Potting an African violet

List of ingredients (what to buy, use, borrow, steal, or otherwise acquire):

1. Watering can. Make sure it has a small spout. Before you start the job, fill it with tepid water, and let it sit for at least an hour (overnight is better).

   

2. African violet plant.

3. African violet pot. A regular flower pot is too deep. Either plastic or clay is fine. Just make sure it has at least one drainage hole in the bottom of it.

   

4. Saucer. Get a nice deep saucer for the pot. (Teacup saucers are much too shallow!) Make sure there is space left all around the base of the pot once you've placed it in the saucer.

   

5. Soil. Get some good soil. You can buy special African violet soil, which is perfect. Or, if you already have some ordinary potting soil, you can make your own "African violet soil". Mix the potting soil with peat moss and vermiculite or perlite, as follows: 1/3/ potting soil, 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 vermiculite or perlite.

6. Teaspoon (or a very tiny spade).

7. Pebbles (a least a dozen per pot). A bunch of small pebbles off the beach are fine. Or you can buy some cute coloured stones.

8. Plant food. I prefer Jobe's Plant Food Stakes for Flowering Plants. You stick 2 or more of them (depending on the size of the pot) into the soil and then forget about them for 6 months or so. However, there are also great liquid plant foods out there, even some specifically blended for African violets.