I've done it! Achieved the impossible!

a1cat

Yes, folks - my African Violet is now about 12 months old and full of new buds just going to start flowering again in a few days!

:cool::rotfl::cool::D

dogstarheaven

presumably, you've been watering it with rainwater/cooled boiled water, haven't you?! it took me a couple of attempts over the yrs to work that trick out... what i like about it is that they don't mind drying out a bit, before they need another drink...

the next plant i need to understand fully is Streptocarpus - Cape Primrose.. does anyone know of any tips?

peter_the_piper

Yes, don't let the leaf tips touch anything else or even each other, they tend to "burn".

oldtractor

:jWELL DONE

peter_the_piper

A few years ago Mum had a stroke and she was in hospital for 3 weeks and then went to a nursing home. We left it a week or two to see if she was likely to return home and found she was not so we went to the flat and found a very sorry specimen of African Violet, not watered for 6 weeks. Took it home as it still showed a glimmer of life and after some tlc grew into a fine specimen which is still surviving and flowering now. It gets watered when remembered and fed likewise, all from tap water.It seems they are almost impossible to kill but do give their best when looked after.

sparrer

Well done on your success OP :T

I have a little African Violet given to me 4 years ago, it stands on the kitchen window sill so gets hot in Summer and cold in Winter. I water it (when I remember) from the bottom, my late Dad said never water into the pot but sparsely into the saucer to make the roots reach for the water and therefore make them stronger. Seems to work, I have a bromeliad which I treat the same, it's now 12 years old and flowers twice a year