Tips for Keeping African Violets Happy

One of the flowers I now love are African violets. My Mom got me one around a year and a half ago. It was tiny when I got it, and now it's quite the beast (as far as African violets go).

The very happy and healthy African violet plant that my Mom gave me in it's special pot.

These are the easiest plants to keep if you give them the right environment. African violets love to be evenly moist all the time. It's hard to get them to be like this with just a normal pot and a watering can. There is a special kind of pot that has an unfinished clay pot that rests in another larger, more decorative pot. Once the plant is potted in the smaller pot, you fill the larger pot with water and then set the smaller clay pot inside. This means that the plant can take water through the clay when it wants and it stays moist all the time. I only have to fill the larger pot with water every 3 weeks or so. Walmart has some of these pots for around $10 and they come in a few different colours. 

My newer violet. Can you see the pot within the pot?

If and when a flower wilts and dies, simply pluck it off and discard. A while later you'll notice some little flower buds in it's place. They also go through periods where they don't flower. I found that this was in the fall and early winter last year. It doesn't take long for them to go back into bloom (I guess everything needs a little down time). 

Another important thing to think about is placement. They like light, but prefer indirect sunlight. I keep them on my dining room sideboard about 5 feet away from a window. 

It's a beautiful plant that comes in many different colours and varieties. I would definitely suggest this as a starter plant for someone who is just starting out with houseplants. Not only are they easy to grow, but they're also really cheap and widely available.