Lighting
The amount of light that a african violet must receives is important for health blooms. Bright, strong light is ok, but direct mid-day sun can burn the plant's foliage. A sheer curtain over a window will help protect your African violets from direct sunlight. If the right amount of natural light is not available, African violets can be gown under florescent lights. Cool-white, daylight or plant-growing tubes may be used alone or in combination. Lights should be left on approximately 10 to 12 hours a day and the lights should be about 10 to 12 inches above the top of the plants. If your plants don't receive enough light, they will not bloom as well and they will grow upright with long leaf stems. If your plants receive too much light, they will grow too compactly and can have hard or brittle centers. African violets also need a period of darkness each day.