African Violets

AFRICAN VIOLETS

Hi Friends!

Well, summer is upon us. Temperatures are nearing on 100 degrees here in Texas – a good reason to stay inside and write a tip!

I am grateful to one of my eBay customers, Sabrina Romero from Puerto Rico, for this tip idea. Sabrina purchased our Sphagnum Peat Moss, Vermiculite and Perlite (SVP) combination recently. She will be using this for her African Violets. After her purchase, she sent me a nice note suggesting I add a little activated charcoal to this combo and sell it as an African Violet Mix. My reaction? “Hmm... I think I will.“

New from PS NATURE CREATIONS:

Texas Hydroblast African Violet Potting Soil & African Violet Pots

I’ve done some “due diligence” (researching the latest recommendations for African Violet soils along with more experimentation) and learned our SVP Mix alone should work quite well. Some growers use the Sphagnum and Vermiculite and some use the Sphagnum and Perlite. Sometimes sand is recommended as part of the mix while others suggest using potting soil with the addition of SVP. Activated charcoal is sometimes mixed in with the soil and sometimes used in the bottom of the pot for drainage. We have created our own special Texas Hydroblast African Violet Potting Soil Blend, packaging the activated charcoal separately from our mix so you can choose how to use it when planting.

While discussing this with Judy, we got to talking about African Violets and how we used to love growing them [a joy you won’t forget!]. I shared with her that my very first Hypertufa piece was a small pot I made for an African Violet. I had three African Violets, all the same variety, in three plastic pots, all on the same windowsill. (At one time I had a rather large collection growing under lights.) Since I had just learned about Hypertufa back then, I experimented to see if it was really any better than plastic for Violets. After making that first small pot, I transferred one of the African Violets to it. I was amazed! It was the only one of the three plants that bloomed CONTINUOUSLY!

African Violets thrive in Hypertufa!

I have used different types of containers for Violets; some are pots inside pots (you water between the pots). Others use wicks for watering. Many are ceramic and quite decorative. The usual justification for watering African Violets from underneath is based on the theory that African Violets don’t like their leaves to get wet. I believe cold water on their leaves might spot them, but room temperature water should be okay. African Violets also do best in soil that is uniformly moist. Hypertufa pots, which are water absorbent, keep the soil consistently moist for extended periods of time, particularly when used with Vermiculite. No wicking is necessary. No two-pot strategy is necessary.

So we agreed to carry not only a new African Violet Mix, but also a new line of Hypertufa African Violet Pots. These containers need not be large, since African Violets like to have their roots a little crowded, and most plants are pretty small. The size of these pots allows us to ship at a reasonable cost to our buyers. Both pots and potting soil are now available in our eBay Store.

While I’m at it, I’ll add my instructions for the care of African Violets as part of this TIP:

AFRICAN VIOLET CARE:

African Violets aren’t violets at all, but they do come from Africa. The scientific name for them is ‘Saintpaulia ionantha’. They are one of the easiest houseplants to propagate; I have started many new plants from a stem cutting in a small glass of water. These little plants are also some of the best suited for living indoors year round.

Proper light, water and feeding are important. Use a water-soluble fertilizer and feed every other week. (Don’t fertilize newly potted or re-potted plants for 6-8 weeks.)

**Feed monthly if using a Hypertufa pot. (In my experiment, I was pretty lax about feeding – my plant still bloomed!)

Position your African Violet in an east or west facing window, or north during summer months. They also do very well under lights.

Many experts feel rainwater or melted snow is superior to tap water. You likely won’t go wrong using bottled water.

Ideal temperature is 70-75 degrees. Temps. Below 65 slow growth, so move from cold windows in winter.

Of course, we recommend PsNature’s African Violet Mix for the soil of choice.

A frequent cause of non-blooming is low humidity. Some choose to place their plants in a kitchen window (cooking, etc. adds humidity.) Others put a tray of pebbles under their plants and add water to the pebbles. (I don’t think this is necessary with a Hypertufa pot!)

I won’t discuss propagation here, beyond what was mentioned above, but feel free to contact us if you want more information on propagation.

I recommend this: If you haven’t tried growing African Violets, go ahead and buy a few. Get some of our pots and some of our soil (we combine shipping). There are many plant varieties available in many different bloom colors. You can start with a few and make your own special collection!

So, I have three summer projects ahead:

Create more African Violet Pots
Stir up some Texas Hydroblast Soil Mix and

Make a Hypertufa version of the Topsy-Turvey Tomato Planter. I’m real excited about making one of these!

Check our eBay store for our NEW listings!

Have a safe and Happy Summer. See you next time!

Peggy Wells

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