Here's a picture of one of them.

Diane

Here is a link that might be useful:

Diane -

your pic didn't get loaded.

How are your chiritas doing now - after spanking?

Cheers

Irina

I'd say spank them with humidity! Lack of humidity sometimes causes bud blast. If it's not that, we'll discuss bugs.

Nancy

Ok... I copied the image location and the link location, never know which to use, and I see both of them? You? (everyone should get firefox:-)

I think I know what the problem is, thank you Nancy. It's not the draft it got from the window...arg... but the blast it got from the furnace lately. It's been darn right cold here this month and the furnace has hardly stopped. 2C/34F outside this morning. (Gonna be a LONG winter)

As you can see, (I hope) I've got them potted in a plastic pot, set inside a taller clay pot. I've been trying to keep water in the clay cache dish so they will have extra humidity (and no wet feet).... but that darn furnace keeps coming on! Why do they put the vents under all windows?

I'll try backing them off from the window and see if that helps. It's weird tho that only one of 4 plants planted exactly the same way, in the same set up, is blasting? Hope the others don't follow suit! (the plant in the photo is NOT blasting yet, touch wood! The one that is, looks exactly the same except for fewer flower buds)

Thanks again for tweeking something in my brain that I should have already thought of!
Diane

Here is a link that might be useful: My Blog link (for those who can't see my photos)

Diane, your plant looks quite healthy so I can only gues at what the problem might be. Chiritas are quite tolerant of low humidity, so I don't think it's that. Did you recently repot it? The pot looks a bit large for the plant (chiritas grow and bloom best when potbound) so repotting may have set it back. The other thing that comes to mind is that if you grew the plant from a leaf this spring, it just might not be ready to bloom yet. This is an odd time for a chirita to bloom anyway, as they are preparing for winter dormancy. It's normal for chiritas to form small buds in the leaf axils that will do nothing until next spring before they grow and bloom. This time of year, you should be withholding fertilizer and cutting back on water to encourage dormancy. A cool dry winter rest will really help a chirita bloom the following spring.

I started them by leaf last fall. Divided them in June into 3 and 4 inch pots and they have been like this since then... No repotting...

We still get more than 12 hours of sunlight here, up north, so it might still think it's summer... only the second day of fall so try not to rush me into winter too fast! My winters are long and dark enough:-) I'll consider fall season, with my house plants, when we are down to 8 or 9 hours of sun. Winter we get about 6 or 7! Soon.

I'll have to move the Chirita's into my bedrrom for their rest. It's always coolest in there for some reason.

Thanks for the advice and I'll post flowers if I get any:-)
Diane

Here is a link that might be useful: Chirita's before I divided them.

Diane -

I still cannot see the pics - not from Mozilla, not from Firefox. BUT: big thanks for the lovely photo blog. That's a pity that you are hiding so we couldn't see you in your beautiful home with tons of healthy happy plants.

Your chirita is super happy (is it "Stardust?). JohnnieB already mentioned that they need to reach their maturity to really put a show. Looks like it is coming soon.

In my experience as well - they can keep their buds for long time - and shoot them only when the time is right. Sometimes the buds grow old and don't open after sitting for several months. May be I didn't provide them the cool season - now we know better.

Please post the pic when your chirita will be in bloom.

Good Luck.

Irina

Thanks Irina:-)

I'm hoping to get to see at least 1 bloom so I can confirm the ID! Sure looks like a Stardust though...and of course I will repost when I get a picture of her blooms!

Still wonder why you can seem to see my photo's... and you have firefox? I know that some folks who use IE have troubles seeing them. hmmmmm

Am I hiding? Not on purpose, but I suppose that I don't post in this forum very often as I don't have too many Gesneriads. I'm usually lurking around here daily.... you never know when a new 'must have' photo will be posted:-)

Diane

Diane,

I just read an article about our dear Jon_D and his collection. 10000 plants and 1000 gesneriads!!!

How he makes the time to take care of all of them...

And his new hybrid nematanthus Carmel!!! That's definitely on my list.

Cheers

Irina

Here is a link that might be useful: article

Oh that's not even nice!! You are an enabler, arent you? LOL!

How do I resist.... don't know that I can!!?? Somebody HELP ME!

Lirope, Juncus(in the last few weeks) and yesterday a Phal. Orchid..... Wonder what today will bring?

Thanks (I think?) for the link:-)
Diane