How do you know when to water an African Violet? Your plant can’t tell you what it wants, so you have to figure it out for yourself. Luckily, there are a few clear indicators that can help you notice when your Saintpaulia is thirsty. We’re going to explain the 4 main signs that your African Violet needs some hydration.
Soil moisture levels are the most reliable signals of when to water an African Violet. Give your plant a drink when the top inch of the potting mix is dry. You should also watch for drooping, curling, and dry or discolored leaves. These problems often mean your African Violet is dehydrated.
Remember that the soil is your best guide to your African Violet’s need for water. When the foliage is suffering but the soil is still moist, lack of water may not be the issue. See below for some tips on correctly identifying your Saintaulia’s problem. With a little practice, you’ll be able to tell exactly when to water your African Violet.
How Thirsty Are African Violets?
The basic rule for watering your African Violet is to make sure its roots are always damp. Sounds simple, right? The tricky part is making sure that they don’t drown. Too much water in the soil cuts off the root system’s access to oxygen. Over time, it also lets hostile fungi and bacteria grow to dangerous levels, causing root rot.
That means you can’t just water your African Violet on a set schedule. You need to adjust for how fast it’s using up moisture. That can vary with the day-to-day shifts in things like sunlight levels and humidity. You can’t be certain your Saintpaulia will need the same amount of water next week as it did last week.
Instead, you’ll need to keep an eye on the condition of your plant and its environment. These 4 signs will tell you when to water an African Violet.
#1: The Soil is Getting Dry
The soil condition is the most helpful indicator of whether your African Violet needs water. Why? Because it will alert you before your plant starts to suffer. The other signs on this list are all warnings that you’ve waited too long. But if you check the soil, you can give your African Violet a drink just in time.
The simplest way to test the soil is to poke it with a finger. Go about an inch below the surface. If it feels dry, it’s time to water your African Violet. If it’s damp, wait and check again tomorrow.
You should perform this test every 2-3 days (though in the winter, every 4-5 days is probably enough). This should ensure that you notice right away when the upper soil dries out. There should still be a bit of moisture by the roots at that point, but not so much that your Saintpaulia is in danger of root rot.
Of course, this depends a bit on how good your soil’s drainage is. African Violets like a spongy but well-aerated soil, which helps maintain the right balance of moisture. But what if you aren’t sure about your soil quality?
You can directly test the conditions around the roots by sinking a moisture meter into the lower soil. Water your African Violet when the needle is at the low end of “moist”. Remember to get a feel for the range of the
#2: Curling and Wilting Leaves
Like most plants, African Violets wilt when they’re thirsty. They rely on internal water pressure to keep their leaves upright and firm. When your Saintpaulia goes too long without water, its leaves will get limp and start to sag. They also tend to curl down at the edges and the leaves may appear to be clenching up like fists.
However, there is a very important qualifier to keep in mind. Your African Violet will also wilt if you’ve watered it too much. When the roots are rotting or suffocating because of wet soil, they can’t keep the rest of the plant hydrated. So sagging foliage isn’t enough on its own to confirm that your plant is thirsty.
Instead, refer back to #1. When your African Violet is wilting and curling, check the soil. If it’s dry, your plant probably just needs a drink. But if drooping leaves are accompanied by wet soil, check your Saintpaulia for root rot.
#3: Yellowing or Browning Leaves
If your African Violet is badly underwatered, the leaf tissues may start to die. The foliage will turn yellow or brown and shrivel up. This often starts at the edges of the leaves and creeps inward.
However, other issues can produce yellow and brown spots too:
- Overwatering often causes discoloration and softness that starts in the lower leaves and quickly spreads upward.
- Root rot that worms its way up to the crown may produce mushy brown spots.
- Sunburn can cause pale brown blotches of dead tissue where direct sunlight hits the leaves.
- Over-fertilization may produce crispy brown leaf edges
- Cold water on the leaves may produce unsightly spots
If the leaves feel brittle and dry, this often means underwatering, while soft and soggy leaves can point to overwatering. This isn’t a foolproof test, though. Once again, if you’re not sure whether lack of water is the problem, check the soil! Seriously, the amount of moisture in the potting mix is the best guide to when to water African Violets.
#4: Lack of Growth or Flowers
This is often a sign that you should be watering your African Violet more often. Repeatedly letting the roots dry out tends to stunt its growth and stop it from blooming.
If you’re smack in the middle of the growing season and your African Violet hasn’t put out any flowers or new leaves, you should start checking the soil more often. You may be letting it go too long between drinks of water.
Keep in mind that lack of light is another common reason why African Violets fail to flower or grow. Make sure your plant is getting enough indirect sun before concluding that it’s underwatered. Once you’re certain your Saintpaulia’s environment is bright enough, you should consider the possibility that it’s too dry.
How to Give Your African Violet a Drink
Now that you know when to water your Saintpaulias, we should talk a little about how. There are three primary schools of thought when it comes to watering African Violets:
- Top Watering. Pour water onto the soil, slowly and evenly, until it’s soaked through and dripping out the bottom. Use lukewarm water, and avoid getting it on your African Violet’s leaves if you can help it. Water on the foliage can cause cold damage or crown rot. A watering can with a long, slender spout will help you get underneath the leaves.
- Bottom Watering. Fill a wide, shallow dish with a couple of inches of water. Then place your African Violet’s pot in the water and let it sit until the soil is soaked through. This usually takes 20-30 minutes, but it depends on the soil type.
- Wick Watering. Bury one end of a cord or rag made of absorbent material in your African Violet’s pot. Then put the pot inside another container that holds some water. You want the “wick” dangling into the liquid but your plant’s pot suspended above the surface. Crafty growers can create a setup like this at home, but you could also buy a self-watering African Violet pot.
These options all have advantages and disadvantages; for more detail, you can check out our article on watering African Violets. If you bottom water or wick water, it’s still a good idea to give your plant a thorough watering from the top every couple of months. This will help wash out any excess minerals from fertilizer or tap water.
Final Thoughts
Keep your finger on your African Violet’s pulse by checking the soil regularly. And watch out for the warning signs we’ve laid out above. If the soil has dried out, if you seeing wilting or discoloration in the leaves, or if you haven’t seen any new growth, it might be time to add water to your African Violet. If you’re monitoring your plant carefully, you’ll know just when to water!
