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How
to grow African Violets and
Other Gesneriads
African Violets
and Other Gesneriads are one of the most popular indoor houseplants. They
can bloom all year long, and come in an abundance of colors, sizes, and
types. Other gesneriads such as episcias, chiritas, streptocarpus, gloxinias,
and sinningias to name a few, have different blooming characteristics,
and are also exciting to grow. Treat these other gesneriads as you would
any African violet, giving them similar care.
African violets are easy to grow and are very forgiving to the amateur
horticulturist. Their needs are simple and easily met. With proper light,
feeding, watering, temperature and soil, they will reward you with a profusion
of colorful blooms.
Light
Adequate light is one of the
most important factors in promoting African violet blossoms. Place the
plants near any window that has bright, but filtered, light. A word of
caution: too much direct sunlight can burn the foliage. African violets
will also do well under fluorescent lights. If you are using a light stand,
use double tube fixtures and run the lights for about 12 to 14 hours a
day, placing the plants so the foliage is about 8 to 10 inches below the
tubes. If you have a cubical in an office that is illuminated by fluorescent
lights, you may put your plants on top of the partitions.
Feeding
Lack of fertilizer or feeding
too infrequently is one of the principal reasons for failure to bloom.
Mix a commercial African violet fertilizer at a quarter the amount called
for in the manufacturer's instructions. If the directions call for 1 teaspoon
per gallon of water, reduce the amount to 1/4 teaspoon per gallon. African
violet fertilizers typically contain 12-36-14 parts of nitrogen, phosphorus,
and potassium that is optimum. Any well-balanced fertilizer will do, but
avoid fertilizers with high urea nitrogen content. Read the label and
be consistent in your fertilizing regiment from week to week.
Watering
Over-watering is perhaps the
easiest way to kill an African violet. They will tolerate drought better
than being left to stand in a saucer of water to rot. You may water from
the top, the bottom, by wicking or matting. Use room temperature water
when the top of the soil feels dry to the touch. Watering once a week
is usually sufficient. Reverse osmosis units or rainwater are fine sources
of water for your plants. If your house has a water softening system,
do NOT use tap water on your plants. The added salts in the water will
damage and most likely kill them. Use untreated water obtained from an
outdoor spigot that is usually bypassed from the water softening system,
but check.
Temperature
The ideal temperature to maintain
for optimal growing conditions is from 60 to 80 degrees F. Generally speaking,
if you are comfortable your plants should thrive. Fresh air with gentle
circulation (a ceiling fan works nicely and inhibits powdery mildew),
and humidity of 40 to 60 percent is ideal. Variegated varieties often
require cooler temperatures to maintain their variegation and do well
on the bottom shelf of the plant stand where it is cooler.
Soil
Most of the potting mixes sold
today for African violets are composed primarily of peat moss, perlite,
and vermiculite and are technically soil-less. Natural soil is generally
too heavy for delicate, fibrous-rooted plants like African violets. You
may choose a commercial soil-less mix and amend it by adding other materials
to better suit your potting needs. Below are a few soil recipes from award-winning
growers.
Hortense
Pittman's Texas formula: 5 gallons sterilized fine peat moss, 5 gallons
coarse horticultural grade vermiculite, 2 gallons coarse horticultural
grade perlite, 1 cup crushed horticultural grade charcoal, 5 quarts
of water, 1 teaspoon frittered trace elements, and 1 cup of pulverized
dolomite lime.
Marie
Burns' Show mix: 5 gallons Baccto African Violet Soil, 3 gallons coarse
horticultural grade perlite, 1 gallon sterilized fine peat moss,
2 gallons coarse horticultural grade vermicu lite, 6 cups horticultural
grade charcoal, 1 cup dehydrated cow manure, 2 tablespoons Ferban,
and 10 tablespoons dolomite lime.
Fisher's
Soil Formula from Canada: 2 quarts sterilized clay loam (garden loam or
top soil), 2 quarts perlite, 2 quarts medium or coarse vermiculite;
2 quarts fine chip horticultural charcoal, 8 quarts sphagnum peat
moss (screened to remove sticks or buy fine screened). Mix separately
the following: 1 cup bone meal, 1 cup calcium carbonate OR dolomite lime
powder (not granular), and 1 tablespoon Fermate or Ferbam. Combine
the above ingredients with about a half a gallon of water.
Grooming
A properly groomed African violet
is a healthy African violet. Keep dead leaves and faded blossoms removed.
With a soft brush, remove any soil particles and other debris, or damp-wipe
the foliage with a soft wet sponge. Contrary to popular folklore, the
foliage can be washed under a gentle stream of tepid water. Pat away any
excess water with a soft sponge or tissue, especially any water that may
have collected in the crown of the plant. Allow the plant to dry in a
warm draft-free place, away from direct sunlight.
Pest and Diseases
African violets and other gesneriads
are very palatable plants and more than 50 species of insects and mites
have been known to feed on them. The most common pests are thrips, mealybugs,
and mites. It's advised that you quarantine any new plants for several
weeks after purchase and inspect them for pest before adding them to your
collection. Many pesticides on the market have not been specifically tested
on African violets and may damage your plants. Always read the label to
make sure any pesticide can be safely used on African violets, and follow
the manufacturer's instructions carefully.
For additional information about African violets,
the following websites are recommended:
AFRICAN VIOLET SOCIETY OF AMERICA,
INC.
http://www.avsa.org
MID-ATLANTIC AFRICAN VIOLET SOCIETY
http://www.maavs.org
Copyright 2007 by Richmond
African Violet Society.
Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited