African Violet - How to make it bloom?

[Schila]

Hello:
I have two African Violet at home. One it's been with me for almost 4 month. When I bought it back in April, it was full of blooms. I repot it in those self watering pots and since then it has done great. After a while all the blooms fell off. In July we left on vacation for 2 weeks and practically close all the shutters/windows, meaning that barely some light was coming in the house. When we got back the plant had some blooms again. Those fell and now I cannot get it to bloom again. I've seen that it had grown a lot of leaves. Any idea on what is going on with this beautiful plant? Here are some pictures.

[kmarch]

Before I moved to Australia, I had about a dozen African Violets. I loved them! I even used to go to an annual African Violet show in Ann Arbor. I took quite a radical approach to growing them and it may not be for everyone. Here's what I did:
1) I potted them in clay pots
2) I used regular commercial African Violet potting mix
3) I grew them in an exposed East window - they got a little bit of early morning direct sun every day...well every day it was sunny.

...now here's where it gets weird...

4) They all sat in a tray of water about half an inch deep.
5) I fertilized them with a strong orchid fertilizer. I don't remember precisely what it was but it was something like 20-10-20.

I had massive flowerings, as many as 40-50 flowers on some of my larger plants and they grew like gangbusters. And that's how I grew them.

[Schila]

Originally Posted by kmarch

1) I potted them in clay pots

Mine are in self watering pots.

2) I used regular commercial African Violet potting mix

Me too...........

3) I grew them in an exposed East window - they got a little bit of early morning direct sun every day...well every day it was sunny.

Mine are sitting in the corner of a north - east window so they get the morning sunlight.

4) They all sat in a tray of water about half an inch deep.

Well, since mine are in the self watering pots, they get the water from the bottom.

5) I fertilized them with a strong orchid fertilizer. I don't remember precisely what it was but it was something like 20-10-20.

Here is where I'm kind of confused. When fertilizing, how do you fertilize? Do you add the fertilizer in the water of the self watering pot so that they get it from the bottom or do you add the fertilizer from the top? When I touch the upper part of the plant it's always dry........

[1joyceh]

I second kmarch....do exactly the same. They love light, especially morning light. I use the growmore orchid urea free 20-10-20, and when they start to bud, switch to the bloom formula, 6-30-30. My Grandmother had around 100, I grew up with every window on the east side of the house filled with blooming african violets, she got me hooked very young!!
I give many away now...only keep a couple...only so much room, and the orchids are taking over now....not a bad thing

[Danelady]

I think the East window is a big key. I don't fertilize mine. It survives on managed neglect. It's potted in a selfwatering pot that I only fill about once very 2 weeks. But, it is in an east window and the plant is almost always in bloom.

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by Schila

Here is where I'm kind of confused. When fertilizing, how do you fertilize? Do you add the fertilizer in the water of the self watering pot so that they get it from the bottom or do you add the fertilizer from the top? When I touch the upper part of the plant it's always dry........

I fertilized them when I fertilized my orchids, with a regular watering. I never watered from the top of the pot, I just always poured the water in the tray in which they were sitting. They soaked the fertilized water up into the pot just like the regular water. My mix was always a little damp because they were sitting directly in water.

[vanessa]

Hi Schila,

I have an African Violet and it is healthy with a lot of leaves but only blooms once a year for around three months straight.

Vanessa

[Schila]

Originally Posted by Danelady

I think the East window is a big key. But, it is in an east window and the plant is almost always in bloom.

Does your east window have any curtain, shutter or blinds? My east window have wood shutters and I only leave like 1/2" open. Is this too little light for what they need? I was thinking on bringing it to the office and leave it under the fluorescent light that I have at my desk. At least is on for 9 straight hours.

Originally Posted by 1joyceh

I use the growmore orchid urea free 20-10-20, and when they start to bud, switch to the bloom formula, 6-30-30

I use African Violet fertilizer 8-14-9. I also have orchid fertilizer that is 30-10-10 but only for my orchids not for the African Violet

[exasperatus2002]

I've kept mine in both on an east windowsill & south (2nd from top rack on 4 tier plant stand) windows. As long as I kept mine evenly moist, I've not had a problem flowering. I also give mine some of my orchid fertilizer from time to time.

[11Orchid126]

It looks like your plant is getting way too much light. The leaves are lighter than celery green and very faded, going by the pictures in the post. Perhaps that's why it bloomed when the house was shut up and dark. Wherever you have the plant, pull it back from the light a bit, or move it to the left or right. Since you're in Texas, north, northeast window light may be a lot stronger than the same exposure here in NJ.

Now, if they're supposed to be variagated, which I doubt, then they're not getting enough light because the leaves aren't light/white enough and the variagation doesn't show. It's hard to tell by the light leaves. One good thing, the plant is forming a nice rosette (each succeeding row of leaves from the bottom up are overlapping the preceeding row perfectly, which is what judges look for). But the leaves are not only laying flat, they're almost curling back, which is also an indication of too much light.

Your self-watering pots are good. Mine were all on wicks on Cool Whip containers with two holes cut in the lid, one for the wick and one to pour water into. Great way to grow. The wicks went across the bottom and up the sides of the pots. Most of the time the fertilizer was in the water, but in between they got good flushings and twice a year fresh medium. One thing to consider when fertilizing from the bottom. The fertilizer water percolates up to the top of the medium and deposits minerals there. Without a top flushing the minerals accummulate there. AV's have delicate roots near the top of the growing "neck", so these roots can get burned easily. Wicking concentrates the fertilizer so the medium must be changed more often.

Fertilizing them with high nitorgen (20-10-20) will only encourage green leafy growth. A fertilizer with a low first number is better.

[koshki]

I do virtually everything kmarch did with mine. When I remember to water them (and that is the sole problem I have with mine), I add one dropper full of Shultz African Violet liquid fertilizer in a half gallon watering can.

I've been thinking about giving the space up for orchids...but I still love my AVs...so I dither...

[Danelady]

Originally Posted by Schila

Does your east window have any curtain, shutter or blinds? My east window have wood shutters and I only leave like 1/2" open. Is this too little light for what they need? I was thinking on bringing it to the office and leave it under the fluorescent light that I have at my desk. At least is on for 9 straight hours.

My East window has nothing blocking the sun. My little violet sits there and blooms and survives on managed neglect!

[ceahorse]

Sounds like your plant is taking a break, can be anywhere from weeks to months. I am totally against the self watering pots, my neighbor had one plant I just rescue, it was full of mold. I let my african violet become a little dry and then give them a good drink.
I agree neglect is the key> do not over water! Feed almost every time you water and volia it will be a happy plant!

Love my African violets!!! If you look through my posts you will find pictures of some of my collection in bloom. At least one is in bloom at all times, right now three are.
Most of my plants are in a east facing window too.

African violet pots

[Schila]

[QUOTE=ceahorse;290771]If you look through my posts you will find pictures of some of my collection in bloom. At least one is in bloom at all times, right now three are.
Most of my plants are in a east facing window too.
QUOTE]


Very pretty your AV. Mine has started to bloom, I'm so happy. I guess is a matter of patience.

[Mira-Claude]

Here's how my mom did it:
Her African Violet were kept at her work place, all of them were so huge she had to move most of them to co-workers desks and they were always in flower.
1)All were potted in clay pots as they like to be kept a bit colder inn the roots area tha the leaves.
2)She used regular African Violet mix.
3)She only watered when totally dry. (Yes I know every culture sheet says t water when slightly wet)
4)African Violet only grew flowers when NOT thigh in their pots!
5)She used to fertilize every other watering.
6)She kept her under 24/7 neon light with absolutely no real sun light, but she said that at home the seemed to prefer indirect bright light.
Hope it helps!