Software
Houzz Logo Print
jordancr4

My African Violet needs help!

8 years ago

I bought this little guy a few weeks ago not knowing what it was. It was the only one left, the stick was gone and the lady that checked me out couldn't give me any info. I'd never seen one but it wasn't too much and I liked the flowers, so I went with it anyway. I now know I should have found someone else or searched around sooner to figure it out.

I've watered it only once, but that was BEFORE I found out it was an African Violet and you are not suppose to water the leaves or flowers. I think I nearly killed the poor little thing, if it survives.

Some of the bottom leaves turned soggy or spongy like and fell off, others are brown and flowers have almost all turned brown. It is all my fault. How can I save this beauty?

I wanted to put it outside to help dry out, but I read not to put in outside or in direct sun. Is that true? I have it by a back window that gets some morning sun, but not sure if that is enough. Should I move it somewhere else?

Next time I promise to only water the soil at the bottom!! Yikes!

Comments (28)

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    You may have something you can salvage, but you'll need to do a few things ...

    The plant looks like it is over watered, which is one of easiest ways (and most common) to kill your plant.

    The roots of the African Violet need to be able to take in air, as well as water. Therefore, they are susceptible to root rot if the soil is too wet. What happens is that the roots aren't able to breathe as water has filled up all of the empty cavities of the root-ball.

    The solution to this is to keep your African Violet soil just damp, and never soggy.

    So, the first step that you need to take is to take your plant out of the pot, along with its soil, and sit it on some paper towels to allow it to dry out some.

    Once the soil is drier, you want to repot the plant, but in a plastic pot w/drainage holes ... and a top diameter of no more than 4 inches wide. This will, likely, mean that you will have to leave out/off some of the excess soil.

    Where you have the plant sitting looks okay for now. After a few days, snap off the outer ring of wilted leaves. You should be able to press the stems down where they connect to the main stem ... and they just snap off. You can do the same to remove wilted flower stalks.

    If your plant is salvageable, it should perk up after a while.

    Others may chip in with advice to sit your plant in platic bag, but I'll let them detail that process for you, since I've never done it.

    jordancr4 thanked aegis1000
  • 8 years ago
    Thanks Joanne! Great info and good news! I am going to start the saucer watering and check out the website. And yes, they did have green in the flowers!! That’s exciting, hope I can keep it up. Thanks again :)
  • 8 years ago

    Well ... Joanne thinks it looks under-watered .... and I think that it looks over-watered. Only your finger can tell.

    Depending on what your finger tells you, ... proceed ...

    But that brings up an important point. Under-watering and over-watering can lead to the same wilted looking condition.

    Try to keep your soil damp to barely dry ... so that your plant's roots can get water and air.

    Check out information at the link below for more information about successfully growing African Violets.

    https://www.optimara.com/africanvioletcare1.html#anchor460712

    jordancr4 thanked aegis1000
  • 8 years ago

    Hi Jordan, was wondering what size pot is the violet in. Also curious if those are pebbles on top of the soil.

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    In any case, it'll be a while before your plant is up to blooming again, ... so go and get yourself another one ... or two, so that you can have bloom in the meantime.

    Set new plants in bright sunlight indoors ... and water carefully. You should be able to maintain your blossoms for awhile.

    Water them when the top of the soil seems dry, usually no more than once/week. Let excess water run out of the drainage holes and discard the excess.

    P.S. I would water with jugged Spring water (available at your grocery) until you check with your water supplier to see if they use Chloramine, as that chemical is deadly to African Violets.

  • 8 years ago
    The soil at the top feels almost dry now but I might have over watered it. Idk? It’s hard to tell, but my new moisture reader should be here tomorrow and then I can tell for sure. While I’ve only watered it once I didn’t know what I was doing to it then or when I got it, so I definitely could have drowned it. That’s why I’m trying to get some help. I’ve read a lot about the saucer watering so I’ll probably try that for watering once I check it with the moisture reader.
    And yes they are pebbles at the top. Again, clueless here. I’m guessing that it trapping moisture and not letting it breath as required. I’ll take those out today. And also post what the moisture level is tomorrow and go from there.
  • 8 years ago
    Oh and it is a 6in pot.
  • 8 years ago

    Well ... You'll have to take it out of that pot anyway. It's too big.

    For now, use a 4" diameter max. wide pot.

  • 8 years ago
    Oh and I wouldn’t this it would be an issue with Chloramine. I checked and I live in An area that reports 0% of that in our water.
  • 8 years ago
    And I just put it in the same size pot it came in. So guess I’ll need another.
  • 8 years ago
    Okay. I took it out of the pot and here is what she looks like. I would say it is damp, but not soaked though. Some areas dryer than others. How long should I wait to dry out and re-pot?
  • 8 years ago

    A word about pot size.

    My personal experience was that I would put African Violets in larger pots, hoping that they would grow up ... to the size of the pot.

    Instead, they just died.


    Turns out, African Violet growers have determined that you get best results if the diameter of your pot is 1/3 the spread of the plant. So ... for a plant with a 9" spread, you'd use a 3" pot.

    Or ... for a plant with a 12" spread, you'd use a 4" pot. For a plant with a 6" spread, you'd use a 2" pot.

    This leaves about 2/3 of the leaf-span hanging over the side of the plant, as shown below ...

    This ratio is the most helpful for keeping the water in correct balance for the plant's roots. If the pot's too big, too much water hangs around for too long, which, ultimately, proves detrimental to the plant.

    It took me a while to learn this ... but it is true.

    jordancr4 thanked aegis1000
  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    That was probably part of my problem. I will deff get a new pot for it this week and measure before buying.

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Okay ... that doesn't look too wet. In fact, it looks good.

    Put it back in the pot it came in ... until you get the right size.

    Next step ... make sure that your plant is getting enough light ... for sustained blooming.

    You might want to get a cheap desk lamp ... and put a CFL bulb in it. Then keep the light on 10-12 hours every day about 6" over the plant.

    CFL BULB

    DESK LAMP

  • 8 years ago

    Must have been a reason that plant originally came in a 6" pot, and with wavy leaves perhaps it's an Optimara Space Plant. Hold onto to that large pot for down the road.

    jordancr4 thanked dviolet1
  • 8 years ago

    Oh I have a lamp right next to it but I do not turn it on very often, I can start doing that too.

  • 8 years ago

    Yes, the leaves are wavy and were like that when I purchased it.

  • 8 years ago

    Your lamp will need a CFL bulb ... or perhaps an LED. Incandescents don't have the right wavelength of light for plant growth/blooming.

  • 8 years ago

    We use LED bulbs. This one has an Edison bulb in it now but I can change it out, I have CFL too.

  • 8 years ago

    Yup, soil looks perfect and also does not look like the usual Optimara potting mix. But please, remove all the dead stuff. It does look like a rare Optimara "space violet" in even more rare green and white color. We do not usually identify AV's here, but because that was mentioned, I agree.

    If that is what you got, then it is one of the sturdiest AVs around. You got yourself a beauty. It is obvious you cared for your plant, giving it decorative pebbles in a pretty pot. And even sending for a moisture meter! But honestly, they do best in plastic.

    The glazed pot is also not ideal. Also, the leaf span will eventually cover the pot. So no top soil treatment required.

    When the leaves have the correct amount of water retention, they will feel stiff and look fresh and hydrated. Your foliage already looks 50% better in just a few hours.

    You can also place your little guy, in its saucer, then in a small bowl, such as a small cereal bowl, add your pebbles, and water. That will give it humidity.

    Aegis is correct, it is done blooming for now. Once it recovers, it will bloom again in several months. Also, his suggestion to get two more is excellent. The AVs do better when near others, in a grouping. If you want suggestions of where else to get AVs, do ask here. (We generally don't recommend the grocery store. But a quality orchard or nursery might be ok. The main reason is you do not want to bring in tiny bugs called thrips from retail store plants.)

    Yoh have a choice with bulbs. You could get a full spectrum bulb through Amazon. A tad expensive, though.

    As for light, depends on where you live. Where Aegis lives, full or direct sunlight is ok.

    But where I live, in sunny California, the light must be filtered, no direct sun, only partial shade.

    So, do read the Optimara link Aegis sent to learn about proper lighting for spring in your area. Summer light will be stronger and shifts position.

    It does not look like it needs the plastic bag treatment. But you can take a square piece of Saran Wrap and drape it over the top. You can prop up the Saran Wrap with some type of plastic pick. I use plastic lid stoppers from Starbucks. They have very long picks on one end with a wide rounded top.

    These are just temporary measures until your little guy recuperates.

    Note that African violets will seem counter-intuitive, at first. Their root systems are disproportionately small, they have no trunks, or main stems, so the leaf span is tight. They grow slowly. They need less direct light, and less water than you think.

    Aegis, that's a pretty Kahlih Marie from Harmony House!

    Joanne




  • 8 years ago
    Okay, here is what my AV looks like today. I snapped off all the dying leaves and flowers and put it in a 4in pot. I bought clay this morning before I saw the plastic suggestion. Hope this is okay.
    Soil was getting pretty dry since I took it out yesterday, so I watered it with a saucer this time. Not the one in the photo, I sat it on a dry one when I was done so it wouldn’t get soggy.
    I bought this one from a local nursery. It was the only one at the time but I may go back this weekend to see if they have more.
    Thanks everyone for the suggestions! Hoping I can keep this up now.
  • 8 years ago

    Good job ...

  • 8 years ago

    I would bet money your violet is Optimara MySensation. Rosie

  • 8 years ago

    I echo Aegis comments! And Rosie's. The issue with the clay pot is that you will have to water the plant more often. The clay does not keep it evenly moist. The edges of the pot can accumulate salts and abrade the leaf stems. However, because it appears to be a prized variety of Optimara, the foliage is likely to grow out horizontally, not touching the pot. There is no rush to repot it. Turn the pot 1/4 turn each time you water it. Just be on the lookout for a goodlooking, sturdy plastic pot that is the color of clay. The plant will grow large, so get a sturdy pot. This is the time of year when shops carry them. By all means, get another AV or two. You can ask when they get a shipment. Usually in May. Do yourself a favor, and get a fresh one. Joanne

  • 8 years ago
    *UPDATE*
    Hey!
    I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for all the advise and helping me save my AV. I’ve kept a close eye on it and used all the tips everyone suggested

    I have my first flower back! Yay! You can tell the newer leaves in the middle are so much healthier and green than the older ones I saved.
    Very pleased with these results.
    Thanks again & happy gardening!
  • 8 years ago

    Jordancr4 congratulations to you!!!! Glad everything turned out well!!! Keep reading we have plenty of information about violets! Rosie

  • 8 years ago

    That was a lot of info to take in all at once and incorporate! Glad you stuck with it. Plant looks great.