Pot size is important for your African violets because they grow
best when their roots fill the pot! Although pot-bound means
disaster to many plants, to the African violet it’s synonymous
with comfort! A three-inch pot is ample room for small African
violets. A good rule of thumb for repotting is to change pots
when the plant overflows its pots or, in other words, when the
foliage rosette spills over the edges.
Although African violets are easy-growing plants and apt to
“bloom where they are planted”, special violet pots come in a
wide variety of styles, shapes, colors and sizes for the violet
growing enthusiast. The most important point to consider when
choosing new pots for your African violets is drainage. The
African violet is a plant that needs plenty of good circulation.
Like many plants, it “breaths” through its roots. While the
violet grows best in a moist potting mixture, roots that stand
in water will drown. Pots with good drainage help you ensure
that your violet gets a satisfactory mix of both air and
moisture.
One of the most attractive and fun ways to grow African violets
is in specially made African violet self-watering pots. Self
watering pots come in several styles. The classic two-piece
ceramic pot has an outer pot of glazed ceramic and an unglazed
inner pot. The Dandy pot looks like an upside down top hat with
a ruffled brim. Dandy pots can sit on an ordinary plant saucer,
but many include a special reservoir that is both attractive and
useful in keeping your violets watered. The Oyama pot is another
two-piece pot. Made of white plastic, the top half is shallow
and slitted. It sits atop a reservoir of water, which is wicked
into the potting mixture.
