Archive for the ‘voilet’ tag
African violets and soil mealy bugs
In the winter soil mealy bugs can be a problem for African violets.
The African violets get less light, the soil stays wet for longer times and it’s chilly by those windows creating conditions for soil bacteria and bugs to grow and attack.
The plants begin by wilting and the leaves appear to be thinner. This can mean root rot or soil mealy bugs are attacking your plant. Either way the best course of action is to repot your plant. It is the bacteria in the soil not the water that rots the roots. So either the bacteria or mealy bugs need to go.
Unpot the plant and check for mealy bugs, you’ll see little white spots in the soil at the bottom of the pot if you have them. If not it is bacteria that is the problem. When you unpot your plant gently remove all the soil from the roots, cut off damaged roots and rinse the roots thoroughly but gently in running water.
If when you unpot your plant you find the roots are short and all near to the surface that means you’ve been over watering your violet.
Buy some fresh soil at your local nursery and run your pot through the dishwasher if you wish to reuse it.
And remember as long as you have one healthy leaf you can root you have not lost your African violet.
Give the gift that keeps on blooming
Have you met this tiny beauty in your house? The African Violet is one of the nicest gifts from the garden because from each leaf you can get a new plant for free!Even if you have one African violet and want one more, take out an unused drinking glass and fill it to the top with water. Cover the top with aluminum foil. Make a hole in the foil to let the leaf stalk stand in the water while the leaf remains on the foil. Remember that if you get that leaf wet, it will be the end of your African violet. [ read more Write an African Violet Letter to a friend]
The article describes how to root an African Violet from a leaf. It also suggests that an African Violet leaf along with rooting instructions makes a great gift. I’m not sure wrapping it in cellophane and taping it to cardboard is the best shipping method however. Better to take some of those small boxes left over from the holidays and ship your already rooted leaf in one of those. I’m thinking perhaps an egg carton can be cut into nice packages for your African Violet leaves.
