Violets: Intervention Needed

 A couple of years ago, inspired by my daughter's success with violets, I got one of my own. It was not my first foray into the world of violets but my previous violet experiment ended badly, so I didn't expect much. Luckily, my violet lived and this little bit of success inspired me. Now I have five!

 This one just started blooming, and I love the color! To think I found it in a clearance cart at the grocery store, ready to be thrown out. Poor thing just needed a little TLC!  

 

 

 The ruffly violet at left was a cutting from one of Bailey's violets in Texas. It started out very small but has done quite well. When she was home recently, she made a cutting from this plant to create the smaller one at the right. The baby now has blooms of her own!

My original violet has done extremely well, now that I've figured out the proper light (east or north windows are best). We divided this one, too. After that, I trimmed off some of the leaves so it's a bit lopsided, but it is looking a little more balanced over time.

 

 Violet leaves should be stiff and sturdy, like this...

 

...not like this. Although this cutting from my original plant has sprouted new leaves, they're always limp.

If the soil is dry and the leaves are limp, that's when you know to water it, but if the leaves STAY limp after watering, there's a problem. According to the violet websites I checked, limp leaves are often a symptom of over-watering or root rot. The only way to determine this is to un-pot the plant.

I did as directed and immediately found the soil to be pretty wet. Obviously I have over-watered this plant, thinking the limp leaves meant that it needed water. NOPE. Too much of a good thing, I guess! I shook the dirt off the roots and did not see any signs of rot.

I re-potted it in new dry violet potting soil, this time setting the plant a bit lower so it would not be so wobbly. I will wait to water it until the soil REALLY dries out and that moisture on the roots has a chance to get absorbed. I'll give it a few days and see how it looks.

 

Here's hoping this intervention does the trick!

jp