Question
My aftican voilet has fungus.  What should I do to fix this problem?  Thank You.

Answer
Dear Kerry, Generally speaking, African violets don't like to be watered from the top, and when they get too soggy they often respond by becoming gray and moldy.  This fungus is often a Botrytis type fungus and can be easily controlled by cutting off any moldy areas, letting the plant dry out somewhat, and then resuming watering from the bottom of the plant, or you can water from the top, avoiding the leaves.  Be sure not to let the plant sit in water in any saucer under the plant as this will lead to more fungus and rot.  You could spray the plant with Neem, as this will kill the fungus, but I would only do this in a severe case, as African violets just don't like to have their leaves wet.  You might also want to keep it in a brighter light, preferably a north or east facing window.  I hope this information helps, but write back if you need more assistance.  African violets are often quite finicky.  Melissa