When I read that the Violet is the Birth Flower for the month for February I realized that it was not the African Violet, but the Viola, a hardy perennial plant that usually grows in the wild. I wondered a bit about this as they are not usually in bloom outside here in New Jersey during February. I guess they are beginning to bloom somewhere in the south or in England or Ireland since they are the flower of the month. I love them and have them all over my yard, but they do not bloom here until the end of March or April.
For a violet fix now, we can have an African Violet on the window sill. These are not related to Viola at all, but the blooms look similar. These plants can be seen in many shades of pink, purple, blue, rose and white. They are natives of Africa and members of the genus Saintpaulia. A long time favorite, with its small bouquets of blooms, the African Violet is a nice gift to give or receive in the chill of February. I like to give them as gifts for February birthdays or Valentine’s Day.
African violets will respond well if you follow a few common sense rules when growing them. Because in their native environment they grow in a semi-shaded spot, they flourish in a window that has good morning light. This, coupled with good moisture, adequate watering, adequate feeding, and moderate temperatures will ensure the arrival of many pretty blooms throughout the year.
I usually have best luck with my African Violets when they are in northeast or east facing windows most of the year. During the darkest days from November to February I try to keep them in brighter windows with southwestern exposure, but when the sun gets more intense in late spring, they must be moved or the leaves will brown from the heat. I have one African Violet across from the kitchen table that blooms all the time. It faces east and gets gentle sunbeams from early morning till after lunchtime. It thrives here along with a Maidenhair Fern. The secret is frequent watering. Whenever there is a little water left in a glass on the table I dump it in the plant. You’d think that this would be too much, but with the nearby fireplace, the sun, and the little stony cement containers that hold the water as it drains through, this routine seems to be just right. The plants often dry out between waterings, but never wilt.
African Violets are not too fussy about temperatures and most house temperatures are fine. But they should not be allowed to be in temperatures lower than 58 degrees at night, with 68 being more desirable. Daytime temperatures of 10 degrees higher are good. While they enjoy warmth, they do not do well in very hot, dry places. That is probably why some folks like to sit them on saucers of damn aquarium gravel.
I usually put a scant spoon of a good time-release fertilizer like Osmocote® 14-14-14 in the pot every few months. This ensures that the plant is fed when it is watered. As the days begin to get longer, a mild dose of liquid fertilizer every other week is an excellent supplement to the time release fertilizer. It is a good rule of thumb to use a bit less food than the directions on the container. I consider "bloom food" to be one that is has equal numbers or a higher number in the middle (the first number is Nitrogen, the second is Phosphorus, and the third is Potassium, N-P-K). This type of fertizlier of course makes more blooms.
It is ok to water them from the top, but old wives' tales say ‘don't wet African Violet foliage’. While there is some truth in most old wives' tales, African Violets do enjoy a warm shower every so often. Just don't place them in a cold or sunny window while wet, as this might cause brown spots on the leaves. Remember it does rain in their native environment, but it is warm and they are in the shade.
Give or grow an African Violet as a promise of spring. They are available at Triple Oaks Nursery year round, call ahead for our current selection and inventory 856-694-4272.
