Allison gave me this baby AV. The foliage is very beautiful...but I'm having trouble with leaves getting brown spots and then looking dead...at which point I cut them off. I am watering from below and I don't think the leaves are touching the soil. I tried moving it to brighter light (not helpful) and back to my east window.
Someone was saying in one of the posts about some plants being very easily bruised. And I must confess, I love touching the leaves (mmmm.....fuzzy....). Maybe I am brusing??
Thoughts? Opinions? Jokes?
Jacki
Question about Yan Selena
Oh Jacki sorry
I don't know what could be wrong I have grown dozens of this plant with no problem. It's foliage is light and does like less light.
I want to say it may be too much water, are you using room temperture water or warner ? Have you washed or got water on the leaves and then put it in the window sun or under lights. This is a no no always let plants dry.
I have fount with wicking lots of times plants get too wet. My favorite Russian Snow Leopard is still looking great but not right and I love this plant. I'd give it about 4 oz. of water on the saucer the wick was dry but it was not drinking it up though the top apeared dry even when I stuck my finger into the soil to test. I thought it must be root bound as I was thinking it was going to need a larger pot soon.
I thought about it all night not ever wanting to lose it. This beauty is always blooming ! So this morning when Hubby wakes to get ready for work 5 AM we trans-planted her into a 5 inch azeal pot. Well I want to tell you when she came out of her 4 inch pot she was root bound but she was so wet every bit of her was soaken wet :(( Poor thing. ) When I use large pots I use two wicks and then filled the pot half way with soil mix molding it up the sides and bottom . Then she is placed in the middle getting soil on her bottom and top all new and more soil is added. She won't be watered for a week or two. As fast as she grows and alsways blooming and the pot full you'd thunk she drinl more up. But she needed more room and fresh soil. She won't be getting a drink for about a week.
So take your plant out of the pot..see if she is wet in the middle not good they don't like wet feet just evenly light moist. Is she getting root bound ? Does she need new soil and same size pot or large pot. Don't skip sizes go up one at a time. 2 inch to 2.25 or 2.50 then 3 inch . Most won't need larger than 4 inch except for large growing standards.
You will be surprised how many leaf cups, babies with mom miniatures all plants on wicks or bottomw watering can get too wet . Taking the plant out of the pot checking for this, and root bound ... and so on. Plants do like to be re-potted every 4-6 months.
As I have so many babies with Mom leaf growing needing their own pots, I always try to trans-plant my larger plants a couple each day to keep up with them as I have a lot needed trans-planting.
I'd follow all above first taking plant out of pot checking soil is it too wet ? too dry ? Roots crowded. Most likely one of these things ;
Fertilizer - Manganese Deficiency
Fertilizer - Manganese Overload
Sunlight - Too Much
Water - Too Cold
Water On Leaves
PH of Soil
Cut any damaged folaige off so the plant does not use it's energy getting better but growing new healthy foliage.
Re-pot in a new bleached pot of proper size . Use new wick and new light soil-less mix. Mold soil in pot to give plant new soil on bottom, sides and top.
If the problems is water too cold, too much watering, water on leaves , too much light you will need to fix these. The re-potting into new proper size pot , with new soil-less mixture will help with PH problem. If you have a tester can test . Have a regular watering/feeding program. If soil-less mix comes with food don't add extra food.
Do you have pictures ?
Allison~ A couple of things sound likely...overwatering probably. I just read your post and will check in a few minutes. I try not to use cold water ever...about room temp mostly. I've no more fert right now so that's not it. Maybe water on the leaves? I try not to do that but might have...
I'll let you know how it looks unpotted and see if I can get a picture of it with my crappy old camera!
Worst come to worst I can send you another one ! I'm betting on it may be too wet and need new soil PH re-potting !
Okay, I'm going to go check it right now. :))) Post in a bit...
Okay, I think we got it. I took him out of the pot and he was sopping wet. I removed the loose soil and repotted in the same pot with leaf starting mix (about 60 % perlite, 40% MG) I removed the wick so I'll have more control about moisture.
I've got plenty of new growth on it and all it's outside leaves still, so I'm confident it'll pull through whatever it is. Plus, I moved it from the kitchen window to the dining room. I actually moved all the AVs in the kitchen even though it's an east window, they are right up against the glass and I think the sun is too strong.
Betcha it stops getting the brown spots now! Thanks, Allison :))
Jacki
Great Jacki ! I don't water mine often only when light and dry and then mine are wicked and I give them enough water to drink in a half hour at the most. And I told you my favorite Russian in 4 inch pot seemed and look dry was not drinking it's water. Sure enough I took it out of the pot and it was sopping . It also was getting root bound so she went into a 5 inch azeal pot new soil bottom all around. Within a few hours she started looking better ! I had stopped wick water where the plants sit about the water and drink as they were always getting to wet for me. But I like wicks soiled on the bottom going to the top for me brings the water up to the roots and large pots I use two. Works good for me. I have also fount even when contral careful watering at times when the plant one was in pot too large took up too much water, and two if the plant was needing ytans-planting even to the same size pot but needing fresh soil...it also drank up to much water for their needs. Also old soil PH changes making it impossible for the roots to drink and so they need re-potting for new soil at good PH level. I have so many plants now that need their next step up in potting of just need new soil/re-potting same size.
So each time I am up to trans-planting Mom and babies I try to do a few of my other plants ! Lot's of work. So many days now I am looking and saying I need to get these babies shipped out...soo many they just keep growing. I have never got an extra inch of space even with sharing and new shelves and I just can't take care of them all. I created a baby AV monster machine. lol I think I have five more good size for shippin to go out ! And couple contest boxes , then I can give away a lot in Bingo ! Good thing as soo many leaf cups ..means lots of babies will need room.
If I was healthy I could just pack them all up ASP . I am working so hard just to keep them watered and potted up in new fresh pots... light, circulations all the good things needed to keep them healthy until I can send them on to their new homes. !
Ok well soryy to go on and on of the hard fun work of having zillions of baby Av's...lol
It is so easy for me or anyone to over water. Wick watering does not mean you can not over water. I have been happy many times I have taken the plant out of the pot , ot leaf pot to find the top was dry but inside was sopping . :((
So happy we each fount one yesterday Jacki ! Oh yes I also fount when I see my plants not drinking their water like they should or not flowering most likly for one reason or another they need re-potting !
You did a good job Jacki !
Thanks, Allison :)) I'll keep my eyes peeled for the same with some of the others. I am actually getting new strong growth on most so that's reassuring. A couple of plants, B-Man's Cosimo, Rob's Slap Happy, Designer Dress and a few others are growing like mad! The rest are growing steadily.
As for your own personal AV making machine...I don't know how you do it!!! ~LOL~ I picture you in your bed surrounded by plants and dirt and computer and packing tape :) I don't know how...but I sure am glad you are doing it! You give us so much joy, knowledge and encouragement, Allison...not to mention AFRICAN VIOLETS!!
Hugs,
Jacki
Jacki I'm not sure either how ? I just just put down the leaves Eunice sent me that I got Tuesday. They had been in the bed room to mark solo cups and just could not do them. But guess what ALL the leaves were fresh crisp like they had just been cut !
And I do lay in bed with lunch baggies, cups tape trays of plants to package them !
Hubby does more and more. All I can say is God is here helping and he must want me to share all these babies . I don't lnlow how I got so many in such a short period of time and got so many shipped out so far. I have shipped to many, many DG's that have never posted in this forum.
I am happy every one enjoys their new babies !
How is your plant doing ?
Many times wicking I have fount plants that are on wicks dry on top but too wet in the middle.
African violets can drink too much water...I have learned to be careful about this !
Here in the AVSA question I fount an interesting question and answer.
Also in the AVSA question you can find answers to anything or write if you don't find it !
Question: I recently joined a few weeks ago, and love the site! My question concerns wicking - is there any way that the wick method can give the AV too much water? I just wanted to make sure - I have nylon rope (#36), and about 5 inches of it is immersed in water. Also, when the reservoir water dries up, should I give my plants a "dry day" before refilling? My plants seem fine, especially since i give them about 12 hours of fluorescent light each day. Sorry for all the questions, but how much fertilizer should I keep in the reservoir water? Right now I am using about 1/8 of the recommended strength.
>>>>>
Answer: Your fertilizer and light are correct. I'm not familiar with how the numbering system works with regard to rope, but I would be more concerned about the potting mix than the wicking material. If the potting mix is light enough (the 1/3 each of peat, perlite, and vermiculite) and it is not packed into the pot, then the wicking should keep the soil about right. Every grower has to experiment. Water can be "wetter" in some regions, which means it attaches to the particles in the soil more quickly and evaporates less well. Some potting mix sources can affect absorbency as well. Natural humidity also has an effect, as does air movement. Some growers have to adjust the mixture to a slightly heavier mix while others have to go lighter. Some find that wicking reservoirs create too much humidity and have better results using capillary matting instead. Ideally, I would want you to experiment with just a couple of plants before you used wicking on everything in the collection. When you find something that is working well, then switch everything. Welcome to AVSA! Happy Growing, Joyce Stork
http://www.avsa.org/FAQ.asp?Selection=Culture&action=FindSubject
Allison~ He's looking good, I think. No new spots...new growth coming in fine. I took him off wick watering and making sure he is thirsty before I water him. I'm so glad I asked you about him before it got any worse!
We had to spend the whole day at urgent care yesterday for my husband. He had some sort of episode but we're still not sure what it was. Not a stroke~ thank god. But it really looked neuromuscular. We're hoping it was just muscular...he's pretty sore today. He's back home and on strong muscle relaxers so he's sleeping a lot. It was scary though. He had a MRI on his nect and a CT scan on his head and they both looked all right. But I'm wiped out...
I was so glad today to just fuss a bit with my AVs...really soothing to me :)
Hugs,
Jacki
Oh Jacki I'm sorry. I will be praying for your husband and you. You take care of you too.
Working with African violets/plants is really soothing isn't it !
I'm so happy your little Russian guy is doing good.
thanks so much, Allison
:)))
Jacki just checking hope you and Hubby are doing well.
How is your plant doing sense you trans-planted it ?
Well, Yan Selena is holding his own. He is showing new growth but is still getting rot on some of his new leaves. Same with Von's Friend Syl (or Sly?) Those two have the same problem. I'm thinking of repotting them both again...only this time adding even more perlite to the mix so it really drains more quickly. Maybe those two just like to be on the dry side??? They are both showing new growth so that's good. Just haven't found the right combination of watering and light yet. Oh...I put them both under my best light.
My husband, Kevin, is holding his own, too :)) The muscle relaxers are helping alot so that's a relief...makes it feel more muscular than neurological. He goes to our family doctor next week. And when he can actually get into the neurologist is anyone's guess. During my diagnosis time, it took a good 6 weeks to get into see the NP at the neuro's office! But it's weird that now Kevin will be going back to that same office...
At least he is feeling better. And thank you for asking, Allison :))
Jacki
Happ to hear I will keep you both in my prayers..
I fount Ian-Selena like low light end of tube. Maybe just go light on watering..let them almost dry out before watering. Taking them out of the pot and checking re-potting to lighter never hurts.
Jackie I was just reading on Rob's VB that lack of humidity can casue brown spots on foliage.Just a thought.
Well, here's what I decided to do with Von's Friend Syl: I took him out of the pot he was in, gently removed as much soil as possible. Then I gently swished his roots in warm water to remove the last bit. I repotted in a smaller pot (one of the white ones you sent) with the AV mix/perlite...heavy on the perlite. Then I placed a layer of perlite on the surface of the soil to keep the leaves from touching wet mix. Then I got a plastic cup (kind of frosty, not perfectly clear) poked a big whole in the bottom and placed it upside down over the little plant and pot. Mini-greenhouse :) And put the works under a good light. That should do it, I think.
Ian-Selena looks like it is coming out of it now. Good growth and no new rotten spots :))
Sounds like a good approach! I hope both plants will thrive for you now.
Sounds super great ! See they came from my home full of humidity . Even with A/C it's there.
That may be the problem then...we are pretty dry around here. Thanks for the support guys :))
Jacki that's Ok. Grouping plants but not touching on trays together help. Putting little cups of water around your plants , putting damp pebbles in trays or on saucer with plants !
I do have more Ian Selena if it does not turn around !