Hello! From my perspective, my long, leggy stem isn't a style choice; it's a survival response called etiolation. I am desperately reaching for more light. My ideal environment is one with bright, but indirect, light for most of the day. When that light is insufficient or comes from only one direction (like a distant window), my internal systems trigger a hormone response. I begin to direct my energy into rapid vertical growth, stretching my stem and spacing out my leaves to try and get my photosynthetic surfaces closer to the light source. This results in a weak, unstable neck and a plant that looks nothing like my naturally compact, rosette-shaped self.
The single most important thing you can do for me is to correct my light source. I need to be in a spot with consistent, bright, filtered light. An east-facing window is often perfect. If you place me in a south or west window, please filter the harsh sun with a sheer curtain, as those intense direct rays can scorch my delicate leaves. To ensure I grow evenly and compactly from all sides, give my pot a quarter turn every time you water me. This simple action ensures every leaf gets its fair share of light and prevents me from leaning and stretching towards a single source again.
Once you've improved my light situation, we can address the long stem I've already developed. You cannot simply bury this long, woody neck deep in soil—it will rot and likely kill me. Instead, you must carefully repot me. Gently remove me from my current pot and, using a sterile knife, carefully scrape the outer brown layer (the cork) off the lower section of my stem. This encourages new root growth from the green tissue underneath. Then, you can repot me, positioning me lower in the pot so that this scraped section of the stem is buried in fresh, loose, and well-aerated African violet soil, leaving only the compact crown of leaves above the soil line. New roots will form from the buried stem, securing me and giving me a new, compact foundation.
My recovery depends on more than just light and repotting. My roots are very sensitive; I prefer to be watered from the bottom using room-temperature water. Please let me soak for about 30 minutes, then drain any excess water completely. I absolutely hate having wet feet, or "crown," as it leads to fatal rot. Feed me regularly with a balanced fertilizer formulated specifically for African violets, but only at half-strength to avoid shocking my system while I'm trying to regenerate. With consistent, proper care in my rejuvenated environment, I will respond by focusing my energy on producing new, tightly spaced leaves from my crown, slowly transforming back into the beautiful, compact rosette you love.
