Plant trouble

If your African Violet is struggling , you may be wondering if it ’s time to repot your plant . While some common proceeds can be solved with a proper alimony subprogram , other problems are more serious and will want repotting . In this article , gardening expert Liessa Bowen looks at the most common sign your African Violet needs to be completely repotted .

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African Violet that needs repotting growing in a small container

African violet make great houseplant . They are pronto available , grow well in the home environment , and are beautiful to calculate at . They come in unlike sizes , from miniature 2 - column inch plants to large 12 - inch plants . They also have different leaf normal and a huge act of lustrous and cheerful flower colors .

African violet are gentle to growas long as you may offer their prefer care and grow conditions . A well - worry - for African Violet can live for up to 50 days , but it ca n’t drop that entire lifespan in the same soil and in the same pot . Plants farm , stain nutrients get depleted over time , or your works may have a health condition that requires repotting .

Whenrepotting your African Violet , you will always want to apply smart grunge . There are commercially available soils that are specifically articulate for this species , or you could produce your own portmanteau word . Soil should be light , on the loose , and well - drained , but also fat in organic issue . You will also need a desirable throne with proficient drain holes on the bottom .

A close up view of greenish plan roots in soil, that have become tangled. The backround of the image is blurry. The soil is brown with some black bits. The left side of the image is illuminated while the right side is darker.

There are several reason you mightwant to or need to repot your African Violet . But how do you bonk when it ’s time to repot your plant ? What house can you look for ? Let ’s take a near look at 7 sign that signal you should consider repot your plant .

Your Plant is Root-Bound

African violet like to be snug in their pots , but they may finally become completely root - stick to . They have a reputation for not blooming until they are somewhat root - bound .

Being too cramped in the muckle , however , canrestrict a flora ’s growthandlimit the availability of essential soil nutrient . If the roots have fulfill all available distance in the potful to the point that the plant ca n’t grow new roots , it ’s clip to transplant it .

If your plant is root - bond but otherwise looks okay , you will need to move it to a slightly large size of it pot . Just opt a wad that ’s one step larger than the one it was in .

Close up view of blue-purple violet in a small, round gray pot and two hands holding the plant. Left hand holds a couple of leaves while the right hand presses the soil in the pot. Blurry background that shows soil at the right side and a green leave at the left side of a brown table. The plant has two purple-blue blossoms in the middle and 6 leaves around them. The leaves are dark green.

If you may , softly remove snatch of the onetime ground from the origin mass . pare off any root that look mushy , dead , or rotten . transplant the plant to the larger pot and occupy in around the roots with impudent potting soil .

It’s Been a While Since Repotting

African violetsbenefit from fresh soil a twain of times each year . If it has been 6 months or more since yourplant was repot , it ’s meter to freshen the soil .

you could cautiously remove the works from its corporation and gently brush off the one-time filth from most of the root batch . trim down any roots that appear brown , lousy , or dead .

It may seem like a caboodle of work , but regular repotting is deserving the effort . you’re able to loosely reuse the same toilet unless your plant has completely outgrown it . Just guarantee to good scratch any former grime and mineral deposit from the pot , so it ’s courteous and unobjectionable for reuse .

Purple African violet with 1 flower facing the camera and the other facing down, in a yellowish pot. Three large, green leaves with tiny white hair are around the purple flowers and a few more leaves with dark green and yellow leafstalks at the blurry background.

Always use fresh potting grunge and give your flora a drink to aid understate transplant shock . Your plant will appreciate let freshly renewed soil on a even groundwork .

The Plant is Getting Too Large

If your plantgrows too large for its current pot , it may become unbalanced and summit well . You may observe that the plant leaves gallop well past the edge of the corporation . Measure the width of your plant across the widest part and divide this number by three .

Then , measure the breadth of your pot . If the plant is more than three times the breadth of the pot , it ’s sentence to move it to a slenderly larger pot . This will give your plant more infinite to maturate and develop a goodish base system .

When choose a larger flock , expectant is n’t necessarily skillful . African Violets often do n’t flower until they start to fill in their available pot outer space with roots . An oversized Mary Jane will also be more unmanageable to water adequately . select a pot just one size big than the one it outgrow , and your works will soon be back to growing andblooming extravagantly .

Purple violet in white background, with a dozen green leaves in a dark brown pot placed on a light brown, round, wooden base. The flowers have yellow stamens and long brown stems with buds.

Plant Develops a “Neck”

As African Violets grow , fresh leaves issue from the top of the crown and the lower foliage naturally give way off . Over time , the diadem of the industrial plant moves far from the filth surface , and a “ neck opening ” of bare fore can be seen below the leaf .

This is perfectly natural , but if yourplant has train a long neckand looks too gangly for your discernment , this would be a ripe time to repot your plant .

Plants with a neck havespecial transplantation needs . You have a couple of different options . You could simply transpose it into a deeper Mary Jane , but this may not be the best pick .

Pink African violet with yellow stamens and plenty of green leaves. Some of the leaves look blurry at the white background. Leaves have tiny white hair. At the bottom of the image it’s darker so the leaves look very dark green but at the top of the image there is more light and the leaves look bright green.

To keep the same size of it pot , the best path to allot with this is to separate the top leafy rosette from the lower rooted section and repot just the top part in fresh soil . This may sound drastic , but this method acting cultivate well .

expend a disinfected sharp tongue , precipitous scissors , or works shears to hack the neck a dyad of column inch below the lowest leaf . Trim off any sickly - await leaves as well . Dip the neck in rooting hormone , and repot it in the same size pot filled with wise , slightly damp soil .

Keep your flora in a warm place and keep the land very slightly moist . Within a few weeks , it will start to develop young roots . Once the roots have some time to educate , your plant will continue maturate and blooming as before .

Image with blurry background and a dark-colored pot containing more than 8 green leaves with tiny hair and long leafstalks. The top of the image seems bright so it the pot is probably near a window.

Growth is Slowing

A healthy African Violetshould develop at a steady charge per unit . You will detect fresh leaf emerge from the crown and youthful leave will grow steadily . After a while , the flora emergence may retard dramatically or appear to stop acquire whole .

This could be a sign that your plant needs a dose of fertilizer . It could also be a foretoken that your plant needs to be repot . If it has been 6 months or more since your plant was repotted , slow growth is potential a mansion that it ’s time to repot with tonic territory .

Lack of Blooms

There areseveral potential reasonsyourAfrican Violet quit flowering . They do take natural , brief breaks from flowering , but if it has been a while since your plant has blossom , it may be try out to tell you something is not quite correct . The temperature could be too blistering or too inhuman , your works may require a battery-acid of plant food , or it could be put up from root rot .

But if all the environmental condition seem right and your works has n’t flowered in a while , sample repotting it . Plants finally deplete the nutrients in their soil , causing tedious growth and a want of anthesis . cautiously remove the loose former soil from the root mass and repot your plant with sweet ground .

Pale or Limp Leaves

If your plant ’s leaves are starting to search pallid , but the flora looks otherwise level-headed , you may just need to volunteer your plant some plant food . If theleaves are starting to wiltand the soil is completely dry , it ’s potential your plantsimply involve a boozing of piddle . If your violet has recently experienced some very cold-blooded temperatures , this can also cause leaves to become wilted .

If you are capable to rule out the above reasons that your flora is show signs of picket or wilted folio , do a speedy probe . cautiously remove the plant from its pot .

If the grease has been wet for a while , your plantmay be suffering from root rot , causing the folio to become pale or droopy . Trim off any dead - looking , mushy , or browned ascendent and leafage , and repot your plant in unused soil .

Plant with pale leaves planted in a reddish plastic pot. The plant and soil are both dry, and need repotting.

remove the plant from the pot and check into the root deal for mushy and utter roots is the best way to identify ancestor rot . Rot that has advance to the crown and induce the leaves and stems to become completely mushy is a sign of sophisticated root rot and it ’s probably too late to make unnecessary your plant . If your industrial plant has experienced root rot , you will need to be very careful to not overwater in the future .

Final Thoughts

African violet are wonderful plants to enjoy indoors . Along with offering them sunshine and urine , they will eventually require repotting . Regular repotting can help keep your plants healthy and firm .

If you discover your works fall back vigor or looking sick , it ’s possible that repotting with saucy soil can help . Anytime you repot , apply fresh , unobjectionable soil that ’s flora specific . Use a clean pot , and check that it has adequate drainage . Then you could relax and bask your plant ’s renewed energy !