Diseases of violets and their treatment

Features of violets

In nature, the violet grows on poor, loose soil in the shade of tall trees, in conditions of long daylight hours. This must be taken into account when growing it in an apartment. Lush flowering indoor flower pleases only those who reckon with her natural habits.

Violets grow naturally in the shade of trees.

As the violet grows, the lower leaves gradually:

• Turn yellow;
• And fade.

To maintain the decorative effect of the plant, they must be removed periodically. But in some cases, the process of wilting leaves gets out of control and covers the whole plant.

In this case, it is important:

• Establish the correct reason;
• And try to save the plant.

Care errors

If the leaves of the violet become soft and lethargic, and the stems curl, then in 90% of cases the reason lies in care errors. Unfortunately, no one is immune from such troubles. Most of these reasons can be easily dealt with if you start fighting to save the flower in time.

Insufficient lighting

Violets need good lighting for full growth and development, they need at least 12-14 hours of daylight hours. In summer, natural insolation is enough for the plant, but in winter, the flower needs additional lighting. Usually, special LED or fluorescent phytolamps are used for this. Experienced flower growers recommend giving preference to the first option, since in this case the air near the flower does not overheat, and much less electrical energy is consumed.

When choosing a suitable model, be sure to take into account the glow spectrum, it should be yellow, as close as possible to the sun. However, if you do not have a special phytolamp, then the most ordinary fluorescent one with white light will do, just try to keep it with a lower glow.

Keep in mind that excess lighting also negatively affects the condition of the violets - scorching direct sunlight often burns the leaf plates and dries out the outlet. That is why try to avoid placing the flower on the southern windows, and if there are no other options, then be sure to cover the window with tulle or cover the glass with reflective film. If the reason for the wilting of the leaves is associated with lighting errors, then you should just carefully cut off all damaged leaves and create optimal light conditions for the plant.

Irrigation disturbances

As a rule, when planting, violets are buried quite close to the surface, so irrigation should be done with extreme caution and delicacy. With a strong pressure of a stream of water, the roots begin to bare and dry out, as a result, the plant receives less nutrients, and the leaves begin to fade

Watering should be regular, but moderate. Any waterlogging of the soil in the most destructive way affects the condition of the flower. In this case, it is necessary to remove the plant from the pot, cut off all rotten roots and plant in new soil.

At the same time, in the overdried substrate, violets do not grow and do not give flower stalks, and the leaves dry up and wither. In this case, fixing the problem is very easy - you just need to add water to the flower pot. The violet should be watered 2-3 times a week in the summer and once in the colder months.

Incorrect feeding

Everyone knows that a lack of nutrients worsens the condition of a flower, but it should be borne in mind that an excess of mineral components causes them no less harm.The plant is demanding on fertilizers, especially in the spring, when the active growth of green mass begins, and the flower is preparing for budding. Usually, after transplanting, the violet is not fertilized for about a month, and the rest of the time, fertilizer is applied twice a month from March to October, and during the rest period - once every 30 days.

For feeding, use ready-made complexes specially made for violets. During the period of bud formation and flowering, preference should be given to preparations without nitrogen. Otherwise, the leaves grow unnaturally, but at the same time become loose. In this state, any violation of the conditions for keeping the flower causes wilting of the leaf plates.

If the grower knows that he missed the fertilization, you just need to add it. But when the plant has become a victim of oversaturation with minerals, it can only be saved by transplanting it into a fresh substrate with a slightly acidic reaction. To do this, the sod land is mixed with compost and peat or rotted needles are added, and a little vermiculite or perlite is introduced to make it friable.

Air parameters

Violets need to maintain normal room temperature at 18-23 degrees, and the optimum humidity level is 60-70%. At the same time, violets can tolerate slight waterlogging of the air, but dry air is detrimental to the leaves, so you should not place flowers near a radiator or other heat sources. It will be useful to turn on a humidifier or indoor fountain from time to time.

Why does the violet wither

Violets are very beautiful ornamental plants, but at the same time they are very moody. Any violation of their habitat can affect the appearance of the flower. They are also susceptible to pests, especially fungi. Consider the most common reasons why Saintpaulia can wither.

Lack of light or too much light

Violets need to receive daylight for at least 12 hours per day. In winter, when the days are short and cloudy, they may lack light. In this case, they must be illuminated with artificial lamps.

An excess of light radiation also negatively affects their well-being. In addition, they absolutely do not tolerate the flattening rays of the sun. It is worth the plant to stand in the summer on the windowsill, on the south side, as in a few days you will notice that the leaves begin to turn yellow and wither.

Save Saintpaulia from withering and death

How can you do this in a more gentle way? It all depends on the degree of root damage.

Most often, if we see that the leaves of a violet wither and die, this means that the fleshy rhizome begins to deteriorate. In the place of its defeat, a soft slippery brown rot is formed.

1. First you need to cut off the lower soft leaves at the base of the "stem", inspect it. If the process has gone far, rot is already visible at the cut points. It remains only to cut off the healthy tip and root it.

2. If there is no external damage, you will have to dig out the whole plant and examine the condition of the root. It happens that the lower part has become completely soft. It is necessary to remove damaged areas by cutting to healthy tissue with a clean sharp knife or razor blade.

We update the cut until a greenish tissue without brown appears:

3. Prepare a loose earth with an acidic reaction, let the violet stand in the air for 10 minutes, dip it with a cut (optional) in a root or crushed coal, and plant it.

4. Gently and slightly pour along the edge of the pot so that water does not get into the outlet.

5. To avoid a strong loss of moisture, remove the lower leaves in sufficient quantities, place together with the pot in a plastic bag. Ventilate daily.

It is known that it is easier to prevent a nuisance than to fix it later.

Therefore, it is important to take preventive measures so that the problem with sluggish leaves in violets does not arise:

• Inspecting the plant periodically whenever possible
• Periodically add phytosporin from rot to irrigation water
• Avoid overdrying and overflow
• Eliminate drafts

It is clearly interesting and in detail about what to do if the leaves of a violet have become sluggish, it is described in the video:

You may be interested in the following information:

Violet withers after transplant

Often after resuscitation, especially if the Saintpaulia had to be simply transplanted, there may not be an improvement or even a deterioration in the condition of the flower begins. These processes are manifested by general lethargy, loss of turgor, and a change in the shade of the leaves. In this case, how to save a violet that withers?

It is important not to panic and assess the condition of the individual, because it may just be a slow improvement after an illness, or it may be an incorrect diagnosis and / or incorrect treatment. If the plant just slowly comes to its senses or there is no improvement at all, you should think about changing the resuscitation method or just watch and wait

For example, if the rooting of the top is carried out in the ground, it should be done in water. If Saintpaulia gets worse, it is urgent to inspect all parts of the flower for any problems that have been detected and take measures to improve the condition

If the plant just slowly comes to its senses or there is no improvement at all, you should think about changing the resuscitation method or just watch and wait. For example, if the rooting of the top is carried out in the ground, it should be done in water. If Saintpaulia gets worse, it is urgent to inspect all parts of the flower for any problems not found and take measures to improve the condition.

If the violet withers after transplanting, check the correctness of your actions.

Also, wilting can begin due to improper care. If the reanimated plant is overmoistened, then even if this was not the problem initially, the excess moisture will play a negative role in the treatment.

Attention! Having determined why the violet withers and how to save it, you should immediately start resuscitation actions!

Why did the violet leaves become lethargic and soft?

refers to non-specific symptoms

To make a diagnosis, you need to carefully examine the plant and try to understand where the mistake was made.

These reasons are universal and are suitable for most cases of leaf lethargy, whether it be:

• Violet leaves wither during flowering;
• Either the upper leaves wither;
• Or leaves wither in winter.

All of these ailments have similar causes, which we will discuss below. But it must be remembered that most often the lower leaves of the violet wither.

The result of the wrong content

Not all beginners know why violet leaves wither: what to do with it? In the first place in the list of mistakes in caring for violets is lighting. This plant does not like the scorching sun:

• For cultivation, north or east windows are suitable;
• If the window is directed to the south, then it is better to place the violet in the corner or in the back of the room. Direct sunlight causes burns and wilting of violet leaves.

Violet leaves wither due to improper care.

Low light and a short winter day also contribute to the wilting of the leaves, so backlighting is necessary during this period.

It must be remembered that the main reason for the wilting of the leaves is inadequate care of the plant.

Temperature conditions

The withering of Saintpaulia leaves is facilitated by:

• Cultivation at low temperatures;
• Sudden changes in temperature;
• Excessive airing of the room in the winter.

In conditions of low temperatures, it is necessary to sharply reduce the number of watering, since a moist earthen clod contributes to hypothermia of the roots.

Excess or lack of soil moisture

The watering regime is very important for the good growth of the violet, the plant should not be overdried or too flooded:

• In winter, the violet is watered once a week. Excess moisture is fraught with root rot and leaf wilting;
• Stagnation of water in the sump is not allowed, after 30 minutes.after watering, the excess liquid is drained;
• Watering is recommended only after the top layer of the substrate is completely dry.

In apartments with central heating in winter, it is necessary to maintain an air humidity of about 50%. Due to poor humidity, the leaves become soft.

Pot size

• Too large a container contributes to waterlogging of the earth, decay of roots and wilting of leaves;
• In a small pot, the root system is injured due to lack of space;
• The diameter of the pot should be three times less than the diameter of the rosette.

The wrong pot can cause the violet leaves to wilt.

It is recommended to plant violets in pots with a diameter of 7-10 cm made of plastic or other material that does not dry out the soil.

Top dressing

Leaves often wither due to lack of nutrients, especially in the spring of intense growth of violets

But it is also important not to allow excessive feeding, which can lead to:

• Burn the roots;
• And the wilting of the plant.

Soil composition

not optimal composition or acidity of the soil

• The soil should be loose, structured, with optimal acidity in the range of 6.3-6.7;
• Sometimes the soil for violets is not suitable for its general composition, so it is better to buy a ready-made mixture in the store.

Since the composition of the soil depletes over time, its acidity changes, violets need to be transplanted into fresh soil annually.

Why violets wither leaves, who is to blame and what to do

For example, you noticed that the leaves of the violet became soft, sank down the side of the pot, their edges began to curl inward. The plant loses its leaf turgor, and in fact recently pleased with flowering!

Most likely, wilting of the leaves is the result of improper care. Whatever they say - pests in the soil, little or a lot of light, a viral disease - the main frequent reason lies in the well-being of the root system.

Why do the lower leaves of violets wither? - this is only the beginning of a process starting from the root, if it is not stopped, the upper ones will also wither.

We made mistakes, caring for the wards, which means we must do everything possible for their recovery.

The specific reasons leading to the rotting of the roots of the violet are as follows:

• Watering is done in the center of the bush from above
• Too dense soil, due to which the water stagnates during irrigation
• Violet stands on a cold windowsill
• Small drain hole in the pot
• The soil is neutral or alkaline, which promotes the development of root rot
• Lack of drainage
• Depletion of soil in pots with old violets, alkalization and, as a result, the appearance of fungus on the root
• Root burn with concentrated fertilizer
• The temperature of the content is uncomfortable for violets, it is below 18 degrees
• The pot is too big.

Symptoms: white bloom, leaf is flaccid, may curl inward

When there is a great desire to have healthy Saintpaulias in the house, you should study the technology of cultivation and care so as not to harm your actions.

Many are interested in the question: why leaves can curl? In addition to insects, viruses and fungi, other symptoms are present.

• Spots on the leaves. They say there is a lot of moisture. Drain the soil. When watering, do not pour onto outlets. Protect from direct sunlight.
• White bloom. Indicates drafts. Check, when you ventilate the room, how much the air temperature changes. Sharp fluctuations do not work well.
• Withering violets. Cut off the shoot - the brown ring will tell you about the fungus, try to look for healthy shoots, root them. If there is no darkening, she is very sick. Throw it away so that others do not get infected.
• Leaves curl downward, inward. The diagnosis is transfusion. Try to reanimate: remove the roots from the wet coma, rinse in warm water, place in a small pot.

Do not bring to a painful state, do prevention:

• Bring certified products into your home.
• Inspect when buying.Doubted about the health of the purchased product - do not take it.
• Bought - quarantine (takes three weeks). Let it get used to it, and you, examining, make sure of your health.

Taking care of bright violets is not difficult. The species created by breeders are resistant to lesions. No wonder they occupy a leading position among indoor species. Following the rules - be sure to make friends with them.

Pests

Parasites, as a rule, live on the green part of the plant and in the root zone - in these places they receive a sufficient amount of moisture, so they can intensively develop and multiply. The first sign of damage is wilting of the leaves, but if you do not take urgent measures, then in a short time the flower dies, so urgent resuscitation is needed

If you notice that the leaves of your violet have sown, sank, become loose and darkened, then you should take a closer look at the leaf plates. Usually pests are clearly visible even with the naked eye, and even if the insects themselves are invisible, the damage that they caused is striking - such leaves are usually strewn with eaten holes

Most often, the violet is attacked by aphids, spider mites, scale insects and root worms. Aphids are easiest to notice - they are quite impressive in size and visually resemble small midges. But it is not so easy to notice ticks, they affect both leaves and roots, the violet becomes lowered, and small holes form on the leaves. The scabbard leaves a sticky coating on the leaf plate, in addition, many dark dots can be noted on the reverse side. To treat a flower, it is necessary to wash off the insects with a concentrated solution of laundry soap, then transplant the flower into a new soil and, if necessary, treat it with fungicides approved for use at home.

Why do violet leaves stretch upward?

Varietal feature

There are varieties of violets that do not have a strict rosette, and the leaves grow in different directions. These include violet trailers, which are bush and ampelous. They are distinguished by an elongated stem and several growth points, which are located in the axils between the leaves.

Ampel cenoplia are distinguished by hanging stems, and bushy ones form several shoots with growing leaves in different directions, including upward.

Ampel violet.

Shrub violet.

ATTENTION! The upward growth of leaves is a varietal feature of ampelous, bush Saintpaulias.

Other reasons

Other varieties of indoor Saintpaulias involve the formation of a wide rosette of leaves. When they begin to grow up, this indicates various care errors, non-compliance with conditions of detention or pest infestation.

Next, we'll take a closer look at the main reasons why violet leaves stretch upward.

Lack of lighting, inhomogeneity of the luminous flux

The main reason is lighting problems:

• with a lack of light, the leaves of the plant become smaller, stretch upward, trying to get more light;
• with an excess of lighting, the plant closes the growth point with leaves, protecting it from burns;
• the flower can lift one half of the rosette if the light hits the plant unevenly. If the lighting is on the left, then the formation of the rosette will occur towards the light source, lifting the leaves up on the right.

Indoor air is too dry

Low humidity in a room can cause the leaves to grow abnormally. They grow upward, closing the core with buds from drying out, creating a more humid environment inside.

Lack of humidity occurs during the heating season or hot summer. At the same time, the soil dries out quickly, which can lead to another reason for improper plant growth from lack of watering.

High air temperature

The optimum temperature for keeping a flower is between + 20-24 degrees Celsius. The temperature near the heaters will be very high.In this case, the leaves will turn yellow, forming brown spots on them.

The violet is very sensitive to ambient temperature.

Another reason may be direct sunlight, then the leaves of the plant may receive thermal burns.

Frequent change of location

Indoor violet is a slow-growing plant. With frequent changes of location, it does not have time to adapt to new conditions and lighting.

Depletion of the soil

The plant is very demanding on the nutritional value of the soil. It must be transplanted 1-2 times a year, and special complex fertilizers must be applied in a timely manner. One of the reasons for the improper growth of leaves can be a lack of nitrogen or other trace elements.

Pest attack

This is one of the reasons for the abnormal growth of the plant. In case of severe damage, in addition to improper growth, the leaves will curl and dry.

The main pests include:

• thrips;
• aphids;
• spider mite.

CAREFULLY! Most often, indoor Saintpaulia is affected by spider mites.

Adjustment of the rules of care

If Saintpaulia loses its turgor, you should go through all the points to understand why the violet withers in a pot. Violets grow well if:

1. It is located in a well-lit place, but not in bright sunlight;
2. There are no drafts;
3. Watering rules are followed, the plant is not flooded with water and does not suffer from drought;
4. Violet receives full macro- and micronutrient fertilization;
5. The temperature regime and humidity of about 65% are observed;
6. High-quality soil is selected, which is changed once a year;
7. Drainage is used;
8. A pot of the correct size is selected;
9. Preventive measures are taken against diseases and pests.

But in some cases, the measures taken do not lead to the desired result. You can simply transplant the Saintpaulia into another pot, planting the children too.

The reason could lie precisely in the lack of food, humidity, illumination, if many daughter outlets grew around the mother bush.

If the violet continues to wither, remove all dried leaves, root the plant and put it in water to allow new roots to appear. It is hoped that this method will revive the violet.

Like any cultivated plant, the violet needs care and attention. If the owners often leave, when planting, you can arrange a wick system for watering the plants. This requires a synthetic cord. Operating procedure:

1. A cord is laid at the bottom of the pot in such a way that its 1 end goes into the drainage hole;
2. Light permeable soil is poured, a violet is planted;
3. Water is poured into a container with a closed lid (for example, a plastic mayonnaise bucket);
4. A hole is made in the lid for the cord;
5. A pot with a plant is placed on the lid;
6. The wick is lowered into water, into which micro-doses of fertilizer can be added;
7. The device with wick irrigation is ready;
8. The water will rise along the cord and provide the violet with nutrition and moisture.

Violets respond well to wick watering.

Violet resuscitation

Before saving the violet, you need to find out why the leaves of the plant have become lethargic. It is not recommended to reanimate violets without finding out the exact reason. By your actions, you can harm the flower. So study the issue carefully and address the cause, not the symptoms. So what if a violet has sluggish leaves?

We save from disease

The death of the lower leaves of the violet can occur with a number of diseases. These include late blight and fusarium. Both of these diseases are extremely dangerous for the plant, so if you do not take timely measures, you can say goodbye to the flower.

With late blight, the leaves become lethargic and lose their elasticity, in addition, rusty spots appear on them. The reanimated plant should be immediately rid of the soft leaves. In addition, since fungal bacteria infect the root system, it is necessary to remove the flower from the pot and remove the damaged roots.

After the surviving part has been removed, transplant the Saintpaulia into a new pot and pour a little phytosporin over it. Pick up pots for transplant a little smaller than the previous one. If the root system has been completely destroyed, you can cut off the stalk and try to grow a new plant from it.

When violets are infected with Fusarium, the leaves wither, turn brown and fall off. A characteristic feature of this disease is the darkened roots of the plant. You can try to treat your pet in the same way as for late blight, but you should not have high hopes for the flower to recover. In most cases, Saintpaulia will die.

We get rid of pests

When a violet withers, this may be the result of the harmful activity of pests that parasitize the plant, sucking out useful substances from it. Naturally, if your pet has been attacked by bugs, it will be the easiest to install. Many of the parasites can be found by looking closely at the flower, and if they have managed to breed, you can even spot them with the naked eye.

Saintpaulias are most commonly attacked by rootworms, nematodes, and thrips, but there are many other insects that pose a threat to your flower garden. They get rid of them, as a rule, with the help of special preparations - acaricides. But it is worth remembering that they settle mainly in the soil. Therefore, in order to protect the flowers, it is recommended to transplant them into a new pot with a complete replacement of the soil.

We eliminate the consequences of improper care

Regardless, the most common reason a plant becomes lethargic is still improper care. What are you doing wrong?

Lack of light. Flowers often disappear due to the fact that they were not provided with enough light. They need it for 12 hours a day, so in winter, when natural light becomes insufficient, it is recommended to replace it with artificial one.
Excess light. In this case, the leaves can get sunburn and quickly turn yellow. To restore a flower, it is necessary to remove it in a place where it will not be exposed to direct sunlight.
Improper watering. Excess or lack of moisture is equally harmful to Saintpaulias. Due to excess water, the roots may begin to rot in it, and in this case it is recommended to remove the flower from the pot, remove the rotten roots and transplant it into new soil. If the plant suffers from a lack of water, then you can simply water it (but be careful not to flood the flower)

It is important to water the plant properly. Some people do it wrong by pouring the saintpaulias from above - the water needs to be poured into the pan.
Excess or shortage of fertilizers

Usually the plant becomes lethargic when potassium or nitrogen is lacking. If in this case it will be enough to compensate for the lack of nutrients by applying top dressing, then with an excess of fertilizers, the situation is much more serious. It is necessary to transplant your beauty to a new place, and continue to monitor the amount of dressings.
Bad soil. Saintpaulias prefer slightly acidic soil, so if yours is not so, you need to change it by replanting violets.
Poor water quality. Water for irrigation should be settled (at least a day) and warm. Cold tap water causes significant damage to the flower.
Failure to comply with the temperature regime. The optimum temperature for Saintpaulias is 18-25 degrees. If it is too low or too high, the flowers begin to fade. Move the Saintpaulia to a warmer (or cooler) place. Do not leave the flower in a draft or near heating appliances.
Untimely transplant. Remember to replant your plants once a year, and also transplant your newly acquired Saintpaulias into new soil.