Living Soil

African violets and gesneriads

African violet: best soil mix and feeding guide

African violet is in Living Soil's African violets and gesneriads group. Fuzzy leaved houseplants that want a light, airy mix. Its guide gathers what published references say about soil pH, feeding, spotting problems, cautions, mixes and where the sources differ, with 4 mixes that suit it.

What the African violet guide covers

Every item carries the reference behind it. Where references disagree, the guide shows both.

  • Soil pH3
  • Feeding6
  • Spotting problems7
  • Cautions10
  • Mixes1
  • Where the sources differ3

The count is how many sourced items each part of the guide holds.

Mixes that suit African violet

Opened up violet mix

An opened up mix that gives African violets and their relatives the light, airy root zone they want, so water drains away instead of rotting the roots.

Soil based violet mix

A soil based mix for African violets and other gesneriads. It has more body than a soilless mix while staying light enough for fuzzy leaved plants.

Light violet mix

A light mix for African violets that keeps the roots airy. The recipe allows a simple swap, so you can make it with what you have on hand.

One mix is made just for African violet, inside its guide.

Each mix comes with the reference behind every figure, measured for your batch, pots or bed.

Good to know

  • pH: the references give 6 to 6.5 for African violets and gesneriads in general. The African violet guide adds its own pH notes.
  • The mistake to avoid: Overwatering into root rot, then feeding more to fix the symptoms.
  • Also known as: african violets, saintpaulia and saintpaulia ionantha

Questions

What is the best soil for African violet?

Living Soil lists 4 mixes that suit African violet, each from a published reference. They include Opened up violet mix, Soil based violet mix and Light violet mix. One is made just for it. The app measures any of them for your batch, pots or bed.

What pH does African violet need?

The references give pH 6 to 6.5 for African violets and gesneriads in general. The African violet guide adds its own pH notes.

Is the African violet guide free?

Its overview is free: what the guide covers and which mixes suit it. Opening the full guide takes credits, and the app shows the price before you confirm. Credits never expire.

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