Are the crowns also discolored? If so, especially if they are grayish and hairy, you probably have mites. However, these environmental factors can also cause a tight center plus these other problems:
using water from a conditioner-tight centers & shiny, brittle leaves;
heavy soil--tight center & slow growth;
overfertilizing--tight centers & stunted growth;
too much light--tight centers & leaves rolling under;
too hot--tight centers & streaked blooms.

If you do have mites, you likely have them in all of your plants, even if they don't show symptoms yet, and you will have to spray. If you can get them under control, your best bet is to use a systemic in the potting soil as a preventative measure.

Good luck.

Carla in Texas

The centers seem to be lighter in color than usual. I think it might be to much fert. Especially a AV bloom booster. I use that a lot...maybe to much?

You can leach your pots with a tepid water until the water runs transparent.

Depending on the climate - 1/4 of the teaspoon of a balanced fertilizer is usually the best - unless you have a dry climate - then 1/8th. Bloom booster fertilizer is used before the show to produce a lot of blooms on a well grown plant. And to grow the plant well to start with - you need to use balanced - something more or less close to 20:20:20 and without urea.

If it is the reason - I think you will see the difference after leaching - in a week or 2.

Can it be that they are overdue for repotting?
Can it be that they are too cold or too hot?

70-75 F would be perfect, 65-80 is OK.

Good luck

Irina

PS - Carla - I didn't not hear about a soil systemic for mites - can you, please, tell me which one you recommend?
I know about some stuff that actually kills the eggs too, not only mites - Floramite - but it is awfully expensive.

I've had overfertalizing cause those symptoms.

A systemic is a preventive measure. Mites disfigure the plant because they scratch the stem/leaf and suck the moisture out. They are almost impossible to see until they are really bad, so the symptoms are all you will see at first. A granular systemic insecticide in the potting soil is taken up through the roots into the plant itself. Since I've been using any of the common brands (greenlight, etc.) I haven't had insect problems. Of course, if you decide to start mixing a systemic into your potting soil, do NOT get the product on your skin. Good luck.

Carla in Texas

I had one plant that looked this way tight center and turning grayish around its edges. It was the only plant with this condition and with the possibility of cyclemen mites I ditched the plant and so far none of the other plants have looked this way. Cross my fingers*** Still havent found that dang camera , if I did I post some pics for I have nice looking flowers. My sister has ck her rv and says its not there, so Irina you may remember my talking about this.

Carla - I am afraid that the stuff you use doesn't work against mites. I also use systemic insecticide - Marathon - in my soil.

Mites are not insects and the poisons that kill insects do not affect them. The stuff that kills them is called miticide. And usually it is very expensive or/and quite poisonous.

So - you and me are just lucky so far. Hopefully with a reasonable prevention we can hope to stay mite free.

Irina

Steve - keep looking for your camera! Or break your piggy bank and get a new one, it seems that they cost less and less now. Better if it has a macro option. I am sorry for your loss. I feel like quite an idiot now - I was moving my plants to another shelf, gave them a bath, got a clean tray, decided to cut a new mat, cut it - and I still cannot find where I put a 20 inch tray. It is not a small thing - but it disappeared in a thin air. Senior moment...

No, it's not luck. Just so everyone will not be under the impression that you cannot use a systemic on mites, I am using Fertilome's systemic granuals. The active ingredient is diethyl ethyl phosphorodithioate (derived from malathion, which also can be used on mites) and is listed as a miticide. The last bottle I bought cost $4 and has lasted for several years. Yes, this is toxic and should not touch skin. I haven't had mites in years and years. Spray treatments for mites include Kelthane (which was taken off the market, then put back on), Malathion and Cygon (as a drench). The sprays can be very unpleasant to be around. To me the dry granuals were easier if carefully handled.

Carla in Texas

Carla - hello,

I got a big box of latex gloves from Home Depot - and always wear them if I work with soil because of the systemic.

Kelthane is awful. If we would read all the published info on the side effects... I sprayed and dunked my plants with Malathion when I had mealy bugs and the solution ate through the plastic container.

I was told to never wash anything plant related in a dish washer (I know somebody who does it - but I think she has an extra dishwasher installed) - because the residue will be absorbed by the plastic walls of the dishwasher.

Wouldn't it be nice to live in a perfect world without cyclamen mites and root mealy bugs...

Good Night

Irina

I read somewhere that if you have cyclemen mites they cant be completely removed. So am i to understand the systemic granuals you speak of are a preventive and not a cure? The one plant I had that was suspicious I ditched and so far have seen no indications of any other damage, cross my fingers. By the way where do you get the granuals you speak of, do you special order?

Steve -

with all my respect to Carla's experience - I think the ditching in your case is justified.

If you already have them - the big guns are usually what's needed to kill them off.

There is some stuff that is not that poisonous and promises to help against this and that - like Neem oil. But this for prevention = not eradication. Like if you have everything covered with powdery mildew - Neem is not efficient. If you do not have it - and spray with Neem from time to time - you possibly never even develop PM. The same is with mites, I think. If you have 2 of them and directly Neem them off - you are OK, but since they multiply in a geometrical progression - there is more chances to miss them - and you go for AVID ($100), which is the cure.

I was looking at the plant that developed greyish leaves and the center leaves were dry. So I am looking with a loupe trying to find them - eventually I tried to push the stem - and it broke off the roots - root rot. So poor guy was suffering and showing his problem not with limp leaves- but with dull color and baby leaf loss.

So it just another case- you thought it was a mite infestation - but it more possibly was another problem.

Looks like it is easier to start a new plant from a leaf - than try to baby back to health the one with problems. It will try to send suckers and such - and it wouldn't be attractive.

Good luck

Irina

Irina-- thanks for your input and info. D_ _ _ this dialup anyway, if I had a dollar for every time Ive cussed it out I could buy me a new digital camera. By the way Ive had another thorough search for the not to be found camera and it[is not digital but had macro], from your suggestion I putting my efforts into getting another one for I would like to post some pics of my flowers. Some of the ones I debudded and debugged a couple of months ago with neem oil seem to be doing quite well now. later and goodnight.

I was interested in this systemic miticide idea, so I looked up Fertilome's Systemic Insecticide granules, and unless this was changed recently, it seems that as of last year, this product was cancelled by Fertilome. Drat. I have a jasmine that keeps getting mites, but keeps surviving. I would've liked to have something to help it out.

I haven't tried this on AVs, as I've only had them for a month, and they haven't gotten mites, but I used MiteX on my jasmine, and it really kills the darn things. It is a mixture of clove oil, cottonseed oil, and garlic extract. Kinda reeks, but not chemically. Also, you're supposed to mix it before you use it, and you can't store it more than 12 hrs (don't know why). Anybody see a reason why you couldn't use this on AVs?

Are you sure it has been discontinued? I looked on the Fertilome site and the product is still listed. (See the link below: go to systemic insecticide). I bought mine at a local nursery several years ago. I've been growing AVs for at least 30 years, so I've had every pest and almost every environmental situation there is. Since I went to the systemic about 10 years ago, I haven't had pest issues, meaning that any problem is environmental. It helps a lot.

If you have mites already, you will likely have to destroy the plant or maybe all of your plants. They spread rapidly and will infest your whole collection. If you want to save those that are not that infested, you will have to bring out the big guns to get rid of the mites. This means chemicals and spraying all of your plants several times, weeks apart. Even then, you may not save them, or if they make it, they may not look like they should. It will take a long time to get them back. Once you have things back under control, you can use the systemic to prevent any other infestations. Prevention is much easier than dealing with big problems.

As far as using MiteX you probably could, however, by the time you see mites and realize you have them, they are destroying the crown of your plant. That creates all kinds of problems, making it difficult to bring the plant back so that it looks like anything. If Fertilome has discontinued the product it still may be around on some nursery shelves. It would be worth looking. If not, I will be looking for other systemic brands with the active ingredient for mites.

Carla in Texas

Here is a link that might be useful: fertilome list of products

I have several violets, but only two with tight crowns. The leaves are a lovely green so I don't think mites are the problem. They are huge, but have not bloomed for about 4 months.

The rest of my violets are doing just fine. I do continuous feed and if this is the problem, why are the rest of the plants not affected? Would appreciate any help you can give me.

Thanks.

Char

I had a problem with tight, brittle crowns last year, turned out I really needed to repot them, the soil had gone too acidic. I also cut the lights on them, as I was running two T8's over them. The new growth perked right up and they are growing normally now. But I am keeping better track of when they need fresh soil.
Ruth