African violets are gorgeous flowering plants. It grows deep purplish blossoms over thick, fuzzy emerald green foliage. The succulent-like leaves are one of the main attractions of this plant.
African violets are not very much needy species, but they have some special requirements to hold their health form eternally.
So, let’s check out what they are and how to deal with the problems which may appear due to some misconduct in their caring process-
Why My African Violet Leaves Turning Yellow?
Leaves of African violets sometimes lose their green tint and start turning yellow. This perennial plant is native to tropical African regions and thus, can’t stand direct sunlight.
Apart from direct sun rays, there are a few more reasons that exist to turn the foliage of this ornamental houseplant yellowish. Here are some commonest causes for turning the leaves of a growing African violets plant yellow-
Causes: Overwatering is the most common reason
- You must be drenching the leaves in the way of watering your plant
- The water you are using is cold or hot than the room temperature
- You didn’t follow the bottom-watering process here
- Leaf cells of your plant may get collapsed due to overwatering
- Or your plant may suffer from drought stress due to underwatering for long
- Soggy soil results in root rot
Solution:
- Water your plant with the watering can that is specially designed to water under the leaves
- Always use water at normal room temperature
- Wipe the leaves with a dry cloth if you make them wet during watering
- Don’t let the plant suffer from overwatering or underwatering ever for long
Related: African Violets not blooming
Cold Stress & Wrong Spot :
Reasons
- Either it is in a completely shady area
- Your African violet is not getting enough light regularly
- Exposed to open drafts or windy windows
Solution:
- Put the planter in an east-facing window and keep it away a bit during noon
- Make sure that your plant can get at least 4 hours of bright sunlight daily
- Keep your plant safe from open drafts and windy seasons
- Try to place the planter in a spot where it can get bright but indirect sunlight consistently
Related: Complete plant care – African violets Quick Tips
Direct Sunlight:
Causes
- Keeping your African violets under direct sunlight for more than one week
- The leaves of your African violets may start getting scorched and sunburn
- Not enough shade is given to your plant from the afternoon sun
- Too much sunlight for more than 8 hours a day
Solution:
- Never place your African violet plant under direct sunlight ever
- Apply prevention before your plant starts getting sunburn signs
- Always provide shade or cover to your plant to keep it safe from afternoon sunlight
- Never let your plant get soaked under bright indirect sunlight for more than 8 hours a day
Improper Fertilization:
Reasons
- You let your plant unfertilized for more than a month
- Or you don’t use the accurate diluted form of a plant food before applying
- You may be feeding your plant excessively like more than once a month
- The fertilizer you are using is extremely low in nitrogen content
How to Fix:
- Feed your plant once a month, especially during the peak season
- Never let your plant nutrient deficient for long
- Don’t overfertilize plant by applying full-strength fertilizer
- Drench the soil four times a year to reduce excess salt buildup from your plating soil
Related: Why Syngonium plant leaves are turning yellow
Unpruned Sessions:
Reasons
- Left without pruning your African violet plan for several months
- The older foliage of your plant doesn’t get shed for long
- New foliage cannot get enough space to emerge
- Congested and crowed will result in lesser light for a few plants reducing the photosynthesis process
Fix:
- Always remove three to four leaves from the bottom of your plant every month
- Do not let the old foliage touch the new shoots ever
- Shed the old leaves immediately once they start losing their healthy form ever
- Make sure the newly emerged leaves can get enough space to perform the photosynthesis process well
Try these tricks on your growing African violet plant and clutch the greenest form of your plant everlastingly.
Best Ways & How Often To Water African Violets?
In the way to keep the foliage healthy, you must know the right way to water an African violet plant. To water your growing African violet plants perfectly, follow these tips-
- Check the planting soil of your growing African violet plant
- Make sure it is not moist and almost dry about 1-2 inches of the top surface
- Never let the soil bone dry and keep it between moist and bone dry
- You can even buy a specific watering can that is specially designed for water under the leaves
- Always use water at room temperature to hydrate your African violet perfectly
- Once you pour enough water into the can, make the soil wet with 1-inch deep watering
- Make sure you use a well-drained potting mix and a pot with good drainage holes
- Check whether the excess water is draining from the bottom or not
- Wait for 6-8 days and repeat the process accordingly
Here we need to suggest you that prepare a planting soil with a balanced mixture to keep the draining quality of the growing medium always well.
Related: How often to water succulents
Make the ratio of potting mix about one part perlite, one part eats moss, one part vermiculite, and one part commercial potting mix to get the best draining experience.
FAQ: Can You Apply Misting On African Violet?
Due to being of rainforest origin, African violet can’t tolerate dry air for long. To fight the condition, you can mist the leaves once a day, during the scorchy summer days.
So, you can apply to mist on African violet but make sure you don’t try it during the night or after the sunset.
Should Yellow Leaves Be Removed From African Violets?
You must remove old yellow leaves from your plant. However, yellow leaves that get discolored due to improper caring, should not be detached earlier, before applying any remedy methods to them.
Related: How to fix yellow leaves on my philodendron
How Often are African Violets To Be Watered?
You can water an African violet plant once a week, especially during the heavy summer days. Try to reduce the watering during rainy seasons and winter days.
Always check the soil before watering and never try to soak your plant, if you find the soil is moist ever.
Do African Violets Need To Be Watered from The Bottom?
The best method to water an African violet plant is from the bottom to up. To apply this method, place the plant in a shallow tray of clear water for half an hour.
Let the soil soak up the water through the drainage hole of the pot at the bottom. So, the answer is yes, you can water African violet from the bottom in a way to keeps the foliage safe from getting drenched.