Hi Sav..Your plants need work..I didnt have time to read all the above advice, but I'm sure it was excellent, knowing some of the ppl who offered it. You mention a humidifer..It's a great idea..I not only use a humidifer, but an indoor fountain, (bought at Home Depot) and a smaller indoor fountain. I also mist/spray leaves on a daily basis. Some people don't agree on misting, but in my opinion, it helps, (somewhat) w/humidity, keeps leaves clean, and lessens changes of insects. I'm not sure, but it looks like your palm has mites..The first thing I'd do is inspect nearby plants to make sure they are insect free. Isolate. There are several insecticides...I don't use bug sprays for many reasons, the main, I have cockatiels, and they can't be around harmful fumes. Instead I mist plants with 2-4 drops of dish soap and water..Once a month, or if I suspect a plant has mites, I add ground garlic and ground citrus rind. Believe me it works, it's natural, and won't harm your plants, pets or you. If they were my plants, I'd first trim brown off each leaf/frond. Leave about 1/8" of brown on, this dissuades brown from continuing onto leaves. I dont know if you placed your plants in the spot they're in to take pics, but each need sun..Since you're in MN, I'd place each in the brightest window in winter, if possbible summer outdoors in some shade then medium light. You said you water whether or not the soil is dry..Big mistake..Water only when soil needs it. Stick your finger in soil..if your finger comes out wet, don't water..if dry, give a drink..It's difficult telling what size pots you're using, but some look rather large..Do you know how to measure pots? When you repot a plant, the size shouldn't exceed 1-2 sizes larger than previous pot..So if a plant was bought in a say 8", when it's 'time' to repot, only if it needs it, go up to 10". If you repot because you want a decorative container, when you remove the plant from its current pot check the rootball..If it's hard-packed roots, then it should be potted up a size, but if the new pot is more than 3-4" larger than the roots, I'd avoid it..especially if you tend to overwater.. As for your African Violet..It has a LOT of potential. What size pot is it in? Keep AV's potbound..They're also humidity hogs, so keep atop a larger tray w/pebbles and water. My AV's are kept in south windows all yr long, (they are not kept outside) Remove the outter leaves/crown. If given light, and/or leaves/flowers grow, even this time of year, you can add a little AV fertilizer..Very few plants flower yr round, but a healthy AV will do so if given proper care, (light, humidity, kept potbound) I can't ID the 5th plant..What is it? If stems are soft, discard..You'd be surprised the number of plants that survive after looking dead, during winter months. The 6th plant is Dracaena 'pineapple'. They grow into tall, pineapple-like-looking plants. They are closely related to Dracaena Janet Craig, but the JC grows much faster. Fertilize from May to Sept w/an all purpose plant food..The AV should be fed w/flowering plant food. Water only when soil is dry..Mist daily. Buy a humidifer. Place plants where they'll receive light, but away from a heating or cooling source. There's a product called Superthrive. I love it. It contains hormones and 50 vitamins. You can learn more at www.superthrive.com It is NOT a fertlizer, but to be used when you feed plants. 2 drops per gallon of water.. I believe with some work your plants can be show plants, Sav. BTW, this is a lot of work, but taking plants to sink/shower, once a wk if possible, will perk them up. This doesn't include the AV, though filling your sink w/warm water, (few inches) then setting AV inside sink about 20 mins will do wonders..Toni

Nothing TO do other than turning things over to the Dept of Patience. One important reminder is to be extremely careful not to over-water. Use a wood dowel as a 'tell'. The wooden stick (bottom row of tools and toward the right) is something I use as a root pic, but it's almost exactly what you would use as a 'tell', only difference being your tell would be 24" long and sharpened at both ends. Use a 48" x 1/4 or5/16" birch dowel rod from a hardware or home improvement store. Cut it in half and sharpen all 4 ends in a pencil sharpener. Push the dowel deep into the pot (as in all the way to the bottom), then remove it. If it comes out moist or stained dark by the soil, withhold water. You can also use a bamboo skewer in a pinch, but the dowel is better. If the plant is going to live, you should see signs of back-budding inside of 2-3 weeks, but it might take longer. I've worked with temperate plants I thought were dead go a full summer with no signs of life, only to wake up the next spring and grow like nothing was wrong. Some of the tools I use for repotting ^^^. Al

I agree with the advice you've gotten. If HD will give you a refund or credit, please do that and tell them about the insect problem. Then watch your other plants very closely for at least 2 mos. I'm another one who had a smaller one of these but it's been so long that I don't remember what happened. I've had mealies twice. Once they came on coleus from a mailorder source. Fortunately, they did not spread beyond the coleus. Recently I found them on one branch of one of those "fingered" jade plants (Lowe's). Luckily I caught them early, cleaned them off and isolated it and treated it a couple more times. I just did a re-check and it seems fine. I believe they had take chunks from several plants to jam in the pot and only one was infested. I do use systemic insecticides at times but some plants won't tolerate them. May I suggest that you learn what some common pests look like, such as scale and mealies? It won't always keep you safe but it will help. Diana in PA

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