting soil that’s specific for African violets? Also, how did you remove the yellow leaves?
Hi, Melissa. I use a good quality potting soil. You can just pull off or snip off yellow or dead leaves.
Susan's In The Garden thanks so much!
Thank you very much I raise African violets too. - Ruthie
This may seem like a stupid question for everyone.. but what is the easiest way to "fill in" around the plant? I just re-potted my AV from it's store bought container. Soil got all over the leaves and now matter what I do, the soil is now stuck to the leaves. Help! :)
Hi, Megan. I know exactly what you mean and have dealt with this, too! All you can do is try to gently lift the leaves out of the way as you slowly add in the potting soil. You'll probably still get a bit on the leaves but you should be able to kind of "flick" off the soil that does get on them.
An old toothbrush works well for removing loose soil from the leaves.
I want to get African violet s different colours can you sell It?
Hello, Meena. I do not sell plants, I am a writer. I'm not sure where you live but African violets are quite easy to find at local nurseries.
Nice!
is it normal for the stem to coil?
Hmm, I have not seen or heard of this. Could it be reacting from exposure to some sort of chemical???
Help!!! Why won't mine bloom??
Hi, SF. There are African Violet fertilizers available at garden centers. I wouldn't fertilize the plant during the winter months but perhaps yours just needs a little help in blooming. Also, the plants do best in a north or east-facing window and they need to be watered regularly, but just so the soil stays evenly moist (but not sopping wet). Hope this helps!
@@SusansInTheGarden thank you for your prompt reply .
Nice job sprucing em up Susan.
is it fake
Hi, Alex. Is what fake? If you mean the plant, no, that's the real thing!
Ben de isterim Çok güzel çiçekleriniz var bende isderim
Oh no, this is everything you shouldn't do with African violets. The roots do need air, you shouldn't push the mix in. Your potting mix is way to dense and dry. It's best to add perlite and preferably make your own mixture half perlite, half peat moss. Regular potting mix isn't good. Also that long neck just needs to be sliced off, then you gently slot it back into fresh potting mix, and it will root (some people would bag it up for 2 weeks) your pots are also far too big for African violets. The sucker you threw away would've rooted easily, and made a new violet. Lastly, African violets do best when they're wick watered too. But not essential.
I despise these plants. They're too finicky and picky. Everyone says "they're easy" is full of shit. Easy for them maybe. I'd rather have cats. At least they cuddle.