Sharon,

Here's a couple of links you may find helpful.

An African Violet needs a pot just big enough for its root system. You could run into problems if you pot in a container that is too large. In my growing conditions, I've found that 4 inch pots are plenty big enough for standard size violets.

The baby on the side of your rescue plant is a sucker. If you don't remove it, it will cause the plant to become deformed. I usually use a hobby knife (such as x-acto) with a clean blade to remove the sucker. The sucker can be rooted and will produce a new plant quicker that propagating from a leaf.

Good luck,
Tim

http://www.rachelsreflections.org/
http://www.violetbarn.com/faq/faq.html

Here is a link that might be useful: Rachel's Reflections

Sharon -

I think Tim gave you the necessary points. What I wanted to add - go to the library = and find a book by Melvin Robey. They just reprinted his "Back to basics" book on African Violets - but any one by this author will work. Otherwise any book on this subject that is after 1980 will be helpful. Do not go for older books - they will tell you to use DDT - and we know better now.

If you find "African Violets - Gifts from Nature" by this author - it has 314 pages - and you work through it - you will cover not just the basics - but everything you need to know on this subject.

Good Luck

Irina

Thanks, Tim and Irina.