African Violets: Proper Growing Conditions
by Dr. Robert Black, Consumer Horticultural Specialist

African violets make excellent houseplants, providing you establish and maintain proper growing conditions. Good lighting alone isn't enough to keep your plants growing and flowering vigorously. Other important factors include proper soil preparation, adequate fertilizer, and humidity, and correct temperature.

African violets usually adapt easily to an indoor environment. But, as with most plants, you must pay attention to some of their basic needs to encourage maximum growth and flowering.

While African violets will tolerate the relatively dry air found in most homes, they prefer a fairly high humidity. Fortunately, there is a rather simple method by which you can increase the moisture in the air around your plants. Put a layer of pebbles in a shallow, watertight metal or plastic tray, and place your African violet pots on the pebbles. As the water evaporates, it will raise the humidity around the plants. Add water as needed. But, don't add enough to contract the bottom of the pots because this could cause the soil to become waterlogged, resulting in root damage.

Like humidity, temperature varies from home to home, and season to season. African violets grow best when the night temperature is 65 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit. But, they'll satisfactorily withstand a range of 60 to 80 degrees. Prolonged exposure to temperatures above 80 degrees will reduce growth and flowering. During such periods, put your plants in the coolest spot available, or in an air-conditioned room.

Soil is another important factor in the health of African violets. Poorly drained soil is just about the most common cause of retarded root growth. So, good drainage is the most important consideration in choosing a potting medium for your plants. You want a loose, light, and porous mixture. You can purchase commercially prepared African violet soil mixes at your favorite garden center. But, some of these are better than others. So, look for the one that's light, loose, and relatively sterile. If you prefer, you can easily make your own by mixing equal volumes potting soil, sphagnum peat moss, and horticultural grade perlite. Half-and-half mixtures of only sphagnum peat moss and perlite will also support excellent African violet plant growth.

Most commercial potting mixes have been sterilized. If you mix your own, you can sterilize it by slightly moistening the mixture, and heating it in your oven at 180 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Clay pots can be treated like soil, in the oven. Plastic post can be cleansed with a diluted chlorox solution.

African violets need adequate light-either natural or artificial, good potting soil, the proper temperature, and frequent fertilizer applications. Fertilize with each watering, using about one-fourth the amount recommended on the fertilizer label.