Not new to AV, but...

10 years ago

I've had this AV for about 6 or 7 years and it's done very well for me, blooming several times a year (more often than my others). I've haven't repotted since I got it. I think I put it in MG AV mix but can't promise that. It's in a plastic nursery pot which sits inside a slip pot without drain holes. The bottom of the nursery pot sits about and inch above the bottom of the slip pot. It's with several other plants on my kitchen bar under two 4' fluorescent lights- one full spectrum, one regular.

I'm wondering, is it to be expected that the stem is growing so tall while the 'canopy' is not getting wider? The leaves are usually pretty full (I just pruned off quite a few of the lower leaves yesterday, which were faded and pale), but not nearly as broad and sprawling as my other AV in the same location.

Does it need a repotting? There are roots growing through the holes of the nursery pot that sit in the small well of water at the bottom of the slip pot. After watering, I make sure the water level isn't touching the bottom of the nursery pot and wait until almost all the water is used up and the leaves are just a tiny bit softer before watering again.

Any thoughts on this practice? I'm a big cactus and succulent person, as well as begonias and ferns, but I'm very fond of this AV in particular as it's my oldest. I reckon it's time I broaden my plant knowledge.

Thanks in advance for information!

I vaguely recall placing some hardwood mulch on the soil surface a few years ago to slow evaporation from my rather strong ceiling fan.

Featured Answer

Velleta Tardiel

10 years ago

That Av is a real trouper. Honestly though, it's BEGGING for a repot. I would opt for rerooting it.

You said your familiar with Avs so you might know how it's done, just in case you don't, there are a lot of YouTube videos that shows this.

Cut the plant right at the soil line, remove blooms, scrape that brown scab from the neck, plant in a mix that has perlite. Dome the plant in a seal clear container for at least 2-3 weeks than slowly introduce it back to the open over the period of a couple days.

And a word of incouragement, you should try to repot your plants at least every six months. This provides nutrients from fresh soil which is probly the reason your plant leaves were smaller, you were starving it. VELLETA

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Comments (6)

dorkstenia
Original Author
10 years ago
Wow, I just watched some videos on YouTube. I had no idea you could be so coarse with the root systems and stems of AVs!

Is removal of the neck at repotting simply an aesthetic measure or does it also have an impact on plant vitality? I can't find any discussion on that matter. I wouldn't hate having a 'standardized' AV as the one I'm concerned about has a very straight neck. My others will need their necks cut back.

Thanks much! This has encouraged me to be more hands on with my African violets. I feel rather sheepish for never having repotted any of them.
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Velleta Tardiel
10 years ago
Don't worry, we all learn something new everyday.

About cutting the neck, is sort of like giving your violet a brand new start. So it grows more vigorous and healthy.

If you like it like that, well that's fine too, but keeping it like that will eventually give you smaller and smaller leaves and less and less blooms.

You stated in your first post that it use to have fuller leaves, that's because it was getting more nutrients from the soil. It have totally used up all that's in that soil and needs new nutrients to be healthy again.

Sort of like a child need proper food to grow so does plant, which leads me to another point.

You need to give your violets AFRICAN VIOLET PLANT FOOD. This provided added nourishment that the soil alone can't give. VELLETA
Rosie1949
10 years ago
I think it would do better planted in 1/2 perlite and 1/2 AV soil (I use miracle gro with good results.) Yours looks more like a cactus type mix. Good luck and let us know how your violets are doing! Rosie
dorkstenia thanked Rosie1949
dorkstenia
Original Author
10 years ago
Rosie, it may very well be a cactus type mix. I deal mostly with succulents; they make up probably 95%?of my collection.

I have many individual components for making soil mixes, and make all my soil mixes myself, so I'm not too keen on buying a premixed bag of AV soil. I have peat and perlite in large quantities for vegetable starts. I've recently moved away from peat to coconut coir in attempt to avoid hydrophobicity. Is peat moss definitely a preferable substrate over coir?

I also have on hand: pumice, granite grit, dolomite grit, pine bark fines, compost, vermiculite, azomite, garden lime, gypsum, horticultural molasses, liquid seaweed, bone meal, blood meal, etc etc etc.

I've been fertilizing the AVs with Schultz liquid violet since I got my first violet (the long necked one) and still have 80% of the bottle left. Admittedly, I've only been fertilizing a few times a year. I'm afraid I've been treating them like succulents as far as feeding goes. :(

I'm moving in 4 months, and the only space I'll have for plants is in a greenhouse. In central Texas. I've been splitting my time between my city house and the farm just outside town for a couple years, and am finally ready to move permanently to the country. The summer high temperatures can be 130F in the greenhouse- easily, even with the sides and ends open, a 50% shade cloth and a 4' industrial fans. I just know my AVs won't tolerate that. So I'm attempting to repot and gift them to friends in the best condition possible so they'll have a fair shake.

I'm learning so much about AVs in the last couple days, that I feel deeply regretful for not exploring sooner and giving them every advantage possible. They've certainly rewarded me more than I deserve.

Thanks so much for all the help!
Rosie1949
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
Good Luck in your move. And good luck in your greenhouse. Whatever you decide to grow. Maaaaayyyyyybe you can find a nice little really shady spot somewhere,,,someday for a violet.

PS--I really like the violet in the front. Very pretty,,,and I like the leaves also!!! Rosie