This is another article in the AVSA Mag I found interesting. It is by C. A. Cromer of Lincoln, NE. The article is about her experiences with the effect of "too much of a good thing" on some varieties of avs. We have spoken of some of the problems in previous threads.
She did not state the distance her plants were placed beneath the lights.
These are the problems that she has found:
1. center tightness with brittleness and distorted growth of new of leaves growing from the crown,
2. flatness of the leaves,
3. dull folliage,
4. retarded growth,
5. increased suckering,
6. blossoms blooming under the leaves,
7. leaves blotched with yellow,
8. shortened petioles, and
9. increased mutation or reverting of fantasy varieties.
I found this very interesting. After reading several previous treads I changed the distance of some of my plants from the light, especially the mini and semi minis. This change caused my standards to be closer to the light source as well. This was about a month ago. I noticed several changes with some of my plants. These changes are included in C. A. Cromer's list. Especially tight centers, blossoms blooming under leaves, and mutation on certain fantasy type varieties including birth marks on plants that did not have them previously. I also experiences blooms that turned their faces downward instead of upward.
Some solutions she found:
1. moving the plants to the outside row where they received less light.
2. limiting the # of hours of light during the day
3. increasing the distance between the light source and the plant
I returned my stand to the way it was in the beginning and the problems are beginning to revert.
Too Much Light
VERY interesting - thanks Nanna!
Ya know, I'm STILL not 100% sure if what I saw on my violets was, in fact, Cyclamin Mites......or too much light. Definately saw center tightness with brittleness and distorted growth of new of leaves growing from the crown. But I also saw new buds that didn't open and where MUCH smaller than normal - - they dried up and withered away before they got much of a bud-head on them.
But then I saw "hairy leaves" and THAT scared me. Have you read anywhere that too much light can cause that?
Gosh, I sure hope I didn't throw out all my violets thinking it was Cyclamin Mites.....when in fact, it was only too much light. =(
I'd be sick. Thankfully, I guess I'll never know.
Don't worry about the past. I've done the same thing. The big CM does major damage to the whole plant and it's better to be safe than sorry. I usually isolate and see what happens.
My experience with tight centers and hairy leaves have to do with too much light and heat. Usually sun exposure.
What other experiences has everyone had with tight centers and the other 7 or 8 items listed above?
I use 32 watt grow lights 12-16 hours each day depeeending on the weathr and time of year. I have never had any of these problems . If I do want a plant to grow more spread out longer petioles , I either place at end of light tubes or in natural light . I turn my plants even on stands a little every few days. :))
