Miracle-Gro® Indoor Potting Mix is specially formulated to provide indoor plants like African violets with just the right growing environment. For best results, plant African violets in African violet pots, which are small (4- to 5-inch) ceramic or plastic self-watering containers.

The most common reason African violets don’t bloom is because they aren’t getting enough light. African violets need indirect sunlight, direct can burn the leaves. Choose a north- or east- facing window for best results. Keep plants away from cold glass and rotate the pot once a week so all leaves receive light.

Too little light can cause of African violets not to bloom well. They prefer bright, indirect sun. Too little sunlight causes them to stretch for the light and produce few or no flowers; too much sun can burn the leaves. If you grow African violets under lights, be sure not to run them more than 16 hours a day.

Most houseplants–except for fuzzy-leaved ones like African violets–like regular misting. Misters found at the nursery are generally best to use, because they can be adjusted according to the mist requirements of each plant. Some plants want a very fine mist while others like to be more wet.

50 years

Many successful growers of African Violets recommend repotting with fresh potting soil, twice a year or more. At the very least, an African Violet should be repotted whenever the plant becomes rootbound, i.e., the Violet has outgrown its current pot to the extent that its roots are growing out and around the rootball.

The plants often develop multiple crowns, which can be split apart and used to propagate new plants. Division propagation creates mature African violet plants faster than other methods. However, they are susceptible to damage and must be handled with care to ensure success.

about once a year

When to Repot Your African Violets “As the plants grow, they can be repotted into larger pots so that they don’t get too root-bound.” Once your African violet has doubled or tripled the size of your pot and the leaves are starting to wilt, it’s probably time to make the move, says McEnaney.

8-16 inches

Over-watering is the most common way that people kill their African violets. Leaf or flower loss, limp plants, and crown and stem rot are all results of too much water. Insufficient watering causes roots to shrivel and die, the plant to lose vigor and color, and then collapse.

Give it good light, remember to water it when needed, and regularly remove dead and dying leaves and blossoms. In another 6 months, repot it by removing a bit of soil from the bottom of the root ball and lowering the plant into the pot, adding fresh soil to cover the (small) neck.

Place African violets in a location that receives bright, indirect light. A site near an east or north window is often a good location. (Do not place African violets in direct sun.) If a suitable window isn’t available, place African violets under a fluorescent light fixture containing two 40-watt fluorescent tubes.

Also frequently known as root rot, crown rot develops when an African violet’s growing medium is too wet. There’s more at work than decomposition, however. Crown rot is a disease, and the disease is caused by a fungus called Pythium ultimum.

If only a few roots are brown in color and the other remaining roots are still firm, gray/white in color, then this African Violet can be saved from root rot. You can trim away the brown rotted roots leaving the healthy roots and repot this violet in a light airy barely moist soil.