Question
Is their a plant light that would fit into a table lamp, for a few African Violets on the table under the lamp? I have tried a regular florescent light in the lamp, but the violets stop blooming a few weeks after I get them. I use plant food for African Violets.
Thanks

Answer
Steven,

Yes, there are grow light bulbs. They need to be in a lamp directed directly at the violets, like a desk lamp. Also, if you are growing them in an office with no windows and you are not there on weekends a lot of your problem is that they are in total darkness over weekends and for 16 hours a day if you are only working 8 hours a day. Plants do not live on 8 hours of light, they need closer to 16 hours of light and 8 hours of dark and it must be 7 days a week. If you can set your lamp on a timer to accomplish that you would have much happier plants. Another trick to getting African violets to start blooming again is after they stop blooming let them rest for about 30 days then sprinkle a teaspoon of epsom salts on top of the soil before you water carefully from the top under the leaves to disolve it into the soil. Epsom salts is magnesium sulfate and it is a trigger ti get blooming plants to bloom and produce more flowers. You can use it on any blooming plant and it will help it. I put 1'2 cup on tomato plants when I plant them and again in August. It's a great tonic. Good luck with your violets.

Darlene