Cold Water.

Cold water-that's all? Whew-I was afraid it could be some sort of fungus or virus or pest. Sometimes when I water the bottommost leaves get submerged in the water when I place them in the tray due to their droopiness. I'll make sure to wipe off as much water as I can the next time I water.

Thanks!

you need to water them BEFORE they start drooping. Just pick the pot - if it is light - time to water, if still heavy - it is not. If leafes start drooping - it is a sign that some of a fine hair roots are dead at that point - so every time - they need to regrow them from scratch. The way how you water them is fine - as long as you do not keep them in water for more than 15 min. If it is more than 3 months since you purchased or repotted them - it is a good time to start fertilzing, use half of the recommended dose.

Wick watering would solve the problem....no ?

Thanks irina! :p

I decided to use the bottom watering method because every time I watered from the top the water just ran down the sides of the pot. Watering from the bottom lets the soil wick up water from the bottom and distribute it slowly to the top.

Before I fertilize, I plan on bottom watering the AVs so the soil mass gets wet, then running water through the soil from the top to flush out the soil in preparation for fertilizer. Does that sound good?

Way too much work.

Yes - watering from the bottom is better than from a top - because you compact soil by watering from a top. That's why flushing = leaching once a month is more than enough. The fact that you try to water from the top and the water runs through tells me 2 things.

1. You have a bad soil 2. You let your plants dry way too far.

Solutions- you need to repot your plants in a soil with an adequate amount of perlite. The easiest is to purchase a ready made AV soil and split it with 25-30% perlite. Your soll will be breathable and wettable. Since the soil is preloaded with a fertilizer, you can skip fertiizing for 2 more months.

2. You never let your plants go for so long without water. Oldtimers - used their index finger - if it is dry on a surface - but getting humid somewhere 1/2-1 inch deeper - water. If you do not want to use this handy device - use the weight of the pot as your indication - gets light - it is time to water. If your soil is still a bit humid - you can water it with fertilizer. Same way - from the bottom. Very low dose. 1/8 of teaspoon per gallon - and you are OK to do it every time you water.

TOO MUCH TLC IS BAD. Being lazy is a mother of all inventions.

At some point - think about wicking method - just as Leon advises.

Good job Irina and Leon! That's what I was thinking! Good luck goldstar!!! Rosie

Just a question, are your AVs in clay pots or plastic?. If they are in clay pots it makes it harder to tell if you plants need watering by lifting them up.

They're in plastic pots ;)

Thanks Rosie!

Irina-I'll remember to repot my AVs next summer into better soil. Will Miracle Gro AV soil mixed with perlite work?

NEXT SUMMER??? What about right now? Every 6 months to a year! And they do not look like being repotted recently. And you have an excuse to remove all these stripey leaves at the same time!

Personally I don't like to repot plants during winter or late autumn if they're relatively healthy. I feel as if the plant is doing relatively well in its current pot there's no need to repot it and stress the root system right before winter. I would only repot plants if it's a life or death situation. To me, my plants look pretty okay (minus the leaf stains). I don't feel as if they're dying or in a state of serious decline that warrants an immediate repot.

Now you may say you repot plants in winter or late autumn all the time with no problem at all, but you have a lot more experience with repotting. I've only really started getting into plants in March 2016, so I still consider myself newbie/rookie status with plants, and I may make some mistakes during repotting that may cause the AVs to sulk terribly and limp through winter. For now I don't feel it's totally necessary to repot relatively healthy plants right before winter.

I do understand your reluctance to re-pot when a plant looks healthy, but consider, the longer you wait, the greater the likelihood you will have a neck to contend with. You will have to cut off some of the rootball to get it to fit in the pot, tent it and then wait anxiously to see if they survive.

Now you may already have a neck, especially after removing the lower leaves, but it will be shorter than it will be in the spring, you will have to do less to them and it will lessen the chance of shock.

They like to be repotted! Unless you need to do some serious root disturbing - then they will need to be pampered a bit - like kept covered with a dome or plastic for a week. Plus they are not in bloom now - so you are not losing anything!

It is not like you are going to move the apple tree and the soil is already frozen. These guys come from subequatorial Africa, they do not have cold season there,,, dry season - yes, but not cold.

Goldstar, repotting violets is no different a process at any time of the year. Maybe this will help you.

1) To just change from one pot to another (eg. clay to plastic of the same size).

Have a new pot ready. Take the pot and run a butter knife around the inside against the pot to loosen it. Put a single layer of napkin in the bottom to hold in soil.

If your entire root ball is intact and all you want is to just change pots,,,,then very carefully place your hand over the top of the violet and turn your hand over (palm up) and slip off the old pot and slip on the new pot. Carefully place fingers on top of the soil and tap the entire pot on the table to slightly "settle" the soil. This works if the plant is potbound and all you want to do is change out one pot for another of the same size. This is just for changing say,,,a clay pot for a plastic pot of the same size (plastic is preferable).

2) Now,,,,,to literally repot a potbound plant and keep it in the same size pot read on.

Again, run the butter knife around the inside to loosen. Follow above directions to get the rootball out of pot. NOW,,,,,take off bottom row or two of leaves. The plant has already bloomed from this bottom row. These leaves can be trashed, traded or started!

Remember,,,,,the plant will NEVER bloom from that row again.

Trim enough off the bottom of the rootball so it can be set farther down in the pot. I use a plastic fork or dibble stick or something (fingers work also) to gently work a little soil off the sides of the rootball also.

Don't worry,,,you are not disturbing the plant all that much.

Place napkin over bottom to hold soil in, add enough soil to set rootball at right level, and start to backfill, tamp, backfill, tamp until you are done!

3) If you are "potting up" (going up a size or two in pots), the only difference is to add the right amount of soil in the bottom of the pot, (don't forget the napkin!) carefully set the little plant in the slightly larger pot, backfill, tamp, backfill, tamp etc. until you are done. Water lightly (not soaking) and you are done.

There is no difference to the process no matter what time of the year it is. The only difference is that in the winter plants grow a little slower, don't quite bloom as much.

Please don't worry about the time of year. Worry more about what your plant needs and when it needs it!

tee hee,,,after all,,,,when a baby's diaper is full,,,we change it right away!!! lol Rosie

PS. If you have questions contact me any time. I will help you and so will everyone else in this forum. There are a lot of great minds here!!!!!

A few leaves on mine had this too. Glad to know it wasn't something terrible.