African Violets naturally grow in a compact rosette shape and are therefore very good in pots. They have heart shaped hairy deep green leaves and simple open faced but brightly coloured single or double flowers over most of the year.
They come in white and many shades of pink, blue, red, mauve and purple.
Light:
Good light is essential for blooming, therefore African Violets should be placed close to a window that offers plenty of diffused light but not direct, harsh sunlight.
Naturally, your violet will grow towards the light, so turn the pot regularly to keep a good shape.
But beware - windowsills can be very good or very bad – in some cases the light will be too intense for part of the day and the proximity to glass may mean that temperatures drop faster and lower than other places in a room.
Watering:
Keep your African Violet moist by maintaining some water in the saucer at all times. Should the potting mix dry out due to lack of water, wet it by watering from the top and let it drain through over the sink to thoroughly wet the potting mix.
This treatment is good to follow around once a month, especially if the plant is in air-conditioned premises.
Alternatively there are self watering pots especially available for African Violets that maintain optimum moisture levels.
Fertilising:
Your African Violet needs to be fed regularly – around once a month during spring, summer and autumn.
There are a variety on the market including many African Violet Liquid Fertilisers that are specially formulated to provide all the required nutrients in the right balance for this plant..
Ventilation:
African Violets love fresh air, but avoid placing your plant where it will be in a draught.
Lack of ventilation can cause mildew problems.
Temperature:
The ideal temperature for African Violets is 24 degrees centigrade during the day, with a drop of 6 degrees at night, but your plant will withstand quite a wide temperature range.
At high temperatures there will be less flowers and they will be smaller and fade more quickly. Buds will also sometimes wither before opening and plant growth can be retarded if its too hot.
Low temperatures will also cause loss of bloom and compact centre growth.
African Violets may not love heat but they do like humidity.
Flowering:
As flowers die, remove them from the plant.
Some varieties may stop blooming during winter and some when their location is changed.
Don't be disappointed, these plants are prolific bloomers and flowers will soon re-appear.
Grooming:
African Violets seek to multiply by growing small plantlets or side-shoots from the main stem.
For a well groomed plant these should be removed with the point of a pencil or something similar.
Some flower buds start from a growth of two leaves, so make sure you are removing side-shoots and not a bud. Wait until the side-shoot has three distinct leaves.
Repotting:
African Violets should be repotted in fresh potting mix every 9 to 12 months. Either choose a mix ready formulated for African Violets or just make sure that it is light and free draining and a slightly acid ph balance.