Adding plants to your home or office is one of the easiest ways to bring life and color into your surroundings. And one of the most popular indoor plants is the beautiful and easy to care for African violet. But have you considered hanging your African violet plant? Hanging your violets not only adds a unique touch to your decor it also helps save valuable tabletop or floor space. In this article we’ll explore how to hang an African violet plant and why it’s such a great option for adding greenery to your indoor space.
How to Hang an African Violet Plant
Hanging an African violet is simple if you follow a few key steps
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Choose the right pot. Select a pot that already has a hanger attached, or attach a hanger to your existing pot. Make sure there are drainage holes in the bottom of the pot.
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Prepare the soil. Use a specialty potting mix designed for African violets that drains well.
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Plant the violet. Place your plant in the pot and fill around it with soil until it’s firmly situated.
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Water thoroughly. Water your violet completely, allowing excess water to drain fully out of the bottom
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Hang the plant. Hang the violet in a spot with bright, indirect light. Avoid direct sunlight, as it can scorch leaves.
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Care for the plant. Continue caring for your violet by watering regularly, fertilizing when needed, and pruning dead leaves.
Why Hang an African Violet Plant?
There are several excellent reasons to hang an African violet plant in your home or office:
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Saves space. Hanging plants keeps them up off the floor and out of the way, saving valuable space.
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Adds visual interest. A hanging violet creates an eye-catching focal point and brings depth to your decor.
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Improves air quality. Like all plants, African violets naturally filter the air and remove toxins.
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Boosts mood. Houseplants can reduce stress and improve mood – and a hanging violet adds natural beauty.
Tips for Caring for a Hanging African Violet
Caring for a hanging African violet plant takes a little extra effort:
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Water frequently. Check soil regularly and water when the top inch is dry. Hanging plants dry out faster.
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Provide ample indirect light. Violets need plenty of bright, indirect light to thrive. Avoid direct sun.
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Fertilize when needed. Use a fertilizer made specifically for African violets. Follow package directions.
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Prune dead leaves. Regularly remove any dead or damaged leaves to maintain plant health.
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Monitor for pests. Watch for common pests like aphids, mealybugs, and spider mites. Treat promptly if found.
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Mist leaves. Misting leaves occasionally increases humidity and removes dust. But avoid wetting leaves long-term.
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Rotate plant. Turn the plant periodically so all sides get uniform light exposure and even growth.
Creative Ways to Hang African Violets
There are endless creative ways to hang African violet plants in your home or office:
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Hang from the ceiling in a sunny window using decorative chains.
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Display on a high wall shelf using macrame or rope holders.
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Suspend above a desk or work station using modern steel cables.
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Show off in a sunny kitchen window with copper pipe hangers.
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Accent a bathroom or laundry room with wire or beaded plant hangers.
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Brighten a porch or patio with hanging violets in colorful pots.
Fun Hanging Container Ideas
Along with creativity in how you hang them, have fun with the hanging container itself:
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Upcycled mugs, cups, or bowls make charming plant holders.
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Vintage tea pots or watering cans add a shabby chic vibe.
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Colorful glazed ceramic or glass bowls show off the flowers and foliage.
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Modern geometric metal pots have an urban edge.
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Hooks on macrame or rope bags offer bohemian flair.
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Painted wooden bowls provide a rustic, earthy feel.
Best Varieties for Hanging
While all African violets can be hung, some compact varieties work especially well:
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Miniatures. Extra-small mini varieties like ‘Petite Wild Rose’ are perfect petite hanging plants.
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Trailers. Cascading trailer varieties like ‘Pink Marshmallow Puff’ spill beautifully over pot edges.
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Multicrowns. Cluster-blooming multicrown types like ‘Rob’s Shamrock’ give maximum floral display.
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Mini-gesneriads. Close violet relatives like Streptocarpus and Chiritas add variety.
Propagating Hanging African Violets
You can propagate hanging African violets to make new plants:
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Leaf cuttings. Remove a healthy leaf and insert the stem in water or soil to root.
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Sucker division. Carefully divide basal baby plantlets or “suckers” from the parent plant.
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Crown division. Divide the crown, retaining some roots and leaves on each portion.
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Adventitious roots. Place adventitious plantlets that form on older leaves into a small container.
No matter how you choose to hang them, African violet plants lend beauty, visual uniqueness, and living air purification to indoor spaces. With the right care, these gorgeous hanging houseplants will reward you with years of gorgeous blooms and cascading foliage.
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African violets add year-round color to your indoor landscape – New Day NW
FAQ
How do I make my African violets happy?
Should you mist an African violet?
Where is the best place to put an African violet?
How do you care for African violets?
The soil you use for your African violets should be well-draining and nutrient-rich. A good potting mix with added perlite or vermiculite will provide the drainage and aeration your plants need. Fertilize your plants with a balanced fertilizer every two weeks during the growing season.
Can African violets outgrow a pot?
While African violets are generally slow growers, they can also live for decades, so your plant will eventually outgrow its pot. If the foliage is obviously becoming too large for its container, roots are growing at the surface, or roots are growing from the pot’s drainage holes, it’s time to use a larger pot.
How do you propagate African violets from cuttings?
The first way to propagate African Violets from cuttings is to cut a healthy, mature leaf from the parent plant. With a sharp knife, cut ½ an inch of the stem at a 45-degree angle. Plant the leaf into a small pot with a light, porous propagating soil mix and bury the stem up to the base of the leaf.
Why is my African violet outgrowing its container?
If you feel your plant is outgrowing its container, it is likely to be because there is more than one crown. Cramped conditions lead to tight crowns and that affects blooming, sometimes to the extent that African Violets stop flowering altogether. The fix for that is to divide the plant.