Question: Some of the leaves that I have rooted aren’t producing babies. The rooted leaf seems to be healthy. In fact, it seems to be growing. Answer: When selecting leaves to propagate, it’s best to use those that are fully mature, but not old. The usual advice is to use a leaf from a middle row, but […]
Question: Can I reuse a leaf cutting? Answer: Sure. After removing and potting plantlets, the “mother” leaf can be rerooted. It will still be capable of producing more plantlets, though it may not produce as many the next time around. Usually, it’s more productive to simply wait until the plantlets grow large enough to have their […]
Question: I suspect that it’s time to repot my violet, since it has an ugly trunk and it’s been a long time since I last did this. I’m afraid to though, since it’s still blooming and I don’t want to lose the flowers. Is there a best time to repot? Answer: The best time to do anything […]
Question: Why are miniature violets small? Will it grow bigger if I pot it in a larger pot? Answer: The answer to this question seemed so obvious that we hesitated to include it here. Then we remembered all of the visitors to our shop, some of whom already grew African violets, that didn’t realize the distinction between […]
Question: Must I always grow minis in small pots and standard varieties in large pots? I have very limited space, and would like to grow standards in small pots as well. Answer: Again, the rule for proper pot size is to use a pot the same size as the plant’s root system. For minis and semiminiatures, this […]
Question: Do you repot when the soil is dry or damp? Answer: It is best, and easiest, to repot from moist soil into moist (but not soggy) soil. “Moist” meaning the plant hasn’t just been watered, nor does it need to be immediately watered–it will need watering in another day or two. Just-watered plants, or those in […]
Question: After I repot, my violet looks dull and limp, even though I know it’s been watered. Answer: This is a mistake easily made by novices. The best advice is to repot from moist soil into moist (not wet) soil. After repotting into premoistened soil, water only lightly. This seems to be wrong since, when gardening outdoors we always […]
Question: Should I premoisten soil when I repot? Answer: We prefer to. To begin with, premoistened soil is much easier to work with, since it clings together somewhat and can be “molded” in the pot. It’s also less messy since it’s less “dusty”–you won’t be inhaling this, either. Moisten the soil the night before, using hot water. […]
Question: I’d like information regarding ratio of pot size to plant. Answer: This is probably the most frequently asked question in our shop. One of the most common mistakes the novice grower makes is to pot their violet into too large a pot, assuming that every repotting means potting into the next size pot. Having said that, […]
Question: I’d like information regarding ratio of pot size to plant. Answer: This is probably the most frequently asked question in our shop. One of the most common mistakes the novice grower makes is to pot their violet into too large a pot, assuming that every repotting means potting into the next size pot. Having said that, […]
