Light

The plants flower best in bright light, but not in extreme heat and humidity. They bloom well in east or west windows or under fluorescent lights.  Bright light is important, but hot sun will burn the leaves of your violets and too much heat can outright kill it.  If sunlight from a window is bright enough to make your skin hot, it is probably too bright for your violet.  You can use tissue paper or a screen to lower the sun's intensity.

If using fluorescent grow lights, remember that distance from the light is important - the closer your plant is to the light, the more effective it will be.

Temperature

The preferred daytime temperature is about 72-80 degrees F. Night temperatures should not fall below 62 degrees F.

Water

African violets are extremely sensitive to dryness, so it is wise to check the soil moisture daily. Water when the soil feels dry to the touch, but before it becomes hard. Never apply cold water to African violets. It can cause irregular-shaped, white-colored spots to form on the foliage. Use lukewarm water or fill your watering can after each watering and let it sit, so you will have room-temperature water on hand.  It is not true that violets don't like water on their foliage.  They love it in fact, it just has to be WARM water.

You may water African violets from either the top or the bottom. When watering from the top, keep water off the leaves and make sure the plant is watered deeply. A small amount of excess water should flow out of the drainage hole. Pour off the excess water. When watering from the bottom, remove pots from the water dish as soon as the soil surface shows moisture. Leaving the pot standing in water will cause the soil to become saturated, eliminating the air spaces that are essential for healthy root growth.

If you normally water from the bottom, occasionally switch to top watering to prevent the accumulation of crusty, white salts on the soil surface and edge of the pots. Leaf stems (petioles) can become soft or discolored when they contact soluble salts on the pot rim. This problem occurs most often when the plant is in a porous clay pot. A soil mix that promotes good drainage helps. A good mix contains 2 parts peat moss to 1 part perlite.

You may put your African violet on a self-watering system to ensure a constant, optimum level of moisture. The wick method of watering uses capillary action to draw water into the soil, and is very effective for easily growing your violets.

Fertilizer

African violets need a regular supply of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, iron, manganese, and zinc.  The easiest way to ensure your violets get the food they need to lightly fertilize with every watering.  It is important to note that African Violets do not respond well to Urea-based fertilizers, so make sure to check your fertilizer's nitrogen source to be sure there is no Urea.