Follow my gardening for beginners board on Pinterest. In most cases, after the coffee has been brewed, the used coffee grounds are pH neutral. You will likely want to use additional feedings for the optimum health of your African violet plant. Since bottom-watering is common with African violets, this is an effective way to hydrate and feed your plant at … How to Get Rid of Carpet Odor with Baking Soda, potting soil that is just for African Violets, How to Bring an African Violet Back to Life, Using Epsom Salt to Fertilize Houseplants, How to Use Banana Peels to Fertilize Houseplants. African Violets Need Fertilizer To Produce Their Best Color. First, cut a piece of wick 6”-8” in length and soak the wick in room temperature water (as shown below). African Violets How To Achieve Constant Bloom Kevin Lee Jacobs. Explore. The plants die easily, especially if they are exposed to cold air or if the furry leaves are wet excessively. Some growers say not to fertilize the plants during bloom while others tout the process. With all the nutrients it contains, it will keep your plants healthy, happy, and blooming. A combination of bat guano and sea kelp, plus milk and juice residuals, provides a nutrient-rich, organic source of homemade fertilizer for African violets. Open all | Close all. African violets are prized as houseplants due to their small size and beautiful blooms. Causes and solutions for common issues Dust, soil, or debris on leaves. Homemade African Violet Fertilizer You. The best way to keep them healthy is to water them with an African violet specific fertilizer. How to Defungus Plant Potting Soil in a Potted Plant. A good Violet Food should have approximately equal amounts of the primary nutrients, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K).These elements are normally found on the They like to be watered from the bottom, not the top. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Fertilizers For African Violets Nancy Robitaille Because most soil mixes have little nutritive value for African violets, we must rely on artificial m However, these tropical flowers are known to be delicate. Reservoir Wick Pot and the Constant Feed Method. However, when you put the grounds into the soil or compost, there’s a dif… My violets always look amazing, and one bottle lasts for ages, which means you’re using less plastic. Yes, coffee grounds are a great homemade fertilizer for African Violets. Jack's Classic formulations generally … You can buy African Violet liquid plant food, or you can also make your own easy DIY homemade African Violet fertilizer from common household items. Fertilizer . Article by eHow. I can recommend a soilless mix of 1 part sphagnum peat or coir, 1 part vermiculite and 1 part perlite. Today. More information... People also love these ideas Pinterest. Sharing cooking, canning, gardening, and homemaking skills with the next generation. Fertilizer Fertilizing African Violet Plants Violets. You see, used coffee grounds have had some of their acidity reduced to nearly neutral, sometimes lower, other times higher. Add a capful of hydrogen peroxide to 4 cups of room temperature water and then water as usual. Spread the resulting fertilizer around your African violets in their pots or planters, and water regularly to absorb the benefit of the ingredients. You can make a mulch out of comfrey leaves, brew a compost tea by storing fresh-cut leaves and stems in water for six weeks, or steep the comfrey tops in water and allow them to decompose over time. Use Russian comfrey (Symphytum X uplandicum) in a variety of different ways to fertilize your African violets. Homemade Fertilizers for African Violets Hunker. 4. Look for fertilizers with no Urea it burns delicate African violet roots. The two most popular types of African violet fertilizer are concentrated liquids and soluble powder. African violets do well with good fertilization every four to seven weeks, which is essential to keep the leaves a dark green and to enable the plant to bloom. Fortunately when the basic fertilizers are mixed , the secondary and trace nutrients tend to be present in sufficient amounts to keep your African violets happy. Some of the care that you need to be aware of includes the soil that you plant your African violets in. Homemade Fertilizers for African Violets | Hunker. Avoid feeding African violets in winter. 3. Combine the ingredients and boil them for eight to 12 hours in 5 gallons of water, using a bag made from an old sock or a length of coarse fabric. Homemade Fertilizers For African Violets Home Guides Sf Gate. Plant Care Instructions For African Violets . You might think they're difficult to grow, but the reality is that when they get what they like, they are very happy and the results are beautiful, healthy, gorgeous African Violets that will bloom repeatedly with very little effort on your part. Some people swear that hydrogen peroxide encourages African Violets to bloom more often. Flush plant monthly with plain water to remove any excess fertilizer build-up. Of all the house plants on the market today, the African Violet is #1. A premium African Violet mix contains additional ingredients such earthworm castings, compost, or composted or aged bark. ; This commercial mix also contains fertilizer, so remember not to over fertilize if you are using your own fertilizer. General Information . Apply a high phosphate, high potash liquid fertilizer every two weeks during the growing season. Homemade African Violet Fertilizer Creative Homemaking Solution: This is a build-up of salts from the minerals in the fertilizer you’re using. Make a liquid fertilizer by rinsing milk and some fruit juice containers before disposing of them, and then use the rinse water for your African violets. Homemade Plant Food Plants Garden Projects Fertilizer Violet Flower Flowers African Violets Plant Food Diy Water Plants. Part 1 of 10 - How to Care for African violets. references. Replenish every couple of months. var sc_project=12016051; Fertilizers currently (2020) being mentioned by many growers in social media (especially to use with rain, distilled or reverse osmosis water) include either DynaGro Grow 7-9-5 or Feed Me MSU fertilizer for African violets (from repotme.com). African violets make great household plants. var sc_invisible=1; African Violets do require special soil. Vinegar is useful for increasing the acidity level of your soil. Mix these ingredients in a container and put aside. Is Coffee Grounds Good for African Violets? You can purchase potting soil that is just for African Violets. The best way to add vinegar to the soil is to add 2 tsp. African Violet Fertilizer Requirements African violet plants need a high phosphate and high potash fertilizer for the best blooming. African violets (genus Saintpaulia) are common house plants grown for their lush foliage and colorful blooms. Even if you have never grown one before, you can find success by making a simple soil mix with ingredients like peat moss, vermiculite, and perlite. If you would like to try making your own potting soil for African Violets, then mix together 1/3 regular potting soil, 1/3 peat moss and 1/3 perlite or vermiculite. The traces of apple and orange juice from the fruit juice containers are particularly rich in potassium and make a simple homemade fertilizer for all houseplants. Use Russian comfrey (Symphytum X uplandicum) in a variety of different ways to fertilize your African violets. If you use municipal water, allow the water to rest for 24 hours to reduce the quantity of chlorine, which can be harmful to the African violets. Homemade African Violet Fertilizer Creative Homemaking. Learn how your comment data is processed. African violets require a mild fertilizer each time they are watered. Watering Fertilizing African Violet Using Miracle Gro Houseplant. To determine the acidity of any soil, you will need an inexpensive soil testing kit. Espoma AV4, Organic African Violet Potting Mix, 4-Quart. Well-lit spot indoors, away from direct sunlight. Allow the tea to cool, and use a hand-held watering can or small spray bottle to feed your African violets, taking care not to get the leaves wet. Violet Food is a fertilizer specifically labeled for African Violets. Is Hydrogen Peroxide Good for African Violets? African violets can be difficult to grow when you are not prepared to give them the best care. She holds a professional business management qualification, a bachelor's degree in communications and a diploma in public relations and journalism. Contrary to their reputation as finicky plants, African violets are surprisingly easy to grow. Sandilands is the former editor of an international property news portal and an experienced dog breeder and trainer. It depends on the brand. This fertilizer is now one of my favorite homemade plant foods. Although they are indoor plants, they require less light to flower than many other indoor flowering plants. Watering Fertilizing African Violet Using Miracle Gro Houseplant. African violet problems . African Violets are little houseplant divas. The right soil mixture creates the perfect acidity level for violets to thrive. of white vinegar to 1 gallon of water. African Violets How To Achieve Constant Bloom Kevin Lee Jacobs. I have found that these plants like a good combination of moisture, nutrition, and air in the soil to grow best, but which type of soil will help the plants thrive the most? But you can also use it for your other indoor and flowering plants. African Violets - Saintpaulia. Learn how to grow and care for African violets in this free gardening video series. Wick-watering is a modified hydroponic system which allows more flexibility to move plants to a new location or to use them decoratively. Tracey Sandilands has written professionally since 1990, covering business, home ownership and pets. As seen in the picture below, these are the major supplies required for a homemade African Violet wicking system: (this example is for a 3 inch pot in height and 3”in diameter). Required fields are marked *. You can also use the commercially available Miracle Gro African Violet Potting mix; however, this soil is too dense for violets, so remember to add peat moss and vermiculite or perlite to lighten the potting mix. May 25, 2019 - Easy homemade African Violet fertilizer you can make from common household items that you already have on hand. Luster Leaf 1612 Rapitest pH Soil TesterEspoma AV4, Organic African Violet Potting Mix, 4-Quart. var sc_security="ac4fd83a"; Your email address will not be published. You can add vinegar to the soil to lower the pH level of the soil and increase the acidity. Yes, coffee grounds are a great homemade fertilizer for African Violets. African Violets, like many houseplants, need to be fertilized regularly; in fact, if you're using a soilless potting mix, you should feed them every time you water them. Homemade Fertilizers for African Violets | Hunker. Your email address will not be published. Luster Leaf 1612 Rapitest pH Soil Tester Espoma AV4… Use 1/4 tsp of fertilizer to 1 gal of water, try Peters African Violet (12-36-14) formulated for blooming or a balanced fertilizer (20-20-20). How Often Should You Apply Scotts Lawn Pro Non Phosphorus Lawn Food? Versatile: The Schultz African Violet Plus is a liquid fertilizer which is perfect for African violets. Answer: African violets are not commonly grown in a truly hydroponic way, but they certainly can be. Garden. of sea kelp meal in 1 gallon of water provides important nutrition to African violets. Passionate growers have been diligently creating many stunning new varieties of African violets and they now come in a dazzling array of flower colours and forms and also gorgeous leaf variegations. African violets have particular nutrient needs. African Violets How To Achieve … Keep in mind that African Violets don’t like to be watered like other houseplants. Another option is to apply quarter strength liquid fertilizer at every watering. Water as usual. Make a mixture of dried coffee grounds and dried egg shells, then work the coffee ground mixture into the top of the soil. Replenish every couple of months. Purchase the following nutrients: 15 ounces of superphosphate, 10 ounces of potassium sulfate, 5 ounces of magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts), 10 ounces of sodium nitrate and 10 ounces of calcium nitrate. African Violets, like other houseplants, need a little tender loving care by giving them an occasional dose of fertilizer. Make a compost tea from 2 tablespoons each of molasses and seaweed or fish emulsions, 1 teaspoon of citric acid or a few teaspoons of lemon juice, plus fresh hay. Missouri Botanical Garden: African Violets, Backwoods Home Magazine: You Can Make Your Own Fertilizers, Mother Earth News: Easy Plant Fertilizer for Houseplants, How to Use Fresh Cow Manure Tea for Gardens. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. The milk dregs contain nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus in protein form, which are released by the organisms in the soil. Also recommended is Better Gro Orchid Plus 20-14-13 without urea, which is also preferred by many growers of other Gesneriads. If the plant has any kind of fungus, the peroxide will also kill it. When the soil reaches the correct pH level, discontinue adding vinegar to the soil. If the pH level of your soil is above 6.5, the acidity level of the soil is too low. Homemade Fertilizers For African Violets Home Guides Sf Gate. This fertilizer may be strong for the delicate African violet, so dilute it 15:1 before using it to water the plants. Find out more tips about African Violet care. Add one-quarter of the recommended amount of fertilizer and water, allowing excess liquid to drain from the pot. Commercial Miracle Gro Afrcan Violet Potting Mix. The castings and the compost act as nutrients for the plants, as does decomposing bark. African Violets require soil with a pH level between 6.0 and 6.5. African violets are among America’s favorite flowering houseplants, according to Clemson University Extension specialists. Water when the soil is dry. I am by no means a green thumb! Both are mixed into your plant’s water, delivering a nutrient boost as it takes up water through its roots. Used coffee grounds and crushed egg shells are excellent sources of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, calcium, potassium and other trace elements and minerals. I like using food with high nitrogen number for leaves rooting, babies, small plants not old enough to bloom, and for variegated leaves to white. African violet fertilizer needs to be water soluble and in a ratio especially developed for the plant’s needs.