Propagate African Violet for Indoor Blooms

African violets are known for their leaves soft, easy care and delicate flowers.The most common African violet purple shade is well known, but you can find variations Saintpaulia that bloom in soft pinks and blues and purples brilliant.
Once you buy an African violet in your favorite color, you can easily spread and has a factory of new adults in as little as six to nine months.
This may seem a long time since you can just go to the local garden store and buy a new one, however, you will find the pleasure of growing your own African Violet is well worth the wait..

More info on http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1760290/howto_propagate_african_violet_saintpaulia.html?cat=32

Tips for Growing AFrican Violet

Light

Proper light is essential for good bloom. African violets require more light than most growers first realize. Thin, dark, blue-green leaves with long petioles indicate insufficient light levels. While moderate light is needed, direct light for long periods can be damaging as well. Too much light produces leaves that are small, crinkled, leathery, and yellow with short petioles on stunted plants. Generally, north and eastern exposures are best for African violets. However, if these exposures are not possible, African violets perform beautifully under artificial lights as well. Fluorescent lights suspended approximately 8 inches above the plants for 12 to 16 hours per day will produce sufficient light to initiate blooms in African violets.

Temperature

African violets require temperatures between 65 and 80F. Typically, temperatures below 50 F will cause leaves to darken, become water-soaked, and wither. Temperatures above 85F will slow growth and flowering of African violets and may injure the leaves as well. Water temperature becomes important during the winter months, as cold water directly on the leaves will damage them quickly.

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Watering

Watering African violets is often the most difficult part of their care. They require a moist, well-drained soil. If the soils are too wet, the plants may rot. If plants are too dry, they will not grow or flower well. Many people sub-irrigate African violets. This means placing the plant in a saucer of water and allowing the plant to soak up water from the bottom of the pot. This prevents injury from cold water on the leaves and insures the entire soil profile is moist. However, care must be taken not to allow the plants to sit for long periods in water as they may rot quickly. Allow the top inch of the soil to dry before sub-irrigating again. African violets can also be watered from the top if room temperature water is used and the foliage remains dry. In fact, it is recommended to irrigate from the top occasionally to prevent salt accumulation. Wick watering is another method that is increasing in popularity. This is a continuous watering system with a water reservoir at the base of the plant and an absorbent wick that connects the soil and the water reservoir. This method is effective in maintaining an even moisture level of the soil. However, periodic leaching of the soil profile with water from the top might be necessary to prevent the accumulation of salts.

Fertilization

Regular fertilization is needed to encourage plants to bloom throughout the year. A complete fertilizer at a low rate is recommended. Excessive fertilization leads to vigorous vegetative growth, poor flowering, and the accumulation of salts in the soil. The accumulation of salts can ultimately damage or destroy foliage. Flush soils occasionally with clear water to eliminate salt buildup in the soil.

Soils

A loose, porous, fertile soil or soilless mix that is slightly acidic (6.0 or 6.5) is needed for growing African violets. Peat-based soils that have been pasteurized are best. Garden or field soil is not satisfactory alone since it is often poorly drained and compacts easily. Many commercial soiless mixes are available. Refer to soils for houseplants (PM 713f) for more recipes for mixing your own soils.

African violets make great houseplants. With a proper environment and regular care they will reward you with blooms all year.

Colours, Types and Habits of Afriacn Violets

Today, flower colors include blue, purple, red-violet, orchid, lavender, red pink, white, and bi-color or multi-colored. There are single, double, semi-double, star-shaped, fringed, and ruffled flower types. Leaf types include plain, ruffled, fringed, scalloped, spooned, pointed, and variegated. The American Violet Society has 4 classes of African violets based on plant size: miniature (less than 6 inches in diameter), semi-miniature (6 to 8 inches), standard (8 to 16 inches), and large (over 16 inches).

No matter which flower color, leaf type, or habit you select, the care for all types of African violets is similar. While these are relatively easy to grow houseplants, they do require consistent care.

History of African Violets

The history of African Violets dates back to the late 18th century. Baron Walter von St. Paul discovered these blooming beauties growing in West Africa and sent samples or seed home to Germany. By the early 1900's African violets were blooming in Europe and around the world. The development of hybrid varieties with violet, purple, and blue flower colors in the late 1920's by the Los Angeles nursery of Armacost and Roysten increased the popularity of African violets. Since the 1920's hundreds of cultivars have been developed with an immense variety of flower and leaf colors, shapes, and sizes.

Standard Violets

"Standard" sized varieties typically grow 10-12" in diameter when grown as houseplants, and will grow comfortably in a 4" pot when mature. When grown for exhibition, well-grown specimens can reach a diameter of 18" to 24", with leaves as large as one's hand. Keep in mind that these are show plants, given special care (most importantly, disbudding). Grown as a houseplant, they will not grow nearly so large--you need keep only 4-5 rows of leaves to keep your plant attractive and blooming.

Appearing from left to right...
Top row:
Ma's Almost Autumn
Ma's Blueberry Taffy
Ma's Crime Scene
Ma's Evening Sky

Second row:
Ma's Fruit Smoothie
Ma's Jamaican Farewell
Ma's Lily Pad
Ma's Moody Monday

Third row:Ma's Neon Lights
Ma's Prince Froggie
Ma's Blue Turtle
Ma's Corsage

Bottom row:Ma's Debutante
Ma's Country Boy
Ma's Bridal Bouquet
Ma's Grinning Grape

Violet, African, Growing, fast grow

African violet - Trailers

Trailers are the same as other African violets in every way except one--growth habit. These are branching plants that have a naturally spreading habit. Because they grow multiple-crowned, they can produce huge amounts of foliage and bloom. Because of their growth habit, they are especially suitable for windows.
Unlike most other trailing varieties, ours are true trailers. All have a compact, natrurally crawling habit that requires little or no pinching. All are extremely profuse bloomers and are very highly recommended, especially for novices, since they require little maintenance to grow well.
The size of a trailing violet is determined by the grower. Because they are spreading plants by nature, even "miniature" varieties can grow into very large plants. Should you wish to grow yours smaller, simply keep the plant pruned-back by pinching the tips of runners to limit its growth.
Personally, we prefer to grow our trailers as ground covers. This is how the plant shown above was grown. As the plant spreads, place it into wider, but still shallow (no deeper than 2-3"), pots. Trailers have a shallow root system. Occasional pinching, pruning, and removal of foliage will encourage even more dense, lush, growth.
If you'd like to grow yours in a hanging basket, perhaps in a window, this can be easily done with trailers. Simply grow it in a somewhat smaller pot and let the runners crawl over the pot edge and "hang". Since a window tends to illuminate only the side of the plant facing it, it's important to regularly turn the plant, and to hang it low enough so that the top growth receives light.

Appearing from left to right...
Top row:Rob's Vanilla Trail
Rob's BoolarooRob's Galiwinku
Rob's Gundaroo
Second row:Rob's Humpty Doo
Rob's Lilli PilliRob's Miriwinni
Rob's Sticky Wicket
Third row:Rob's Wagga Wagga
Rob's Toorooka
Rob's WilliawongChantaspring
Spunky Trail
Teeny Bopper

Violet, African, Growing, Trailers

Miniature african violets

Miniature African violets are our "claim to fame". Our "Rob's" varieties are grown by serious hobbyists and collectors in every corner of the world. All "Rob's" varieties are proven, show quality plants that grow well and bloom readily, even under less than ideal conditions. They are bred to shape nicely, bloom continually, and typically will have unusually colored and larger than average size blooms.
When mature, miniatures grow to less than 6", semiminiatures to less than 8" in diameter. With proper culture, actual plant size usually is much smaller. Care for minis is the same as for the larger "standard"-size varieties--the only difference is size. Give them at least as much light (don't "hide" them underneath larger plants), and water and feed them the same. Grow in either natural or artificial light, and never use a pot larger than 2 1/2".

Growing, African, Violet, Miniature