CAN VIOLETS BE GROWN OUTSIDE, HERE?

8 years ago

Well I have run out of room to grow any more violets. Well to pot up any more, and get some blooming plants.

BUT it seems that when I TRY to grow them outside in full shade, on a northern porch, it gets me rock hard tight crowns, and no blooms. Or huge plants with rock hard crowns, and blooms that cant get past the leaves. They are so hard and brittle. Can violets be grown outside here in south Fla?

Or is it just to hot, even in full shade all day/night? I have so many violets ready to go into 4in pots, expensive named ones, that I cant just throw away, or give away. Well give away is my last option.

I have no idea where to TRY and sell them. Ebay is so expensive it is stupid. All their fees eat away at any profit. I tried it several years ago.

So...can anyone tell me if they can be grown outside here, and grow and bloom, I have not tried in like 5 years.

Or am I just going to get the same rock hard crowns, and no blooms? Not even grow lights on them, just daylight, in full shade. Is anyone growing them here? What's the trick, IF anyone is having success?

Thank you.

Featured Answer

irina_co

8 years ago

They will decline when it will become hot. I do not think they can thrive pass 80F, And at 90F they will start going downhill. Plus Florida is famous for foliar mealy bugs, chili thrips, airborn mites etc.

Ebay + Paypal takes 13% of your money plus listing fee of 30 cents. The positive - the turnover is fast, Etsy takes 4% and you only sell fixed price. We were discussing sale and exchange forums on Facebook. Fixed price too. I think you should try Facebook - price them right - and work with smaller starters first - the packing of the bigger plants is *&%)%(&$ challenging.

You will solve 2 problems - you will get rid of your extras - and earn a bit of money to support your plant addiction.

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Comments (11)

fortyseven_gw
8 years ago
Irina, Do you recommend selling leaves rather than starters? That seems to be more common lately.
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lucillle
8 years ago
Florida has a lot of bugs, I'm thinking that they would be delighted to chomp on your violets. Plus, Florida weather can be similar to Texas weather and even in the shade in July and August the heat may damage your plants.

Depending on how many plants you have in mind, the IRS permits capital depreciation (as in a new air conditioned room/add on to grow plants) as well as deductions for various business costs, and part of that might include your fees to whatever platform you intend to sell on.
PoohBearLvr thanked lucillle
irina_co
8 years ago
Joanne -

from the point of view of "is it worth your time".. unless you are selling some rare, desirable and expensive leaves... you will spend time cutting, wrapping, insulating, boxing, driving to the post office... to earn $3?

Positive - it is a good way to start selling.

Positive for buyers - not an instant gratification and there is a risk of losing the leaves - but if all goes well - you get well adjusted starters that will bloom in 6 months,

I.
PoohBearLvr thanked irina_co
Vikki
8 years ago
You might be able to get an Optimara to last a little while outside because they to tend to be less sensitive to heat and bugs. But heat is the real killer. FL in the winter, possible - summer, no way.
PoohBearLvr thanked Vikki
irina_co
8 years ago
There are plenty of Gesneriads that will thrive outside in FL. Just not the ones that grow in high elevation forests in nature.

Gesneriad Society just released a webinar on growing Gesneriads outside.

https://the-gesneriad-society.myshopify.com/collections/frontpage/products/webinar-growing-gesneriads-outside
PoohBearLvr
Original Author
8 years ago
thats the idea, IF i put violets outside ,even in SHADE, they get tight hard crowns. So i was asking if it is possible to do it,or not. Obviously it is NOT possible. Going to have a big dumping this week. Pity.
lucillle
8 years ago
Going to have a big dumping this week

If you are talking about throwing them out, why not give them to a nursing home or an AV society?
PoohBearLvr thanked lucillle
PoohBearLvr
Original Author
8 years ago
i put an ad on Craigslist, to try and sell them, without all the fees of EBay, and shipping. IF anyone is looking at it anymore, now that it is being screened by the government, in the farm/garden section, to TRY and sell them, at a fixed price a piece. WAY below what i paid for them, when they were much smaller. So..if anyone replies to it, and buys some they will stay around for a while.
PoohBearLvr
Original Author
8 years ago
why do people always say to take them to nursing homes? They dont exactly allow the people there to have bags of soil and pots laying around their rooms, to pot up violets. And I dont have money to pot them all up and then give them away. And if there is an AV society in Ft.laud, I dont know where it is. The 1 time I went to the local orchid society, and asked questions, it was like I was an alien from Venus, like I had the plague.

They met like 1 time a month, and at 9pm at night, im night blindness so i cant drive at night now, and it was miles away from my home. Not a fun time.
lucillle
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
why do people always say to take them to nursing homes?

Because of the joy it would bring someone who can no longer go outdoors and work in the garden to have a beautiful, blooming plant. The local AV society might help you get them ready to be gifted.

Saw your ad, wish you were next door, I'd buy a few.