From my perspective, light is the primary signal for blooming. I need an abundance of bright, but indirect, light for about 10-12 hours daily to photosynthesize efficiently and produce the energy required for flowers. Direct, harsh sunlight will scorch my delicate leaves, causing brown spots, while insufficient light will make me stretch weakly towards the source and conserve all my energy for mere survival, not reproduction. An east or north-facing window is often ideal. If you notice my leaves becoming dark green and leggy, or if I refuse to bloom, please move me to a brighter spot. Rotating my pot a quarter turn each week ensures all my leaves receive equal light and I grow symmetrically.
Watering is a delicate dance for you and a matter of life and death for me. My fine roots despise being constantly soggy, as this suffocates them and leads to fatal rot. However, I also wilt and become stressed if I am left completely dry. The goal is a consistently moist, but never wet, growing medium. Water me from below by placing my pot in a saucer of room-temperature water for about 30 minutes, allowing me to drink what I need. Then, discard any excess water. Please never pour cold water directly onto my crown or leaves, as this can cause unsightly spots and crown rot. Letting my soil surface dry slightly between waterings is the key.
While regular potting soil provides basic nutrients, I need a specific diet to bloom. A balanced, water-soluble fertilizer formulated for African Violets is perfect, as it has a higher percentage of phosphorus (the middle number on the fertilizer package, e.g., 15-30-15). Phosphorus is the nutrient that directly supports bud and flower development. Please feed me with this diluted fertilizer every 4-6 weeks during my active growing season. Over-fertilizing, especially with high-nitrogen formulas, will encourage me to produce an abundance of lush leaves at the expense of flowers.
I am a tropical plant, and my blooming is triggered by comfortable, consistent conditions. I thrive in daytime temperatures between 70-80°F (21-27°C) and slightly cooler nights. Drastic temperature fluctuations or cold drafts from windows and doors are very stressful. Furthermore, the dry air common in modern homes, especially from heating and air conditioning vents, is detrimental. It causes my bud stems to dry out and my buds to abort before they ever open. Placing my pot on a pebble tray filled with water (ensuring the pot is not sitting in the water) helps create a humid microclimate around me that I truly love.
The container I live in and the medium I grow in are fundamental to my root health, which directly impacts my ability to bloom. I prefer to be slightly pot-bound, but if my pot is too large, the excess soil retains too much water and risks root rot. A good rule is that my pot should be about one-third the diameter of my leaf spread. I also require a very loose, porous, and well-aerated potting mix specifically blended for African Violets. Standard garden soil is far too dense and will compact around my roots, starving them of oxygen. Repotting me into fresh specialty mix every year or so replenishes nutrients and provides the perfect physical structure for my roots to thrive.
