I never put mine outside. They are in a west window. They'd dry out too fast outside where I am.

Outside harbors many of the pests that can plague African Violets.

With the nice weather of summer it's easy to neglect the indoor plants. The only thing I do is I use the wick watering system for all my AVs. This way I only need to water about once a week, even if the AC is making the air inside dry. This doesn't help with remembering to turn the plants or groom them, but at least they won't wilt. I try to do some plant maintenance when I water too, though this doesn't always happen.

Please explain the wick watering system. I have all of mine on a stand that my husband made for me before he died. Right now I have twelve of them and just yesterday, I put them in a dishpan and watered them one by one. Thanks for all the imput, and where do you folks get your soil.? I have been unable to buy it locally. Barb

wick watering... wow that is a lengthy subject! :) it is where you take a length of masons twine and dangle one end in a water filled reservoir and the other end is strung through a hole in the bottom of the pot and up to the top of the soil. the idea is that water soaks up the string andwaters the violet so the grower doesnt have to water as much. it is crucial to let the reservoir and soil dry out before you fill the reservoir and water the plant from the top again... otherwise you will most likely have root and bug problems in the constant humidity.

someone tell me... did i explain that right?? :)

as for soil... check out the thread about soil. theres good advice there and people are talking about what they do.