FAQ: Page 10

The Violet Barn

Question: I've been told that my violets shouldn't be brushed, as this might scar the leaves, and that I should wash them instead. I've seen others brushing the leaves of their plants, though.

Answer: It's all right to brush your violet's leaves. We're big believers in regular brushing. A clean plant is a healthy plant. Why wait until showtime to clean a plant, when regular brushing makes washing unnecessary?

It is true that leaves can be scarred, if the improper brush is being used. A member in our local club, taking our advice, regularly brushed her plants. They arrived at the show with little brown "pimples" on their leaves. It turns out that the brush she had been using had bristles that were too stiff and hard, and had scratched the plant's leaves, particularly those with glossy or pebbled foliage. Use a brush with very soft bristles, but bound thickly enough so that it will effectively remove dust and dirt. Personally, we use a sable-hair brush, and have never had problems, and we brush more often that anyone. Cosmetic brushes are also good, and are probably cheaper.

Question: I've seen some varieties described as "Geneva" edged. What does this mean?

Answer: This simply means having a blossom with petals edged in white. The term originates from 'Lady Geneva', the first variety having blooms with this distinctive white edge. It was a sport (i.e. deviation from its parent) of 'Blue Boy', one of the earliest hybrid violets. The thickness of geneva edging is variable, and is easily influenced by cultural conditions, particularly temperature. Varieties described as having a "pencilled" (or thin) edge often lose the edging in very warm conditions.

Question: You've discussed the "wicking method" for watering plants before. Besides using a "lighter" soil, should I change how my violets are fertilized?

Answer: Yes. Unlike watering from the top, or by saucer, at regular intervals, the soil is nearly always moist when wick watered. Though a wicked plant won't require any more nutrients, a greater volume of water passes through the soil, since it never experiences a "dry" period (much of it simply evaporates). As a result, there is greater danger of fertilizer buildup within the soil. To avoid this, less fertilizer needs to be added to the water when wick-watering. For plants that we have wicked, we've found that using fertilizer at 1/2 the normal dilution was sufficient. For example, 1/8 tsp. rather than 1/4 tsp. per gallon, the latter dilution being that used when top watering.

Another consideration when selecting a fertilizer to use for wicking is its water solubility. We've found that some powdered fertilizers can accumulate on the wick and clog it, if the wick is ever allowed to dry. If you experience a similar problem, a balanced, liquid fertilizer may be appropriate.

Question: The lower leaves of one of my violets curl down over the rim of its pot. They seem quite healthy, not limp. The plant seems almost to push itself out of its pot at times.

Answer: It's quite likely that the cause of this is genetic and not cultural. It's a trait especially common among varieties with heavily ruffled or girl foliage. Many of the older varieties also had this characteristic. Fortunately, like many other undesirable traits, it has been "bred out" of most of the current hybrids. Plants with this growth habit don't like to have excess rows of leaves. Regularly removing the outer leaves will allow the remaining foliage to grow flatter and more symmetrically.

One possible cultural cause may be excessive light. Just as leaves will "reach" toward dim light, they may move away from intense light. If growth in the plant's center is tight and crowded, light may indeed be too intense. Once again, genetics are a contributing factor. Some varieties seem to tolerate brighter (or less bright) conditions than do others. In this case, the obvious solution is to move the plant to a location with less light.

Another solution would be using a "leaf support" or "ring". These are collars that are attached to the pot to provide support for the leaves. By supporting the leaves, not only is appearance improved, but more surface area of the foliage is exposed to light, encouraging more vigorous growth. Most exhibitors use these supports on the showplants for this reason.

Question: Do African violets go dormant?

Answer: No. Unlike some other members of the gesneriad family, particularly those that are rhizomatous or tuberous, violets (which are fibrous rooted) won't go dormant, if good culture is provided. If a good, consistent, growing environment is provided, a violet will grow and bloom nearly continually.

Most people visiting our shop (any many of you perhaps) grow their plants in windows. Keep in mind that a window environment is not constant, so that growth of a plant in that environment is not constant. Here in the northeast U.S., for example, we may not see sunshine for weeks during the middle of winter. In addition, the day length can be as much as 6 hours less than in the middle of summer. Less light, of course, means slower growth and fewer blooms--what appears to be dormancy. This is why many hobbyists grow under florescent lighting, since the light provided is constant, day after day, which encourages constant growth and bloom. If you do grow in a window, you may want to move plants to a brighter exposure for the winter months, or supplement the natural light with artificial light.

Another problem is that all houseplants tend to get the same care, if only for the grower's convenience. Though plants like Philodendron or Sansevaria will grow and survive in even the worst conditions, violets require, and deserve, better treatment. They're not "fussy", but deserve more because we expect them to do more. Sanseveria is expected merely to survive (though it does bloom), but violets are expected to provide a display--of foliage and blooms. Though grown in the same window, each has different needs.

Question: How long will my violet live?

Answer: Indefinitely, if properly cared for. Just keep providing your violet with good care and regularly repot it. Violets have incredible survival instincts, if given half a chance. Ethel Champion, a nearby grower and longtime AVSA member, has the old violet that we know of. Her plant of 'Superman' dates back to the 1950's. Even at that age, it still occasionally appears in our local club shows!

Question: After I repot, my violet looks dull and limp, even though I know it's been watered.

Answer: This is a mistake easily made by novices. The best advice is to repot from moist soil into moist (not wet) soil. After repotting into premoistened soil, water only lightly. This seems to be wrong since, when gardening outdoors we always give them a "good drink" after transplanting, but it isn't. After repotting your violet needs some time to fill the fresh soil that you've added with new roots. Until it does, this additional soil will hold water that can't be used by the plant's roots (there aren't any there yet) and, if kept too wet, will only make it susceptible to rotting. The amount you water is based on the size of the root system, not the size of the pot.

Question: Does it matter how I water my violet? Is it better to water from the top or bottom?

Answer: It doesn't really matter. The roots of your violet don't know where the moisture came from, only that it's there to be used. It's not true that violets need to be watered from the bottom, though this is perfectly acceptable. Watering from the top is safe, so long as room-temperature or slightly warmer water is used, and a violet with wet leaves is not left in direct sunlight or cold drafts. It's more important that the soil is kept properly moist, not how it's moistened. The best method is the one that suits you and your violets' lifestyle best--whatever "works for you"

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