Linda -

I sprayed my plants with Forbid a couple years ago when I brought mites from the Convention. Worked like charm. And as far as I remember it is not dangerous to warm blooded critters - can harm fish. Forbid works only on mites - so if you do not have mites - it is useless.

I would spray plants in a morning, close the basement till evening - so all the vapor will dry before the dogs will go down.

Good Luck

Irina

Irina,

I have been growing for years and have never had mites, (knock wood) but I have heard that there is a lot of that going around locally. The problem is, I have recently moved and now my entire set-up is new and different. Different location, (basement instead of sunroom), different temperatures, (cooler), different water, (tap instead of rain),etc., so I feel as though I am starting from scratch. Some of my centers are bunchy, which I suspect is from the new lights as well as maybe cooler temps, but they are not twisted or hairy, just tight. I do, however, have one plant, Psychedelic Show, that I divided as it had multiple crowns. Each of the plants is showing deformed centers but in different ways. One has a very tight, bunchy crown with just a few outer leaves, (this one I suspect mites), another has very tiny leaves in the center although it is blooming normally. Maybe a stress reaction to dividing? The third has a normal compliment of leaves except for the center which is, again, very bunched. I know the best thing is to throw them all out but I would like to know what is going on with them for future reference. I have isolated them.
Thanks for any insight!
Linda

Linda - in my own limited experience with cyclamen mites - they spread like a forest fire, it is never one plant only, and the distortion of the leaves is very disgusting.
It doesn't look the same as the stress related bunching - or when the growing point dies.

I would probably put healthy looking leaves for rooting and chuck the stunted plants - it takes so long for them to recover - it is better to start from a new leaf. New babies will be better adjusted to your new growing area.

Irina

Irina,

I think you're right; rooting new leaves would be quicker than waiting for a recovery. Do you think it's advisable to use the Forbid on everything 'just in case'?
Linda

Isn't Psychedelic Show a chimera? (so rooting leaves won't be a solution)

I have used Forbid when I found a few of my plants that looked like they had cyclamen mites . I took a few leaves of each of the plants washed them good with soup and water and put them down . The plants went into the trash and I sprayed all my other plants with Forbid and Avid Miticides. I keep most of my plants under 7 in humidity domes. I live in Tucson Az and I grow mostly sem and min, with the dryness they need them . I did not have any problems. Both are pretty safe to use around mammals, but if you have fish or a bird you need to be careful It is best not to use most Miticides more that one or two times the mities will develop resistance to them.

The newest Miticides out now is Kontos you can pick up 1 oz on e bay for $45.00.It has the ability to to be absorbed by the plant, move up and down through its Vascular system which the others can not
.

Daniel - you are a hero! Growing AVs in Tucson - this is a real challenge.

Forbid is also a systemic, and I got it from ebay for $22 per half oz.

Linda - I didn't see any signs of phytoxicity from Forbid or Avid - so if it gives you a peace of mind to have it done - go for it.

As far as I remember - the cyclamen mites like center leaves and they stunt them, broad mites make older leaves look spoon-upside down - and they live on older leaves.

So - if it is a chimera, I would pinch the tip of crown out -spray the plant - and wait for the suckers.

Good Luck

irina

I thought a few pictures might be helpful. Obviously, this plant is history, but I wonder what is going on. I had divided this in October, it was fine until a week or so ago, and it went like this practically overnight.

Another picture of the same division. Again, the center looks off, but very different, I think, from the first picture. And the blooms are fine.

One more. Another division from the original plant. Also, these divisions are suckering like crazy. So--conditions, mites, general obstinacy???

Linda -

what I see is because of the stress the growth point of the plant died - happens sometimes without any obvious case.

When the tip dies - it stimulates sleeping buds down the stem to start growing. You just wait until they are large enough for you to separate them and root them up.

That's what people do when they want more Chimeras - lop the top off - and get suckers that mostly bloom true.

So - doesn't mean that your plant is history - it means that you have 3 new baby plants instead of an old one.

Just to be on the safe side- if the flowers on these and nearby plants are normal - there are no mites. Mites make the flowers distorted and discolored.

I.

PS I had this happened 8 years ago - when I had Soil Mealy bugs and had nothing to treat them but Malathion. Guess what - it killed the growth points on 1/3 of my collection. I had suckers galore. That was a phytotoxicity.

Toxicity is the reason I am reluctant to use chemicals, even 'safe' ones. I have been landscaping for over twenty years and have seen some ugly things; for both plants and people. I once worked at a golf course and every morning we would have to clear the grounds of the dead birds, squirrels, and chipmunks that would succumb to all the chemicals used to make the grounds green. I finally decided it wasn't worth my health. I quit and have pretty much stayed away from chemicals ever since.

I have been meaning to propagate a few chimeras but have never gotten around to it so I guess my plants got the jump on me! Relieved to know it's not mites!
Thanks everybody!
Linda
P.S. Daniel, I'll trade you some of my humidity for some of your heat; it's 10 degrees here in Cincinnati right now.;)

You know we got down to 27 degrees for 4 night last week and I lost all my plants siting in pots out side. As for heat next summer when the temp goes up to 110 degrees out side and I have to start running my plant light at night to keep the temp in my plant room below 90 degrees I will remind you.
My plant pretty much shut down during the summer and I am happy just to get them through till late Aug when the temp comes down. Then I have 6 month when I dont struggle with my plant 6 month of spring like weather where I get up to shelves with plants covered in blooms.

Daniel,
You and I have the same problem just at the opposite time of year! My goal in the winter is just to keep my plants alive until summer although last July it was 110 degrees almost every day. Plus humidity. Lots and lots of humidity. I think that's why my violets are acting up a bit now. Plus last week it was 70 degrees, this week 10-20, and next week will be in the fifties. My violets are in the basement which is heated but it's still hard to regulate it. I just keep telling myself--It's part of the adventure!
Looking forward to spring!
Linda

Irina,
On one of these threads you mentioned soaking leaves in sugar water and Super Thrive before planting them. Can you go over this again for me? I can't find the original message.

Thanks.
Linda

Irina,

Found it! :)

Linda

Linda
My AV's look just like your pictures. I don't know what s going on. I purchased a high power microscope to check them out. Not a mite problem???
Last week I loped off all the centers and bad leaves and now am waiting to see the results.
I can post a picture if it will help. I think something else is the problem.
Thanks Cork

Cork,

If you removed the centers you are going to get lots of suckering growth. Do you have somewhere you can isolate the affected ones and just wait and see what happens?
I think my violets are reacting to their new growing situation. Stress will make them react in funny ways. I have a new growing location, new lights and the weather here in the Ohio River valley is so crazy;it makes it hard to keep my basement growing area at an optimal growing temperature.
Have you changed growing conditions or brought new plants in?

Linda

Linda
Do you think this can happen because I fertlize every watering? I too live in Ohio and keep my plants in the basement, which has not been a proble. In fact I guess I have 400 or more plants. Some are side by side with the affected one. They appear to be fine. I still think something else is going on.
Cork

Cork,
Over-fertilizing will cause tight centers. I use 1/4 strength of the fertilizer for three weeks and then just water the fourth week. It is also important to run water through your plant occasionally and let it drain out of the bottom. If you suspect over-fertilization, I would not fertilize for a while and see if the centers loosen up. Also, re-potting would help. Tight centers could also be caused from cold temps., too much light or too intense light, as well as the cursed insect.
Sounds like maybe you should back off the fertilizer for a while.

Linda