For the first time ever, I have managed to nurture an African Violet rather than kill it by drowning its roots or total neglect. In fact, a plant that was given to us last Passover has flourished to the point of blooming, just in time for New Year’s. This is nothing short of a miracle. I guess that tending my bonsai has taught me a thing or two about what my plants actually need.
To wit, a few lessons from my African Violet:
- Check your hypotheses before acting. If the leaves are rigid, there’s plenty of moisture, even if the leaves curve downward.
- Trust in Nature’s wisdom. The way the leaves grow protects the soil and helps the plant retain moisture.
- Find the balance point between too much and too little. My African Violet prefers dappled sunlight, best achieved when shaded by my bonsai (perhaps they commune, too) and watering only when the soil is nearly dry.
- Be patient. With good care, it will bloom when you least expect it.
- Appreciate the simple things in life. There is peace and joy to be found there.
Lessons to live by as we enter 2023. Happy New Year, Dear Reader.
Evelyn Herwitz blogs weekly about living fully with chronic disease, the inside of baseballs, turtles and frogs, J.S. Bach, the meaning of life and whatever else she happens to be thinking about at livingwithscleroderma.com. Please view Privacy Policy here.
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