I see this sort of thing on my gloxinias that are outside in natural light so
I don't think it is related to the amount of yellow in the light. I think the
shriveling is caused by heat and/or low humidity. I have also observed that
there seems to be a critical period during the beginning of bud development
when the slightest lack of water will ruin the flower buds. Once the buds get
to be the size of a pea they seem to be somewhat resistant to my poor
watering.

--beeky



Mama Bear wrote:

We're in a house now where the sun only comes into the plant stand area in
the winter. So 6 months a year they depend only on the grow light above.

I just got a nice new fixture with 3 T8 32 watt tubes instead of the two
40 watt T12's that used to be there. They even have a polished mirror
reflector, so they put down even more light. But the tubes I got with them
are purplish grow light tubes and the gloxinias are forming buds now but
then they shrivel away and don't bloom.

I think someone here awhile back was saying that these kinds of plants
need yellow to bloom? Should I replace one ( or two? ) of the grow lights
with a T8 warm white, that has yellow?

--
- Mama Bear

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