How To Build Your Violet Collection
QUICK AND CHEAP
You can really find some good african violets locally to build your collection on in some of the big box retail and hardware stores. These violets are affordable and easy to grow. You could only grow these if you choose and many people do so very successfully. I started my whole collection with just a few hardware store violets like the one below.
The world's largest grower of violets is Optimara. If you get one labelled Optimara you can go to their site and find a name for yours. Without the name of the grower, you cannot possibly identify the name of any violet you buy so if you want to give them names, you need to buy ones that can be identified. Many violet show people frown on naming violets this way but unless you sell, show or hybridize, who cares? It's your hobby too.
ONLINE SELLERS
There are a couple of online retailers that sell violets and a lot of smaller hobbyist vendors on the bidding sites. So that's another way to get some named varieties. You might see one you like and just have to have it but be prepared - they are way more expensive than ones you can get locally because you also have to pay for shipping when you buy online.
Bidding on named varieties of violets only benefits the seller and you will probably pay way more than you have to. I would bid on a violet as a last resort because you can probably find that variety cheaper from a reputable vendor. I've seen people bid crazy prices for one violet so unless you have more money than brains, I would avoid bidding for violets altogether.
TRADING
It is very possible once you have a few named violets that you could pull a trade on some of the group sites with other growers. You can build your collection like that and leaves are always cheaper and safer to ship and trade than plants. With leaves you generally don't have to worry about bugs but at the very least you should wash the leaf off anyway.
PROPAGATION
Always put down a leaf of any plant you like. You can make a half dozen or more new plants from just one leaf so you can see how easy it would be to grow a collection fast. When you start to run out of room you will become more selective about only keeping the healthiest ones and your very favorites.
You can really find some good african violets locally to build your collection on in some of the big box retail and hardware stores. These violets are affordable and easy to grow. You could only grow these if you choose and many people do so very successfully. I started my whole collection with just a few hardware store violets like the one below.
The world's largest grower of violets is Optimara. If you get one labelled Optimara you can go to their site and find a name for yours. Without the name of the grower, you cannot possibly identify the name of any violet you buy so if you want to give them names, you need to buy ones that can be identified. Many violet show people frown on naming violets this way but unless you sell, show or hybridize, who cares? It's your hobby too.
ONLINE SELLERS
There are a couple of online retailers that sell violets and a lot of smaller hobbyist vendors on the bidding sites. So that's another way to get some named varieties. You might see one you like and just have to have it but be prepared - they are way more expensive than ones you can get locally because you also have to pay for shipping when you buy online.
Bidding on named varieties of violets only benefits the seller and you will probably pay way more than you have to. I would bid on a violet as a last resort because you can probably find that variety cheaper from a reputable vendor. I've seen people bid crazy prices for one violet so unless you have more money than brains, I would avoid bidding for violets altogether.
TRADING
It is very possible once you have a few named violets that you could pull a trade on some of the group sites with other growers. You can build your collection like that and leaves are always cheaper and safer to ship and trade than plants. With leaves you generally don't have to worry about bugs but at the very least you should wash the leaf off anyway.
PROPAGATION
Always put down a leaf of any plant you like. You can make a half dozen or more new plants from just one leaf so you can see how easy it would be to grow a collection fast. When you start to run out of room you will become more selective about only keeping the healthiest ones and your very favorites.
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