A moderator on the Green Culture Singapore discussion forum, Mr Tan Eng Ong, is well known among members as our African violet growing expert. Last Saturday afternoon, he delivered his first Mandarin gardening talk that was entitled “Introduction to the Cultivation of African Violets” at Jurong West Public Library, as part of a series under the ‘Community in Bloom’ (CIB) Programme, in collaboration with Green Culture Singapore (GCS) and the National Library Board (NLB).
Eng Ong shared his experience on growing these colourful flowering plants and their growing requirements such as temperature regulation, lighting, soil-mix, fertilizing, watering, propagation techniques and pest control in our local climate. The audience was also treated to numerous pictures of beautiful plants grown by him in their glorious blooms of different shades of blues, whites, pinks and reds, which explains why African violets are popular houseplants worldwide and appeal to many avid gardeners. Before the session ended, Eng Ong shared with the audience on basic techniques involved in the vegetative propagation of these plants for exchange with fellow enthusiasts and friends.
