Velleta

I have felt that way myself but I keep going, looking for ways to create a climate or find plants that are more tolerant of my conditions.

I grow in the opposite climate extreme. I live in a hot, dry desert. The water Ph is 9+. The heat at night makes eyeballs sweat. The daytime is heat is insufferable. That is with a cooler.

So what exactly is the condition and the time of the year when the AV's decline? Is it when the humidity is high? How hot does it get in Jamaica? Do you have an air conditioner in the plant room ?

Temperature and humidity are the cause of my violets collapsing with perfectly healthy roots. I can't adjust enough to stop the decline so for several months a year, my violets don't thrive but they do survive. I can keep the violets below 90 which is survival but not below 85 which is thriving.

Leaves will not set during certain month of the year for me. It is temperature. Do you have cooler months when you can set the leaves?

Very few people on this forum has a climate in which to grow violets. Most of these people live in the Northern US. Without heating, the violets certainly would not survive. I accept that without added humidity and air conditioning, my violets will not survive.

You and I both know, air conditioning is expensive and not that efficient. I can keep the house warm to a perfect 72 but keeping it cool to 85 when the outside temp soars to 112 is more of a challenge.

Did you see the thread where someone was asking if anyone has kept violets alive for more than two years? I have but many people said they couldn't.

These are tough plants. I hope you do not give up. There are solutions to every problem in AV's.

Thanks Lucky. So jamaica can get to over a hundred degrees from may to September and I can only get AVS at that time of year.

My supplier lives 150miles from me and she travel abroad to get them and then comes back here to jamaica. I have tried to get them in the cooler months but she never seems to have them ready at that time.

My hubby dislikes plants and AC as you would guess is out of the question for him . I can't even use a fan because he argues about the electricity cost.

I grow them in a north western location in my house. I have east, South and northwestern locations but the north is the coolest.

I use individual humidity trays below each violet with pebbles to try and keep them cool.

As for putting down leaves I do it immediately as I get the violets because I want to try and get them growing before I start loosing plants again.

Our climate is so hot at times that if you look outside all the grass and trees are brown.

I swear, I have tried everything even praying, but they slowly decline just the same. And after five year of loosing every year it has taken its toll.

They are not cheap either because last count it cost me like $180 US dollars to purchase and get them to me.

And at this point I am thinking that's a lot to waste. I have even considering buying lady slipper orchids sine they would like that location and is not as fussy about the heat.

I don't want to give up but I hate loosing my plants. If you or anyone know how to help me I am ALL EARS.VELLETA

Maybe your home is more suited to growing orchids.

I have wanted to grow Moth Orchids for years, but have never succeeded, due to their need of more humidity.

There are a number of beautiful orchids that I would need a greenhouse here to grow, ... but that may be perfectly suited to your conditions ...

The Moth Orchids are said to be easier to grow, but with practice you could try any of the Orchid family ...

Hi Aegis 100, thanks for your suggestions and yes I do grow orchids beautifully I have over 200:) I grow a mix collection from Vanda's, cattleya, denbrobium, enclycias, phychopsis, tolumnias, and I have at least 35 phalaenopsis ( moth orchids ).

I have eppidendrums, Broughtonia's, oncidiums I mean the only orchids I don't grow are the ones that like it pretty cool.

These I grow with minimal problems. But I love AVS so very much and I hate to go in my grow space and not see any.

I swear this is just so depressing. But I am tired of failing with them.

Plus I heard that AVS and moth orchids required the same care but it seems AVS are less likely to handle the heat, which I have plenty of. Thanks again Velleta

Wow ... I just got a new Moth Orchid.

I'm definitely going to be coming to you for advice ...

Aegis 1000 not a problem. Anytime your ready. I am right here:) Velleta

Velleta

I have the same problem trading. Everyone, including me, has plants/leaves to trade in the spring. But after this year, I have decided not to accept plants/leaves in the spring because, with the shipping stress and the summer heat, nothing will do well in June, July, August.

I have many thriving trade leaves and plants in the spring but I need plants and leaves in the fall. However, in the fall, after the heat, I have very little to trade because of the heat stress.

I am buying plants but I have a very narrow window of 2 or 3 fall months to do so.

Obtaining plants locally is not an option. Because AV's don't grow well here, the BBS have a few noids once or twice a year sold as pretty throwaways.

The winters here are cold. This climate is extreme. But, the AV's are worth the effort because, in the cold months, when the plants are thriving and blooming, the cheerful, colorful flowers brighten up the darkest day.

I'm sorry to hear that!

i think we all artificially change the environment to grow our african violets.

i can't think of a non-electronic way to cool the air. even if you dug a basement, you'd need lights for the plants. (all soil below a few feet is about 8 degrees celsius, if i remember correctly)

You could use solar cells to power fans. but they aren't cheap either. all my other ideas go into the "crazy inventor category", so doubtful they'd be any good.

Good luck, & lovely orchids!!!

Karin

Karin

Yes, we all change our environment.

There are trade offs. I don't have the mold, fungus and mildew problems of a more temperate and humid climate. It is much easier to add humidity than to lower humidity.

The winters are cold but rarely below 20 degrees F. The plants in the window sills are fairly safe even on the coldest nights. The winter afternoons are warm, usually above 55-60 F. I know some people have to heat all day and night for months on end.

Because the water is so high Ph, I had to educate myself about water. In the process, I learned about chlorine and chloromine. I also learned about minerals, such as magnesium. I know I can't add Epsom Salts to my water. I have a very high concentration of magnesium naturally.

So, it is an educational and inventive hobby. I would be interested in your "crazy inventor ideas" about cooling a house. Air conditioning, in fact refrigeration, was a "crazy inventor idea" as anyone who has read East of Eden can recall.

i was saying "crazy inventor" because i was playing with the thought of powering a heat pump with a windmill etc.... you could probably get it to work, if you invested enough time and money (every husband's (not) dream - unless you lucked out and he is either rich or an inventor who would thrive on the project to create a self contained, cooling environment for your plants)....

however, low tech is probably the better way to go. think of ancient roman architecture for example. they used a bunch of tricks to make the mediterranean more livable.

one that comes to mind is a water feature underneath the window that supplies a rooms air. this freshened up the air and cooled it. (maybe try a fan blowing across a bucket of water to see if it would work.) - a stray thought that goes with this concept was that, in the desert, people hang nets to catch condensation. in reverse, you could use a net of a wicking material and use it to evaporate water....

another (greek?) thing was the use of porous clay pots to hold water - the evaporation kept it cool. - I've been using clay pots for wicking, clogging the bottom holes and putting them in a dish of water. now, if that dish were clay as well, i am thinking that would cool the entire container as well as the plants.

i'm sure there is more. but i am drawing a blank and should be getting back to work. when googling "cooling a house naturally" the suggestions were airflow (especially removing hot air and replacing it with cool air at night), painting the roof white, using awnings and shutters, planting trees etc. common denominator being to reduce the impact of the sun.

Thanks guys for all your thoughts. I was thinking about the use of clays pots too but here in jamaica you can't get smaller than a 6 or 8 " and those are way too big to use.

I am gonna try leaving a few open buckets with water both around and under them I have also put all of them on the north side which is a bit cooler.

I place a few phals before them to block the light more and I have started to just give enough water to Bearly keep the soil moist.

I quit fertilizing and only use pure rain water. I don't know if any will servive but I am gonna try. I just hate seeing them dying. Thanks again everyone. VELLETA

Hey lucky, I think you just gave me an idea. What if I got an old car battery, one that is not totally dead, connect my fan ( standing one) to it and set it on a low rotate speed, this would at least keep the area a bit cooler throughout the day and turned it off at nights?

Since the nights are a little cooler then at least that would maybe help them to tolerate it a bit more?

Ok so now too different problems 1. To get a battery and 2. To get a fan hubby won't argue about:(

Getting the battery is fairly easy, I work in an auto parts store, but the fan that's where the problem lies. Think Velleta, think.:/

Oh Velleta, keep thinking. With your strong desire, I am sure you may come up with a workable solution. Especially if this forum keeps giving you new ideas to think about!

As for me,,,,,I have no solutions to offer. I can just sincerely wish you good luck! Rosie