When and How to Repot African Violets

Native to Eastern Africa, they are grown as attractive low-profile outdoor specimens in USDA Hardiness Zones 11 to 12 and decorative houseplants elsewhere.

Our guide to growing African violets explains everything you need to know to enjoy these compact, clumping plants at your house.

This article discusses one aspect of care: repotting.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

Let’s get started!

Cultural Requirements

Outdoors, African violets thrive in filtered sunlight that mimics their native rainforests.

Indoor specimens require bright, indirect sunlight and do best on north- or east-facing windowsills. Because they are prone to rotting, it’s best to avoid very low light placements.

The soil should be light, with a slightly acidic pH of 6.0 to 6.5.

Organically-rich matter, like sphagnum peat moss, provides nutrients, while inorganic ingredients, like perlite and vermiculite, hold nutrients and water, inhibiting soil compaction and oversaturation.

With their cultural requirements met, African violets can live quite contentedly indoors.

However, if the plants remain in the same pot for a long time, chemical changes can occur, rapidly turning an ideal growing environment into a detrimental one.

This can be as a result of a build up of fertilizer salt deposits and breakdown of nutrients in the potting medium. Repotting every six to 12 months ensures an optimal growing environment.

If you’re new to African violet growing, repotting every year or twice a year probably seems excessive. Like me, you’re likely used to waiting until you see plant roots coming through the drainage holes to signal the need for a new container.

Not only are the roots unlikely to ever reach the drainage hole, but you will probably repot in the same vessel at least once before needing to go up a size.

You may also need to repot if you are moving your plant from a plastic nursery container to a more permanent, eye-catching home. Or relocating an African violet propagated from leaf cuttings or a divided pup.

Choosing a Container and Growing Medium

Let’s talk about containers.

An unglazed, porous container with one or more drainage holes is ideal. It allows air and excess moisture to pass through, helping to prevent oversaturation.

Terra cotta is an excellent choice for African violets.

Depending on the size, if you find an ornamental vessel without a drainage hole, you may be able to insert a plain, well-draining container inside it.

When you water, take the inner vessel to the sink and let it finish dripping before returning it to its decorative caddy.

The diameter of the container you choose should be about a third of the width of the leaf canopy. The standard pot depth is suitable, as the roots are shallow and spread laterally.

It may seem that the container is too small, but trust me, you’ll risk rotting if you go too large. Been there, done that.

As mentioned, African violets thrive in well-draining, organically rich potting medium. You can find products specifically formulated for these plants or make your own.

If you choose to make your own, you can amend standard potting soil with an equal part of perlite, pumice, or rice hulls.

Preparation

With many tropical houseplants, it’s recommended to water them before transplanting, but in the case of African violets, they are better off being a bit thirsty because the leaf stems or petioles are more pliable and less likely to snap during handling.

To prepare, sanitize a pair of garden scissors, a scoop or spoon, a small trowel or butter knife, and your new vessel (if using) with a 10 percent bleach solution (nine parts water to one part bleach), rinse, and allow them to air dry.

Collect your growing medium, garden gloves, newspaper or a plastic tablecloth, a paper towel, a watering can, and a clean artist’s brush or makeup brush.

You may want to wear a mask when pouring the new soil. Alternatively, you can moisten the growing medium before pouring. However, if you moisten more than you need, you’ll have to let it dry entirely before placing it back in the bag to prevent fungal issues.

Spread out the newspaper or a plastic tablecloth to work on.

Place a piece of paper towel over the drainage hole at the bottom of the container. It doesn’t have to cover the whole bottom – just the hole with some overlap so it doesn’t fall in.

Avoid placing stones or other bits in the bottom of the pot to prevent a phenomenon called a perched water table.

After doing so for many years, I’ve learned that when water reaches a stony layer, it pools horizontally instead of draining downwards and can contribute to waterlogged soil and rotting roots.

Wear your mask and use the clean scoop or spoon to fill the new vessel about a third of the way with fresh potting soil.

If you’re planning to reuse the existing container, you’ll need to sanitize it after unpotting your plant.

Unpot Your Plant

Before you unpot your African violet, use your scissors to do a quick clean-up.

Snip off spent flowers and any damaged or unsightly leaves as close to the stems’ points of origin as possible without nicking nearby foliage.

Remove any large, old bottom leaves as desired for a better-balanced, rejuvenated appearance and to stimulate new growth.

Detach baby plants or pups that have grown beside the parent plant for division.

Note that it’s best not to remove more than one-third of a plant at a time to avoid severe shock.

Next it’s time to unpot. You may want your garden gloves for this part.

Loosen the soil around the edges of the container with the trowel or knife. Use a lifting motion to dislodge the contents gently.

This part is often challenging because of the overhang of the lowest leaves. Take your time and be as gentle as possible.

If you break a leaf or stem, cut the leaf petiole or stem back as close to its point of origin as possible before continuing.

Use your gloved fingers and brush to remove most of the old soil from around the root ball and try to avoid injuring the roots. After removing most of the soil, you are ready for the next step.

Sodden roots are a symptom of overwatering. If any are mushy or malodorous, snip them off, discard them, and rinse the remaining roots with water before proceeding.

Work at a good pace to avoid keeping your plant out of the soil for any longer than necessary.

If you’re reusing the existing container, be sure to clean and sanitize it before adding your potting soil as described above.

Repotting

When you’re ready to set the plant in the new pot, hold the plant by its root mass.

Center and elevate it above the soil so the lowest leaves are slightly higher than the pot rim.

Backfill using the clean scoop or spoon to add fresh growing medium, mounding it in the center to maintain the desired elevation.

Around the outer edge, there should be about half an inch to an inch of space between the soil surface and the pot rim to permit watering without soil overflow.

Tamp the soil gently to secure the plant in an upright position.

Use your brush to sweep the leaves lightly to remove any soil adhering to them.

Bottom Watering

The best way to water an African violet is from the bottom, which you should do as soon as your transplant is complete.

To bottom water, place the pot in a pan or saucer containing about an inch of tepid tap water. Let it drink for 20 to 30 minutes.

Drain the excess, and place it outdoors in filtered sunlight or indoors in bright, indirect sunlight. Avoid splashing the foliage with water to inhibit the growth of fungal pathogens.

Fertilization is not necessary at repotting time.

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