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Saturday, February 24, 2018

Care for African Violets by Vicky Spelman

Photo Elaine Lockey
African violets can be a great indoor plant for Colorado. Their care is fairly simple and they will bless you with beautiful blooms. Here are tips for their care:
  • Light: Moderate to bright, indirect, indoor light.
  • Water: In general, African Violets need just enough water to keep the soil moist, but never soggy and should be room temperature. They have self-watering pots - a smaller pot with the violet sits in a larger pot that has a water fill line and when nearly empty refill.
  • Fertilizer: Your fertilization practices can also impact how well African violets bloom. Unlike plants that grow outdoors, houseplants are totally dependent on the grower to apply sufficient nutrients without overdoing it. The small pots these plants are typically grown in do not maintain a large reserve of nutrients. If you do not fertilize them on a regular basis, they may not have the necessary nutrients to spend on flowers. On the other hand, too much fertilizer with high nitrogen content can lead to lush foliage at the expense of flowers.
  • Other tips: Pinch off spent blossoms and blossom stems to encourage development of new blooms. Place plants away from floor vents, fans, or entrance doors to avoid air drafts and bursts of cold air.
For additional information: 


Why Isn’t my African Violet Blooming. https://extension.psu.edu/why-isn-t-my-african-violet-flowering.