In 1892 , Baron Walter Von Saint Paul discovered theAfrican violetin East Africa in the tropical rain forest region . This dauntless , forgiving plant feature somewhat haired leave that are heavy with flowers that have five petals . As this petal contour is airless to the usual violet , this is where the industrial plant got its name .
There are undivided and double flowers to choose from , and even though they originally follow inpurple hues , selective breeding now insure there are shades of maroon , bloodless , and pink available . Butwhat fertilizerdoes the African violet need to fly high and show these iconic colors ?
Why Fertilizer Is Important
The lowdown on NPK ratios
When you look at a bag of fertilizer , you ’ll notice three number part by elan . This is the N - P - K ratio , and it fend fornitrogen , daystar , and atomic number 19 . The numbers tell you how much of each is in the plant food . These three large nutrients do the following :
Nutrient
What it Does
Effects of Overuse
Nitrogen ( N )
Phosphorus ( phosphorus )
Potassium ( K )
Proper Strength for African Violet Fertilizer
Select a water-soluble 20-20-20 mix
Since African Violetsbloom all yr , they must have the food they need to produce their bright bloom and keep the foliation intelligent . However , they ’re also sensitive to fertilizer , so this can be a bit of a reconciliation act .
Find a more or less acidulous plant food that has a 20 - 20 - 20 or 15 - 20 - 15 NPK proportion . While world-wide fertilizers in this range will work , you may want to get an African reddish blue - specific mix to ensure it ’s acidic enough while give the correct NPK ratios to substantiate healthy plant outgrowth . Whichever one you take , use awater - soluble expression , as this make all the nutrients easy accessible to the African violet ’s root system .
Lighting Type
hour Per Day
Fertilizer Dilution Ratios
stilted lighting
15 hours day by day under two 40 - watt bulbs suspend 12 to 15 inches above the plant
¼ teaspoon of fertilizer to a gallon of weewee
innate ignition
Average 8 to 12 hr with a utmost of 16 hours daily
⅛ teaspoonful of fertilizer to a gallon of water
According toCornell University , adding a fertilizer with too much nitrogen will encourage leaf growth while cutting back on the bloom of youth .
When to Apply Fertilizer to African Violets
Fertilize every four to six weeks
In late spring to early fall , this is the active growing season , and African violets benefit more from fertilizer applications during this clock time . Late come down to recent winter are resting periods where it ’s secure to swerve back on fertilizing .
Overfertilizing African violets can make yellow leaves , wilting , and severely damaged and decaying root .
How to Apply Fertilizer
At the base of the plant
Generally , African violets prefersmaller pots , which restricts how many nutrients they have access to . They bank entirely on you to give them the necessary nutrients to grow . To apply the fertilizer correctly , you should :
During heavy blooming menstruation ( belated bound to summertime ) , switch the fertiliser to a gamy phosphate - caustic potash formula to substantiate prime ontogeny .
Tips for Fertilizing African Violets
Avoid fertilize burn and unhappy plants
call back , African violets are tender to fertiliser , so it ’s a finespun balancing act to give them enough to underpin sound emergence without doing too much andcausing damage . However , get it right will help see a goodly plant withcolorful bloomsall year round .
Periodically Flush the Soil
Every six weeks or so , flush the land . water it from the top will advance the fertilizer residue to melt down out of the drainage holes and off from the roots .
Avoid Fertilizers with Urea
Urea is common in many fertiliser . Still , it ’s decisive to fend off it in African violet formulas because it causes ascendant suntan due to how acidulent it is .
Avoid Clay mass
Clay potsallow thesaltin fertilizers to build up by the container wall . If the prow or foliage spot it , the table salt mental object can sting them and make damage .
Use Tepid Water
African violets are susceptible to leaf - espial . To deflect this , use tepid water to dilute the liquid fertilizer and avoid splash it on the foliage .
Using distilled water system orrainwateron your African violet intend they may not get enough calcium and Mg to support healthy growth . If your fertiliser does n’t have these micronutrients , you ’ll have to supplement them . However , using metropolis water typically gives the works enough of these micronutrients .
Encourage Beautify Blooms All Year!
African violet are marvellous for supple undimmed , beautiful flower all year round , and proper fertilisation is key to helping them look their in force . With the right type , dilution ratio , and program , you may give your plant everything it needs to thrive .
Do you know someone struggling to get their African violet to bloom ? Share your knowledge so they can see if fertilization is the culprit and how to fix it !
