African Violets grown at a congenial temperature are usually killed if subjected to 
lower than 40°. Therefore it is impossible for us to send you plants by mail in winter, 
to a cold climate. In favorable weather we can usually send to warmer sections of the 
south. Express is safer. Nor do we ship on very hot days in summer. We plan to ship 
so that they do not arrive to you on a week end and thus remain in a carton a day or 
two longer. 
Watering. Do not use cold water. The water should be near the room temperature 
and never over 10° lower or higher. Most of our watering is done by spraying with a 
hose. The plants need to have the foliage sprayed and it does not spot the foliage if no 
sun falls on the foliage before they dry off. The interval between waterings should be 
long enough to permit the top soil to become slightly dry. Do not use pots that have no 
hole at bottom for drainage. Use sub-irrigation infrequently. We prefer regular pot 
watering rather than use of wicks. 
Good ventilation is needed by all plants but Saintpaulias do not like drafts. Slow 
movement of air currents are more conducive to their comfort. 
Soil formulae. Plants have a considerable tolerance and do well in a wide variety 
of soils. They should be at least mildly acid in reaction and a type that will drain easily 
and quickly. Heavy clay soils, therefore, are not good. We use about one half compost, 
one half peat with enough Sponge Rok to give good drainage. 
If you are unable to supply your own soil mixture, the best we know about is 
Black Magic or Georgia Peat African Violet mix. Both are listed under “Supplies” in 
this catalog. 
Fertilizers. We use only Spoonit and recommend it to be applied once a month, on 
a day following watering. See our listing under Garden Supplies. 
Sun exposure. Most of the advice one receives over-emphasizes shade. Lack of 
sufficient light intensity is one of the most frequent causes of non-blooming. All shade 
plants need a certain amount of modified sunlight to make them flower. In the winter, 
the sun is at a low declination. Its rays must pass thru several times the thickness of 
atmosphere penetrated at noon in the summer when the sun is directly above or at 
“high declination.” Very little shading is needed on the greenhouse in winter. Treated 
thus, our plants bloom profusely all winter. Very likely, plants in a south window, 
anywhere in the north temperate zone, in winters, will be sufficiently shaded on the 
brightest days by a thin muslin curtain. It may not even be needed at all and on days of 
less than maximum intensity remove the shade. 
But summer sun is much stronger. One must give more shade. It should not, 
however, be too heavy. The color of the foliage will tell you what they can endure. 
When healthy plants have light, yellowish foliage they probably receive too much sun. 
Medium green is about right. Very dark green foliage indicates insufficient light and 
lack of flowers corroborates it. For checking, select a plant having green foliage, under 
normal conditions, not a dark foliage plant like Holly or Pink Delight nor one like 
Frosty having ivory or white areas. 
If your Saintpaulias do not flower altho they grow well and appear to be healthy, 
you need to check on all points we have mentioned. Light intensity and duration are 
important. In the far north we have customers near the Arctic Circle where there is 
full daylight only in summer. Here the only possibility of winter flowers is the use of 
artificial light. They express interest in fluorescent lighting. Mrs. Rector, in How To 
Grow African Violets (which you should have,—see our book list,) says that an 80 watt 
fixture, 18” above the: soil, has been found to give good growth and free flowering. 
Greenhouse growers who force lilies for Easter are able to advance the blooming date by 
the use of electric light. Any kind of light will do provided the plants receive 15 to 
30 foot candles (as measured by a photographic light meter) for 12 hours duration, 
daily. This should be tried in the northern states where winter days are short and dull. 
Humidity. The humidity of our homes is likely to be not much over 25%. One can 
increase the humidity around the plants sufficiently by setting the plants in saucers or in 
a long tray that will hold several pots. A chick feeder with guards removed makes a 
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