Oh *wow*.... nothing like a little job benefit.....

just saw this thread.. I love my AV! I have some in a very narrow windowsill in my kitchen. That window is one of those stupid frosted-block windows, so it's defused light, I never water the poor things, and I have one particular AV that's about a foot across & about 10" tall. It's developed 3 "necks" and I have no idea on what to do with it! It's a double purple w/white fringe and it's always blooming. One of the AVs I picked up at our AV show last year is finally reblooming for me... looks just like http://garden.org/pics/2012-02... up on LorettaNJ's list above. I have a couple of others that haven't bloomed in forever, so I don't even know what they look like in flower! But I love 'em.. so easy to care for!!

I got quite a few nice plants last year.
Sorry to say those nasty mealy bugs are back. I see a few on one of the AV again at least I know that they will tolerate the spray I was using.

Are they once a year bloomers or do they repeat bloom? I haven't had an AV for any length of time for many, many years.

Mealies are a pain but I've been able to get rid of them in the past. I wipe the plants down with alcohol but never did this to AV's

I've found the easiest way to get rid of the little flying buggies is to put a layer of crushed egg shell on the top of the soil. That prevents the buggies from laying eggs in the moist soil. Well, that's what the nursery said, I did it, it works. LOL

AV's almost never stop giving blooms Loretta, as long as they have food and water they bloom and bloom, with a short break here and there.

Alan

I usually use a Neem Oil and Alcohol/Water mix but couldn't quite get rid of these &#%##@& mealy bugs. I started using a systemic insecticide and things are looking much better but still not quite gone. I know I am not quite spraying as often as I should with the colder weather I haven't been taking them outside to spray and the spray smells pretty bad plus I wouldn't want our pup to come in contact with it so I know that is part of the issue.

Holly, you probably haven't seen my post on the hoya thread, but I found that the mealies were also hiding out in nooks and crannies on the pot - so be sure to wipe those down well, too.

mealies - I swear....

Yes, I was really surprised the first time I saw them in paces not just on the plants. I have the type of violet pot that is in two pieces where you put water in the bottom part and I was wondering what might happen if I put a small amount of systemic in the water and let the plant take it in that way. Wonder if it would burn the roots? Has anyone tried that?

Might be on the label?

Hey, I have an AV question - are you supposed to dead-head the blooms? After finding out you're not supposed to do that to hoya, I'm a little leary...

Yes, remove spent blooms and stalks. This will encourage new bloom stalks plus tidy up the plant.

Yes, I always do mine.

Good to know, thanks to both of you!

mealies can be a huge challenge. I just got my first AV about a week or so agon. I had a few so many years ago, I couldn't tell you the last time I had them. I found what may or may not have been a mealie and promptly dipped a cotton swab into rubbing alcohol and dabbed it onto the critter. So far I have not found any other cotton puffs on the leaves. One other thing I do when watering my plants is to add a miniscule amount of basic H to the water. I use basic H to wash my hands, so spray it onto my hands. When adding it to the plant water i add this about 7 to 12 sprays to a bucket of water. My best guess is that this turns out to be maybe 7 to 10 drops to a bucket of water. So the av I just got has not required watering so I just added a few drops of this mixture to the soil and the plant seems fine. I have no idea about the bloom or bloom color yet. When I rescued it, the plant was struggling. As soon as it blooms, I'll share a picture.

Well, all my African Violets are toast, dead, dry as the desert they were supposed to move to. Bummer, for sure.

I know they can make it here in Phoenix, as Alan has posted his lovelies, but mine did not like the change, the dry and as warm as it got in a back room without too much a/c - it got as hot as 90º in there for at least a few days.

Paul, I love the first photos of your AV's in this forum. Are those inverted wine glasses that you are using to show off your plants. Just beautiful!

I have a row on the table and then the next row is on inverted glasses. I think they get better light that way. As they bloom I put the nicest ones on the glasses. Now that I won't be able to be outside as much because of approaching winter I'll give my AV's more attention. I did groom and fertilize them yesterday. I may go look for a couple of new ones tomorrow. The ones I have now need to be repotted in some new soil but that is not my favorite job.

Anyone have a problem with some kind of white fungus on the top of the soil of their AVs? I water mine about once every 2 weeks,... I'm not a good plant mom. But they bloom for me, I've gotten a few leaves to clone into new plants, so I guess I have to be doing SOMETHING right!