1 Window dressing
Travers C. Koerner, Priest Associate with Christ Church Cathedral and violet enthusiast, says, “I’ve been very successful with them in a windowsill where they get a couple of hours of full early morning sun.”
2 Humidity rules
Because they love humidity, consider placing pots on a tray of pebbles and add lukewarm water to the tray as needed. And if your bathroom has a good light, your violets will thrive in that location.
3 Pot luck
In their native Tanzania, violets are found growing in crevices of moss in limestone cliffs, so calcium is a must. African violets require a good-quality, well-draining soil. Keep them in pots that are one-third the diameter of the plant and usually not more than two or three inches deep. Violets bloom when their roots become crowded.
4 Great for gifting
African violets make delightful impromptu gifts. To propagate, simply cut a leaf from the “mother plant” and stick it into sterile soil. If you keep it watered, you should have a baby African violet plant within six weeks to give to a friend.
