Costliness aside, being as it's now Feb, I'd just wait for winter's end. Too bad they're in the far northern end of the country.

Hi all, there also is Bloomlovers. She is near Montreal in Canada. She will not be shipping anything until some time late spring. Montreal has a later spring than Toronto. It should be warm around the end of April in Toronto. Sometimes we can get snow - wet snow - in May. If you drive outside the City the fields are white with snow, but the roads are fine.

Bloomlovers has a website which shows all their available flowers. They only have AVs. I think she drives to the States to mail some of the flowers. They come in in pretty good condition. I do not order leaves, but small plantlets, that she calls plugs.

Good luck with your orders.

Yolanda

Thank you for the advice. I’ve never heard of Bloomlovers. I will look them up. I suppose I could wait until spring, but I’m so impatient. I’ve been bitten by the AV collecting bug, and it’s hard not to to want more and now.😃

There are several reputable sellers who ship in winter - but it will cost you. Violet Barn - Ralph and Olive Ma Robinson - are perfectionists. They will send your plants with a thermoisolated insert into a box, or in a solid styrofoam cooler, overnight USPS express mail etc, etc. $$$$

Linda Rowe - Bloomin'jungle - on ebay - will double pack - big box stuffed with insulation polus heat pack, with a smaller box with plants inside - with a heat pack as well. I heard she is in a process of moving from Nashvile to Rochester - so she probably won't resume shipping until March. Last time I checked - LLG also ships in winter. Bloomlovers as well - highly recommended.,

Otherwise you are going to pay much more for shipping right now - while March is already very close.

i.

Thanks again for the advice, irina_co. I never thought to get plants off of eBay so I’ll definitely be checking it out.

Against my better judgement I went ahead and made an order from Violet Barn. I know I should have waited until spring, but I get so excited about new AVs. I hope it’s a winning gamble. Fingers crossed...

I ordered from Violet Barn in the winter once a few years ago (I got a gift certificate for them for my winter birthday and couldn't wait to use it!). The plants were totally fine even though they spent some time on my porch in a Wisconsin winter before I got to them.

I have ordered a number of other tender plants during winter and have never had any issues - though I am careful to only order from established sellers who are experienced at shipping plants during the winter. I usually don't order when it is bitterly cold (I wouldn't order plants when the temperatures are much lower than freezing, because apparently heat packs don't work in such low temps), but someone who knows what they're doing can usually get the plants to you safely even if you live in a very cold region like I do.

If you are willing to pay for the Express shipping and it's not bitterly cold where you are, I think you will be fine ordering from Violet Barn in winter. Back when I ordered, they sent the plants in an insulated container.

summersunlight, I laughed reading your reply because my situation is much like yours was. My husband gave me a gift certificate to the Violet Barn for Valentine‘s Day and I just don’t have the patience to wait until winter’s end. :) I live in Hawaii so it’s warm at my end, but I was still nervous ordering. Thankfully, all 5 plants did arrive safely. The Violet Barn’s packaging is impressive! There were a couple of dead leaves here and there, but I figure that’s not too bad for the distance and time they had to travel.

Now that my african violet itch has been scratched I think I’m good to wait until it gets warmer to try out shops others have suggested like Bloomlovers and on eBay. :)

All,

AV scarcity.

It seems Bloomlovers can't ship to us "flatlanders," as she is not allowed to cross the border.

I think LLG might be "MIA."

I think I may have bought out "Fancy Bloomers." (Sorry.)

There remains PJ's on Ebay and other Ebay-sellers. Mostly leaves.

Be cautious.

I bought some leaves on eBay more than a year ago. The resulting plants did not bloom true. It was for a variety that is noted for not blooming true. However, I was too new to know that. Someone in my club advised me.

Joanne