Why is the African violet my favorite houseplant? First, because it blooms almost continuously, its short rest periods taking only a matter of days (perhaps weeks for some of the double-flowered varieties), but never months. It buds at any light window, and under artificial light is sensational. The colors are spectacular-- delicate pastels, rich purples, luscious pinks, scandalous reds, and fascinating bicolors. Also, it provides exquisite decoration for the house. I frequently use African violets for coffee- and dining-table centerpieces. And lastly, because an entire collection can be had for free by propagating leaves in pots of vermiculite, Saintpaulia ionantha is a fun plant to share with friends. Here is my easy program that ensures a constant parade of flowers:
Light. African violets love light, and will bloom with abandon at any bright window. They will also bloom in any sunny exposure, providing the harsh, leaf-burning rays of summer are filtered with a thin curtain. However, in the short days of winter -- from late October through mid-April -- I give my saintpaulias all the direct sunshine my windows will afford. And to ensure all sides are equally lit, I give the plants a quarter-turn every other day.
For sensational bloom, place them under fluorescent lights. I use 48-inch fixtures with 12-inch wide reflectors for the enormous African violet collection in my study; the half dozen or so on my kitchen counter are illuminated by simple, inexpensive 48-by-6-inch fixtures. How they thrive beneath the glow of the "cool white" tubes! The plants are set 7-10 inches from the light (5 inches for miniatures and trailers), distances measured from the top of the plants. I leave the lights on for 16 hours each day, followed by 8 hours of darkness. Plants under lights need more food and water, but they always bloom to perfection there.
Temperature. You may have heard that African violets need indoor temperatures above 70 degrees in order to flower. Actually, this is not true. Here at A Garden for the House, they bloom and bloom in temperatures that range from 55-65 degrees. On bitter nights, I pull the plants away from windows, and return them only when the morning sun has warmed the glass.
Humidity. African violets revel in about 50% humidity, which is fairly high for the average home in winter. To increase humidity, group plants together and set them on pebble-filled trays (plastic or galvanized "Boot Trays" work well). Keep the trays filled with water, but make sure the plants are resting on the pebbles, above the water-level. When you water plants from the top, excess will drain down into the trays, and produce humid air as it evaporates.
Watering. Proper watering, always important for houseplants, is particularly so for saintpaulias. Use only room-temperature (or slightly warmer) water. Cold water is harmful, often causing leaf-spot. You can water from the top or the bottom; sometimes bottom watering is easier because of spreading leaves. To water from below, fill a saucer with one inch of water, and let the plant absorb all of the moisture it can for exactly 30 minutes. Then pour off any excess. I spray my plants about once a week with room-temperature water to remove dust, deter pests (including aphids and red spider), and stimulate bloom. The plants are kept out of direct sun until their foliage has dried.
Fertilizing. Soluble plant food is terrific for African violets. I fertilize every time I water, and Jack's Classic 12-36-14 formula, mixed 1/4 teaspoon to 1 gallon of warm water for window garden plants, and a 1/2 teaspoon for the light-garden residents, has produced extroardinary blooms for me.
Soil. My African violets thrive in a homemade mix of sifted, pasteurized leaf mold, with just a little perlite added to promote drainage. Packaged blends intended for African violets are infinitely more convenient, but many of them contain peat moss, an endangered resource. Environmentally savvy growers might prefer to use a potting mix that uses coir (coconut fiber), rather than peat moss.
Pots. Mail-order plants always arrive in tiny, 2 1/4-inch plastic pots. You won't need larger pots for months. I wait for six months to a year before shifting them on to 3-inch pots, and that's that. I prefer clay pots -- glazed or unglazed, but always with drainage holes -- for display in the window garden.
Decorative Thoughts. Saintpaulias combine beautifully with white wax begonias, pink impatiens, and foliage plants like grape ivy and ferns (especially the rabbit's foot fern, Davallia fejeensis), but you hardly need these extras to make a decorative splash. I think a window garden looks divine with a small collection of saintpaulias alone -- singles, doubles, variegateds, bicoloreds, standards, miniatures and trailers. What fun you can have shopping for these! I do my "violet" shopping at Lyndon Lyon Greenhouses in Dolgeville, New York.
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Related Posts:
Seven Ways To Beautiful Houseplants
African Violets: Divide & De-Sucker for Better Flowering
How To Set Up A Window Garden
Tropical Bulbs in Pebbles & Water
Gardening Under Lights: Fluorescent Setups & Culture
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
African Violets: My Easy, Always-in-Bloom Program
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I once visited Lyndon Lyon Greenhouses! It's like the Garden of Eden!
Carol - The Garden of Eden, indeed! I make an annual trek to Dolgeville during frigid January, when the color, warmth and humidity in Lyon's Greenhouses is thoroughly welcome!
Much easier, however, is to shop there via the internet.
Your African violets on the tray look beautiful! My violets don't do well after October. Maybe the air is too dry here in winter because of the furnace, and maybe the window (east facing) is too dark then. I'll try setting them on a bed of pebbles and water, and maybe, just maybe, I'll invest in a fluorescent fixture.
I have a variegated trailing saintpaulia (I've lost the name) that has done NOTHING for over a year. It gets as much light as my other AVs, which do bloom, so I doubt that lack of light is the issue. Any tips to get this thing to bloom?
Emily - whenever the house heat comes on, humidity plummets. Better use the pebble and water trick!
Gregory - From my experience, trailing AVs need even more humidity and light than standards and miniatures. Feed and water your plant, and then enclose it in a clear plastic bag. It will probably set flower buds within a month.
Just wondering how many African Violets you have?
Helen - nice to meet you. How many AVs do I have? Without counting, I'd say more than 50, but less than 100. And I love them all!
Kevin, thanks for the pointers. My violets are at a north window that isn't particularly bright. I'd like to install fluorescents over my kitchen counter for them, as you have done for yours. Interesting that you use normal cool white tubes, not specialty "plant lights."
I'm like you, Kevin. I use only the cool white tubes, and my violets bloom really well beneath them. I think the fancy grow-lights are a waste of money. High-intensity lights are supposed to be good -- but they are REALLY expensive!