Is African violet easy to grow?
An article provides detailed information about growing African violets at home. Is African violet easy to grow? Keep reading to find out!
In recent years, more and more enthusiasts have taken up growing African violets, attracting many newcomers. Some enthusiasts ask whether African violets are easy to grow, and while the difficulty may vary for different people, overall, African violets are worth growing. They are not as difficult to cultivate as some might say. If you don't have high demands, growing them can be quite relaxed and low-maintenance. Let's see how experienced enthusiasts care for African violets.
1. Growing environment: In a closed south-facing balcony in the city, without artificial lighting or excessive humidity (except after dividing or cutting), grown in a natural indoor environment. In summer, the plants are placed 1 meter away from the window, out of direct sunlight. In winter, they are half a meter from the window, receiving 2 hours of sunlight in the morning. Generally, flowering plants are placed further from the window sill, while plants with leaves spread out or close to the pot are moved to a location with less light.
2. Leaf propagation: Some enthusiasts emphasize choosing "adult" leaves, but personally, I don't think it's that strict. As long as they are not the outermost leaves that are almost dry and yellow, even small leaves the size of a thumb nail can grow. Wipe the blade with alcohol cotton and wait for it to dry, or use a flame and wait for it to cool before cutting at a 45-degree angle. The wound must be dried, and since African violet leaves contain a lot of moisture, wait at least 15 minutes for the sap to dry before inserting. For leaf propagation, I water the medium with a solution of potassium permanganate to make it slightly moist, and the soil mix is usually a combination of peat, vermiculite, and perlite or a mix of peat and perlite. Peat can be replaced with coconut bran. After about a month, when the leaves look vigorous, it means the roots have grown. Watering should be minimal before and after root growth.
Propagation using pure vermiculite or pure perlite is also possible but requires constant attention to moisture levels. Vermiculite does not change color much when dry, and the water level in perlite is not easy to see, so these methods are not recommended. Water propagation is clean but I've tried it once, and the plants died after being transferred to soil, possibly due to too much environmental change or accidentally damaging the roots. There is no need for闷养 (close cultivation) during propagation. It seems that plants in groups grow faster than those alone. In a glass jar (without drainage holes), 7 or 8 leaves can grow well together. The 72-hole trays usually produce fewer seedlings, probably due to limited space.
3. Transplanting seedlings: Seedlings with 4-6 leaves can be transplanted. The soil in the original pot should not be too wet, or the roots can easily break. Gently use a small spoon and toothpick to help lift the pot, observing which leaves make up a plant and carefully separating them to minimize root damage. Even if a few roots are damaged, it does not affect survival. Place the plant with its original soil gently into a mix of peat, vermiculite, and perlite or a mix of peat and perlite, with the roots spread out like an umbrella. Long roots should be trimmed. Some enthusiasts emphasize transplanting in "wet soil" without watering after planting, which means planting in slightly moist soil without watering after planting. I've tried both methods and they both work. After transplanting, place the seedlings in a box for a week, opening it for an hour a day for ventilation.
4. Potting and soil mix: For transplanting, I usually use a 60ml cup for seedlings, and a 20 or 30ml cup for mini violets. For larger seedlings and mature plants, a 7 cm square pot is used. The soil mix is peat, vermiculite, and perlite (1:1:1), with some wood ash and eggshell powder, and a few magic fertilizers placed at the bottom. If planting before summer, those who water more frequently can add more perlite. Some enthusiasts use water-absorbing trays to overwinter and survive the summer, but their seedlings are weak or die. However, there are also many who successfully grow violets with water-absorbing trays. I hope experienced enthusiasts can share their successful methods.
5. Watering: Starting from 6 leaves, spray phosphorus solution once a week, and when flower buds appear, water with phosphorus solution. African violets prefer higher humidity in the air, and even though the humidity in the city is often around 60 or 70%, I still spray water on the leaves once a day. In spring and autumn, water thoroughly every 3 days, pour from a尖嘴壶 (narrow-mouthed pot), and alternate with fertilizer water. In the growing season and when buds are visible, use phosphorus solution. In summer, water with clear water once a week, and in winter, once every 10 days by pouring water into the saucer until the surface of the soil slightly darkens. I feel that controlling water is the key to successful cultivation in winter and summer.
6. Overwintering and surviving the summer: In winter, the lowest temperature in the city is around -4 degrees Celsius, and the lowest temperature on the balcony is around 10 degrees Celsius. I rarely turn on the air conditioner, and the winter temperature in the city should not be a problem for African violets. In winter, the adult plants in my home bloom beautifully. In summer, with the school holidays, temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius (about 20 days this year), the air conditioner is on in the afternoon and at night, and the violets enjoy the air conditioning.
On days when I'm occasionally out, the curtains on the south and west windows are closed tightly, and when I come back at night, the room is not very hot. This method can be tried by those who are not at home during the day. Seedlings placed on the west-facing window sill in the bathroom without air conditioning also survive the summer. After two months of summer, the seedlings have grown significantly, and the outer leaves of the mature plants need to be pruned again. It seems that the violets do not hibernate in summer, and some varieties continue to bloom. This summer, only a few mature plants and the mother leaves of cuttings sacrificed themselves to save the seedlings. The reason why everyone says that seedlings are better at surviving the summer may be related to the rapid alternation of wet and dry conditions, so using a smaller pot is also a key factor for successful summer cultivation.
7. Finally, about mites: It seems inevitable for African violets to get mites, so it's best to use preventive medicine. In April and May, due to dry weather, African violets are prone to mites. I applied avermectin emulsion twice every other week in March and once at the end of June to successfully prevent mite infestation.
Lesson learned: African violets have no problem surviving the winter and summer in my home, but two mature plants I exchanged with a friend died due to lack of daily ventilation and insufficient perlite in the soil mix. So be extra careful when using闷养.
Friendship tip: It is not advisable to copy someone else's care experience exactly; it should be combined with your own growing environment, plant variety, and personal habits.
That's all about whether African violets are easy to grow and the comprehensive knowledge of experienced enthusiasts' care tips. I hope it helps you.