HOUSEPLANT PROFILE

AFRICAN VIOLETS

Grandma was right! These tiny charmers call out for love and affection by Georgie Kennedy

I’M GUESSING you remember African violets (Saintpaulia ionantha) growing in your grandparents’ living room. Don’t you wish you could ask what made them bloom so prolifically?

Could it have been the intimate and caring relationship between gardener and plant? The fuzzy leaves in rosette-shaped whorls have always appealed to anyone with a tactile nature, and the adorable flowers of these tiny charmers practically call out for love and attention.

What are the reasons for their enduring popularity? African violets are like furry puppies, except they stay strictly confined to their containers and must never go gallivanting outdoors in the summer. They are non-toxic, thus compatible with all babies, both fur and human. They’re inexpensive and come in a wide range of variegation and flower colour. With the right care, they give nearly constant bloom. Understanding their needs is fairly intuitive.

Rekindle your love for these old-fashioned favourites with the following tips.

Container: African violet roots do well in small containers. Ideally, the diameter of the pot should be a third the size of the plant’s diameter, measured from one leaf tip across to the opposite leaf tip. A drainage hole and saucer are necessary. For more technical advice on every aspect, including measurement guides and how to set the roots into the pot, visit Baby Violets, a specialist blogger at babyviolets.com.

Soil: African violets do best in a light, loose, slightly acidic mix that allows air to reach the roots. Leave the soil for six months, then simply replace with African violet or indoor potting mix. Both compositions are perfect for them.

Light: Place your African violet where it gets plenty of indirect light. Its sensitive leaves will burn if exposed to strong, bright sun beaming all day long into a south facing window. If you notice the flower stems becoming leggy, give it more sky exposure but keep it from touching cold glass. Some growers rotate a quarter turn weekly to allow equal light. For a clear, scientific method of calculating the right spot for every plant, I recommend Darryl Cheng’s blog, House Plant Journal at www.houseplantjournal.com

Water: Remember the roots require aeration. Water only when the soil feels dry and avoid splashing those fuzzy leaves. They’ll rot if dampness settles on them. A long-mouthed watering can will allow you to direct the water properly. Let any excess escape to prevent root decay. Clay pellets/pebbles or a self-watering system can provide humidity to help replicate the mountains and forests of Kenya and Tanzania, home of the African violet. But make sure the drainage hole is not blocked. Misting is not recommended. Yes, you can add leftover (organic) tea water to the can, just as Grandma did. African violets like acidic soil.

Fertilizer: Flowering consumes nutrients in the soil and each watering dilutes those nutrients. If you wish to have continuous bloom, it will be necessary to provide the right food. According to the African Violet Society of Canada: “African violets prefer the availability of fertilizer in small amounts or what is known as a continuous feeding.” African violet fertilizers are available at retailers. They range from one that has a balanced N-P-K (nitrogenphosphorus-potassium) ratio such as 20-20-20 to one that is somewhat higher in phosphorus such as 12-36-14 or 15-30-15. The latter two formulas are designed to produce more and larger blooms. No matter which formula you use it should have added micro-nutrients, particularly if you are using a soilless mix or one that is nearly soilless. Be sure to follow the directions on the label.

Propagation: Making more African violets is so simple that some guides use them as the illustrated example.

Division: Turn over a crowded container and gently pull the plants apart.

Cuttings: 1. Take a new leaf with its stem attached and insert the stem into a pot with growing medium. Roots should develop in four weeks. Some growers suggest cutting off the tip first and some suggest dipping in rooting powder. Why not experiment? 2. Cover a glass of water with plastic wrap or fill a hydroponic vase with water and insert the stem only. Change the water regularly. Roots should develop in four weeks.

Ongoing care: To encourage new growth, simply pinch or snip off individual dead flowers and leaves. To wash the dust off the leaves, let Baby Violet be your guide. I’ve found African violets to be mostly problemfree. Refer to the recommended websites or books below for other issues you may encounter.

HELPFUL TOOLS AND MATERIALS

Light meter, hygrometer (humidity meter), longmouthed watering can, specialty fertilizer and soil, long handled snips, hydroponic glass vasehandled snips, hydroponic glass vase

https://www.optimara.com/ doctoroptimara/diagnosis.html https://www.houseplantjournal.com/

Darryl Cheng’s lighting guide is worthy of bookmarking for future reference: https://www.houseplant journal.com/bright-indirect-lightrequirements-by-plant/ https://donotdisturbgardening.com/

PLANT CARE AND PROPAGATION REFERENCE BOOKS

• Complete Guide to Houseplants, Meredith books, Des Moines, Iowa, 2008

• New Plant Parent: Develop Your Green Thumb and Care for Your House-Plant Family, Darryl Cheng. Abrams, The Art of Books, New York, 2019 • Indoor Plants, Lia Leendertz. HarperCollins, London, 2004

• Indoor Plant Gardening For Canada, Laura Peters. Lone Pine, 2004 • Houseplants, David Squire and Margaret Crowther, Chancellor Press, London, 1995

• Plant Parenting: Easy Ways to Make More Houseplants, Vegetables, and Flowers, Leslie F. Halleck. Timber Press Inc, Portland, Oregon, 2019

• Propagating Plants, Alan Toogood, editor. Dorling, Kindersley, 2004.

HANDS OFF THOSE AFRICAN VIOLETS

YEARS AGO, I heard that failure with African violets was due to lack of a mysterious substance in in the fingertips of good gardeners. I chose to believe it because mine flourished. I recently discovered that scientists researched a similar theory and recommended that people not touch the leaves, especially with lotion on their hands (Science Daily, 6 Dec 2009*). Upon close reading of that study, you may agree with me that anyone with the time to caress the leaves of their plants five times daily is obsessed. I still touch mine…I’m usually too lazy to lotion up after washing. Besides, if I wouldn’t drink it, why would I put it into the pores of a plant? — Georgie Kennedy