adjusted to your home atmosphere. Plants bloom best when 
they are pot-bound. Thick-leaf varieties such as America, 
DuPont, Supreme, Amazon and Mammoth types should 
always be left in small pots for best results. African Violets 
rarely need pots any larger than the 4-in. squatty type. 
Many growers are highly successful with the plastic Wick- 
Fed pots. However, remember not to transplant to these 
pots until the plants are large enough. Allow the reservoir 
to dry out between waterings, and once a week or so give 
plants a drink from the top, between stems, to keep the salts 
in the soil from accumulating at the top of the pot and form- 
ing a crust. 
Always use sterilized, properly blended soil for re-potting. 
Our certified soil, which we ship to customers, is the same 
that we use for our tremendous growing stock. Do not 
contaminate fresh, well-protected stock by using soil not 
suitably blended and sterilized. 
TEMPERATURE AND EXPOSURE 
A normal house temperature of 65° to 70° is most suitable. 
If your home is very hot and dry, we suggest that you grow 
Violets on pebble-filled trays, where you can create more 
moisture by keeping the pebbles moist at all times and by 
watering the plants individually at the top of the pot as 
needed. 
North and west windows are best during the hot summer 
months, where plenty of ight enters but not strong sunlight. 
South and east exposures give best results in winter. This 
induces blooming, since the sun is not very strong at that 
time of year. 
WATERING 
The best rule to follow is to water plants when the soil 
feels only slightly moist to the touch. Do not allow plants 
to become thoroughly dry before watering them. On the 
other hand, do not allow them to become waterlogged, for 
this encourages crown rot, especially during the hot summer 
months. Remember to use warm water, preferably rain 
water, distilled water or any that is free of chemicals. Fre- 
quency of watering depends upon size of pot, room tempera- 
ture, humidity and exposure. Plants can be watered from 
top or bottom. 
TO KEEP VIOLETS FREE OF PESTS AND DISEASE 
This can best be done by using Optox Spray (20 drops to 
a pint of warm water), Kapsulate or the new, ready-to-use 
Antrol Bomb. Make a practice of using an insecticide at 
least once a month as a preventive. No leaf-spotting will 
occur if foliage is allowed to dry thoroughly before plants 
are placed in sun or light. You may find evening the most 
convenient time to spray; in normal house temperatures 
leaves of plants will be dry before morning. 
Violets received from our greenhouses have been grown 
here under careful conditions to combat diseases. We are 
state and federal certified, and we keep in effect a constant 
fumigation program. 
The pests that most often bother the home grower are 
mite and mealy-bugs. Both of these can be remedied in the 
early stages with the use of Optox Spray, Antrol Bomb or 
Sodium Selenate capsules (Kapsulate). If plants become too 
badly infested, it is best to discard them for the protection 
of other plants that are healthy. Springtails, which are a 
fine, thread-like pest, can best be controlled by using any 
preventive previously mentioned. Nematodes are small 
round worm-like animals that enter plants through roots, 
cause a swelling of the roots, stems or leaves and eventually 
result in an injury known as root knot. The best means of 
controlling them is by using sterilized soil to prevent con- 
tamination. Plants badly infested should be discarded. 
TINARI FLORAL GARDENS 3 
