The most precious Violet
My late mother grew the most extraordinary African Violets, and at one point in time she entered them into the local violet show. I know she came home with at least 2 ribbons, but I cannot remember for what distinction.
When she passed away suddenly 3 years ago I inherited her violets, which wasn't that many as she had only recently rekindled that love of growing them (at my instigation when I sent her two babies from Lyndon Lyon). I handed off a couple to my sister and kept the rest.
![Claire Nichols' African Violets](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0025/6661/9245/files/20190303_153943087_iOS_480x480.jpg?v=1664130218)
Now my goal is to keep this gorgeous violet she's holding here in 'bloom' for as long as I'm alive myself by propagating a couple of new plants each year around her birthday. I believe African Violets may be one of the easiest plants to propagate, and there are many methods that can be used. I simply scissor off some healthy leaves from the mother plant, dip the stem, which should be approx 1/2" in length, into some rooting hormone. Then I insert the stem to the bottom of the leaf into a moist medium of violet potting mix. Keep this moist at all times, set into a window of indirect sun, and in about 2 months you'll see baby leaves appear at the soil line.
Simple as that. And things such as plants handed down from generation to generation can be such a comfort. Every time I look at my violets, it warms my heart. Because those violets are really the closest thing I have to my mom now.
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