AnnaIkona
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Posts: 801
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2015 9:20 pm
Location: Canada zone 8b

African Violet has droopy leaves and white spots on soil

Hello,
I purchased 4 African Violet plants from a garage sale 2 days ago. Only one of them was flowering. The leaves of all the plants are sort of a different shade.

One if the plants looks a lot "droopier" than the rest. It also has little white specks on the soil. They don't look like mushrooms or anything. More like dried up fertilizer. Any ideas?

Right now the plants are all on an east window, and receiving about 8 hours of indirect, not bright light at a temperature of 69.8 F.
rsz_120170318_112037.jpg
the image above is a comparison between the only flowering plant, and the droopy plant with white specks on the soil.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! :)

ButterflyLady29
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Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2015 9:12 pm
Location: central Ohio

Is the soil moist or dry? Under and over watering both produce the same symptoms. If the soil is wet it could be root rot. If the soil is dry it probably needs a little water. If neither are the case, it might benefit from repotting.

AnnaIkona
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Posts: 801
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2015 9:20 pm
Location: Canada zone 8b

Thank you, butterflylady29, for your input. The soil does seam a bit soggier than the rest. I already read that when the african violet is watered with cold water, the leaves may start to curl downwards which is sort of what is happening to this one. I am thinking that the previous owner of these violets had this particular one in a cold place, causing the water in the soil to become colder when watered.
It's a possibility, right? :roll:

Either way, I will just treat this plant just like the rest of them....and hope it will recover :)

ButterflyLady29
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Posts: 1030
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2015 9:12 pm
Location: central Ohio

Let the soil dry out and see what happens.

Check the base of the stem at the soil level. If it looks brown and mushy you've got a bad case of root rot.

AnnaIkona
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Posts: 801
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2015 9:20 pm
Location: Canada zone 8b

I am thinking I will move the plant farther from the rest of my African Violet plants because I have noticed small spots like little particles on the leaves and I think it might be bugs or insects.



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