The danger here is that big box violets can be havens for Violet pests.

Thrips are almost constantly present on plants in big box stores, and I've brought home a plant infected with mealybugs, as well.

Unless you have some fool-proof method of debugging your big box store acquisitions, you put your entire collection/sanctuary at risk ...

Charissa - there are so many African Violets that are much prettier, with nicer flowers, more interesting...Why do you need to accumulate tons of boring, sick bug infested plants that take your space and time and look awful most of the time? If you can baby the sick plant back to life - can you imagine what you can do with a healthy one... You can have your house blooming with all kind of colors...

I do the same thing, though I do check the plants out for pests before I buy and then isolate them for a few weeks just to be safe. Last month my grandmother was in the hospital and I stopped at a Kroger store in the area and noticed two shopping carts full of Optimara violets sitting outside. The edges of some of the leaves were brown and they were over-watered and had broken leaves from being stacked on top of each other. Most still had blooms on them so I found seven different varieties whose inner leaves were firm and was happy to give $1 a piece for each of them.

Of course I had the problem of what to do with them since I would be spending the night at the hospital and the temps were to be in the 90s the next day. So I packed them into my cooler and sent them home with my Mom for the night. The next evening I took then home, used paper towels to wick excess water out and trimmed all the burned and broken leaves. Three of them looked pretty critical so they went with me back to my grandmothers house where I could keep a close eye on them. All are flourishing now! I was also able to positively identify three of them including mySensation from their website.

Ok, I just have to add my 2 cents. First,,,,required reading (if you will) my post titled "I have learned my lesson". Now please read all the way to the end.

I hope after reading it you laugh as hard as I am now! How did I go from good intentions (I learned my lesson) to jumping in and embracing the old life again?

Oh I know how. But that is for another day!

All I got to say is when you are new at violets OR just getting back in you do develop a strong desire to gather all you can just to grow another one. GO FOR IT! Get it out of your system! Only then can you settle down and make sense of the entire collecting violets thing. But let it run its course!!!! It will eventually, and then you will remember all of the warnings from those who have finally steered off that course!!!! Good luck to all of you!!! And GROW to your temporary hearts content !!!!!!!!!!!!! Rosie

PS I am still laughing!

I would be in the same boat, but around here by the time violets get marked down they are truly awful. I found one I was going to "rescue", then realized it was crawling with big fat aphids.

I am going to be in trouble once the weather cools, because leaf and plant acquisitions will once again be possible. :) Not sure where I will put them all!

Too much fun! Rosie

Thanks everyone! I do appreciate it. I am "settling down" with my rescuing. I am running out of room to isolate each different plant!! Because I have gotten pretty good with bringing some sad violets back to life, so to speak, I may eventually look into some "better" varieties.

It is a good way to learn. :) And by eventually, you mean as soon as it is cool enough to ship again, right? :P

Yeah,,,,we are ALL waiting for cool shipping weather ! lol Rosie

Cool weather??? In July?

If anybody bought the plants from pjsviolets from FL - they cut styrofoam inserts for USPS priority box - or you can get some pink insulation from HD and put your leaves in a middle.

I,