Please do not panic ~ Question: The leaves of my violets are curling downward and center growth appears very crowded. There is no evidence of mite, and I suspect it may be the cold temperature in my growing area
Isolate your problem plants until you can check with 3 x powers.
Clean everything with Bleach, all new pots soak in bleach and hot water, new old, pots, trays tools, everything,
For ruture above and isolate all new plants and leaves atleast 2-3 months .
RIGHT NOW DON"T PANICE PLEASE !
This happens to so many people mostly when it's cold and it can happen for many reasons other than mites or pest.
Rob and other web sights can help you !
One ; http://www.robsviolet.com/faq_page_5.htm#temperature
Question: The leaves of my violets are curling downward and center growth appears very crowded. There is no evidence of mite, and I suspect it may be the cold temperature in my growing area.
Go to link above for answer . More help and links to come !
This message was edited Dec 12, 2006 9:49 AM
NOW DON"T PANICE PLEASE !
Question: I grow my violets 15" below 4-tube fixtures. The lights are on 12-16 hours a day. On some plants the center leaves look crowded and a little hard, but I'm not sure if this is due to too much light or not.
http://www.robsviolet.com/faq_page_7.htm#light%20distance
More help from Rob/Violet Barn :))
Question: All of my violets are showing very crowded centers. The center leaves are small and bunched together. I'm worried that I might have mites. Is that likely?
Answer: Probably not. For more of his help go to >>>
http://www.robsviolet.com/faq_page_1.htm#bunched%20center
Question: The lower leaves of one of my violets curl down over the rim of its pot. They seem quite healthy, not limp. The plant seems almost to push itself out of its pot at times.
Answer: http://www.robsviolet.com/faq_page_10.htm#leaves%20curling%20down
Question: After repotting, some of my miniature violets will begin to grow smaller than normal leaves in the plant's center. Any explanation?
Answer; http://www.robsviolet.com/faq_page_8.htm#smaller%20leaves
There are many reason your plants might seem to have mites and they don't :)) I tried to find some links and threads bumped up to help.
One winter a friend threw away all her large collection as everyone told her she had mites and it was all from the cold. She wished she had waited until the results from getting one check came back but she panic and threw them all away.
HI Violet_Treasure.
Thank you for all of this helpful info. I'm going to be reading up on this tonight.
May I ask you a question? My county extension is a 1 hour drive each way. I don't have the time during the week and they are not open on the weekend. Do you think they would accept a sample via mail?
Thanks so much
Maureen
I think you can mail plants. Some where I read where and how to do this. I know in a plastic bag sealed. Do you have a phone number you can call and ask them.
Don't throw anything away . Your plants just might surpsie you and with a little help and time get all better !
Thanks so muchViolet -- I'm off to take them out of the can right now. I'm going to contact my county extension and see if I can mail one of the plants to them.
You are just a wealth of knowlege and so eager to share it, I am so grateful.
Have a good night
Maureen
Maureen it will be good to know for peace of mind. Hope they will take it by mail but I see no reason why they won't !
It's a good practice to isolate all new plants and leaves .
Good Luck !
Don't worry . Have a nice night, Allison
PS there is so much helpful info out there !
HI Allison, yes they definitely take plants via mail. I'm packing tonight and sending priority mail. They should have on Wed. Hope I won't have to wait too long. patience is not my strong point, although growing a/v's from leaves since 10/18 is teaching me patience :-)
Maureen
Super Maureen good news ! Good luck !
In the mean time just isolate them and I would take them out of there pots wash them with warm/hot water, leach roots, let dry on paper towels keep warm, and re-pot . Does not hurt to help your babies while they are in intensive care unit until you get an answer. Never know maybe they won't have mites and will start getting better.
Just wash good after working with them and bleach tools before working with other plants.
Good Luck !
PS I think it is so cool our local county extension will check our plants for us :)) Were so lucky ! Good Luck !
Allison, I need a little help here. When I take out of pots, and leach roots - does that mean I remove all potting mix from roots and plant? or do I keep some soil on? I need some help, I'm too new to a/v's to know. I think leaching is to let water run through well so that all build up of ferts comes out.
I must add this, on the tight crown topic.
Also DON'T continue to look for cultural problems to fix, even if you don't appear to find any mites on the plants yourself. If you do, in fact, have the mite, it could be spreading itself around while you change lighting, fertilizer, temperature.
You can run the water threw the pots from top but if the build up is strong on top ( as these fertilizers and salts do not disolve or avaporate when the water does it comes to the surfice of the pots instead) That's why I mention taking the plants out of the pots check and see if the plants are wet and cold . Just gently wash them with soap and water foliage and roots can both be done if crown gets wet just gently dry with tissue oressing soft. Don't put under light until dry . I like to dry mine by natural air . Like Jill was saying some she sent may be root bound and may need larger size pot. I like to fill my pots up with soil and then mold out a hole just perfect for the plant to sit inside giving it new soil sides, top and bottom. Some people do this by placing a pot in and molding it I just fount my way faster and easier for me.
Then keep them isolated in warm place, with light . You can even bag them if you like. Watch for humidity open little or poke a whole.
There have been times I have taken the whole plant and just cut off all the roots thrown them out with pots and soil , wash the plant crown I tend to use more hot water but still ok to my hands . I let it dry then pot it in a new pot cleaned with bleach and soil. This can be done with a plant that has a long neck too. Some people like to bag them until they root . Good to open the bag a little at a time for week or so to get the plants use to their new environment.
Me I am crazy when I bought bargain plants from D&P when they were going out of business I had about 27 plants. Most had green slimy pots. They were opened in the kitchen, if the plant looked bad I threw it away. More than 3/4 went into the trash they were that bad yuk. The other ones all I kept was the crowns and re-rooted them into nice plants !
I throw away all packaging material as mites, mealies, thrips and more can be living in it. Then I washed the crown left either with neem oil which I put a drop of sih soap in , or with soap and water. After potting up they were isolated for 3 months and isolated for 6 months plus before shared with anyone.
I have a feeling your plants will do good !
Yes you don't need to look for DON'T continue to look for cultural problems to fix :)) But sense you are shipping plants out tomorrow to your local local county extension there is no reason you can not help your babies in isolation !
Thanks James. I will keep a close eye on all plants and be very careful to try not to spread them (if it's mites).
Allison - thank you very much for all this help. I didn't know I could wash the whole plant with soap and water. I'll have to leave this for tomorrow. I'm getting really tired. Bingo wore me out today ;-)
Maureen
Yes it's better to do it during the day when your not tired .
There are several links around about giving your plants a bath :)) Pictures too !
It's fun !