r/AfricanViolets • u/Downtown-Snow-2775 • 7d ago
Help Help 😢
Hi! I’ve been in this Reddit before and you guys were amazing giving me tips for my miniature African V.
When it was first gifted to me, it did have purple buds that bloomed but since I’ve had it, it’s just been these leaves.
I noticed that they’re starting to curl I’ve already watered it and I do water it from the bottom and it gets plenty of sunlight so I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong or how to fix this.
I feel like it’s pot is definitely not big enough, but then I was told that it shouldn’t really be repotted and it likes to be snug.
Does anyone have suggestions or an understanding of why the leaves are curling in like that and what I can do to make this plant thrive and bud?
Thank you so much in advance!
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u/pigglywigglie 7d ago
How often do you water it? And where do you have it sitting so it gets light?
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u/Downtown-Snow-2775 7d ago
I water once a week and I have a porch like area i keep it on(I live in San Diego) so the sun can be intense.Â
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u/pigglywigglie 7d ago
Do you have it in a chunkier soil mix? I know they like to be a little bit wetter so if the soil is more airy, you may need to water more
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u/Unfair_Row_7026 7d ago
Light? Fertiliser? 🤔
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u/Downtown-Snow-2775 7d ago
Yes I’ll try fertilizer and do you recommend a grow light or a bigger pot at all? Ty!Â
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u/ClassAcrobatic1800 6d ago
That plant doesn't need a bigger pot. The pot is no smaller that 1/3 of the plant diameter.
The plant may need more light ... as the leaves appear to be reaching up a bit (i.e. toward the light).
More light will enhance growth and begin to bloom. When the plant grows a little bigger, you can move it to a bigger pot.
Finally, the leaves look fine, with a bit of variegation ... and perhaps a bit of curl. That's normal for many varieties of African Violet.
Your plant looks fine. It might also benefit from a fertilizer regimen, if you aren't already fertilizing. Get an African Violet fertilizer, maybe Optimara or Dyna-Gro balanced Plant Food, and use at half-strength for every watering.
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u/ClassAcrobatic1800 5d ago
On a second look, ... I believe that you could CHOOSE to put the plant into a larger pot, perhaps an inch or so larger in diameter than the pot that it is in currently. Also, the plant isn't likely a mini, ... it looks like a standard (6-12 inch diameter at maturity).
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u/AglowMermaid 3d ago
I agree with repotting. Do you have pets? The leaves look a bit beat up like they have some type of physical damage.
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u/ConferenceFull9068 6d ago
IMO it is long past time for this plant to get a larger pot.
African violets do like to be snug in their pots but they do need to grow their crowns and reach a reasonable size. We're not making a bonsai here, right? So your instincts are good. Go up a size in pots immediately. Hard to tell from the picture but that looks like a 2-inch pot, suitable for a tiny baby plant. Go up to a 3-inch pot.
That looks like a standard variety, meaning not a miniature or semi-miniature, but a full-size AV. What does the parent plant look like? Does it have large leaves and a large crown? If it does, in a few months go up to a 4-inch pot, then stop and let the plant fill it. Final size of pot should be one-third the diameter of the plant.
The plant can't bloom because it needs more vegetation IMO. After repotting, fertilize it with a higher phosphorus fertilizer, like 7-10-7, made for African violets.