Repotting an african violet

Question: my violet is very old and very leggy. otherwise it looks great and flowers well . I want to repot it .Should I put the new soil up to the bottom of the plant or will this cause the stalk to rot. I do not want to loose it .But the poor thing is leaning over to one side now. I should repot more frequently than a couple of years.Thanks for your help. Dawn

Answer: To begin with use a fresh potting mix. You can use this African Violet potting Soil just for violets.

The new container should be about 1/3 the length of the leaf span. It is also a good idea to thoroughly clean the container before using it for your transplant.

Remove the plant from its excising container and place deep into its new pot, about to the top of its first set of leaves. Lightly compact the soil and water. Its best to keep it out of direct sunlight for a few days until it becomes settled. If it require support loosely tie it off to a small stake.

Good luck.