Looking for good African violet resources

[Lady Oscar]

So...I was in the supermarket after Valentine's Day and accidentally bought an African violet because I felt sorry for it, and because they've always reminded me of my father (who used to raise them).

A number of my orchids manage to survive somehow and even look happy, but I'm traditionally death to normal plants, of which as far as I can tell African violets are a particularly finicky subset. I've googled and read some pages, but I haven't run into anything nearly as useful as this place is for orchids. Does anyone have any recommendations for forums/pages/books?

[DeaC]

THE VIOLET BARN - Violet Barn might help. I've ordered from them and selections are unusual and varied. Have fun! Aloha!

[Mountaineer370]

Ditto on the Violet Barn. They sell plants, but there is also a lot of information on growing, propagating, you name it. Just use the tab menu to explore the site, and you should be busy reading for quite a while. I have never found anything similar to this discussion forum here for African violets.

[WaterWitchin]

I triple vote for Violet Barn. Have several from them. Decent pricing, well packed, etc. I think their care instructions, especially potting media, are a bit more carried away than necessary for most of them, but there are some that need more care than others. For example, I plant most in a taller container, put an inch or so of LECA at the bottom, and each inside a cache pot. When I water, I fill the cache pot to the brim, and don't worry about it until I fill them up again.

They sell Episcia, which are a most wonderful hanging violet famly flower, and one of my favorites...I still have the same one started by my grandma off a cutting almost sixty years ago.

Violets are very easy. Unfortunately, as with orchids, also very addictive.

[Lady Oscar]

Thank you to everyone for the recommendations! I actually had already been reading The Violet Barn's pages, but I'm glad to know that my impressions about them being a good place weren't wrong.

I wish I could actually buy violets from them, but I'm spoiled by being able to buy orchids locally, which makes the hobby pretty cheap for me. $35 + $23 for express shipping is like 7 new little orchids from H&R, or two or three interesting things from a show, on top of the price of the actual plants! Maybe if I get more obsessed (or less under-employed ^^; ) ....

[WaterWitchin]

And there's absolutely nothing wrong with a "grocery store" or local nursery violet. Go for it! Violet Barn is there for the info... and something unusual if the violet bug bites ya hard.

[Paul]

Personally, I find AVs to incredibly well for me in terraria.

[Lady Oscar]

Heh, my house resembles a terrarium on many days! My main worry is that while I have all the humidity anyone could want, in the summer these days it gets too hot for people, violets, and everyone but Cattleyas and Vandas. I try to keep the ventilation going with ceiling fans when the trade winds fail me, but it's a bit of a losing battle. ^^;

[WaterWitchin]

AV's are native to Tanzania, Africa, coastal and mountain rainforest. Unless your temperatures are consistently higher than the mid to high 90's, they will love your place.