Why African Violet Plant Leaves Get Yellow Edges
I am a relatively new African violet owner. I’ve had mine for about a year and it’s seems to be doing well (Grows FAST and large, flowers seasonally). Unfortunately, lately, my leaves have had brown dried edges, cracks in the center of the leaf, and now there’s a yellowish lining on the edges of the leaves. I’m looking online everywhere but I can’t get a clear answer. I’ll also provide pictures. It was re potted about 3 months ago, and I don’t fertilize often. The soil I got was specifically African violet soil and so was the fertilizer that I do use.
Hi Carol,
Yellowing around the edges of the leaves, especially older leaves, is usually caused by too much plant food and salt build up in the soil. Fertilizers contain a lot of salt and when there is too much of it, the excess salts build up in the soil. Over-fertilizing causes leaf tip burn, poor flower production, leaf cracks, and may even kill an African Violet plant. There are many varieties that especially sensitive to too much plant food. Excess salts also build up if you use water that has passed through a water softener.
The first thing you need to do is cleanse the soil of the excess salt. This is called “leaching.” The next time you water, drench the soil in about a quart of distilled water. Pour the water over the entire surface of the plant. As the water drains out it will take the salts with it. Avoid feeding the plant for a couple of months.
When you do feed, use a fertilizer made for African Violet plants or, in a pinch, you can use any balanced, soluble, houseplant food diluted to 1/2 the recommended strength. Feed African Violets monthly only when the plant is actively growing.