How do you grow African violets outside?

Natural light: African violets require indirect light rather than direct sun, which can burn their leaves. They are perfect windowsill plants as long as there is lots of indirect sunlight for them to absorb.

Can you plant violets in the ground?

Growing Wild Violet Plants in the Garden

Wild violets make great accents around trees, near water sources, and beds. They also make excellent choices for instant ground cover in a woodland garden. … While they tolerate many soil types, wild violets prefer soil that is moist, yet well-draining, and rich in organic matter.

Where is the best place to put an African violet?

Grow plants in bright, indirect light for the best color and blooms. A plant stand three feet away from a west- or south-facing window is an ideal location. Plants will still grow when situated right beside north- or east-facing windows, but leaves will be thin and spindly, and plants less likely to bloom.

Are African violets hard to grow?

Unlike most houseplants, the flowers are the stars of the show with African violets. Though these fuzzy blooming houseplants have a reputation for being finicky, they’re actually not difficult to grow once you know how to follow some basic rules for their care.

Do violets make good ground cover?

Violets are notorious for spreading everywhere when they are happy, which may be a good characteristic for a groundcover. … Violets spread by underground rhizomes and may form vegetative colonies. They also spread by seed.

How do violets grow as ground cover?

Sowing violet
  1. Broadcast seeds in special seedling soil mix and cover the seeds lightly.
  2. Drizzle water over lightly on a regular basis to keep the substrate moist.
  3. Put the seedlings near light, but not in direct sunlight.
  4. As soon as it sprouts, thin to 1¼ to 1½ inches (3 to 4 cm), removing the least vigorous plants.

How long do African violets live?

50 years
Repotting these blooms is so important due to their long lifespan. “Remember that African violets have a very long lifespan and have been said to last up to 50 years,” says Ryan McEnaney, public relations and communications specialist for Bailey Nurseries.

How do you get African violets to soil?

Simple African Violet Potting Mix Recipes

Two cups Peat Moss +one cup Vermiculite + one cup Perlite (50:25:25 ratio) One cup Peat moss + one cup Vermiculite or Perlite (50: 50 ratio)

How often should you water an African Violet?

An important point to remember when bottom watering African Violet plants is to top water at least once a month. This way you are flushing out any extra fertilizer salt build up and refreshing the soil/roots from the top too.

How much does an African violet cost?

Named varieties commonly sell in the range of $6-7 each, but one without a name may only go for a few dollars. You may want to charge more if they are in decorative ceramic pots as well because the prices above are only for plants in inexpensive plastic azalea pots.

What kills African violets?

Use a broadleaf killer that contains 2,4-D or Dicamba, and it will selectively eliminate the violets without damaging the grass. Another great wild violet herbicide is called Drive (quinclorac). Quinclorac is also sold in other lawn weed control products, under differing names.

How do you get African violets to bloom?

The most common reason African violets don’t bloom is because they aren’t getting enough light. African violets need indirect sunlight, direct can burn the leaves. Choose a north- or east- facing window for best results. Keep plants away from cold glass and rotate the pot once a week so all leaves receive light.

What colors do African violets come in?

African violets are available in a wide range of colors and types. You may choose from several hundred varieties depending upon the flower color, form and plant characteristics you prefer. Flower color varies from blue to violet, lavender, pink, red-violet, blue-violet, lavender-pink and white.

What is a Trailing African violet?

Trailers are African violets that naturally branch and spread. Grow them either as hanging baskets or in shallow pots as ground covers. Feel free to pinch or prune, it will only encourage even more dense, lush, growth. Their size and shape when mature, is entirely up to you.

Can you still buy African violets?

African Violet Information

Often seen as ‘old fashioned’ they are in fact very much in demand and are available for sale both online and at retail nurseries.

What is the rarest African violet?

The rarest African Violet species is the Streptocarpus afroviola (Saintpaulia pusilla) that is native to Tanzania. This African Violet was first described in 1900 by Adolf Engler.

How big can African violets get?

African violets are typically classified by size, based on how wide they grow: Miniature: less than 8 inches across. Standard: 8–16 inches across. Large: more than 16 inches across.

Do African violets like to be misted?

African Violets do not enjoy misting, but if you really think you need to mist your African Violets, it’s best to do it rarely and when the humidity is below 30%. Misting frequently or for an extended time can cause leaf damage to the plant, which then has a direct effect on the overall health of the plant.