exceptionally stiff leaves & flowers

17 years ago

Found a noid at a close-out sale that's got a problem I haven't dealt with before -- both leaves and blossoms are unyielding. Usually the blooms push their way through and around the leaves, but with this one the blooms can't push the leaves aside, even though the blooms are also much firmer than usual. So some bloom, but others end up crouching and browning under the leaves. It's a good-looking plant with plain flowers in pale periwinkle and white. Ideas? Suggestions?

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Comments (14)

haxuan
17 years ago
I don't have much experience with AVs as other people in this forum do... but this is what I have done in similar siutation to what you mentioned: I keep checking the AV all the time and when I see a flower stalk being pushed back underneath a leave, I just part the leaves with my fingers and guide the flower stalk through the opennings among the leaves. That way I have all the blooms up above the leaves. Won't you try doing that?
pgraveolens
Original Author
17 years ago
That's what I've done with all my previous AVs -- but with this plant the leaves are so stiff you can't push them aside without breaking them.
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cork_oh
17 years ago
Hi Pgraveolens
I am not sure, but if I were you I would isolate this AV from the rest of your collection.

This happened to me and before too long it spread to all my violets. I could never determine if it was a bug or something else. A lot of spraying and a year later I ended up tossing a lot of my plants.

The HARD leaves tend to get very deformed and my plants seemed to stop growing or grew very slow. My leaves also seemed to curl under. I have tried to restart new plants from the best leaf from these problem plants and the problem of hard leaves started in the new plants.

I think something NEW is going on. Not sure what??? Does anyone else have any ideas?

Thanks

Cork
korina
17 years ago
I've noticed this problem in a couple of my little guys; some think it's too much fertilizer and some think it's too much light. Try adjusting either or both and see what happens.

Good luck.

Korina

'Okay, I was wrong.' -John Locke in the understatement of the year
cork_oh
17 years ago
Korina
I cut down on the fertilzer and lights (hours). Watered with plain water for about 6 weeks. Re-potted. Sprayed! The problem keep getting worse. Spreading to other AV.

That is when I noticed that many comments here were about tight or hard leaves. This is why I think we (AV people) are facing another problem.

Cork
robitaillenancy1
17 years ago
It could be light, fertilizer--or mites.

Watch the plant carefully. Are the leaves excessively hairy? If leaves are deformed or curling either up or down, this is a symptom of mite.

Nancy
minibot
17 years ago
I've noticed this when I pay too much attention to the plants. They get really turgid when I keep them well watered (I think they can take a little less water). My plants bloom a lot more, but I'm also noticing the tighter leaves. I think too much acid might be to blame too.

That's my new thing...too much acid :-) (and light and water)

Jill
korina
17 years ago
Nancy, that's the thing; it doesn't look like mites. The leaves aren't deformed at all, just very tight. My Orchard's Bumble Magnet has been this way for a while, as well as Rob's Cloudy Skies. Rob's Cherry Soda is better now that I trashed the plant and have 14 babies. I don't know if it's related or not, but my Amoeba, Winnie the Pooh, Rob's Twinkle Blue, and a noid all at once dissolved into a crowd of suckers. I'll post pics.

I've read about this on another board, but no one seems to know what's happening. I wonder if it's spreading?

Korina, unsettled

'Harriet Jones, Prime Minister.'
'Yes, we know who you are.'
korina
17 years ago
Okay, I've posted pics in the Gallery.

Korina
cork_oh
17 years ago
Hi Everyone
AS I said in my first comments, I thing something else is going on. Yet to be determined.

I have been fighting this battle well over a year. I also sprayed for mites with Kelthane.

Some of my AV's with this problem, I have restarted over three times. Every once in a while one starts to grow and look "OK", but I get a lot of rejects. Lately the bad looking plants are heading for the trash. I have lost a lot of new starts, but am running out of patince.
Cork
korina
17 years ago
Hmmm, this happened on the other forum; people said 'I don't know' and the thread just sort of drifted off...

Korina, having a Tuesday
robitaillenancy1
17 years ago
Tightness in the crown and unnatural flower stems could be mite, too much light or too much fertilizer. Check how much fertilizer you are giving. Move the plants to the outer position on the light stand and check for mite symptoms.

Nancy
korina
17 years ago
Thanks Nancy. I've varied the light/fert before, and it doesn't seem to affect it much. The flower stems seem normal, except for having to push through the tight leaves.

Maybe I'll try again.

Korina
korina
17 years ago
Hah! Someone asked about it just this week in the Gesneriphiles!

Korina, out to lunch now

exceptionally stiff leaves & flowers

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exceptionally stiff leaves & flowers

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pgraveolensOriginal Author

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