What Your African Violets Really Need in March – For Elegant Blooms That Last from Spring to Summer
Discover the five quick jobs you can do right now
African violets are some of the most elegant indoor blooms you can grow, and it's exciting to watch them wake up in early spring. There are a few things your African violets need in March for successful and long-lasting blooming, even if you already have flowers emerging.
March is when African violet care ramps up again after winter, with regular feeding beginning, increased watering needed, and there's some essential tidying up and cleaning to do. Missing any of these jobs this month could allow for pest problems to go unnoticed, discoloring foliage, and short-term blooms.
Article continues below1. Start Feeding Your African Violet
African violets bloom for several months at a time, with their main blooming times being spring and fall
When it comes to indoor flowering plants, one of the best things you can do is fertilize them to encourage abundant and long-lasting blooms.
Just like fertilizing a peace lily, spring is the time to start fertilizing your African violets as they begin one of their main blooming cycles (also experienced in fall).
You can use a specific African violet liquid feed (from Amazon) which should be diluted with water and applied every 4-6 weeks.
Feeds with 14-12-14 NPK plant fertilizer numbers are recommended as the best houseplant fertilizer for African violets because they encourages continuous blooming and lush foliage.
Take care to avoid fertilizer mistakes (like applying too often) as this can cause root burn and kill off your plant.
2. Move Your African Violet into Bright Light
African violets have fuzzy foliage to protect themselves from temperature changes, excess moisture, and to deter pests
To help your African violet put on new growth and flourish, you should move it somewhere brighter in March.
However, you should avoid a direct sun position (like a south-facing windowsill) which can cause leaf scorch on this plant's highly sensitive leaves.
An ideal spot would be within a foot of a west-facing or southeast-facing window.
Brighter light as these plants experience a growth spurt will bring out beautiful hues and prolific blooming. It will also encourage compact foliage growth, rather than legginess, helping to make it strong.
If you don't have a bright enough spot for your African violets, use a grow light (like this one with a timer from Amazon).
On the contrary, if you only have really sunny windowsills, consider installing this sheer curtain from Wayfair to protect your African violet's leaves.
3. Gradually Increase Watering
Always check your African violet's soil before watering
When it comes to watering houseplants, the general rule of thumb is to increase frequency as part of spring houseplant care. This is no different for African violets, which are thirstier in warmer temperatures.
They key with watering African violets is keeping their soil consistently moist. I use a soil moisture meter (like this one from Amazon) to check the moisture level of my plants' soil before watering.
When the top couple of inches have dried out, you can water your African violet.
But, be aware: watering these blooming plants requires a careful approach.
Due to their sensitivity, it's important not to get their foliage wet – it could cause permanent spotting and crown rot. That's where bottom watering might be preferred.
Likewise, cold water should be avoided, as it can shock the plant and cause symptoms like African violet leaves drooping.
Use this Amazon water thermometer to ensure the water you use on these plants is tepid.
4. Remove Yellowing Foliage
African violets come in a range of purple hues, as well as pinks and white
Just like plants to prune in March, it's hugely beneficial to do a bit of tidying up with your African violet this month.
Colder temperatures, limited daylight, and inconsistent moisture levels in winter may have caused some of its leaves to turn yellow.
Removing this damaged and dead plant matter now will redirect your African violet's energy into new growth and flowering.
You may be able to carefully pull off loose foliage, but if it isn't coming away easily you should use clean and sharp houseplant pruning snips (like these from Amazon) to cut at the base of leaves.
Take care to follow the one third pruning rule when doing this, as removing more of the plant may shock it and stunt growth.
This is also a good time to check for houseplant pests, where you should look underneath leaves in particular.
Having said that, African violet's fuzzy foliage does deter the majority of pests, but it's better to check than let a problem go unnoticed.
5. Take African Violet Leaf Cuttings
It's easy to propagate and multiply these plants
African violets are one of the plant cuttings to take in March.
While you can propagate African violets by division, this is best done when they become overcrowded with 'suckers.' But, you can take leaf cuttings to root in either water or soil in early spring.
This is a great time of year to do it because you can take advantage of warmer temperatures and bright light to speed up houseplant propagation.
With sharp pruning snips, cut mature leaves with a stem 1-1.5" long. You can then pop the cutting either in a well-draining potting mix or in water.
I like to use a glass vessel propagation station (like this beautiful one from Amazon) to observe root growth when rooting cuttings in water.
These cuttings root fairly quickly, so you should spot new growth (plantlets) within 6-8 weeks.
FAQs
Should You Repot African Violets in March?
Repotting is one of the things African violets need in March if they have outgrown their current container. This is also a good opportunity to give your plant some fresh African violet potting soil (from Amazon), packed with nutrients for their active growth season.
If you're keen to add more indoor plats that flower all year round to your home, consider anthuriums (like this from The Sill) and orchids (like this pink moth orchid from Walmart).
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