How to remove suckers and clean up an african violet (major haircut)

[@sunflower3572]

Omg! Was anyone else hyperventilating when she was cutting out all those leaves and suckers??!! I so NEEDED to se this video! I learned so much in these 17 minutes. Wow… I was afraid to look at my African violet the wrong way fearing it would die on me (many have in the past). Now I know why my plant is not giving flowers. All the energy is going into the suckers. THANK YOU! Your video is VERY detailed and it really helps newbies like me. I LOVE my African violet. This was so helpful.

[@dodat2404]

We don't know how that thing wound up looking a few weeks later.

[@aida087]

Came back to this video because I have three plants going through this!! Such a helpful video btw, from getting my first two African Violets two years ago, and from learning about leaf cuttings from you, I now have twenty-five babies lol!! Got alittle carried away with leaf cuttings but happy I learned nonetheless!!🥰🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@terrysnyder4217]

I must agree that This is the most helpful of videos. Great close ups, I now know what I'm looking at. I am ready and CONFIDENT to tackle my plants. Thanks.

[@gabriellamichalec3910]

MOST helpful video I've seen, and I've watched a few and just got more frustrated because I still didn't know how to find the suckers! This is the first time I've heard about suckers and for me, anyway, it was difficult to identify exactly WHERE they were. You've done an excellent job visually and verbally to point them out and how to remove them -- thanks!

[@lucibelarmino8010]

Ditto. Thank you very very much, Bloomlover.

[@laurabowker9432]

Thank for your great guidance on the African violets. I’m a newbie/novice to this plant and look forward to becoming more versed. Your video has given me fruitful direction.

[@LuvsSno]

Putting the names of the plant and the date they were planted on electrical tape on the pot works great... because it can be removed and moved to the next larger size pot when upsizing.. info written with a felt-tip pen. No sticks to fall out or mishape the violet..

[@VeronicasVeil333]

Excellent video! Just what I needed. Could never figure out the suckers issue. Nicely done!! Thank you!

[@lauraeleazer2396]

Incredibly informative! Love how patient you are with the step by step guidance. Thank you

[@angiehoughton]

Your video helped me so much for showing how to separate the suckers from my mother plant. Had no idea!!

[@perlatakehana2556]

Thank you for posting this again. I really love watching this. Thanks Tina. I learned a lot from you.

[@PlantzNThings]

I enjoyed this video very much. so much information in there

[@MegaMindyLou]

So helpful. Gives me courage to get mine straightened out.

[@monsieurpetlavedette9721]

*Just got my first african violet thanks for the video very interesting !*

[@artbarn2624]

What a wonderful video! I can't believe how much I've learned. I am determined not to kill this African Violet. With your help, I think I will be successful.

[@maryscaramozzino3243]

Great video! My understanding is once the suckers are planted, put in the plastic container with damp cloth at bottom. Do you water from bottom when soil dries out? Also do you put the the container near a bright window with indirect sunlight? Thanks!

[@animallovershoffmann-bodi2813]

I jave same questions but do not see response to original question here

[@TheMerugops]

It was so interesting to watch right up to the end. I got my first 3 plants and am going to try de sucker them and try multiply them. Thanks 🎊

[@SilverDraco]

You're doing really well with these videos. Thank you for sharing your experience!

[@BloomloversAfricanViolets]

Glad you like it Wendy, there will be more to come. xx

[@Angie-ci1lp]

Thank you for making leaf cuttings❤️👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@LuisHernandez-bi9nw]

very informative. I learned alot. I didn't know you could trim cut and replant sucker which I didn't know about and also to grow from leaves

[@soniamarisa1392]

Thanks for your tips. It's done! Hope it works, because I really don't want to loose my violets. Keep safe!

[@snickerdoodlepool-noodle8484]

I just trimmed a big African violet and he looks so tiny now! Thanks for showing me what to do

[@svetlanapodkuiko4155]

The most helpful video.

[@susancook847]

Can you tell us why you plant the single leaves so close together? At what point do you separate them ? It seems to me that the new root systems would get tangled when they are so close together. Also when you water the things in the tub do you just wet the felt and let the soil absorb what it needs to keep the soil moist. Thank you for your videos.

[@donnaroberts9119]

Thank you for your expertise.😊

[@catincj1952]

How long do you keep them in the humidity chamber? I REALLY appreciate the details you cover in these videos. Thank you. I have purchased a lot of your plants and they’re always healthy and strong.

[@yanetvalladares1364]

Great video thank you I finally found a great channel 😃

[@BloomloversAfricanViolets]

Glad you liked it Yanet, there will be many more videos to come.

[@Angie-ci1lp]

Amazing! Very interesting!! Thank you for sharing

[@michelew2191]

Do potted flower producers pot their flowers in a different medium when selling to retailers like grocery stores to compensate for less than ideal conditions? Do you generally recommend repotting after buying or do most producers sell them with the right type of soil?

[@DaisyBorrero-ps4xh]

I enjoy your videos

[@CD-ok9mt]

Thank you, I've never had African Violets before, but I just bought 5 of them and now I know how to trim them. Is the blue mat-looking thing you put them on in the plastic tub something special, or will any towel work?

[@lacieivie1145]

Thank you for the information. I just got a African violet plant with no knowledge on how to care for. I won’t repot my plant right away like I was planning (good thing I decided to look it up) but when I do repot do I need a special soil?

[@sandrastreifel6452]

The best soil is airy, so use potting soil like Pro Mix, or whatever brand is sold where you live, but add 1/3 or 1/2 Perlite to it, for African Violet success! African Violet soil usually doesn’t work, as well.

[@Heterandria4mosa]

trying stuff is fun indeed

[@liseamarcotte3575]

VERY GOOD LOVE IT

[@asterism.x]

Thank you! Other websites did not explain this well so I mistakenly removed two healthy baby leaves from the CENTER of the main plant stem 😭

[@KatieOruns]

I'm dealing with a similar conundrum. All the new leaves are jammed in the center of the plant, and I can't tell if they are new leaves from main plant or suckers 😬

[@asterism.x]

Katie O Those baby leaves I mistakenly picked off grew back quickly! The plant is really thriving now. I got Jack’s African Violet fertilizer on Amazon since I heard many good things about it. If it is coming directly from the center or you can see it is attached to the main stem then it’s probably not a sucker.

[@jillbeaudoin125]

@@KatieOruns The tiny leaves that grow in the center are new baby leaves from the mother plant. Suckers will be on the sides, and generally under a larger leaf. If you look directly down on an African Violet from the top you see that the leaves get larger as you move toward the bottom, with the largest being on the very bottom row. So, a smaller leaf that is growing under a larger leaf never belongs there, and should be removed.

[@liwendy3234]

Amazing video! I learned a lot from this video ,thanks a lot ! BTW, I am in a very hot city almost above 32° every day， how will the african violet survive through such hot summer?

[@soonzach4017]

Very interesting, thank you.

[@valeriem3644]

Great videos, do African violets not need a callous/ drying out where you’ve cut before you repot like other plants? Are you worried about rot?

[@BloomloversAfricanViolets]

Hello Valerie, glad you like the videos. African violets do not need to callous, it is always recommended to make a fresh cut before planting a leaf. Violets are indeed fragile to rot but not because of the fresh cut, it is just an african violet weekness, they don't like being wet for too long all the time. Hope this helps. xx

[@slh35661]

I appreciate all the tips you give

[@BloomloversAfricanViolets]

Glad you are enjoying the videos Sharon xx

[@seriouslyreally5413]

Do you put the lid on the plastic bin? How do you water and how much and do you let them dry out between watering while they are rooting/ re-rooting? Ive had inconsistent results with cleaning up my mother plants as some end up rotting and i dont know what I am doing wrong.

[@BloomloversAfricanViolets]

I donot put the lids on the plastic containers as this would raise the humidity too high and make the plants rot... If your plants are rotting, it is usually because of over watering. When the plants are very small with not many roots, you want to keep the soil damp but not wet. when the plants are larger and have a good root system, you can allow the soil to dry out slightly before re watering... You might also want to re evaluate the type of soil you are using, your soil may be to heavy and may retain too much water making the soil ''wet'' and not damp... It does make a difference.. Hope this helps. xx

[@Largemarge666]

Excellent video! So helpful. Thank you! 🌈

[@BloomloversAfricanViolets]

Glad you enjoyed Marge xx

[@lynnwollman7166]

Awesome videos 👍🏻 Please post one how to water them correctly, thank u

[@BloomloversAfricanViolets]

Will do Lynn, I plan on showing all of the different watering methods and those videos are at the top of the list. Thank you for the suggestion. xx

[@brinagreen485]

Loving the videos. I would like to see one on African violet trailers. I believe I have a trailer but I don't know how I should be caring for the plant. If it's the same as standards or different.

[@BloomloversAfricanViolets]

Hello Brina, glad you are liking the videos, there will be many more to come and I will indeed do a complete video on trailers. I just finished cleaning mine out and they are down to little starters so I don't have anything to work with but in a bit they will be all grown up and I will explain the how's and why's of the trailers not a problem. xx

[@Paws2Rescue]

Also a big fan of trailers. Some are naturally bushy, but others need pinching to keep them full and producing more blooms. Some do well for me, but others (usually the ones I like best) don't.

[@lisadellarossa]

Did the baby plants and separate leaves grow? Great video

[@vdgonzalez]

Super helpful video! What if the stem is long? Can we cut the stem shorter? Also, should we allow the stem prop to dry before replanting?

[@karenmckerrow2050]

Do the pots need drainage holes?😊

[@dominiquemaginot6683]

Merci beaucoup pour vos vidéos très bien expliquées 😍 j'ai essayé avec une plante. Mais à quel moment vous arrosez la bouture ? Elles sont dans la boîte. Avec de l'eau au fond ? Merci 😘

[@crawbeach]

Do you moisten the soil in the baby plants/leaves pots before sealing the box?

[@nancyriley3929]

Love learning from your videos! Thank you so much!

[@BloomloversAfricanViolets]

Glad you are enjoying the videos Nancy and glad they are helping. xx

[@nancyriley3929]

Bloomlovers African Violets Keep making those videos as I enjoy learning from you- the expert! You are a busy lady but I love it!👍

[@YorozuyaNeesan2010]

I can understand the reasoning behind splitting suckers off the main plant and replanting them. How come so many leaves need to be pulled off though?

[@ismaelsoto9680]

wow I had no idea and my AV had some little suckers that i just removed after watching this video

[@maryannbishop5568]

Is the liner in the plastic container moist. Should there be a cover on container ?

[@fificorina]

Great video and explanation, I had 2 plants that produced suckers like there was no tomorrow, I got sick and tired of cleaning them so I got rid of the plants :( I know it sounds crazy but I just don't have time for that. Do you find that some AV are more prom to suckers than other or is just an age thing?

[@BloomloversAfricanViolets]

Hello Fifi, in my experience it is when they are small that some of them tend to want to spurt out suckers and then when the plants mature, it seems to stop but there are oddballs out there too that will just grow weird, not necessarily a particular variety but just one plant that acts crazy, and you may also have had a trailer without knowing it. Hope this helps. Tina xx

[@jillbeaudoin125]

Are you sure your plant wasn't a trailer?

[@maryjorogers2652]

Do you put a plastic cover over the plants?

[@aduron6]

Tina, what is the material that you use as a liner in the plastic bins that hold the plants?

[@BloomloversAfricanViolets]

Hello Aduron, I will be making a video on this shortly but rapidly it is just felt. Many years ago I went hunting for a material that would disperse the water in the boot mats since my complete house is all crooked and the water in the bins would never disperse equally. Some plants would always dry up because the water didn't get to them. Anyhow, I tried many things and this is what I ended up with and it works. This is in NO WAY a wicking mat, it really just something that disperses the water, this is important to know. If you wish to use this method, make sure before buying a lot of the stuff that you try out a little piece before the big purchase to make sure it will absorbe the water... Felt is not all made the same and some will not work. and if you decide to try with other types of material, stay away from natural fibers like cotton, wool, they do work however they break down quickly and rot so you want to find a synthetic type of fiber and those won't rot like the natural fibers. I think I got mine like 3-4 years ago and they are still like they were when I got them so nothing has disintegrated. I will be covering this in a future video in all details so you can check this youtube channel now and then and eventually you will this subject appear. Hope this helps for now. Tina xx

[@mariloujackson752]

When placing baby plants in plastic containers do u cover it with a lid?

[@judeacruz4772]

What season is best to do this?

[@cherieking7949]

How do you water the babies

[@gailstaggs7007]

how long did it take for your leaf planting till they produced baby?

[@rosamundadrion1553]

i'm new to plants and all I have is an African violet. it got some new leaves at the base and I assumed more leaves the better. are baby leaves and suckers the same thing? should I always remove any new leaves, and only keep the preexisting 'mature' leaves? sorry for my ignorance, any comments would be appreciated thank you.

[@BloomloversAfricanViolets]

Hello, I am not 100% sure of your question .... the new growth of an african violet always comes from the center. When you find new baby leaves or little plants coming out from anywhere else than the center, these are either suckers or sucker leaves and it is better to remove them when they are small. Leaving them on will not kill the plant but eventually just make it look like a leafy bush instead of a single crown plant. (these little suckers also take a lot of energy from the plant which makes it bloom less) so by removing them as they appear should help the plant bloom more often. Hope this helps.

[@shannonmistrot1944]

I'm kinda new to AV's, how do you tell the difference between a sucker leaf and just a new baby leaf you should keep?

[@BloomloversAfricanViolets]

Hello Shannon, welcome to the violet hobby. The difference is quite simple, the regular leaves will always come out from the center, african violets grow from the center out. Sucker leaves will appear anywhere else on the main stem, they grow out on the center stems between the already existing larger leaves at the same places that the flowers stalks come out if that makes sense. Hope this helps. Tina xx

[@shannonmistrot1944]

@@BloomloversAfricanViolets Thank you so much for answering this for me. I now see I have some cleaning up to do on some AV's I purchased. I'm really loving these little plants and I'm already getting addicted to them. lol Loving your videos. I'm watching a lot of them and learning a lot of really needed information. I look forward to your vids now. You're truly helping newbies like me. Keep up the good work!

[@sandrafigg821]

When and how do you water them?

[@rapidfire3914]

What is that blue paper in the bottom of the plastic container

[@Charity-vm4bt]

Was it a trailer?

[@juanitaclark1355]

When you put the leaves in the container for humidity, do you add water at any time, either to the leaves or the bottom of the container

[@BloomloversAfricanViolets]

Hello Juanita, we always have to go with what is happening in the moment. If everything is too dry, we have to add water, if the humidity is high, we just let them be. It's a balancing act... Hope this helps.

[@conniejenson6797]

Do you water the soil before you put the babies in the trays???

[@fr_francishein3790]

I have a problem with the blossoms blooming under the leaves. There doesn't appear to be suckers, should I just remove the leaves blocking the blooms?

[@BloomloversAfricanViolets]

Hello Francis, when you water your plants and notice there are flower buds stuck under the leaves, just slightly move the leaves to one side to create a little space and gently pull the flower bud up thru the space to bring it up over the leaves. Once the flower bud is over the leaves, it will continue to grow upwards. There is no need to remove the leaves as this will make your plant look less attractive, you simply can help the flower buds and stalks to find their way thru that thick foliage... Hope this helps. xx

[@jfuentes9188]

What happens if you leave the suckers on the plant? (I thought the "full" looking plant at the start looked nice? )

[@jillbeaudoin125]

The plant will put its energy into growing the suckers, and not into producing flowers. You'll have a nice, full looking plant, and eventually no flowers.

[@jfuentes9188]

@@jillbeaudoin125 ah! Okay. Thank you for responding

[@ellenhaben1217]

Wow, you really did butcher that plant😵‍💫

[@Gladys7477]

At 7:17 as you are putting the plant into the pot it shows a white spot on the stem. Can you tell me what it is, please?

[@BloomloversAfricanViolets]

Hello Gladys, that is just perlite residue.

[@brendahart646]

The reason I gave her a thumbs down was hard to hear her

[@larryshannon6791]

How fast do they re-bloom?

[@idkwhattoputherebuthi153]

Can i wait until suckers get big enough to where i can take them off and make a new plant?

[@BloomloversAfricanViolets]

Of course you can wait, not a problem.

[@michellegrovak]

Tina, I have been thinking of you and hoping all is well. The violets I purchased from you are growing well. Can you make us another video? We miss you.

[@Mimi-gm7dz]

On this plant it was very easy to see the mother plant but my plant has flowers on it. I can see the baby plants but i cant tell what is ans is not a sucker. I came here bc i am getting gnats. Im bummed out bc my plant is so pretty i dont want root rot

[@BloomloversAfricanViolets]

Hello Mieccia, don't worry about the little suckers while your plant is in bloom. Wait for when the flowers will have finished and then you will be able to remove the babies.. this will you will be able to appreciate the blooms until the are done... I am sorry I have not yet covered the gnats subject ..(very new youtube channel) but things that can really help, 1- to catch the adults, use sticky traps and something that is very convenient and works great, spray with fly spray like raid for flies, anything that kills flies will kill the gnats. For the larvae that are in the soil.... Keep your plants on the dry side. The larvae must be in moist conditions to live, if the soil dries up, they die and they live in the top one inch portion of the soil... and there are many other methods and products that people use that work great .... Personnally when I get them, I of course have the yellow stickly traps up all of the time but I use the raid for flies sprays, I spray all over the plants (not on but over the plants), I spray a lot in the air, and then close the door. The next day, there are no more. I have to do that a few times since the larvae in the soil will not die from the spray but I will catch them the next time and eventually, I get all of the population... Hope this helps and good luck....

[@BloomloversAfricanViolets]

also Mieccia, I have an african violet group on Facebook, a place to share pictures of your beautiful violets but also a place where you can ask questions when you have problems with your plants, my group is VERY friendly, we have MANY very experienced growers and always ready to help. If you wish to join, here is the link facebook.com/groups/576909326168260/

[@Mimi-gm7dz]

I added the group. Im waiting to get approved. Thank you for being kind to me 🤗

[@lauragrange6621]

How did you water these? Did you water them right away?

[@matildapinto4030]

Did the pot have holes, and did you water it from the top or bottom.

[@BloomloversAfricanViolets]

Hello Matilda, all of the pots do have holes and should have holes, that is super important. Violets can be watered from the top but SHOULD be watered from the bottom, I have a video that will be added shortly explaining why.... xx

[@iddybiddyladybugleeza909]

Is it better for the plant to be moist or dry when doing this?

[@anthonylewis62]

i do not remove suckers, no way, i ike them that way, i let them grow and then remove them and pot them up later as they get bigger when i repot

[@seasons0123]

Why did you not cut the stem off on the mother plant??

[@BloomloversAfricanViolets]

you could do this if you wish, in this case I did a repotting but I could have cut it off and just replanted. Both would work.

[@brendahart646]

Liked the video but was hard to hear what she was saying

[@dawnlittle2501]

I thought the little suckers were just part of the plant growing....geesh.

[@sandywynter-glover2850]

I agree

[@n.w.414]

I don't think you can water that Violet from the bottom using that plastic cup.

[@lindaandrie99]

I'm so afraid of doing this to my AV , I don't want to kill them. I just take off leaves when they fade.I have one beauty that blooms and one that doesn't bloom any more.

[@cello977]

0:50 😅

[@yeelinglai7872]

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[@jillbeaudoin125]

Does it drive you crazy that people will ask you a question that you've already answered 5 or 6 times? If people would just read the prior comments, most questions would be answered. You have way more patience than I do. Lol

[@missleena2740]

But you have removed the new baby leaves not suckers !

[@brendahart646]

Can not hear what she is saying

[@CaribouOrange]

It's so small :/ was so much prettier before.

[@joannadorothy]

You need to cut the sream off. No god idea to plant it as it is .