African Violet Buds!

[RandomGemini]

My grandmother had a windowsill full of African violets when I was a kid. I have tried to get them to bloom for me for years, then something would go wrong. One plant got a fungus. Another one came in with gnats, so I pitched it. This one, I purchased back in March.

Finally, it's getting ready to bloom again! I didn't realize that they needed more light than I was giving them, and I switched to liquid fertilizer from spikes. That was it. So easy... I can't wait for these to open! I know my grandmother would be smiling at me.

[Lynn in Michigan]

congrats on the bloom. I grew av's too before orchids. Then I read that if you can grow av's you could grow orchids. I now have 0 av's and about 50 orchids lol

[RandomGemini]

Originally Posted by Lynn in Michigan

congrats on the bloom. I grew av's too before orchids. Then I read that if you can grow av's you could grow orchids. I now have 0 av's and about 50 orchids lol

I hope this is true! I just started with orchids in July. Most of my plant experience is with growing aquatic plants. I only have three African violets. I want to get two more and hang them in baskets above this one in the window, just to finish out the display in this window. Then I'll call it done.

[NYCorchidman]

Congrats!!! looks like it's a dark blue with white halo? I love those.

African Violets need bright light to stay healthy. just no direct sun. They should do well with certain phals and paphs, but probably less light than those orchids.

Starting fall when the heat is off, the prime blooming season begins into late spring when the heat picks up again. or you can grow indoor with AC on and they should bloom non stop!

Anytime you see disease, which is usually not common with African Violets, you should chuck them ASAP.
Fungus gnats do not harm the plants, but they are just very annoying flying around everywhere.

I got rid of my African Violets because they almost always came with a type of thrips on the flowers, which then jumped onto my orchids and did some severe damage.

Everytime I see them in bloom, I always want to pick them up, but then I think thrips. lol

[RandomGemini]

I believe this one is just a lavender color. I have one next to it that is white with a blue halo. Trying to figure out why it's not putting out buds for me. I think I might need to repot it. It's growing plenty of leaves and I have it sitting in the same spot. The third one I have is pink with purple spots.

This is what they looked like in bloom.

[Tindomul]

Very nice!

[Paul]

I find AVs far harder than orchids, personally. The only way AVs do well for me is when grown in a terrarium ... Often too well if the truth is to be told. (That's why I have the one "semi mini" AV offered in the classifieds ... trying to find it a good home because it is too large for what I want in my 55gal terr.)

Glad to hear they're doing well for ya!

[Tindomul]

I had one survive in a terrarium but it didnt thrive, eventually just withered away. How do you keep yours in the terrarium? Meanwhile, the ones I had on the windowsill did just fine for years.

[RandomGemini]

Okay.. wow... tapatalk posts TINY pictures!

I will not be posting photos with tapatalk anymore.

The buds (larger):



The older pic:



The pink and purple violet: I'm not sure what to call this coloring.

[Tindomul]

Wow, great growing!