Ok, the leaves on my violets have a white fuzz on them, I have tried to wipe them off even gave them a bath, but it keeps coming back. WHAT do I do to get rid of it? I repotted them in new soil and pots, washed down the window and sill with bleachwater. ................... where do I go from here????
Fungi on african violets
good morning,
sounds maybe like powery mildew? here some info about it.
http://www.optimara.com/doctoroptimara/diagnosis/powderymildew.html
Annabelle: It sounds like powdery mildew to me also. I have heard of some folks wiping plant leaves with isopropyl alcohol swabs but I'm not sure how that would affect AV leaves. Alcohol does evaporate quickly so there wouldn't be any residue left behind, I just don't know about the fuzziness of the leaves on violets, whether wiping them with swabs, even gently would cause damage to the leaf.
Good air circulation is important, so you might want to put a fan in the room where you keep your AV's.
I love neem oil for powdery mildew. I use the Schultz Garden Safe Fungicide 3 for my small collection. It has 0.9% neem oil. You can also buy neem oil and mix it. I know Logee's carries neem oil, as do a lot of greenhouse
and gardening supply vendors. Any way you can increase the air circulation around your plants?
I see you live in Michigan, annabelle. and grow in natural window sill light. Sudden change in temperature (colder), now that it's autumn, environmental change, can cause an outbreak of powdery mildew. Some violets seem more susceptible than others.
Powdery Mildew is caused by a fungus, which likes sudden changes in temperature and poor air circulation.
I went out and bought the Schultz Garden Safe Fungicide 3 the first time I saw powdery mildew. I've since bought some neem powder and cinnamon leaf oil to try the next time . . .
I have use Lysol spray and it works too, just a light spraying over the plants/leaves. :)
I have used Lysol aerosol spray also. Just make sure you don't hold it too close to the leaves. Let the mist just drift down on them. When I was a newbie I sprayed it and ended up with cold damage on my leaves from the propellant.
My sister said to try a wash of baking soda. Mix 1/2 cup in gallon of room temp water and dip the plant, pot and all into it. Then let drip off and wipe down the window with the mix.I'm glad to report that the mildew is gone and the plants are free of it.