I have a feeling its too cold-Fisherman's Paradise

Here is a pic of my Fisherman's Paradise starter. Its leaves are droopy, but not quite to the point of wilted. Just soft, shall we say. I have a feeling its too cold, as the house gets down to 60 at night, and it was near the window, (well, a couple of feet away) which I'm sure gets a bit colder than that. So I brought it into my bedroom, which stays warmer, although not by a whole lot. At least in the daytime it'll get temps of 65 or over. But still down to 60 at night. Without keeping the thermostat up, and breaking the bank, how do you deal with violets that are more cold sensitive? None of my others are droopy like this one. I have heard Fisherman's Paradise is not the easiest violet to keep happy. Its so pretty and I'd hate to lose it. Is a heating pad a possibility?

I have never tried a heating pad.The important thing when they are growing in a very cool room is too never saturate them with water.Since it seems droopy,be sure to check the roots,stem and crown for rot.

Lynn

I agree with Lynn. Keeping (almost all) plants on the drier side in Winter is important.

I don't know if this is cold damage per se because that would usually ccause mushy leaves pretty much right away.

Definitely check the roots and crown for rot and cut down on watering.

I've had no temperature problems with any of my Violets in a room that can dip into the low fifties during the coldest time of the year.

Interesting. I am having a tougher time with Fisherman's Paradise too. I didn't realize it was suppose to be difficult. What other varieties are the tougher ones to grow? Anybody?
Jamie

Simple answer: The ones that survive weeks on end in dried out peat in a big box store... LOL

The more accurate answer is: That definitely depends on your conditions. I see that with mini Sinns (I have a bit more experience there than with Violets) all the time. What's a weed for me can be a diva for you.

Anything variegated is potentially more fussy and difficult to maintain. The degree of difficulty varies from cultivar to cutivar. From what I see in pictures, 'Fisherman's Paradise' is heavily variegated and that generally means that the plant potentially is a slower grower and needs to be pampered more. Look at variegation as a lack of chlorophyll. It's like the plant is anemic.

It's hard to make a blanket statement on the degree of difficulty for any given plant as you saw with the Kohleria cutting... For me this particular Kohleria is a total weed and survives even the most adverse of conditions. My outdoors plant is still alive at night time temps dipping into the upper thirties, for example.

Oh, btw: Look what I found...

http://www.africanvioletsforeveryone.net/Photo%20Galleries/MoreAfricanViolets1/Fisherman's-Paradise.html

Wow! Mine does NOT look like that! In my dreams.
Jamie

This is why I got Fisherman's Paradise in the first place. Its just so stunning. Thought I would at least try it. . . don't know if I'll be able to make it happy though. I don't water my violets until the pots are very light in weight and they are dry at least an inch down, so I don't think overwatering is the problem. So I should water less in winter? What I mean is, the AMOUNT of water should be less as well as less often? In other words, don't totally soak them in winter? Maybe that's where I goofed up.

I water until water comes out of the pot,winter or summer,but my mix does not stay wet a long time.

Lynn

I've noticed some of my violets stay wet close to two weeks (these are all starters, by the way) and others need to be watered about weekly. All in very small pots. I seem to have rotten luck with plants dying when I repot, but it may be what I need to do with the ones that are staying wet too long, to give them a faster draining mix, as I'm inevitably going to end up with rot sooner or later. I hate winter for that reason, among others!

My grandmother would have asked you this: How would you like cold, wet feet? LOL

A small start should NEVER stay that wet for that long! Wow! A small pot stays wet for two weeks?

You definitely need a much lighter mix! Add 30-50% Perlite and you should be good.

And when you are repotting, make sure to remove as much of this heavy stuff as you can and replace it with the lighter mix.

Also, don't pack the mix but just fill it into the pot and then just tap the pot a little to give the mix a chance to get everywhere.

I used to have major rot problems in Winter due to a heavy mix. The second, I started adding 30-50% Perlite to the "out-of-the-bag"-mix, those problems became minimal.

Violets in nature often grow in rock crevices on vertical cliff faces. There's never a lot of soil in there and the little that's there won't stay wet for very long. Even in the tropics.

Oh, one more thing: While repotting, you should check for rotted roots and remove them. It's better to snip off almost all the roots and domew for a while, if need be, than having to deal with rotting roots in new mix...

Well, maybe I exaggerated a BIT when I said two weeks, but I know some of my violets don't need watering for at least a week. Its difficult to know for sure when you have so many babies. I need to start putting a sticker on the pot as to when I last watered, like I do with my orchids. That comes in so handy! I hate repotting right away, as the plants are already stressed from shipping, and the soil looks nice and light in many instances, but then it seems to pack down a bit in some cases as time goes by. I'm planning on repotting everyone in December. I'll make sure I don't pack it down, although I have firmed it down a bit in the past, but will be extra careful not to do that this time. I always use extra perlite, but will make sure the mix is at least 50% perlite along with the Miracle Gro AV mix. Makes me so nervous, as I often get limp AVs after repotting for a while, and they have to be domed. Some die soon after repotting. Well, this was in the past. I must say that my success is much better this time around though, than in the past. Just a few cultural changes sure has made a huge difference for me.

1. Leaving the water out for at least 24 hours before using. (I have hard water).
2. Using only warm water on leaves.
3. Fertilizing with DynaGro with every watering.
4. Trying to keep them warmer in winter.
5. Giving them more or less light, depending on how they act. (In the past, everyone got the same amount of light--pretty much direct sun for a few hours a day.
6. Flushing once a month from the top.
7. Keeping a fan on in the room 24/7 for air circulation.
8. NOT chilling them by opening the windows in their room, when its COLD outside. I air out the rest of the house every day, leaving the doors shut to the bedrooms with the violets.
9. Adding even more perlite!

Fisherman's Paradise, thankfully, has mostly perked up again, after being domed for the last several days. Thanks for all the good advice!

Hey Randi!

Glad to hear that you're getting the hang of growing Violets! :)

Here's the thing: Direct sun and cold drafts are no good idea for any Violet. I have hard water, too (pH 7.8-8.5) and that doesn't seem to make any difference. You won't soften the water by letting it sit. All that does (and that's still a great thing) is getting rid of everything volatile like Chlorine and also gets the water up to room temperature.

The thing is that it's all a game of trial and error. What works for me doesn't have to work for you...

Have fun trying!

Olaf

I'm glad your fisherman's paradise is doing better! It's a beautiful violet.

Jan

Look at it now! I moved it to a warmer room (at least, warmer in the daytime and early evening) and domed it.

It's looking terrific Randi!

Lynn

Wow! What a difference! Good job, Randi!

Thank you!

Looking good!

Its drooping yet AGAIN! And this time, doming has not helped. I have a feeling its going to be a very fussy one for me. :(

Sorry to hear that! :(

I would assume that this problem is caused by the fact that, in general, variegated plants are more fussy than grean leaved ones and the more variegation a plant has, potentially the more fussy it gets...

That means in practical terms that a heavily variegated plant usually needs more warmth, more humidity and a more stable growing environment than a green leaved one.

Randy,
If it's drooping again,there has to be a reason.Knock it out of the pot and see if all the roots are white,not brown,and make sure there are no webs.If it doesn't have a nice healthy set of roots,repot it into fresh soil in a new pot.If it has plenty of roots,it doesn't need a dome or cover.Water lightly and allow the top to dry down a ways before watering again.

Good luck,it's a beautiful plant!

Lynn

Thanks you guys. I have a couple other that are droopy and soft feeling now. The others are NOT variegated! They are all domed, and I'll knock them out of the pots and check the roots and repot just as soon as possible, which unfortunately won't be until the first of the year, because family is here until then. Sure hope I don't lose any of them in the meantime. Now I'm beginning to remember why I gave up on AVs when I tried them years ago. . . . sigh

I still think that it may be temperature related maybe in combination with a little too much moisture. That's pretty much the only thing that I can think of.

Violets generally will take quite low temperatures but only if they aren't too moist and I don't know for what period of time.

I have had standards survive a temperature dip into the thirties but that was only for a few hours and the plant was almost bone dry.

Other than that, check for root damage, pot into fresh mix and maybe move the plant(s) to a warmer spot.

What about heat mats? I bought a mutt AV at Lowe's that was in full bloom and potted it in an AV pot, and set it in the bedroom on a heat mat with a bunch of other plants, and it's still in bloom. So I took the AV that was in the kitchen window and hadn't bloomed in the better part of a year despite extra care on my part, bounced it off the counter to stress the roots a little, watered the bottom with bottled water, and put it on the heat mat next to the blooming one. What are my chances? The thumping was from an expert's site recommended on an AV site to stress the plant into throwing out flowers

Heat mats/pads are essentially a good idea but you have to be a little careful to prevent the roots from getting too hot, particularly when the mix gets very dry. Since heat pads can vary quite a bit in maximum temperature, it's a good idea to first check how hot they actually get. There are heat pads with adjustable thermostats but they are usually pretty pricey. Another option are heating cables, preferrably with a thermostat. They are usually used in a terrarium setting but they have the advantage that you can arrange them the way you need them.

I use a heat pad under my terrarium with mostly micro mini Sinningias and various seedlings and cuttings. The bottom of the terrarium also has about an inch thick layer of marble chips and I always make sure that there is about a half inch of water in the tank to provide additional humidity. Also, I have the pad on a timer and only turn it on during the coldest nights of the year.

Well, they are taking turns getting droopy. Its so funny. For a few days, one will be droopy, and then it'll look better, and then another one will present droopy within a few days. So I always have 2-3 droopy at any given time. So I'm distributing domes as they are needed, lol. Sometimes its because they need to be watered. (I am terrified of overwatering and sometimes wait a bit too long). Other times, I think they may be too dry because they are borderline, but the watering doesn't help. Can't wait for spring, as many of my plants, for some reason, are looking especially depessed this winter. Also, I can horseback ride more often in spring. So I love spring and summer!

Been absent for a while. I find that letting them dry out (I mean very dry for a few days) and then watering them causes droopy and loss of AV. If the looks of Fishermens Paradise is any indication they need repotting. And that,with your cold conditions is very chancy. You have to try and walk them through the winter as best as you can and in spring re-pot. make a note of the date and re-pot 6 months again which should stabilize them for the winter next year.

I have neglected mine - sad to admit this- and found this out. I had 5 Fishermen's Paradise from one leaf. Each one had different growing and blooming habits. 2 of them were just such performers. Lost them this summer because it gets too hot/sunny where they are also neglect. Learning to grow in Florida conditions I loved FP

Welcome back Helene ^_^.

Lynn

TU. coming back with pictures as well "Mothers Love" handsome. the varigation on the edge is easier to grow....

It's a beauty!

Well, I repotted Fisherman's Paradise today. Also moved it to a slightly warmer area. We'll see what happens. It had a good amount of roots, but they weren't white. They were tannish. My problem is not knowing EXACTLY when to water, I guess. As Helenethequeen said, maybe I let them stay TOO dry for a few days and then watered, since its happened to a few plants, and sometimes the dryness creeps up on me. One day they'll be a bit dry, but not enough. Then, only two days later, they will be BONE dry! The pot is suddenly extremely light, and I realize the plant has dried out too much. I really have to keep on top of these tiny pots! I need to get a better system going here with watering, as it seems I can't find the right balance between too wet and too dry.

the solution to this is simple. yet I myself don't follow it any more. Wick-watering.or capillary watering.

Wick- a thin piece of panty hose (best) - a small 1-1/2" high plastic container ( such as in deli-potatoe salad) cut 2 holes in top - (yes 2 one for ventilation and one for the pantyhose wick to be fed into the well) panty hose piece goes up into the pot of AV and dangles into the well. Water into the well is to be 1/4 t of fertilizer for one gallon of water. Fill well- place AV on top with the wick dangling into the water. - Water when well is MT. Easy Peasy never under or over watering again.
Capillary is another story. Google it.

you can also use mason twine or knitting yarn (not wool or cotton). I have my violets sitting on a grid over those black 10x22 inch trays that I get at HD. I also have some violets sitting over the small deli containers that i get from Chinese takeout. They hold more water and need to be filled less. Also make sure your soil is very light if you wick water. 50/50 with mix and perlite. I usually use a little more perlite than 50/50, more like 60/40. Fertilizer should be 1/8 teaspoon to gallon of water. Hope this helps you out.

Found this site while searching. It's an old forum, but has great information.

http://www.rachelsreflections.org/wicking.htm

also search utube for wick watering. Ann-Marie (merma1d--spelling?) from Fuzzy Foliage blog has great how-to videos,

This message was edited Jan 11, 2012 10:22 AM

Here's the FuzzyFoliage blog with the videos. first one is on washing and the other videos are just under it. Great videos.

http://networkedblogs.com/kpCfY (via http://networkedblogs.com news)

Hey Randi!

I'm normally too lazy to wick but I have almost all my Violets on wicks because I have a tendency to forget to water them and especially the miniatures or very young plants aren't too fond of that...

merma1d's video's are wonderful and explain everything very well.

I actually use the cheapest synthetic yarn that I can find and that works very well for me. Make sure that your mix is as light as possible (at least 50% Perlite, some people use much more than that) and also be sure that your pots are, in fact, wicking. That's particularly important in the first week or two. If they don't, you may have to try a different yarn.

Another, much pricier, solution would be Oyama self watering pots. However, they are easy to make from simple household ingredients.

I don't remember who posted the link to the video or the website with the instructions. If you could please repost the link... :)

This is 'Lil' Runaround' and 'Rob's Love Bite' on wicks and under lights - after almost a year of neglect...

And these are 'Ness' Dynomite' and 'Trinket Bluebird', both of which struggled along for months until I put them on wicks and under lights...

I have used many things for wicking - Nylon knee highs cut into thin strips - the best, no oversaturation and last forever. I guess you guys don't do nylon - perhaps in the dollar store. or goodwill.

Thanks Helene, for the heads up on the nylons. No, I would have never thought of that, although I seem to remember reading about it at some point... :)

I am looking forward to going to the store and bying nylons. This should cause some funny looks from the ladys at the stor that I always go to and I am not quite sure that they'll be buying the explanation that I need them for my plants... LOL

Anyhow, this is 'Sunrise Waltz' finally getting her variegation back, now that she's under lights and on a wick: