5 meters from a window? And watered once a week? If it hasn't been dead for a while now, it surely needs more light. Your friend should try 1 meter from the window. Also, which leaves are yellow? The very bottom leaves, or leaves throughout? Josh

Puch, I think separating suckers is the one aspect of growing that is most difficult to figure out but, once you learn, you will be able to do it in your sleep. The sucker has grown out between two leaves from the neck. Carefully separate these two leaves and you should see a complete plant with its own crown and whirl of leaves. It will be attached to the neck. Separate it from the neck at this point trying to get all the leaves that belong to this sucker. If you don't manage to get all of the leaves, don't worry about it. I use a small knife for a clean break. You will have to play around for a bit until you get the knack but we've all been there. Sometimes the suckers come out whole, sometimes the leaves are so inter-twined with the mother plant that you can't get them all and sometimes the sucker just shatters into useless pieces. It's all part of the fun. Your sucker will probably be rootless. Sink it a bit so the crown is under the soil. Water well and place into a plastic baggie, closed tight. No holes! Place in bright light, no sun. If the baggie gets drippy, vent for a bit otherwise keep it closed. In about two weeks or so, give the plant a gentle tug on one of the leaves. If there is resistance, it has rooted. Gradually open the bag to acclimate it to the environment and then return it to a growing spot after a week or so. If it has not rooted, close the bag and wait a bit longer. Most of us make our own mix-one equal part each of peat, vermiculite and perlite. If you are only growing a few, you can use potting soil with an equal amount of perlite. You want a light mix. Think 'fluffy'. Commercial soil usually has fertilizer in it so go easy on it (the fert.) for a while. I would also re-pot your mother plant when it has finished blooming. Most mix that violets come in is c**p. Not a bigger pot. You are just refreshing the soil. Yes, your violet will grow and bloom just like your other one. This is how a great many violets are propagated-through asexual reproduction. This plant will be a clone of the mother-an exact copy. Unless it sports-but that's another topic for another day :) Linda

Completely normal around this time, just the old leaves dying off so new ones can come in. Gardenias ideally need a slightly acidic pH, so I use the Miracle Grow for azaleas/camellias/rhododendrons (used to be called Miracid). If you're not seeing yellowing in the young leaves, you don't need to run out and get new fertilizer - just use what you have.

Tx. ahelaumakani. Unfortunately my kitchen sink (which is near the back door to the garden) doesn't have a normal faucet....only a hose...so I can't hook up a garden hose to it. I finally decided to try the basement sink, sending the hose out the back window and under the deck to the yard. But alas, it seems the small window in the basement has the kind of screen that doesn't pop out. So frustrating! So I finally sent a note to my LL, telling him that for years I've had to haul buckets, and couldn't he figure somethihng out for me so I can get water out back? We'll see what he says.... :-(