About Nancy Expertise I can answer questions on the following subjects:
Pests, chemicals
Showing AVs
Sowing Seeds
Problems with plants
Basics of AV growing
Episcias
Streptocarpus
Experience I am an African violet Advanced Judge in US and Canada. I have written a book on pests of African violets called "Insects, Pests and Diseases of the African Violet Family" My articles appear in African Violet Magazine and Chatter as well as in other magazines.
Organizations AVSA
AVSC
African Violet Society of Greater Montreal
Saintpaulia Society of Montreal
Publications Book author: "Insects, Pests and Diseases of the African Violet Family"
African Violet Magazine, many issues
Chatter Magazine Many issues
Horticulture
Other Magazines
Education/Credentials University of Indiana Master's work (Music)
Awards and Honors Jr. Queen of Show (Pixie Blue) AVSC Convention Montreal
Approximately 100 blue ribbons
25 or so Best of Class
Past/Present clients I sell mostly leaves on Ebay. I sell plants at convention shows and local shows.
Question what causes my leaves on plant to wilt and seem too wet when the soil isnt wet?
Answer Hopefully your problem stems from the soil mix which is too heavy. Does your soil mix have vermiculite and perlite in it? AV Growers usually use one third each of peat moss, perlite and vermiculite. When packages of soil mix is purchased--even those marked especially for African violets, the soil is 90 percent peat moss and this holds the water making roots rot. If you use such a mix, add one third perlite and one third vermiculite so the mix is lighter and will allow water to drain more easily.
If the soil mix is your only problem, take the plant from the pot and place it on kitchen towels. Allow the rootball to dry out. If roots are brown, they should be cut by at least one third and soil replenished.
Wilted leaves with wet soil usually indicates a very bad bug. Soil Mealy Bug (Pritchard's Mealy Bug) is different from foliar mealy bug which is more common and easier to control.
If you have lots of African violets and want to try to save this plant, you would need to buy an expensive product, Marathon or liquid Imidacloprid.
If you have only a few plants, the price is cheaper just to replace one or two African violets instead of buying chemicals.
To look at soil mealy bug symptoms, take the plant out of the pot. Do you see a white powdery substance in the pot or on the rootball? Do you see patches of white powder on the rootball? If so, you have Soil mealy bug which is contagious to other plants.
Liquid imidacloprid is about $11.00 for a quarter of an ounce and you can get this at www.goosegardens.com.
You would need to put about 4 drops in a quart of water and water the plants three times with this.
If you have only a few plants, it would be better to destroy most of the plants and saucer including the pot which can spread the insect.
I recommend you take only leaves which do not touch the soil or come into contact with the soil for reproducing this plant. Any leaf touching the soil could have eggs of the insect. Take a few leaves and place them either in water or in your soil mix.
I hope your problem is soil mix which is too heavy because Soil mealy bug is somewhat difficult to control.
