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African Violets

What am I doing wrong? Deformed flowers?

9 years ago

Hello,

This is my first blooming AV. It is a Little Bo Peep. It has bloomed twice no problems and now this time the blooms look very odd. It is also growing very oddly, one side is rising up. I am growing it under a 2 lamp shop light. It has been about 4" below the bulbs and I just moved it down a few inches thinking it might be getting too much light. I can't find any evidence of insects. Could the weird growth habit and flower shapes be all from just too much light??

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Comments (9)

kaityinoregon
Original Author
9 years ago
Another angleÃ¢ÂÂ¦.
lucky123
9 years ago
It might be the wrong kind of light.
Are the leaves turning pink?
You might consider changing your bulbs if the bulbs are very old.
I do not grow under lights but I have seen one plant do that upward curling. That plant was at the edge of the lights and in sour soil. The plant recovered very quickly under proper lighting.
Just a thought from someone who knows absolutely nothing.
Maybe some of the people growing under lights will have a better suggestion.

This post was edited by lucky123 on Tue, Sep 2, 14 at 12:36
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judyj
9 years ago
Though Lucky is far more experienced than I, I do grow some under lights. Here are some of the things I run into:

1. Are the newer leaves tighter in? Too much light!
2. Is it warmer than I have kept it before? Too warm!
3. Have I tried to keep it dryer than I did before? Seems they get tight in that case too!

These are all problems I've run into!

Sometimes seems like a good bath and lower light have conquered much of my issues!

Best,
Judy
lucky123
9 years ago
Judyj
Far more experienced? Only in every bug, rot, light, humidity, ph, soil, leaf issue known to AV's.
I don't have any experience with flowering problems because nothing I have is old enough or healthy enough to flower.
I just happen to have a plant with that problem that came from a person who grows under lights and she stated that was the reason. She had it at the edge of the light so the quality of light was not good, even though the amount was fine.
The plant responded very well to natural light.
judyj
9 years ago
See, so there! :-)) you've probably already got the solution! I've only experience with stupid fungus gnats and too much light, too little light and soil issues, LOL! :-)

It's not in the blooming, it's in the leaves-at least that's what I'm finding, so you're way ahead!
lucky123
9 years ago
Judyj
I have been growing African Violets since last March. Hardly experienced, but I had such bad luck with them, I have investigated the cultural requirements carefully.
I am not certain yet if AV's will grow in my area.
Most of what I know is from reading web pages. I know very little :)
kaityinoregon
Original Author
9 years ago
Thank you everyone! It has been very hot around here the past few monthsÃ¢ÂÂ¦ more than usual, so i'm thinking it might be a combo of too much light and too much heat. I will keep it a few more inches away from the light and move it towards the center and see what happens. Thank you for your help!!
Karin
9 years ago
A few of my flowers did that after being sprayed with forbid.

before that, one did it on its own before dying - none of its leaves would produce decent plantlets either. - i am hoping it wasn't a virus, but so far no others have shown the same symptoms.

Karin
quimoi
9 years ago
If your wick is not in the center, that could also be an issue with the growth. I've read about smaller plants growing lopsided on the side where the wick came up.

After that, I either poked a hole in the middle of the cup or ran a thin wick up both sides if I could do it.

And yes, conditions can do weird things to blossoms. Sometimes you just take them off and say, "Try to do better next time."

Diana

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