Used to kill my African violets within a few weeks, now they bloom for months

I had a purple African violet from my aunt that kept getting droopy leaves and dying on me after maybe a month. Then a guy at the local garden center told me I was watering from the top and getting water on the leaves, which causes rot. Switched to bottom watering with a saucer about 6 months ago, now I have three healthy plants with flowers that last over 4 months each. Anyone else have luck changing one simple habit for a finicky plant?

2 comments

2 Comments

webb.christopher14d agoMost Upvoted

Wait, you're telling me watering from the top was the problem all along? I always thought my African violets were just cursed or something, I had like five of them die on me in a row. The leaves would get these weird brown spots and just go all mushy. I kept thinking I was overwatering or underwatering, never once thought it was the water getting on the leaves themselves. That's wild. Makes total sense though, because I remember dumping water right into the center of the plant like a dummy. I'm definitely trying the saucer method this weekend.

derekp7014d ago

Tried it myself @webb.christopher, switched to saucers and my violets finally stopped dying on me.