Asked by: Gregorio Ryjenko
home and garden landscaping

Can I use cactus potting soil for African violets?

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The exceptions to this rule are few, including cacti and sedums. Seeds and transplants do very well in a light soil mixture, and African violet potting soil may be perfect for them.


Also know, can I use regular potting soil for African violets?

A good potting soil for African Violets actually contains no soil (or dirt) at all. A good potting soil will be very light and porous, a quality which enhances aeration, while keeping the soil moist, but not soggy. For African Violets, the pH should be between 5.8 and 6.2.

Also Know, how do you repot an African violet? Repotting is necessary to eliminate this.
  1. Step 1: African violet with a “neck”. A “neck” is the palm-tree like trunk that appears over time as the lower rows of leaves are removed.
  2. Step 2: Cut-away bottom of root ball.
  3. Step 3: Push plant back into same size pot.
  4. Step 4: Add fresh soil.
  5. Step 5: The repotted violet.

Also to know, what is the difference between African violet potting soil and regular potting soil?

Commercial African violet mixes are generally more porous and have better drainage than house-plant potting mixes. African violet mixes also are slightly more acid than regular house-plant potting soil. Many growers use soilless mixes. They do not contain natural soil from outdoors.

Can I use Miracle Grow on African violets?

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.

Related Question Answers

Evelio Ossenfort

Professional

Is Epsom salt good for African violets?

Applied once per month epsom salts will help trigger bloom in your violets and be a good companion to your African violet specialty fertilizer. Dissolve two tablespoons of epsom salts in one gallon of tepid water in a watering can or pitcher. Swish or swirl the salts in the water to dissolve them and combine the two.

Balbir Nentwich

Professional

How often do African violets need to be watered?

Examine the soil with your fingertip, if it feels dry, be ready to water the plant. They require more or less water depending on what type of potting soil you use. However, flush the soil thoroughly with water every month or 6 weeks.

Charlyn Huedo

Explainer

How long do African violets live?

50 years

Marly Topliss

Explainer

Can I use orchid potting mix for African violets?

Potting Requirements
The potting “soil” specifically for African violets is not actually soil, but usually a mixture of sphagnum peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite which makes for a light, porous mix that also has good water retaining capabilities.

Sirkka Lanzke

Explainer

Can you split an African violet?

African violets often develop multiple crowns, which can be split apart and used to propagate new plants through a process called division. 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.

Taisia Ruppel

Pundit

Can you grow African violets from cuttings?

Simply remove a healthy leaf with the petiole or leaf stem by cutting or snapping it off neatly at the stem of the plant. Take the leaf and insert the stem into a hole in the growing medium, then water it thoroughly. Propagating African violets isn't as hard as one might think.

Mauricia Harnischmacher

Pundit

Is African Violet a succulent?

And keep in mind some succulents have tap roots and need enough depth for those roots to grow and seek water. The same goes for a totally unrelated plant: the African violet. Violets do best with crowded roots and need good drainage, just like succulents.

Reinaldo Sire

Pundit

How big do African violets get?

Large African violet plants when fully mature range from 16 inches (40cm) or larger in diameter across a single crown. The flowers on these plants can grow to 3 inches (7.5cm) across the petals and a single leaf blade can grow to 6 inches (15cm) in length.

Liliam Hopfner

Pundit

How do you get African violets to bloom?

With proper conditions and care, African violets can flower almost year round.
  1. Turn on the Lights. An African violet blooms when it receives eight to 12 hours of bright light a day.
  2. Cool Down, or Warm Up.
  3. Improve Humidity.
  4. Fertilize Your African Violet.

Rona Cecilio

Pundit

How do you fertilize African violets?

Fertilizing. A low-nitrogen, high-phosphorous, soluble plant food is terrific for African violets. I fertilize every time I water, using Jack's Classic 10-30-20 formula (click here to order from Amazon) . Window garden plants receive one 1/4 teaspoon to 1 gallon of warm water.

Imperio Zengerling

Teacher

Why do African violets get leggy?

Depriving your plant from light will cause longer stems as they reach for light to grow. Leaves of African violets don't like to be wet. If leaves stay wet, they are more susceptible to mold, rot, and fungus growth. The flowers will try to get away from the mold or fungus and become leggy.

Zain Vedyaev

Teacher

How do you use African violet pots?

Remove the inner pot from the water and fill it to within 1 inch of the top with the potting soil mixture. Plant your African violet or other decorative plant in the soil mix. Pat down the soil mix to ensure good contact with the soil.

Maninder Amoruso

Teacher

When should you repot orchids?

Your Orchid Has Outgrown Its Pot
Once you notice your orchid's roots seem too crowded in its current container, it's time to repot your orchid. If you see roots beginning to grow up from the plant stem or start to crawl over the side of the pot, it's a telltale sign your pot has become too small.

Renda Fradilha

Reviewer

Why are African violets called?

It received its common name of African violet as a result of the location in which it naturally grows, but also because the flower itself bears a striking resemblance to the true violet.

Sohayla Uterwedde

Reviewer

Can I use cactus soil for houseplants?

African violets and other flowering houseplants: Blooming plants generally thrive in a mix containing organic water-holding materials like peat moss and compost. Cacti planted in your standard mix -- even one with good drainage -- will probably rot.

Lahsen Hames

Reviewer

How do African violets multiply?

The easiest way to make one old African violet into two or more new ones is merely to divide the stems and roots. Tip a plant out of its pot and slice right through the plant and soil with a sharp knife taking some stem with each part. Now you have two plants. Do it again if the stem has enough branches.

Aurelio Peri

Reviewer

Can you root an African violet in water?

One of the easiest method to propagate African Violet and its relatives is using the old water method. Get a few African Violet leaf cuttings and put them into water until they grow roots and the first leaves appear. - Wait for the roots and the tiny leaves to appear then plant it into soil.

Cristofol Jilyakov

Supporter

Can you transplant African violets when they are blooming?

African violets will grow better in small pots. Small plantlets can be potted into 2'' pots. When they bloom, you should transplant them into 3'' pots until your plant gets bigger, 8 to 10'' in diameter.

Segimon Zarb

Supporter

Do African violets need to be repotted?

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.

Co-Authored By:

EveryThingWhat Staff Editor

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17th April, 2020

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