Mine sometimes get droopy after repotting if I pack them too tight. I've had a few I've bought that were standing straight up (not enough light at the grower's) and to get them to not fall over in the pot I packed them in a little too tight. The outer ring or two of leaves will then droop and possibly die. I've learned to use a support stick instead if they're tipsy.

You could try bagging them, or putting in some kind of plastic container for a bit of extra humidity for a few days and see if they perk up. (Just don't leave them enclosed like that in direct sunlight or you'll cook them.)

African Violets are pretty hardy. They're probably just reacting to the stress of the repotting, re-checking roots, etc.

In this case, less attention is better. Make sure that the soil is damp, and let them be for a few days. They'll come back.

I agree with Melody rose... if you pack the soil around them, they get droopy. I had one violet on wick watering, and it was getting droopy, and the soil was damp, so I took a toothpick and just gently loosened the soil all around the violet, and the next day checked it, and the leaves were crisp again. So my advice would be - don't pack the soil at all! :-)

Mine only seem to droop when they get dry from wick failure. If dried I put the pot down in the reservoir until dampened, once in a while I've had to put them under a dome for moisture. A large plastic cake carrier works well.

Thanks everyone for all the responses! Glad to know it's just in shock and not rotting. They are all still droopy, but nothing is turning brown so hopefully if I leave them alone they will perk up. I don't think I packed the soil, but I took a toothpick and loosened it anyway just in case. I also made little greenhouses for them (put some saran wrap with some sticks holding them up so they don't touch the leaves). What can I do in the future when I repot them so they don't go through such a bad shock? My poor babies I worry so much about them :)

I hope your plants are doing better. I am facing the same situation now. My violet was perfectly happy and healthy, even blooming, until it suddenly went limp a few days ago. I think it's the heat and have moved it to a cooler room. So far, still droopy, but I feel more hopeful after reading your case :)

I was never able to grow AVs until I used the special African violet 2-part pots (where an unglazed ceramic pot with no holes sits in a glazed pot of water).

Daisy, I have one of those pots! I forgot I had it. Thanks for reminding me! I am going to wash it up and put a violet in it and see what happens! Wish me luck!

Felia and Punchinita as soon as I see a violet in distress I cut off 3 or 4 of the best unaffected leaves and start them. Just in case I lose the original violet. I hope your violets perk up, but that is what I do before I do anything else! And if my violet lives then I trade or give the leaves away that I started! Good luck! Rosie

Rosie, do you re-pot your AV's every 6 months?
Fred

No, I don't. As long as they are doing well, growing, thriving and blooming I leave them alone. Except for food/water, love and grooming! They get repotted if they get too large for the pot they are in or develop a neck.

I never touch a violet if it is in distress. For instance if it droops chances are it didn't get enough water. So I water it and wait to see what happens. Usually they perk up if that happens. And if they continue to do well then life is good!

If the plant continues to "die back" then I will hurry and cut off a couple of good leaves to start in case I lose it. And then I watch it and if I see that the only thing that is good on it is the 1st or 2nd row of new leaves I will strip the rest of them off and shake the soil off the roots carefully, scrape gently the neck and repot it keeping it in BARELY damp medium until I see signs of growth. I don't cut the neck off of the roots that are left. I figure a few good roots are better than no roots at all to help it recover.

Sometimes the standard size plants (we used to call the standards Supreme's in the old days) will just grow to big for the pot it is in because they are just big leaved varieties. Then it will go into a pot about 1 or no more than 2 sizes larger than it was growing in.

And it will stay there as long as it is doing well.

Once in a while the soil level will get low, or I just don't like the way the soil on the top of the pot looks and then I will top dress the plant and usually have to take off the very bottom row or two of leaves in the process.

I learned long ago that LESS maintainance is best and MORE observance and admiration is the best way (for me) to raise them sucessfully.

This is what I do with mine. And it works well for me. Did this help you? Ask more questions if you like! Rosie

"scrape gently the neck" ?

Sorry, I wrote that backwards, should have said "gently scrape the neck". I just use my fingernail or something to just scrape off a little of the bark (and sometimes use rooting hormone, but it is not a requirement) to expose it for root formation. Rosie

Thanks Rosie, I never heard of doing that.
Fred

Fred I don't know if that is still the recommended way to do it as far as scraping, but that is the way I learned it over 40 plus years ago. If someone can enlighten me feel free. There is always something new to learn! Rosie

I replotted an African Violet (roots were gone) so I scratched the stem dipped it
in some old (does the stuff have an expiration date?) Root tone and potted it up
and watered it in. So your comments were timely indeed! Thanks
Fred

Hey Fred I think it should work. I don't know if Rootone expires. I bought mine somewhere in the 60's and am still using it. A lot of times I forget to use it I guess that is why it has lasted so long!

When I rooted my long neck, I just balanced it on the rim of a cottage cheese container filled with damp vermiculite. It rooted just fine and made the transition to soil with out batting an eyelash!

Yours should do well! Rosie

This one I put strait into dirt and have placed it in a location that I can keep an eye on it right next to my barely alive variegated patient!