| The Care and Feeding of African Violets |
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| The Right Light |
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Violets
like a lot of bright light but not hot direct sun. In their natural
habitat under forest canopies, African Violets are protected by the tree
canopy. The better the sunlight you give your violet without it
being direct, hot sun, the more often it will bloom for you. Some
suggestions are a window with morning sun, filtered light, artificial
light, or table lamps. If your violet is not blooming - then it
probably needs more light. Try moving it near a lamp or in a
brighter spot. During the winter months, when the sunlight is
weaker, your plants may benefit from the light of a southern exposure.
Violet
don't have to only have sunlight - we have many happy customers who have
violet pots in their office. Artificial light also works!
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| Water |
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Violets
need to stay evenly moist at all times - and that's exactly what The
Perfect Violet Pot does! You never have to water the plant from the
top of the pot again. The water is absorbed through the unglazed
portion of the lower half of the top pot. This way - the plant
drinks the water as it needs it rather than you guessing how much to give
it. This eliminates all of the guesswork for you!
Fill
the bottom bowl 2/3 full - or as much as will fit so it doesn't overflow
when you put the top portion back in. Then, check the water level
every 2-3 weeks for the large size pot or 1-2 weeks for the medium size
pot. When only an inch or so of water is left, fill it back up!
DO
NOT mist the foliage. Water spots on the foliage may cause permanent
leaf spotting.
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| Fertilizer |
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Violets
will flower more often if you use fertilizer. This is much like how
we take vitamins - we don't absolutely need them but they do help us
overall. We recommend using the brand 'Peter's for Violets' and you
can pick this up at most locations that sell plants. Mix 1/4
teaspoon to a gallon of water. We suggest using a gallon water jug,
store it under your sink and just use that each time you fill the water in
the pot!
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| Soil |
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We
have many people ask us what type of soil we use - so our trick is to
first make sure to buy a healthy plant. Then follow the planting
instructions using a mixture of 2 parts SuperSoil and 1 part Peralite.
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| Temperature |
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Violets
do not like to be very hot or very cold. They prefer a temperature
between 70°F and 80°F with about 80% humidity. At night they can
tolerate temperatures in the upper 60’s. However, it is important
to avoid temperature and humidity fluctuations, including sudden drafts.
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| Planting Instructions |
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We
recommend planting your violet directly into the top portion of the
pot. We do have some customers who have said that they leave it in
the plastic container and it does just fine.
Your
violet should not be too dry or soggy, but evenly moist. Add 1 to
2" of potting soil to the pot, then take your violet out of its
present container. Plant it into the top and press down to compact
the soil. Fill the bowl as directed with water and enjoy!
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| Violet Plants |
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There
are many varieties of violet plants. Common colors are purple, pink,
white, and lavendar. Some have variegated leaves, ruffle edges on
the flowers, or spotted flowers. It helps to start with a healthy
plant from a grower. The plants you find at your local grocery
stores are usually already unhealthy and therefore even harder to grow.
Sometimes
we bring a streptocarpus plant with us to our craft shows. This
plant is in the African Violet family.
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| Splitting a Violet |
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New
African Violet plants can be produced from existing plants. Cut
leaves from the original plant, leaving 1 inch of leaf stalk (petiole)
with the leaf. Plant the leaf and stalk, up to ¼ inch of the leaf,
into a wet sand/vermiculite mixture. Cover lightly with plastic. Keep the media wet and within two to six months, new plants will have
formed and will be ready to separate and replant.
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| Pets |
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Violet
plants are pet friendly. They are not toxic to animals.
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| Gift Ideas |
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Violet
pots make a great gift idea for:
- Mother's
Day
- Birthdays
- Housewarming
Parties
- Christmas
- Just
because!
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| Credit Cards Accepted: |
 
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Send us an e-mail with any questions! Perfect Violet Answers
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Information and prices are subject to change without notice.
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