Hello,
Re an African Violet plant I recently received as a gift.
I realize it is primarily an indoor, house plant. Or, at least, around here, that's mainly how they are sold.
But, is it possible to plant it outdoors ?
If so, Spring and Summer only, or will it survive a winter ?
Live in New England, outside of Boston.
Thanks, B.
No, absolutely not. You don't even want to put the plant on an open porch during the warm weather. African Violets attract a lot of insects (especially spider mites) and need to be grown in a controlled environment. Getting the leaves wet will result in spots that will not go away and may rot.
Even though African Violets were once grown in the wild, the ones that are available today are dozens of generations "better" than the original wild plant. They have be hybridized to a point that the current plants are nothing like the original in looks and performance (blooms).
Oh, keep them inside on the window sill.
They are such touchy things- they hate the extreme heat, they don't like rain (or dew), they collect bugs like it was a hobby...they are lovely, but best tended to indoors.
Get yourself some primroses for outside.
Boron
AFs won't survive frost. I've had exceptional results with AFs in a north window where it gets only morning sun. The top is constantly covered in blooms. I use a Schultz AF food, a AF potting mix, and a clay pot. They seem to grow best when the pot is not too big. They like more frequent watering than most houseplants.
When I lived in Los Angeles, my AFs did not grow very well. They prefer high humidity, which Boston has.
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