| Description: |
Short, compact tufted plants with waxy, shiny leaves and clusters of flowers in whites, pinks and reds. |
| Environment: |
Suitable for the home or a greenhouse |
| Growing Ease: |
Requires a little extra care |
| Lighting Needs: |
Does best in bright indirect sunlight coming from the South/East/West |
| Soil Type: |
A commercial African violet mix will suffice. If you want to mix your own take:
2 parts garden soil, 2 parts humus (leaf mold), 1 part coarse sand or perlite, 1 part peat, 1 part rinsed aquarium charcoal chips, a little fine grade fir bark
Always use a pot with a hole.
|
| Watering: |
Keep the soil evenly moist and use warm water. |
| Fertilizer: |
Feed every two weeks with a water soluble, lime free fertilizer diluted by half. |
| Plant Pests: |
Prone to spider mites, mealy bugs, aphids and crown rot if the soil is kept too wet. Always inspect any new plant for pests before introducing it to your home or greenhouse. |
| Propagation: |
Seeds/ stem cuttings
in the spring through at anytime.
It is best to propagate any type of cuttings or seeds in a mixture of moist peat and perlite. Cover the pot and plant with a plastic bag secured by a rubber band to prevent moisture from escaping. Place in indirect sunlight or under a fluorescent light. Repot in its regular mix after it has been growing for a while.
|
| Gardening Tips & Care: |
Pinch back and place pebbles or gravel in the drainage dish to hold water and increase the humidity, make sure the pot is sitting on the gravel and not in the water. Always use a pot with a drainage hole. After flowering, cut back and then repot. Avoid getting water on the leaves. If possible put outside for the summer in a shady location.
An ideal plant for a hanging basket.
|
| Air Purifier: |
A good remover of chemical vapors. |