Thursday, October 3, 2013

Care Instructions for Saintpaulias

 

African Violets are a genus of 6-20 species of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the family Gesneriaceae. They are also called as Saintpaulias which are native to Tanzania and adjacent southeastern Kenya in eastern tropical Africa. The African Violet got it's name from their superficial resemblance to the true violets and they are very common household indoor plant but can also be an outdoor plant. Several species and subspecies are endangered, and many more are threatened, due to their native cloud forest habitats being cleared for agriculture. Since these plants are said to be already endangered, why not we try to cultivate them and let them thrive at home or at our own garden, but we must also know how to take care of these plants because these type of plants are very sensitive when it comes to temperature changes and especially rapid leaf cooling.


Let me share to you the basic growing techniques to a healthy and blooming African violet plant. One of the basic requirement is the Light, because the amount of light that the African Violet receives is important for it's health and overall performance, so make sure to place them in a location where there is moderate to bright, but indirect, indoor light. Insufficient sunlight can be harmful, too much sunlight can also cause problems. Second is watering, make sure to keep soil moist to dry, and allow soil around roots to dry before watering that is to encourage blooming. In general, African violets need just enough water to keep the soil moist but never soggy and they may die from over watering.Third is getting them a good growing method, a potting medium is suitable for African violets, and it should be sterilized to light and airy allowing for the roots to penetrate properly. Soil-less mixes are ideal because they contain sphagnum peat, vermiculite and perlite. Fifth is providing the plant with the right atmosphere, African violets thrive in an environment which most people would consider pleasant, therefore if you are feeling comfortable, chances are, your plants are feeling comfortable as well. 


Lastly, is to fertilize. Lack of regular feeding is one of the reason why these African violet will not bloom. The best way to feed is to use a dilute fertilizer solution every time you water. Always remember to find a fertilizer with a low nitrogen urea contents as urea burns the roots. Always remember these simple steps for your Saintpaulias to grow bloomingly and in these little way we can still preserve the beauty of the African Violets.

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