Help with repotting

7 years ago

Hi -

I've had this African Violet for many years and have never repotted. I noticed the soil getting low and was trying to remove it from the ceramic pot and it just came out. I'm assuming I lost a lot of roots. ;( It's been really prolific for as long as I've had it. I know the ceramic self-watering pots are controversial but I've had good luck with it. Until now - when the lip wouldn't allow me to get the plant out. I have no idea how AV roots should look - advice on repotting? Do I bury what looks like the stem? How far? I removed a lot of the lower leaves.

Any help is much appreciated!

Featured Answer

irina_co

7 years ago

I would remove a good amount of the lower leaves, trim a stem so it has an inch or less of a bare stem left, scrape a cork off, at least some of it and plant it in a small pot with stem all under the soil. The best would be dome it - but draping it with plastic will do. When it is rooted and growing well - you can think about moving it back to the old pot - with fresh soil - and water it from the top until it catches up. The problem with double ceramic - it can let too much water in through the pores - and a small plant is not able to drink it all - and the soil gets too soggy.

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Comments (13)

YOLANDA
7 years ago
Sunset, yes bury the stem. It should reroot and give you more flowers. Some growers cover the plant with a plastic baggie, leaving the bottom of the baggie open so that air can circulate. For me, this does not work. Maybe there is too much humidity in our house. You can cover the plant and see if that works for you.

I am sure better experts than I am will chime in. There will be others with an opinion.

Let us know how it is going. Good Luck!

Yolanda
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fortyseven_gw
7 years ago
If you have rooting powder, dust the scraped core. Be sure to pot the leaves separately. Perfect advice from Irina. The ceramic pots eventually lose porosity.
slowjane CA/ Sunset 21 thanked fortyseven_gw
fortyseven_gw
7 years ago
When they lose porosity, they do not let the water through. It might be possible to restore them. Maybe with a vinegar wash, but not sure. J
YOLANDA
6 years ago
Hi All, I repotted my Tony's Surprise in November/19. In accordance with all advice, I put it in a plastic baggie, and now there is no sign of water on the baggie. Should i take it out of the baggie and water it? In the alternative, should I remove it from the baggie completely? Any advice would be helpful.

Thanks,

Yolanda
irina_co
6 years ago
Yolanda - Happy New Year - andI hope you already added some water ;-))
YOLANDA
6 years ago
Yes Irina, I have added water to my Tony's Surprise. Now it has been in the baggie almost a month. At some point in time, I will have to take it out. Any advice on doing this would be helpful.

Yolanda
irina_co
6 years ago
Yolanda - trust your instincts - if it perked up and started growing - it is probably time.
YOLANDA
6 years ago
Irina, it perked up a little. I think it was dry, so it got watered on Wednesday. It still feels somewhat dry, and will get water tomorrow, Saturday. I may add some more soil to the flower pot. I feel that now it will survive.

Thanks for your advice.

Yolanda
irina_co
6 years ago
Great! your green magic worked!
YOLANDA
6 years ago
Irina, we will see. I took off some the leaves that were surely gone. Now it is out on the window sill. I watered it today. It is up to the plant now.

Thanks, again, for your advice.

Yolanda
slowjane CA/ Sunset 21
Original Author
6 years ago
Glad you got it repotted Yolanda. My update is that the one I repotted just bloomed. So I guess it's happy. I also have two new plants grown from leaves. They're almost as big as the original one.
YOLANDA
6 years ago
Hi Slowjane, my Tony's Surprise pouted, and then I put it in a freezer bag. About a week ago, I took it out and watered it with the water in the bag. I have watered it twice again over the past week.

I also repotted ACA's Pink Delight. It also pouted, but I did not put it in a bag. It was downstairs staring at the car. At one point it was upstairs in the master bedroom, and I moved it back there. It does not seem to have made progress, but also it does not seem as pouty as it once was. Here is hoping to success with both plants.

Yolanda