Tips on African Violet Care                                                                        

 1.  The next time you clean your violets try spraying with one quart of hot (yes I said hot) water.  Add a pinch of Epsom Salts and a pinch of  Gelaten Powder plus a couple of drops of dishwashing liquid.  Spray your plant and watch the dirt roll off  the leaves.  Put it in a brightly lit but not sunlight spot to dry.  It will surely give your plants a new look.
   
2. SOME REASONS WHY A PLANT WON'T BLOOM
  1. needs more light
  2.  too warm.  Violets prefer daytime temps of  68F to 75F   night temps in the low 60'sF
  3.  fertilizer?  use a fertilizer with a big number in the middle.
  4.  repot every six months.  If not the potting mix becomes too acid
  5.  needs less fertilizer too much promotes leaf growth at the expense of  flowers.
  6.  It has been  over  watered.
  7.  It needs better circulation of air. 
  8.  It has too many crowns.  Suckers which develop into crowns will compete for space food and moisture.  All violets if not "trailers" should have a single crown.  Remove all suckers.
  9.  Plants need consistent care.  Turn it every few days. Water when dry.  open the curtains on cloudy day,   close them when the
  sun beats in.  pick off old blossom stalks  dust with a soft brush and occasionally wash leaves.
   
3. SIGNS OF TROUBLE
  take a second look at wilted plants
  if it is dry it needs water.  If  wet,  wilting is probably due to root rotting .  Pull the plant out of pot and check the roots.
  if brown,  black or mushy   it is root rot caused by over watering.  over fertilizing or fertilizing when the plant is dry.  Compacted  soil or mix or poor drainage.
  If the roots are covered with beads or knots  it's  nematodes.  Throw plant away wash hands carefully and check and quarantine surrounding plants.
  If there are white rice-like grains in the soil or between the soil ball and the inside of the pot it is  soil mealy bugs.
   
  PLANTS WITH DUSTY LOOKING CENTERS.
  these might be due to over watering.  or over fertilizing.  Is the plant too wet?  Is it too cold?  Was the fertilizer measured carefully?
   
  WHITE FLUFF OR SPOTS ON LEAVES.
  They  may be pieces of fluff or they maybe be foliar mealy bugs.  Look more carefully and check the undersides. of the leaves and the neighbouring plants.
   
  SPILLED POLLEN ON BLOSSOMS
  Check neighbouring plants ,  if their blossoms are spilling pollen too,  the problem may be thrips.
   
  RUSTY LOOKING LEAVES
  these may indicate mites.  Especially spider mites.
   
  SPOTS ON LEAVES
  these may be due to cold water, fertilizer or fertilizer residue
   
  TIGHT HARD CENTERS
  These could be due to over-fertilization or cyclamen mites.