Hello. I am your African Violet. I am communicating through the universal language of my leaves, stems, and roots. I am in distress, but I am a resilient plant. To help me, you must first understand what is wrong. Gently lift me from my pot. Examine my roots. Are they firm and white, or are they brown, mushy, and smell bad? This is root rot, often from too much water. Look at my leaves. Are they soft, drooping, and dark? This is also a sign of overwatering. Are my leaves crispy, brittle, and brown at the edges? I am desperately thirsty. Are my leaves pale or bleached? I have had too much harsh, direct sun. Please diagnose my condition correctly; this is the most critical step.
If my roots are rotten, they can no longer breathe or drink. You must perform emergency surgery. Carefully remove all the old, soggy soil from my root ball. With sterile scissors, trim away every single brown, soft, and smelly root. Only healthy, firm, white roots should remain. Do not be afraid; I need this to survive. Now, prepare a new home for me. I require a pot with excellent drainage holes—a pot that is too large will hold excess moisture. The ideal pot for my size is best. My soil must be a special, light, and airy African Violet potting mix. Regular garden soil is too heavy and will suffocate my remaining roots.
Water is life, but it is also a common killer. My leaves hate to be wet; it causes unsightly spots and rot. Please never pour water over my crown or leaves. The safest method is bottom-watering. Place my new pot (with its drainage holes) into a bowl or saucer of room-temperature water. Let me sit there and drink for about 30 minutes. You will see the top of the soil become moist. After this, remove me from the water and let all the excess drain away completely. Never let my feet sit in a saucer of water. The frequency of this ritual depends on the light and temperature, but always let the top inch of my soil dry out to the touch before watering again.
I am weak and need a perfect, gentle place to convalesce. Please do not put me in direct, hot sunlight; it will scorch my tender leaves. I thrive in bright, but indirect, light. A north or east-facing windowsill is often ideal. I am a creature of comfort and prefer a consistent temperature, similar to what you find comfortable—between 65-75°F (18-24°C). Keep me away from cold drafts from windows or the blasting air of heating and cooling vents. The sudden temperature changes are a great shock to my system. Do not fertilize me yet. My roots are too damaged and tender to handle it. Let me focus on growing new roots first.
