| I recently have been able to raise about 20 african violets from leafs. Now being the impatient person I am I was wondering how to get them to bloom as soon as possible? What type of fetilizer do the growers that raise plants to purchase use and what techniques would encourage young plants to bloom? Several violets I have purchased have been very small (3") but were in bloom. How do they accomplish this? |
| The tiny violets in bloom were probably dwarf varieties. These plants are theoretically potentially everblooming, but they do seem to bloom more in spring and summer. Your new plants should be able to bloom within a few months if they are well cared for which is one of the reasons they are so rewarding to grow. Here are some pointers on care: Give the plants average household temperatures, but avoid drafts or sudden changes in temperature. Place the plants in a bright window, but keep it from getting direct sunlight. Keep the soil moist, but wait until the soil surface begins to dry before watering. Use tepid, not cold water, and try not to get water on the leaves or crowns of the plants when you apply water. African violets like humidity in the air. To increase humidity, place the pot on a tray of pebbles in which you keep about a half-inch of water. As the water evaporates it will add humidity. Some expert gardeners are able to get African violets to bloom ten months of the year. This is because the plants are given perfect growing conditions. More often, though, African violets will bloom for a few weeks, then rest for several weeks, and then bloom again. Cut the flowers and stems off when the flowers fade. You can feed them about every two months with a complete houseplant fertilizer for blooming plants (read and follow the label directions), or with a special African Violet fertilizer. For more specifics about how avid hobby and professional growers care for their violets you might enjoy http://www.avsa.org/ the website for the African Violet Society of America. Enjoy your violets! |
