The African violet actually comes from Africa. But it can now be found in almost every garden. However, it only thrives here with the right care.
Their homeland is East Africa, more precisely, the Usambara Mountains - and certainly not Germany with its changeable weather. Nevertheless, the African violet (Saintpaulia ionantha) is of course also available from us and feels very much at home here. However, only if you also give the violet a little care and observe a few important points regarding the position. The African violet has a few claims in this regard.
How to properly care for African violets
❍ Tip 1 - the right location:
The African violets are not suitable for outdoors, as they are used to constant temperatures between 20° and 25° Celsius. Therefore, it is best to place your African violets on the window sill or in the conservatory. The temperatures there should not fall below 15 degrees, because the flower does not like that at all. Even drafts are not good for the violet.
One might assume that a plant that loves warmth would also like the sun. That is only partially true with the African violet. Full sun is not good. She prefers partial shade.
❍ Tip 2 - Keep the plant evenly moist:
Water the violets only over the soil and never over the leaves. Also, keep the substrate evenly moist. The soil is only allowed to dry on the surface. But don't water too much. Otherwise waterlogging could occur. And the African violet does not like this at all, since then the roots begin to rot. Therefore, always pour away excess water in the coaster.
❍ Tip 3 - African violets need a lot of nutrients:
The African violet needs a lot of nutrients to be able to form many flowers. She cannot pull these out of the substrate on her own. So it needs a little support in the form of fertilizer. Use a liquid fertilizer for this. You should give this every 14 days during the main growing season from March to September.
If leaves begin to rot, you must remove them immediately and stop fertilizing, because too much of a good thingcauses aphids and powdery mildew.
❍ Tip 4 - Repot African violets:
You don't have to repot African violets regularly. However, it is high time when the plant gets too tight in the pot. Then you should plant the African violet in spring in a larger flower pot. This should have a hole in the bottom so that excess water can drain off and waterlogging can be avoided. It is best to mix a little clay granulate under the substrate so that it becomes more permeable.