How to Split and Repot African Violets, According to Martha and Other Plant Experts

After several years, an African violet can grow into a shape similar to that of a palm tree: the lower leaves tend to yellow and drop as the crown of the plant continues to grow upward. When the foliage crown reaches a couple of inches above the rim of the pot, you should rejuvenate your plant. But repotting your prized blooms might be a bit more complicated than you expected. Our experts discuss the best ways to repot African violets (which might actually involve splitting them), and signs that it's time to give yours a new home.

When to Repot Your African Violets

Repotting these blooms is key due to their long lifespan—they can last up to 50 years, says Ryan McEnaney, public relations and communications specialist for Bailey Nurseries. "As the plants grow, they can be repotted into larger pots so that they don't get too root-bound," he says. Once your African violet has doubled or tripled the size of your pot and the leaves have started to wilt, it's probably time to make the move, says McEnaney.

That being said, you don't need to rush to repot your plants, says Brian Parker, senior merchant for Live Goods, Home Depot. "African violets are healthiest when their roots are in a slightly bound condition, so don't rush to transplant them if your violet looks like it has outgrown its container," he says. "With just a little routine of the correct light and feeding, they will produce and perform for years and years!"

How to Split Your African Violets

When you repot a too-large African violet, you can also break it into smaller plants. Follow Martha's tips to do so:

1. Gently tap the sides of the pot against a hard surface to loosen the plant from the pot. If necessary, slide a knife around the edges.
2. Once removed, take the knife and slice off the bottom third of the root ball.
3. Carefully tease or wash away the loose soil from the top and sides of the roots without damaging them.
4. Using a sharp knife, divide the plant into two or three smaller plants, taking care to determine where these separations happen naturally, and allocating as many roots as possible for each individual plant, Martha says.
5. Gently separate the plant, taking care not to break any leaves or stems.
6. Cut off brown, wilted, or broken leaves with the knife.

How to Repot Your African Violets

Whether you've just split your African violets or simply want to upsize your pot, stick to these Martha-approved steps to ensure your plant is happy in its new home.

1. Place a small piece of screen or pottery shards over the drainage hole of a larger clean clay pot (some growers prefer plastic, which retains more moisture) and fill it halfway with premixed potting soil sold especially for African violets. Martha uses light, moist soil that contains sphagnum moss and perlite for aeration.
2. Make an indentation in the soil for the plant and set it in the pot, says Martha.
3. Add more soil to cover the root system, without burying it any deeper than it was in the old pot, and pat down gently.
4. When resettling a plant deeper into a pot, gently scrape the bare stem (as if you were scraping a carrot) to remove the heavy bark that forms when leaves are shed.

Soil and Water

Always use new potting soil when you re-pot and make sure to water your African violet well once you're finished. Soil shouldn't stay wet for longer than 15 to 20 minutes—and if it does, you've overwatered, says McEnaney.

Deadheading

This is also a great opportunity to give your African violet a once-over. "As you shift the plant into a larger pot, go ahead and remove any dead or dying leaves, stems, or flowers," says McEnaney. It's also totally fine to deadhead blooms as they start to fade, he adds: African violets bloom almost all the time, so if you remove the wilted or dying blooms, it will only encourage new growth.