Tight crowns could indicate Cyclamen Mite ... or too much light, ... or too much fertilizer.

At any rate, I would separate the offenders from the other plants (and probably toss them), ...

I don't really tolerate tight crowns anymore. Mites have run through my collection one time too many. Plus, I don't know if I've ever seen a tight crown loosen ...

Well they grow right next to the others that are behaving perfectly,exact same light/food/water, I did happen to move them to a 'darker' AeroGarden' that I have, on Saturday, so they are alone, but they are a very dark green, not like a sickly looking plant. Wouldnt mites makes them look sickly? They look VERY healthy, thats the 'problem'....to much growth,to little flowering.

They came from the same seller in the same order, never a pest problem from them, thats why i wondered if it is the variety? Hmm........

I have seen tighter crowns and upon reducing light they became a bit looser. Leaf color between different varieties differs, so the amount of optimum light too.

I agree with Nina. Under the circumstances you described, I would have to think that you have found a plant that prefers less light. Could be less hours of light, could be less lux would be in order.

I have had similar conditions and light was to blame. Move to a lower level of light and watch. It took my plants a month or so for the crowns to loosen up once I moved them.

well i have these two outside on my porch, in shade, to see if they loosen up. So far i already can see a flower stem on one of them! So,it might be an issue of light strength. But one 'Ness'....'Ness Fantasy Gold', grows in the same place and grows normally, yet its relative 'Ness Antique Red', gives me a super hard/tight crown, they are closely related, but something is making the red one a bear to grow.

I think everybody got the same ideas.

Ness Fantasy Gold has high light requirements. It has the tendency to stretch up even under high light.

The fact that Ness Fantasy Gold and Ness Antique Red came from the same hybridizer - Don Ness from MN - doesn't make them related. He was a very prolific hybridizer, he crossed and registered oodles of plants - some of them excellent, some - ordinary.

You just repotted your young plants and probably the soil came preloaded with fertilizer - one contributing factor. I do not use Aerogrow - so I have no idea what is a light level. Very probably too much. Reduce the time.

Lower light and high humidity will relax the plants in a hurry. Give them a spa treatment - put them on the tray somewhere near the window - and cover with a dome or just a loose piece of a drop cloth plastic.

Regarding mites - yes, they can do it. But if your Ness Fantasy Gold is on the same tray and it is not affected - hopefully you missed the disaster. They are not selective - they mow everything,

Keeping the plants outside - even if it is a screened porch - pretty much inviting thrips, mites, mealy bugs... Be careful.

I.

well they are under the lights of an Aerogrow, on an enclosed porch, god knows Fla. is full of bugs! But that is the lowest light around here, and still keep them alive. I thought. Well, they might be outside from now on. I still get to see them,so I'll just keep them outside. I need new bulbs badly!!!!

I am trying a experiment of switching over to the CFL twisted light bulbs that you use in regular light fixtures in the house, once the damn adapters get here! To save a lot of money on those AeroGrow lightbulbs. Using them instead, they say on them 'Natural daylight', 5000Kelvins, 800 Lumens, from Sylvainia.

I put up a post in light gardens a few days ago, to see if anyone has used these, to see if they work or not, no replies yet. So...I have these new much cheaper bulbs, but dont know if this light will work like the Aerogrow lights. I'll keep you all informed if it works. I cant be the only one using an AeroGrow as a light source. So im gonna give these regular lights a try on 6 violets, see if they grow/bloom...live! It would save A LOT of money.

You will not be happy with CFLs. Light coverage is not even and they are not that bright. Yes - they use 13 wt giving the same anount of light as 40wt incandescent bulb - but 40 wt incandecent bulb doesn't give enough light for AVs.

Fluorescent tubes - 2 T12 - they still sell tubes and still sell fixtures in HD - 48" 32wt a pop cool white - work just right. If you want to use more modern T8s - increase the distance to the plants - they are more efficient and have higher light output.

And do not buy them in Walmart. Home Depot is more expensive - but they last much longer. The WM fixtures have lousy ballasts - and they croak in 6 months.

While I can't say that CFL lights make great grow lights, I do have several that have been working for me several years. I made mine out of repurposed vanity lights.

They are cheap to make, cheap to keep going and in my opinion, a very inexpensive way to provide full spectrum light to my plants. Additionally, I have the option of increasing or decreasing lux simply by screwing more bulbs in or out.

I buy all of my bulbs used off eBay. My last purchase was 25, 40w full spectrum cfl's for $35. (These bulbs are supposedly the equivelent of 40w bulbs but only use the electricity of a 10w bulb.) They were used but who cares. These come from commercial applications where they change the bulbs in a building once a year so people can get the maximum light from the bulbs. Plants don't care if they are not getting the total amount of light the bulb is capable of delivering. There is more than enough light to go around.

With this arrangement, no ballasts, no weak spots on the ends of the lights. The ends have just as much light as the middle. No having to raise and lower light fixtures to adjust the amount of lux. Simply screw in a few more or less depending on what your trying to do. If the bulb goes out, no problem, screw another $1 light in and call it done.

At any given moment I will have nearly half the bulbs in the fixtures unscrewed.

The down side is that I think the bunny huggers are phasing cfl's out and somewhere down the road, they may be hard to get. No problem for me since they last for years and I have more than enough to get me through until I go to that giant nursery in the sky.

I have other types of grow lights but they do not offer me near the degree of flexability my cfl lights give me. I really don't need any more grow lights but if I did I would have to get another cfl type. Just my opinion though.

I made my own but they turned out so good that most folks ask me where I bought them.

If anybody would like photos or specifics on what I did, I will be happy to try to explain what is needed.

Nice to be so handy.

I still do not think it will be a saving on electric bills - but if you make a grid out of them .. it will work. Jeff - you are good!

Since I accumulated these plants and lights over time, I had not noticed a marked increase in my electric bill but I have to assume it has cost me. No free lunch you know.

The assembly of the lights I make is not really all that labor intensive. It is time consuming to round up all the parts and pieces at the best possible price though.

When I made the decision to go this route, I primarily was looking at the long haul cost equation as well as sheer convenience.

I use full spectrum grow light bulbs in my T5 fixtures. They cost a good bit to replace when they burn out. My cfl's cost next to nothing.

Here are a couple of pics looking up at the inside of the lights mounted within the shelf.

You can barely make out the chrome vanity light that the bulbs are screwed into. Each socket has had a "Y" connector screwed in. This allows me to have two lights mounted at an angle which increases the amount of light "aimed" at the plants. Additionally, I can alternate between bright and soft light depending on needs.

The ends are capped off with aluminum foil so as to maximize reflected light. They work good for me, inexpensive to make and keep. They actually look ok too!

Wow,,,what a set up! Nice! I am envious. Rosie

Jeff - you are priceless. Pass it to your girlfriend. So many guys do not know how to screw in a light bulb.

No Irina,,,they know how,,,they just don't WANT to,,,,,therefore they don't. Rosie

PS. That is not MY husband though. Mine is a gem!

Mine was too...

wow! great set ups!

Looks like a really neat system you have Aegis! Rosie

Geez aegis, I think I saw a small spot on that top shelf where you could fit another plant!

They all look nice and happy!

Nah... I do not think you can stick a finger in. Tight like in a can of sardines - but everything is blooming!

Jeff - you see - girlfriends and wives are totally different story. Wife is a Boss.

In no time your light stands will be replaced with a collection of Hammels figurines.

Irina, I am sorry. And sad for your loss. Hugs, Joanne

Thank you, Joanne. Plants and plant people help.

Yes, they do. Is your friend who had plants still with you?