My Violets just seem off... help?

16 years ago

I've got a small collection of mostly Optimaras and a few I've traded for. Something seems off with them and I can't put my finger on it.

I repotted maybe two months ago and they seemed off before then. I thought I had simply out bloomed them. I'd let the whole bunch bloom heavy all winter as all that snow was just too depressing. Repotted in the same soil I'd had them in before, Miracle Grow AV mix. I know some say it's heavy, but I've never had that issue.

I had them under lights in the winter as well as by a eastern window. I haven't fed them as the soil is good for three months of food. I wait till the pots are quite light before watering. I don't have an issue with root rot or stem rot; those I can rule out myself.

I've a few pictures here, hope it ain't too many.

This is from February, before all the heavy blooming.

{{gwi:366380}}

The two on the far right have been recently rerooted because they went stemmy. Other then that, they seem fine.

Here are the ones I'm worried about.

This little guy just is... odd. It's a purple optimara I can't get to thrive. And, there is water damage on the leaf, my guy's fault.

{{gwi:366381}}

This one also suffered guy-related water damage. The leaves were showing a nutrient lack before the repot. Then, they went very dark. It's an Optimara Cindy.

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{{gwi:366383}}

The leaves look... off.. on this Emerald City. They feel slightly squishy on the lowest row.

So, am I just over reacting? Or do I actually have an issue?

Here is a link that might be useful: More plant pictures in a set.

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Comments (6)

robitaillenancy1
16 years ago
You can buy a cheap artist paint brush at the dollar store. Use this to groom the plant, sweeping off all traces of soil and debris from leaves and stems.

Then, maybe strange to your ears, wash the plant in warm water, blow out any water trapped in the center and allow to dry out of the sun.

This allows air and energy from light to enter the leaf's surface that may be blocked by soil and debris.

They look good to me. I think after a little grooming they will be very nice plants. If they have just bloomed their heads off recently, they may be resting and may start blooming again soon.

You could try a tablespoon epsom salts in 1 gallon water and water your plants. This will give nitrogen to the plants and maybe correct any nutrient depletion. Use 20-20-20 or similar numbers fertilizer to see if plants perk up.

Nancy
katsrevenge42
Original Author
16 years ago
Yeah... dirty leaves aren't good. I'll give them a gentle wash this evening. Good idea about a paint brush. I've washed them before, but it has been a while.

They bloomed very heavy all winter. (I have some of those pictures in the link) I did feed them once every two weeks while flowering. Generally I stagger blooms more... but snow up to the windows.. eck.

I'll try the Epsom salts as soon as I find some. And they'll get some orchid fert tonight too. (no urea and 20-20-20).

Thanks! I'm fond of my plants and don't like to see them sad.
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fred_hill
16 years ago
Hi,
I keep my plants on a constant feed system. They are wicked and unless I am away from them for a long period of time they never go dry. Right now I have them disbudded because I have a show coming up in November and want to exhibit some. BTW where did you say the pics of the AV's in full bloom were? I clicked on the link but only saw plants that were green except for one AV blosson.
Fred in NJ
katsrevenge42
Original Author
16 years ago
Apparently I had the privacy setting messed up on the public set. I'll just post them here, although they should be fixed in that link.

Everlove (I've headed it as it was getting stemmy)
{{gwi:366384}}
Included because I love this one, heh.

My 'Cindy'
{{gwi:366385}}
This is the same plant with the dark looking leaves.

My Emerald Love/City.. not sure if it is the chimera or not. Sometimes it has stripes, sometimes it doesn't.

{{gwi:366386}}

The ones I took pictures of this winter and Flickr'ed.
They bloomed like this from a week or so after that first picture until late April. Then, I debudded as the flowers seemed smaller and the plants just looked iffy. I don't show or anything.. I just want them healthy!
robitaillenancy1
16 years ago
Very pretty. Do you sometimes get a tinge of purple/lavender in the chimera?

Nancy
katsrevenge42
Original Author
16 years ago
Sometimes when it first buds there is some purple on the edges of the flowers.