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happyseed

Help with yellow leaves _PLEASE

happyseed
16 years ago

I have been growing African Violets for about one year with no problem. They have all remained healthy and bloomed well. I moved them and put them into the window at my office. Now all the outer leaves are loosing their color! The leaves are strong and healthy and show no signs of mites but the color is gone and they are just yellow. Will the color come back into the leaves if I move them again? I tried rotating the plants and then the other side turned yellow. I really hope someone can help. My violets are only the wally world kind but I dearly love them! All help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks,

Comments (8)

  • irina_co
    16 years ago

    Happyseed -

    The life expectancy of a leaf is about a year. So - older leaves die and new leaves emerge from the center and grow large. It can be it.

    Another thing that can happen to older leaves - is haloing - if the yellowing starts from the edges - and it is a nitrogen deficiency. The reason for it can be - not enough fertilizer - or if you fertilize enough - the problem can be the wrong PH of the soil or water. You said you have them in the office - so more chances that the water is OK, not as you get it from the well and it is hard. So most possibly it is soil. How long ago did you repot them? They shouldn't be in the same soil for more than a year, 6 months is even better. What happens - the peat in this soil gets too acid with time - and the soil is just gets poisonous.
    If you decide that it is time to repot - be sure that you add 1/3 perlite to the AV soil - or mix your own 1:1:1 peat - perlite - vermiculite mix.

    It doesn't seem like pests - it seems to be a cultural problem.

    Good Luck with your beloved violets.

    Irina

  • quitecontrary
    16 years ago

    Happyseed -

    Does the new window have more light than where the violets were growing before? I have seen leaves get pale all over in response to too much light. This might be what is happening in your case, especially as the other side paled when you rotated the plants in the window.

    QC

  • happyseed
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Hi and thank you. My office gets continual "Bright" light during the day (all day) and light from outside floursents during the night. I have decided to repot and move them away from the window. Do I buy a regular potting soil and take off the leaves? thanks

  • robitaillenancy1
    16 years ago

    Yes, remove the yellowing leaves. I believe it is wise to change the location since they are telling you they don't particularly like it there.

    AV soil is too heavy and will keep too much water at the roots which makes them rot. You can buy this soil, then cut it with one third each of soil, perlite and vermiculite. This allows water to drain freely and you won't get soggy roots that rot.

    Nancy

  • happyseed
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Thanks to all of you that sent emails. I have removed the outer leaves, repotted and changed location. Hopefully this will do the trick. Thanks again, Happyseed

  • cor2000_u
    11 years ago

    The African violet is a plant of the lower stratum of the African forest. A light too direct and too intence will destroy the leaf chlorophyll and they will become yellow. The orientation of the window is very important.

    Here is a link that might be useful: African Violet light

  • cor2000_u
    11 years ago

    The African violet is a plant of the lower stratum of the African forest. A light too direct and too intence will destroy the leaf chlorophyll and they will become yellow. The orientation of the window is very important.

    The link has changed
    Here is the new link that might be useful:

    Here is a link that might be useful: African Violet

  • PRO
    Whitelacey
    11 years ago

    Although this might not be apropos to your leaf problem, I noticed that your plants get light 24/7. All plants need a dark period to photosynthesize. Put simply, they gather energy from light during the day and use it while it's dark.

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