Staghorn ferns are epiphytes and should not be planted in ordinary potting soil. Grow on a slab of osmunda or wood. To grow on wood, put a large handful of moist, long-fiber, sphagnum moss on the wood, place the base of the fern on the moss, then tie it all to the wood with fishing line. Water by soaking in a bucket or the sink. As the fern grows, it will attach itself to the wood.
African violets do well when potted in rather small pots.
A good general rule is to use a pot one-third the diameter of the plant. To humidify African violets, surround the pot with moist peat contained in a second pot. When buying new plants, avoid those with any signs of yellowing leaves. Encourage African violets to bloom by giving them plenty of light. They can be in a south window during dark, winter months.