| Subject | Date Asked |
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| Leaves are growing twisted | 7/26/2008 |
Q: I have had them for about 10 years under the same conditions, but the last six months the new leaves ...
A: Well, hopefully you don't have the dreaded mite then. A plant needs to be repotted about twice a ...
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| Leaves are growing twisted | 7/25/2008 |
Q: I have had them for about 10 years under the same conditions, but the last six months the new leaves ...
A: Mercedes, Are the centers pale, brittle, twisted out of shape? Are leaves excessively hairy? It ...
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| Too Wet | 7/18/2008 |
Q: I have the self watering pots but some of my violets are getting too wet and are dying. Should I ...
A: Because the soil is always in contact with water with this type of pot you need to add a hand full ...
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| African violet propagation | 7/4/2008 |
Q: .. I'm going to start propagating African violets... I have access to a greenhouse... I wanted to ...
A: If you take an old leaf from the last row of a plant, the time will be much longer than if you take ...
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| african violets | 7/2/2008 |
Q: sure hope u can help me with this small problem i have..i have had my av for many yrs.they are doing ...
A: I can't imagine what this could be! It might be eggs left by any number of insects but usually eggs ...
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| white cottony material on violets | 6/11/2008 |
Q: I have three little violet plants that have been doing quite well. I just noticed today that there ...
A: This sound very much like foliar mealy bugs. Take a Q-Tip, dip it in rubbing alcohol and scrape off ...
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| two colors on one plant | 6/3/2008 |
Q: I am new to AV. I bought some tiny starter about quarter size and one is now blooming. the plant has ...
A: A fantasy violet has a solid color with lines, dots, splashes of a different color on the flower. ...
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| two colors on one plant | 6/2/2008 |
Q: I am new to AV. I bought some tiny starter about quarter size and one is now blooming. the plant has ...
A: Your plant is a fantasy. Probably the plant is supposed to be pink with dark purple fantasy spots. ...
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| Gloxinia | 6/1/2008 |
Q: I have had a gloxinia for several years. Every year before it flowers the stem seems to weaken and ...
A: Gloxinia are not my area of expertise although I have grown a few. I suggest you pinch off all ...
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| blooms are drying & dying | 5/30/2008 |
Q: I recently took over my Mother in law's African Violet. It had not been watered hardly at all & the ...
A: It sounds like the peat moss in the soil never really got damp. I would take a knife and cut off ...
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| African Violet care when away | 5/22/2008 |
Q: I am going to be away for 3 weeks. I want to put dry cleaner plastic bags around my plants. Should I ...
A: You can cut 6X1 inch long strips from old pantyhose or you can use knitting yarn. Stick the wick up ...
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| African Violet care when away | 5/22/2008 |
Q: I am going to be away for 3 weeks. I want to put dry cleaner plastic bags around my plants. Should I ...
A: Make a tent so the plastic doesn't contact the plants. That should be all right if you have a ...
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| African Violets | 5/19/2008 |
Q: I have African Violets that are at least 15 years old!! When they start outgrowing their pots, I ...
A: To begin with, I would take a leaf and start a fresh plant. With the older plant, it can be ...
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| NEW to AVs - pinch off dead blooms? | 5/17/2008 |
Q: I received a beautiful trio of AVs as a gift and I've never cared for them before. Is it proper to ...
A: African violets bloom all year long provided they get a good amount of light (no direct sun) water, ...
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| Violet Fertilizers | 5/17/2008 |
Q: I have used Peter's A.V. Food for years, and my Violets LOVED it!! I ran out awhile back and I ...
A: Peter's Fertilizer Brand was sold. He has now come out with Jack's fertilizer. I have grown AVs ...
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| African Violets | 5/6/2008 |
Q: The bottom leaves on several of my plants are turning white. They are flowering and the leaves feel ...
A: This is the natural way for African violets. The last row of leaves will either dry up or rot off ...
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| black specks on african violet | 5/2/2008 |
Q: I have tiny black specks on my violet, what could this be?
A: This is somewhat hard to answer without seeing the plant. 1. Are the black specks movable? It ...
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| African Violets | 4/30/2008 |
Q: I have two beautiful African Violets. Can I give these to my daughter for her to plant OUTDOORS.
A: It is possible to grow African violets outside if the weather is not too cool or too hot. Room ...
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| Repotting African Violets | 4/28/2008 |
Q: Is it okay to repot my African Violet when it is in full bloom?
A: Yes, you can repot even though the violet is blooming. We prefer to take off blooms after repotting ...
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| droopy leaves | 4/17/2008 |
Q: I have a wonderful purple/blue violet that blooms its little heart out about this time every year. ...
A: Cathy, Sorry for the delay in answering. It seems my answer did not go through to the end and was ...
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| persian violets | 4/12/2008 |
Q: i think i already e-mailed you a question, but put my wrong address. i"m asking about how long ...
A: Persian violets (Exactum) should be kept as annual plants. You can keep them over the winter but a ...
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| persian violets | 4/12/2008 |
Q: i buy a persian violet every year when they are available. are they seasonable, or am i doing ...
A: Persian violets should be treated as annuals, that is, once they have lost their vigor, buy a new ...
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| white spots on my AV flowers | 4/4/2008 |
Q: I have one AV here at work. It is in a north-facing window and has been thriving until recently. ...
A: White spots may be one of three things. Powder mildew: Most often on foliage only. Paint with a ...
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| Avs flowers wilt before blooming | 3/24/2008 |
Q: Why my avs's flowers buds wilt before blooming ?
A: Flower buds that wilt before blooming is usually caused because of dry air. The plant needs more ...
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| leaves turning black | 2/26/2008 |
Q: . The leaves look strong initially but gradually they turn black and the stem of the leaf has no ...
A: This sounds like a soil problem. Most growers of African violets use a soil less mix on one third ...
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| Potting Soil | 2/26/2008 |
Q: .. In a place where we do not get vermiculite and perlite what do you think is the best soil that we ...
A: Vermiculite and perlite lighten the soil. If you can not get this, this is what I suggest: Can you ...
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| Long curly stems - repotting | 2/24/2008 |
Q: My African violets are seriously overgrown and threatening to just fall out of their pots. There's ...
A: More than likely you have several crowns, or starts of plants in the one pot. If you let the soil ...
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| Curled up leaves | 2/23/2008 |
Q: . I am from India. I have not been able to find anyone here who could help me with my AVs that I am ...
A: Short leaf stems is a genetic problem and can not be "fixed." But you can try a few things to see ...
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| violet pots | 2/22/2008 |
Q: How do I clean my pots, I have the self watering kind where one sits in another? They were my ...
A: I recently cleaned one of my self-watering pots, the kind with the ceramic insert. It was stained ...
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| Violets seem to be escaping their pot! | 1/26/2008 |
Q: I have six violets that I have managed to keep alive since my mom passed away in 1987. I love them ...
A: Diane, African violets prefer to be repotted about twice a year. This provides fresh soil and ...
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| Propagating AV's, peduncles, and removing old leaves | 1/13/2008 |
Q: Hey! 1) I have successfully propagated an African violet leaf. It has roots and new baby leaf growth ...
A: Congrats! You're a new mother! Wait until you see tiny leaves about the size of your fingernail or ...
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| broken stem | 1/11/2008 |
Q: My "darling" cat accidentally broke off the entire top part of one of my violets. It was one that I ...
A: This is fairly easy to remedy. Do you have about one inch of trunk where leaves have broken off? ...
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| Repotting african violets | 10/18/2007 |
Q: Please give me some information on repotting African violets. I have some that have not been ...
A: African violets should be repotted about twice a year when soil is depleted of nutrients. You can ...
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| Broken stem | 10/5/2007 |
Q: I was cleaning off the dead leaves and flowers from one of my plants and the stem broke. Is there a ...
A: Is the stem healthy? If so, you can trim off where it broke off. Some growers perfer to cut the ...
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| Soggy leaves | 10/4/2007 |
Q: Ihave two african violets that are developing soggy/water filled leaves on the bottom near the pot. ...
A: These were probably over watered at some time. Just remove the leaves. Repotting will not help ...
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| African violets | 9/5/2007 |
Q: Ihave had my AV for 2 years or more, they have NEVER bloomed. I have a grow light on most of them. I ...
A: African violets need a few things before they will agree to bloom for you. First thing is ...
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| Soil mealy mites discovered! | 8/31/2007 |
Q: I also have some whitish looking areas on the soil. I brought in a sample to work and looked under ...
A: Suzanne, It's always a relief, isn't it, when we find out exactly which pest we are dealing with. ...
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| AVS Stopped flowering | 8/30/2007 |
Q: I have 12 AVs, each a different variety. They have always bloomed prolifically, but about 6-8 weeks ...
A: AVs must have sufficient light, water and fertilizer to bloom. It looks like you have been doing ...
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| heat stress | 8/27/2007 |
Q: I wrote a question last week about my drooping AVs. I had mentioned there was new growth in the ...
A: I believe you said the plant was not overly wet? Soggy soil is one of the first symptoms of soil ...
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| droopy leaves due to heat stress? | 8/23/2007 |
Q: This summer 3 out of my 4 AV developed droopy leaves. It was quite hot in the house-so heat stress ...
A: It sounds like heat stress on the plants. I would have mentioned soil mealy bugs when you said ...
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| light tan around edge of leaves | 8/16/2007 |
Q: some of my african violets leaves have changed color. it starts as a thin line of light tan around a ...
A: Celeste, It is very difficult to diagnose a plant just by description. I have never experienced ...
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| Self-watering pots | 8/11/2007 |
Q: My African violets are in self-watering pots for AV's. Recently the plants began wilting and I found ...
A: You must adjust your soil to the new watering conditions. This means using at least one third ...
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| How long will buds take to open? | 8/10/2007 |
Q: With temperature at 84-85F, how long will the buds take to open? I put one tray of water besides it ...
A: Humidity should help buds to open, but they will still open naturally when the plant has gained the ...
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| whitefly? | 8/8/2007 |
Q: My husband brought home a dis garden that had a begonia,a kalanchoe,ivy, a mum and a beautiful ...
A: I would think this is foliar mealy bug rather than white fly eggs or larva, which is easier to take ...
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| identify my old violet | 7/24/2007 |
Q: I have an african violet that I have had for 22 years. An elder lady gave this violet to me that ...
A: At the African Violet Society of America the organization has a database of almost 15,000 plants. ...
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| AV lon shoot | 7/21/2007 |
Q: I have a healthy blooming violet that has recently sent up 1 long thin stem. It is not a leaf or a ...
A: Are there tiny leaves on this stem? If so, this is called a "basket." It is like a stolon from an ...
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| african violet pests | 7/17/2007 |
Q: I have an african violet in my kitchen and noticed small white/greyish tiny insects with about 6 ...
A: Do these fly when you put a pencil near them? Are they triangular in shape? If so, this is white ...
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| is this right pot? | 7/17/2007 |
Q: I was given an African Violet pot that has no hole in the bottom, but absorbs water from the outer ...
A: No, soil mealy bugs do not eat the foliage. They stay in the soil for the most part and damage the ...
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| is this right pot? | 7/17/2007 |
Q: I was given an African Violet pot that has no hole in the bottom, but absorbs water from the outer ...
A: White powder may be one of two things. White powdery mildew is the first thing that comes to mind. ...
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| is this right pot? | 7/17/2007 |
Q: I was given an African Violet pot that has no hole in the bottom, but absorbs water from the outer ...
A: Limp leaves can be a symptom of one of two things. Either it desperately needs water or, and I hope ...
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| replanting | 7/9/2007 |
Q: Can I repot my violet while it is blooming?
A: Yes, you can repot your plants when in bloom. If, however, you need to cut off a lot of roots, you ...
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| dead flower buds | 7/4/2007 |
Q: my av used to bloom huge flowers. now they get lots of flower buds but then the buds dry up and die ...
A: Don't give up just yet! Those white specks on the foliage are probably foliar mealy bugs. You can ...
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| african violets | 6/27/2007 |
Q: what is best light direction, n,e,s, w. mine wont bloom
A: African violets need good light with no direct sun. It depends where you live as to the best ...
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| pests on AV? | 5/26/2007 |
Q: After my flowers bloom and then die off I trim off the dead flowers and sometimes little white ...
A: If the white things move or fly, they must be white fly. However, I bet this is foliar mealy bug. ...
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| aphids | 4/11/2007 |
Q: Won't liquid pesticide hurt the leaves of the violet or is there a powder? I have never had bugs ...
A: Yes, chemicals in pesticide can spoil leaves and flowers. Some are liquid, others are granular that ...
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| miniature violet | 4/2/2007 |
Q: I rescued a mini violet from the garbage one year ago. It has grown to be lush and beautiful. In ...
A: Miniature and semi-miniature AVs develope two crowns or a sucker because of heridity. The ...
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| White spots on AV | 2/19/2007 |
Q: I have an African Violet that is around 15 years old. I had been living in Mobile, AL until June of ...
A: If this is powdery mildew, the milk painted onto the leaves should have helped. There is also Lysol ...
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| potting violets | 2/8/2007 |
Q: How often should an established AV be repotted? I heard someone say every six months. That shounds ...
A: Standard violets should be repotted from 2 to 3 times per year. Soils become depleted of nutrients ...
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| wilted leaves | 12/13/2006 |
Q: what causes my leaves on plant to wilt and seem too wet when the soil isnt wet?
A: Hopefully your problem stems from the soil mix which is too heavy. Does your soil mix have ...
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| african violets | 11/20/2006 |
Q: why are there little fine hairs on the leaves on african violets?
A: My apologies for the late answer--problem with a changed password. African violets have very fine ...
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| violet question | 11/6/2006 |
Q: We have some plants that are growing tall and leggy instead of compact and low. The light is ...
A: My apologies for the late answer. I had problems logging in with a new password. When plants grow ...
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| violet question | 11/4/2006 |
Q: Please help me figure what is going on with several African violets whose foliage is bunched up, and ...
A: When foliage bunches up, it is often an over abundance of light or fertilizer--or possibly an ...
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| repotting african violets | 10/26/2006 |
Q: I have 5 0r 6 violets that I would like to repot into 1 pot. Is this advisable and what size pot ...
A: Usually we advise violet growers to measure the violet, one leaf, then across the top to the ...
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| Aphids on African Violets | 10/20/2006 |
Q: I have what looks like aphids on my African Violet. They are tiny little black granule-looking ...
A: Aphids are small 1/8th inch long. This insect is one of the major carriers of virus diseases. ...
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