How to Water African Violets

African Violet plant in flower

I woke early this morning and was reading a book on container gardening that I’d borrowed from the library. One of my favorite places to hang out by the way. When I got to the section on proper watering, It said how watering from above is a good idea because it removes harmful salts that build up when plants are grown in containers. Continue reading

A Trip to the Local Garden Nursery

african-violet-plant

It’s Thursday which means it’s Artist Date Day. In my last post I showed the African Violet Pot I’m making in my slip casting class, and even though it will be a couple of weeks before I finish the project, I thought it would be fun to select a new plant. A visit to the local nursery would also be the perfect place for this week’s Artist date,  because it’s certainly colorful and has a creative atmosphere. Both are requisites for an Artist Date.

Purple-orchid-blossom
I love the green house at the nursery where they keep the African violets and orchids. Here are only three of the many gorgeous plants I saw while browsing.
Creamy-orchid-blossom
It’s a good thing that I traveled by motorcycle and not car today, or else I would have come home with more than just the one African Violet.
White-orchid-blossom
After this lovely white orchid I’ll leave you with a splash of color.
red-poppy-blossom
It really was the perfect place to go for this week’s Artist Date.

Ceramic African Violet Pot

African-Violet-Bisque
I started making ceramic African Violet Pots for all of my African Violets. This is a pot I poured in slip casting a couple of weeks ago. It has been fired in the kiln and is now ready for glazing and a second firing.
Painted-top-portion-of-African-Violet-Pot
I painted the top of the upper portion a bright yellow.
Painted-African-Violet-Pot
I like blue and yellow together and thought it would be a cheerful combination. After the violet pot goes through the second firing the colors will be more vibrant. I’ll finish it with a shiny glaze and a beautiful plant. I’m really looking forward to seeing the end result.