Please help me save my African violet! I got both of these about a year ago. And I have been using a plant specific fertilizer and I water them as and when needed. I am confused…one of them seems to be doing fine, while the other one is wilting away! Am I doing something wrong? Is there a way to fix it? Thank you all for your help!
by joanofarc31
5 Comments
Maybe overwatered they like a nice good dry between waterings?
If you are watering the soil from above, that is likely it. The leaves are very sensitive to moisture. Instead, place the pot in water and let the soil wick it up from below.
1. African violets prefer to be bottom watered because the leaves are very sensitive. I let mine sit for 1 hour in filtered water, drain, and then return to pot
2. My African violets liked to be watered right when the soil was completely dry, no later or they’d get wilted. This was once a week in my house, a little longer in the winter
3. Fertilizing quarterly worked for me, but that all depends on the dosage and growth rate
4. They like their roots to fill the pot, but I noticed wilting when mine were too tight, so I’d maybe inspect the roots. You can always pot right back into the same container without upsizing
I got my first violets from a yard sale. The seller had little plastic saucers under her plants. She said that the secret to blooming them was topping up the water in the saucer every day. It was true! Always had good luck with that
You have some good answers already but I would also add make sure they are not cold and never water with cold water. Room temp or even a bit warm. And in the winter the dry air can make them distressed as well, since they are originally from cloud forests. If you are in a cold place and are running indoor heat I would suggest a humidifier.