African Violets: Watering

African violets may look exotic, but they are not difficult to grow. In fact, they do very well as houseplants, providing certain basic environmental and cultural requirements are met. One very vital factor to be considered is proper watering.

Like all plants, the roots of African violets must have the right amounts of air and water. To maintain the proper balance, you must use a porous, well-drained potting mixture. And, after you water thoroughly, you should let all the excess water drain from the bottom of the pot.

In deciding when to water and how much to apply, consider the prevailing light, temperature, and humidity conditions, as well as the kind of soil and types of pots your African violets are growing in. Plants in clay pots require more frequent watering than those in plastic pots, because clay containers allow greater evaporation. Decorate glazed post without drainage holes are generally unsatisfactory.

African violets may be watered from the top or bottom. When watering from the top, it’s a good idea to mix a little warm water with the cold, to get the water up to about room temperature. This is to avoid spots, which may result from cold water striking the foliage. To water from the bottom, simply place the pots in a container holding about one inch of water, and leave them there until the soil surface becomes moist. Then, remove the pots from the water. At least every third watering should be from the top to wash down accumulating salts. As a general rule, water each time the soil feels dry, but before it becomes hard, or the plants wilt. With African violets- as with most plants- too much water causes trouble more often than too little.

Some people use a wick-watering system for their African Violets. This works on the same principle as oil lamps. Water is kept in a reservoir and is soaked up by a wick that leads into the soil around the roots of the plant above. You can buy wick-watering pots. Or, you can make your own, using ordinary clay pots held over a water reservoir made out of something like a cottage cheese container.

Commercial wick pots usually have fiberglass wicks. You can buy these separately at most garden centers, or make your own from strips of old nylon stockings. Use a wick about 6 inches long. Thread half of it through a hole in the bottom of the pot, add soil mix on top of the wick, and set the plant normally. Then, run the other end of wick into the reservoir. You might let the soil surface dry just a little before refilling. It’s also wise to clean the reservoir about once a month, to reduce the chance of plant disease growth.

No matter which watering method you use, keep the soil moderately moist and well aerated; keep cold water off the leaves, and keep the crown- the part all the leaf stems grow from- as dry as possible. Finally, be sure you use pots with drainage holes to prevent fertilizer buildup and root rotting.