Diagnosis & Treatment of Problems and Pests on African Violets
Symptom	Cause	Control/Treatment	Notes
Brown or scorched leaf tips or edges of leaves	Poor quality  water	Have water tested and follow laboratory recommendations
	Excessive dryness between watering resulting in poor root health	Water regularly
	Poor root health from excessive fertilization or other soluble salts in soil	Leach out salts with plain water; don't let plants stand in water	Look for crystalline deposits on outer edge of soil and rim of pot
	Low humidity	Put plants on pebble trays; cover plant stands with plastic sheeting; or use humidifier in plant area
	Pesticide injury	Spray damage in applying pesticide solutions
	Mechanical injury	Watch knives and scissors they will nick and scratch leaves
Leaf spots, blotches and/or blemishes	Intense light (like sunburn)	Reduce amount of light or move plant away from light source
	Low temperatures	Increase heat in plant area
	Chemical spray injury	Do not direct aerosols on the plants, spray over plants letting the mist fall upon them
	Water droplets on leaves	Blot any droplets dry before putting plant in light
	Watering with cold water	Use room temperature water
Yellow-green foliage on older leaves; leggy plant growth	Insufficient nitrogen	Water occasionally with a high nitrogen fertilizer like fish emulsion
	Compacted soil, poor drainage	Repot into the same size or larger pot, removing as much of the old soil as possible without damaging the root ball
	pH too high or too low	Repot in fresh properly pH mix
	Insufficient light	Increase light or move plant closer to light
Yellow-green foliage on younger leaves	Soil pH imbalance (low pH=acidic)	Test soil to verify low pH; add a little lime to soil mix, repot
	Nutrient imbalance, especially iron deficiency	Use a fertilizer with trace elements
Generalized yellow-green foliage	Too much light	Reduce amount of light; move plant away from light
	High temperatures and dry soil	Plants are very stressed; water carefully; reduce temperatures
	Insects	Isolate plant and identify bug; it is taking its nutrition from the plant; use appropriate means to get rid of it; or destroy plant
	Crown or Root rot	Check root ball, cut off diseased part. Make sure healthy roots are present, remove as much of the soil as possible and repot in fresh, sterile soil; or take crown cutting and restart plant if not spread to crown. Usually as the result of over watering
Wilting and/or drooping foliage	Soil mealy bugs	Apply an appropriate pesticide
	Excessive dryness	Water regularly
	Excessive fertilizer or other soluble salts in soil	Leach out salts with plain aged water; do not let plants stand in water
	Compacted or poorly drained soil	Repot into same size or larger pot, removing as much of the old soil as possible without damaging the root ball; use fresh soil mix
Crown or root rot	Check plant for a viable crown and some healthy roots; repot healthy part of plant; otherwise, destroy plant
Brown dry leaves in crown; excessively hairy; may see webbing	Spider Mites	Isolate plant; spray with Malathion, Insectidal soap, Avid
Tight centers; stunted growth	Excessive light	Paper towel over center of plant for one week; if center open light level is the problem
	Cyclamen Mites	Isolate; Look for bugs using magnifying glass; look for webbing; spray with Malathion, Insectidal soap, Avid
	Excessive fertilizer	Lower dosage of fertilizer about 50% for one month
	Pot bound	Repot	Could occur after heavy blooming
White stick cottony mass at leaf axils; cottony spots on leaves	Mealy bugs	Isolate plant; dab where seen on foliage with alcohol swab; spray with Malathion, Neem oil, or Insecticidal soap; Disyston in soil <in reservoir?>	Disyston in reservoir 1 tsp per 16 oz reservoir for 3-4 weeks, then discard replace with clean reservoir and water
Burned out crown	Pesticide spray	Do not let pesticide solution set in crown; dab with absorbent paper towel
	Washing foliage	Blot dry crown and leaves with absorbent paper towel after washing
Leaves curl around pot	Excessive light	Move plant from light source, reduce time lights are on; tray holding plants may reflect too much light, use colored surfaces
	Cold plant area	Heat area or move plant or warmer area
Pollen on petals; blossoms fade quickly	Thrips	Disbud ALL plants in room; keep disbudded at least two months; spray with Avid (1 tsp per gallon of water Conserve 1/4 tsp per gallon); Neem oil	Blow gently on blossom, watch larvae scurry away
Powdery patches on upper surfaces of leaves, also patches on blossoms	Powdery Mildew	Lysol spray; sulfur spray; benomyl or thiophanate 5 spray; Phyton 27 spray
No Blossoms	Insufficient light	Increase light; move plant closer to light
	Too cold	Heat plant area; move plant to warmer area
	Lack of fertilizer	Apply fertilizer recommended for African violets weekly
	Heavy or packed soil	Repot into porous light mix. Do not pack soil into pot.
	Pot too large	Use pots that are approximately one-third the diameter of the plant.
Stems & leaves limp, turn mushy, glassy, then rot	Over watering	Mix holds too much water; repot in porous mix
Loss of Variegation	Too much nitrogen	Change to a fertilizer with less nitrogen; do not fertilize with fish emulsion
	Too warm`	Wait for cooler weather; use air conditioning or ceiling fan in plant area
Ring spot	Impatiens Necrotic Spot Virus	No cure - destroy plant; get rid of thrips; bleach all surfaces and tools
	Water droplets on leaves	Blot off all droplets before placing violets in light

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