WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR NEW PLANT ?
This is so important for me to share this with everyone ! I'm sure the link will end up or is in our new sticky :))
Please read go to link and pictures.
WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR NEW PLANT
http://www.plantsonpurpose.com/CULTURE.htm#Streptocarpus
****** This is a photo of soil mealies floating in a container of water. I found these guys in the reservoirs of a plant that I had owned for a year. Soil mealy bugs are so small, it is easy to have them and spread them throughout your collect before you know it. Even if your new plant looks 'clean', keep it on it's own reservoir for a year or two********
****** This is from the story please go and see picturee and read more it's just so important to know even if you new plant looks " Clean Healthy " Beware ..
**** So important please look
http://www.plantsonpurpose.com/mealy%20bugs.htm
Thank you ! Allison
This message was edited Dec 16, 2006 10:20 AM
This is so important to me WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR NEW PLANT
Thank you for that link. I was just about to post and ask about the white things that were floating in the water of a self watering pot. Now I know. :( I guess I have mealy's. Time to start searching for ways to get rid of them.
Thanks,
Jessica
There may be some information about treating mealies in the new sticky thread ...also Doctor Optimara. Can anyone else help here please ? Sorry Jessica it will be ok you will get rid of them ! Allison
Thank you Allison.Now I'll know what to look for.
Here is some more info on mealies
http://www.members.tripod.com/miniviolet/tips.htm
And a small mention here -
http://www.odavs.com/id6.html
Just want to add my opinion on this. Systemics added to the soil are great, but their effectiveness is about 6 weeks. Also, if you add systemics, such as Marathon, to your soil, wear gloves when repotting or handling the soil. The reason I don't use systemics is that I have an abundance of kids and dogs--3 kids and 7 dogs (plus one preggers dog ready to pop any day now :)).
Instead, I have used diatomaceous earth (sp?) for about 3 years now. DE doesn't pose the risk of hurting my kids or animals if they happen to get curious with my plants. It looks and feels like talcum powder. This is added to your soil mix. You can also scratch it into the surface of your soil and around the neck of your plant. DE feels soft, but it acts like a razor to those mealies and cuts them to pieces (or so I've been told). Since I have used DE and sprayed with Neem Oil once a month, I have not had a single mealie--soil or otherwise.
I get my DE from The Violet Showcase in Colorado-- www.violetshowcase.com.
I've got some DE! That's a good idea! How much do you add? If you don't know a ratio like how much per quart of soil mix, maybe you could just put it in terms of whether it's more like a quarter teaspoon or a tablespoon per 4 inch pot?
Critter,
The instructions state "mix 8 oz of DE into 4 gallons of your potting soil." However, like much of my cooking, I just dump some in. :) I'm sure it's more than what I need, but more won't hurt your plants. I also use it in the soil for my other plants, including succulents.
The description of DE states that "as insects crawl through the soil, they rub against the DE, scraping off some of their waxy coating. This will kill them. Especially effective against fungus gnat and spring tail larvae, and against soil mealy bugs."
If you want to add it around the neck of the plant (which some believe helps destroy mites but I've not seen any documentation saying as much), just sprinkle around.
I hate bugs and will do pretty much anything to kill them. I used to find mealy bugs sporadically, but honestly haven't since I started using the DE.
HTH--
Stephanie
Thanks for the info! I recently started adding charcoal to my mix (actually, I just toss a generous pinch into the bottom of the pot as I'm filling it, so now I'll start putting in some DE as well!
Yeah... bugs have their place... but not on my houseplants!!!
DE can also be bought at a petstore......It is used in diatom filters.
I have been planning on repotting my plant and using a lighter soil mix. I am pretty new to av's and used just the store bought stuff. I want to wick so I can start to add more plants without being overwhelmed with work. We have 3 cats so I don't think I should use Marathon but I think I'm going to go get some Neem Oil and maybe look for the DE stuff. I also mixed up a concoction of rubbing alcohol that I am going to try to fin the bugs when repotting. Other than in the water I haven't seen any on the leaves so I'm hopefully that this means that the bugs haven't taken control yet. The plant that I found them in was the only plant that I never repotted. I saved it after my mom died from the slow death at the hands of my dad not caring about plants. (He never remembers that they need water every so often)
Well time to go to the store. I'll report in when I'm done repotting.
charcoal is to sweeten the soil right....and DE is veyr workable in my experience
thats for the info. this was extremely informative. Are you all saying that even the sealed bags of soil mix labeled "AV potting soil" need alls this precaution? I thought the reason to buy the fancy bags was so AVOID mealies, etc. ugh!
If you use a prepackaged AV soil, I would suggest adding quite a bit of perlite to it.
Yes I like my soil light I use one part package 3 parts perlite.
Oh sealded bags of soil are not sterilized.
Also if you saw mealies floating in the water their soil mealies and would be in the soil and hard to see most times without a 3X power. What else is hard bugs hid from light. Your not going to see them walking around your leaves....Now foliage mealies you will see but not always right away , ....
I examine the soil a bit and can see little white guys moving around. Is it possible to have both types of mealies?
I just can't believe that I never noticed this before now. I'm a bit mad at myself because I think I have probably spread them to all of my other plants.
Please don't be made it's easy to happen. Yes you can have both. A friend of mine got this microscope that takes movies and she sent me a movie it was yuk. It's also hard to see them without 3x power alot .
I feel you can get rid of them with proper treament. I'll tell you what I don't know how many plants you have cut leaves from all treat them and set for new babies just in case...but isolate them a couple months in case.
Also I would use all new bleached strong bleach and hot water pots. I use strong and I don't even rinse.
Take the plants out of the pots and drench them with Blue Dawn and Murphy 's oil soap ...and if you have any bug stuff to spray and put into soil do so after and repeat the bug spray at least three times every 7-10 days. Now the plant running one at a time in the sink put a strainer or something uner neath and just keep pouring hot water, blue dawn and murphy's oil soap over them over and over. Then layer in pots, containers paper towels let them dry, remove paper towels throw away, put more lawers of paper towels and let them dry out a day or two before giving them the new bleached pots. Always use new soil, wicks and bleached pots...never re-use. Also you can spray the soil of your plants while they are drying out on paper towels. Once again keep spraying every 7-10 days for at least three weeks.
Then always Isolate. Allison
I mix my own soil using coir, vermiculite, perlite, DE, and charcoal. I just don't have great luck using the store brands that contain so much peat.
Allison
thanks for the good information and timely too, I just rec'vd my plants from Bluebird- not that I expect any problems, but you never now.
April
Oh April..I am so happy for ya! Bluebird has some GREAT plants!
I got all the space babies and Diane Marie from them last week!
Thank you, I am very happy with the plants and she sent me an extra.
Are the Space Babies in bloom? I bet they are just lovely.
Which one's did you get April? Do you have photos?
I don't have photos because I am waiting for my new digital camera, which will hopefully arrive by the end of the week! I am crossing my fingers. It took me forever to make up my mind.
My gift AV was Kathie Denise which is days away from blooming; Winter Warrior was substituted for Pow Wow which was fine but I still want Pow Wow and am willing to trade my DH to acquire LOL, also got Rebel's Camile and Glitterstar!
All of the plants look very healthy and they are all either in bloom or about to bloom!
I am so happy w/ Blue Bird!
As soon as I get my camera I will send photos.
I think I saw Pow Wow on ebay today, can't remember. I'll have to go look up the photos on the AVS site.
There's a few begonias I've been tempted to trade my DH for, but naw after 16 years, he's a keeper! (and a superb enabler, plus he builds greenhouses, can't beat that!)
My DH and I will have been married for 23 years in June. I should have traded him in years ago, once they hit a certain age no one wants them, trust me, you can't give them away. You sure do have a keeper if he builds greenhouses- I wish mine would build. I guess he does bring something to the table, he is a computer geek and so I have excellent computers, as do my kids and professional software all for very little cost. I think the best thing is that I learned years ago that I could do anything I want w/ my PC- with one very big proviso, MAKE SURE YOU VIRUS SOFTWARE IS ALWAYS UP TO DATE AND DON'T TURN IT OFF, with the exception of certain viruses, everything can be fixed!
I will check ebay, thanks.
I have a Mac, and last I heard, there weren't any Mac viruses. Not positive though. DH has had issues with his PC, and one Mango smoothie on the keyboard, that is the other hazard!
Yeah I understand there are no Mac viruses- my siblings and mother are all Mac folks.
hard to make the switch to PC after nearly 17 years on Macs. I used them way back when they were little tan shoebox shaped things!
sorry to get O/T
Wow, those are some beauties
Glitterstar http://www.bluebirdgreenhouse.com/html/fimages/0322-2058-7254.jpg
Kathie Denise http://www.bluebirdgreenhouse.com/html/fimages/img_6785.jpg
Rebel's Camile http://www.bluebirdgreenhouse.com/html/fimages/img_6915.jpg
Pow WOW! http://www.bluebirdgreenhouse.com/html/fimages/000420-1706-56.jpg
now that's a red violet!
I have Rebel's Camille!! I can put down some leaves for ya!
Oh my gosh...Pow WOW is a beauty. Gotta have that one. :)
Violet Gallery has Pow WOW ..And if you think Bluebirds violets are great look out !
You can put your order in now with Violet Gallery and give them Charge number they won't charge until they ship whcih will be April-May first pay first ship !
I wish I would get my orders I p[aid on December 9th. from Bluebird..it was too cold to ship they said..well this week is warm and I have not heard from the and you two got your orders. I have about 7-1o plants coming plus pots. I emailed them today to chack on them and have not heard back ? If I don't I will call them.
Violet Gallery Pow Wow
http://www.violetgallery.com/html/catalogframeset.html
http://www.violetgallery.com/html%20pics/powwow.html
I just love varigated Violets. Pow-Wow is beautiful Violet. I have Aca's Summer Parfait I got from Dave Harris, (Dave's Violets). I'm lucky in that he lives here in Springfield and I don't have to worry about shipping in cold weather. I wish I had a digital camera. I have a 35MM but have to convert pictures to digital. I have theSinningea, Connect The Dots, and some noids. Will try and get some pictures before long. I'm new to Dave's Garden and have met some nice people here........
Welcome to Dave's spacewarp....It's great to have you on board.
Oh Spacewarp, you're gonna love this forum. It has a superb group of folks who brighten my day, every day! Welcome!
Welcome spacewarp! I've been fortunate enough to get plants from Dave also--at local shows at Loose Park in KC. As others have said, this is the BEST forum with many helpful folks. Hope you visit often.
Thanks, everyone.....John
Welcome, John! I'll look forward to seeing photos of your lovelies!
FYI, people find this forum, and they discover AVs they never knew about, and they start propagating, ordering, trading.... and then one day they realize that their collection has doubled... or tripled... or increased by orders of magnitude! African Violets and other gessies are quite addictive, and this forum is full of "enablers" LOL who will encourage your addiction... Fair warning! :-)
I think the variegated leaves are spectacular, also. I *almost* don't care if the AVs with such gorgeous foliage ever bloom... ;-)
Allison, now you've done it. I've seen Pow Wow, and not only do I want it, I have also now ventured into the "standard" section of the VG catalog... I was trying to keep my order smaller by not going there! Ha!
Hey April..Yup they are in bloom and gorgeous. She also sent me everlove *as an extra plant*
I am going to put leaves down of each of them