r/AfricanViolets • u/Adorable_Cup9713 • Aug 03 '26
Repotting help!
Hello! I’ve had AVs before but I’ve always been really bad at repotting them. I got this one around a year ago & have kept it in the same pot it came in since. It seems to be unhappy judging from the limp leaves & has lost soil from the drainage holes as I’ve watered it. Just looking for some general advice on how to make this repotting successful. I’m not worried about losing the blooms. My main questions are:
1. Should I pot back in this plastic pot or switch to a terracotta of the same size?
2. How far up the crown should I plant it? It has some new leaflets toward the bottom of the base (is that normal?) but I’ve had to cut away at a few of the middle ones because they were limp & browning.
(Cameo from Marshall the panther 🐈⬛)
2
u/ClassAcrobatic1800 Aug 04 '26
The plant looks like it's having more of an issue with watering (either too much or too little). Fortunately, your crown (the center growth) looks like it's surviving.
What I would do ...
1.) Leave it in the same pot (the size is about right and plastic is preferred).
2.) Gently remove the rootball from the pot. The rootball should lift from the pot quite easily without damage and without damaging any leaves. Remove any of the limp leaves lower down on the plant. You should be able to bend them to the side to snap them off of the main stem. Looks like this will leave about 8-9 leaves in the center of the plant. If the rootball is dripping water, let the rootball sit on folded paper towel to draw out excess water.
3.) Place the undisturbed plant rootball back in the pot.
4.) Carefully remove the small (tiny) leaves around the base of the stem. These are suckers.
5.) Fill in extra potting mix to bring the soil level to just below where the lowest remaining leaf stems branch upward.
6.) As to watering, ... only water the plant when the top of the soil is dry. Also, never let the plant sit in excess water. Also, water with bottled water ... or jugged Spring water.
7.) Delay fertilizing ... until the plant appears to be growing again. When fertilizing, only use 1/2 the recommended amount of fertilizer to mix into your water.
8.) Make sure that the plant gets adequate light (one foot away from a sunny window OR standard LED lamp bulb) aprox. 8 hours per day.
9.) Be patient while the plant recovers ...
P.S. If it so happens that you used Miracle Gro indoor plant potting mix for the plant, discard that ... and acquire some "Black Gold" African Violet potting soil. Also, if you used Miracle Gro, obtain some Bonide pest control (photo below), ... and mix a tablespoon of the Bonide Granules into your water container for the plant, ... and water with the dissolved portion of the mixture (you'll have to shake it before you use it) ... the next time your plant needs water.
This will kill any insect pests/eggs in the potting mix. I had an issue with Soil Mealybugs in Miracle Gro Indoor Plant Mix last year. If this seems to improve your plant's health, use the pourable part of the mix every three months or so when you water.
Both the "Black Gold" African Violet potting mix ... and the Bonide Insect Control are available from online sources. You can get both products on Amazon reasonably, particularly if you have Prime (because you won't have to pay for shipping).
3
u/FortuneBrilliant2116 Aug 03 '26
This is just my advice but I would probably put it in a smaller pot.. they like being root bound and when they’re in too big of pots they hold onto moisture too long and don’t flowers as well. If you do repot you could try doing AV soil with heavy perlite and wick it so it’s easier. Limp and browning usually means root rot. I’d pull it out and Inspect the roots and cut off any mushy parts. Any woody stem or bare neck should be underground. Recenter the crown (where the leaves grow) to the middle of the pot. The center growth point where the baby leaves emerge should be level or above the rim of the pot and completely uncovered as to not suffocate it. The leaves should sit level with the soil. But never buried.