The leaves of my
African violets are falling off otherwise healthy plants. It starts with the leaf stem turning
almost clear and a few days later the leaves fall off.
Cold water or
salt build up can cause this type of damage. Use room temperature water to avoid cold damage to the above
ground growth. Then check for salt
build up, a white crusty substance on the soil surface or plant container? The salts are from the minerals in the
water and fertilizer. African
violet leaves and petioles (leaf stems) are damaged and often drop when they
come in contact with this material.
Most African violet growers raise their plants in plastic or ceramic
pots, with drainage holes, to avoid this problem. Start by scraping off the crusty white substance. Then water the soil thoroughly with
room temperature water. Allow the
excess water to drain from the pot.
Repeat this several times at 20 minute intervals. Leaching the soil like
this will help wash any excess salts out of the soil. Some growers cover the rim of the pot with foil or a similar
material to protect the petioles from the salt laden container rim.