For seasoned African Violet growers and beginners alike, growing African violets from seeds is a great way to explore the beauty of nature and the joys of gardening. African violets are beautiful, delicate, and easy to grow plants that can provide a colorful and calming atmosphere to your indoor garden. In this blog, we will discuss how to plant African violet seeds, the perfect soil, water and light requirements, humidity levels, and when to pot them in their own pots. Follow along to learn some tips and techniques that can help you grow beautiful African violet plants.
Soil for African Violet Seeds
Preparing the Soil – To plant African violet seeds, you need a well-draining, nutrient-dense, and slightly acidic soil. You can use commercially available African Violet soil mixes, or you can make your own. My soil mix for African Violets is 2 parts peat moss, 1 part perlite and one part vermiculite. Some people prefer to mix half AV Commercial soil mix with half perlite. Just experiment and see what works best for you.
Planting your African Violet Seeds
Planting the Seeds – Before planting the seeds, make sure to clean and disinfect your pot or tray and any gardening tools that you will be using. Scatter the African violet seeds evenly onto the surface of the soil. Do not cover the seeds with soil, as they are light-sensitive. You can cover the pot or tray with plastic wrap of you can plant in trays with covers to create your own greenhouse effect to retain moisture and germination rate. Place the pot or tray on a warm surface with bright, indirect sunlight.
Water and Light Requirements
African violets love bright, indirect sunlight and moist soil. Avoid direct sunlight as it can damage the delicate leaves and flowers. Or as many growers do you can use LED Grow lights. I personally have AVs under these grow lights and they fantastic with non-stop blooming! Use a spray bottle to lightly mist the soil every day to keep it moist. Do not water the soil too heavily, as it can lead to root rot.
Fertilizing your African Violet Seeds
You can provide your African violets with balanced liquid fertilizer, preferably high-potassium, once every two weeks. For all my African Violets, which are on the water wicking method, I use Schultz African Violet fertilizer and use half strength one week and full strength the next.
Humidity Levels
African violets love high humidity levels, but they can quickly get damaged in too much moisture. The ideal humidity level range for African violet plants is between 40-60%. This TheraPro humidity hygrometer lets you know when you have reached the correct humidity level. You can use a humidifier or place a tray of water under the plant to increase humidity.
Potting up your new African Violets
Once your African violet plants are big enough and have several leaves, you can transplant them into their own pots. Make sure to use a potting mix mentioned above. Gently remove the plant from its pot and loosen the soil around the roots. Place the plant in a slightly bigger pot and cover the roots with new soil. Water well and place the plant in a bright, indirect sunlit area.
Happy Gardening!
Growing African violet plants from seeds may seem daunting, but with patience and care, you can explore the beauty of indoor gardening. A well-draining soil mix, bright indirect sunlight, and high humidity levels are key to keeping these plants healthy and blooming. Remember to water and feed your plants regularly and to keep them away from direct sunlight and cold drafts. With these tips and techniques, you will be rewarded with charming and vibrant African violet plants that will bring life to your home.
Please be sure to check out my Gardening Blog Post Page for more tips on all types of gardening. Including Seed Saving, Seed Starting, Orchids, Water Gardening, Coldframe Gardening, Indoor Bulb Gardening, Hydroponics, Container Gardening, Mums, Herbs, African Violets, planting Bulbs, Flower Gardening, Vegetable and Fruit Gardening, Indoor Houseplants of all kinds, Cactus, Succulents, Hanging plants, Deer resistant plants and even Bird, Bee, Butterfly and Hummingbird Gardens!
