I have a good-looking, blooming African violet which has suddenly come
up with little white dots, a few on some leaves, but mostly down some
stems and at the main stem. I lost a couple of leaves, but not an
unusual amount for a plant this big (about 9"diameter).

Can anyone tell me:

What it is?

is it not a "good thing"? g
and

how to get rid of it/prevent it if it's harmful to the plants or me?

I don't have the problem on any of the other violets. And, I have a
*bunch* of 'em. This one is on one side of the kitchen sink...I have
two other smaller/younger ones on the other side of the sink and they
have no spots. All of them are watered/fed from the bottom.

Puzzled...
Belle

On 30 Jun 2003 15:12:29 -0700, (Belle Thomas)
wrote:

I have a good-looking, blooming African violet which has suddenly come
up with little white dots, a few on some leaves, but mostly down some
stems and at the main stem. I lost a couple of leaves, but not an
unusual amount for a plant this big (about 9"diameter).

Can anyone tell me:

What it is?

is it not a "good thing"? g
and

how to get rid of it/prevent it if it's harmful to the plants or me?

I don't have the problem on any of the other violets. And, I have a
*bunch* of 'em. This one is on one side of the kitchen sink...I have
two other smaller/younger ones on the other side of the sink and they
have no spots. All of them are watered/fed from the bottom.

Puzzled...
Belle

But could it have gotten sprayed?

On 30 Jun 2003 15:12:29 -0700, (Belle Thomas)
wrote:

I have a good-looking, blooming African violet which has suddenly come
up with little white dots, a few on some leaves, but mostly down some
stems and at the main stem. I lost a couple of leaves, but not an
unusual amount for a plant this big (about 9"diameter).

Can anyone tell me:

What it is?

is it not a "good thing"? g
and

how to get rid of it/prevent it if it's harmful to the plants or me?

I don't have the problem on any of the other violets. And, I have a
*bunch* of 'em. This one is on one side of the kitchen sink...I have
two other smaller/younger ones on the other side of the sink and they
have no spots. All of them are watered/fed from the bottom.

Puzzled...
Belle

If the white dots are fuzzy, it is probably mealy bug. Take a look at
the spots under magnification.

http://www.optimara.com/doctoroptimara/diagnosis.html

Dr. Optimara (Optimara grows violets) says it is probably Thrips. You can
click the leaf icon on that page to start a new diagnosis.

http://www.rachelsreflections.com is a great source of dozens of easy to
understand Violet Care pages.


hth,
John
Austin, Tex


"Belle Thomas" wrote in message
m...
I have a good-looking, blooming African violet which has suddenly come
up with little white dots, a few on some leaves, but mostly down some
stems and at the main stem. I lost a couple of leaves, but not an
unusual amount for a plant this big (about 9"diameter).

Can anyone tell me:

What it is?

is it not a "good thing"? g
and

how to get rid of it/prevent it if it's harmful to the plants or me?

I don't have the problem on any of the other violets. And, I have a
*bunch* of 'em. This one is on one side of the kitchen sink...I have
two other smaller/younger ones on the other side of the sink and they
have no spots. All of them are watered/fed from the bottom.

Puzzled...
Belle

jammer wrote in message . ..
On 30 Jun 2003 15:12:29 -0700, (Belle Thomas)
wrote:

I have a good-looking, blooming African violet which has suddenly come
up with little white dots, a few on some leaves, but mostly down some
stems and at the main stem. I lost a couple of leaves, but not an
unusual amount for a plant this big (about 9"diameter).

Can anyone tell me:

What it is?

is it not a "good thing"? g
and

how to get rid of it/prevent it if it's harmful to the plants or me?

I don't have the problem on any of the other violets. And, I have a
*bunch* of 'em. This one is on one side of the kitchen sink...I have
two other smaller/younger ones on the other side of the sink and they
have no spots. All of them are watered/fed from the bottom.

Puzzled...
Belle

But could it have gotten sprayed?


Don't think it got sprayed...besides the white "dots" are like very
small beads. Couldn't have gotten sprayed that far down into the
plant, along the main stem. sigh It's still blooming cheerfully.
Think I'll look into the mealybug or thrips...thrips are a new one on
me, but then so is the enjoyment of the violets. I'll check out the
research and suggested sites. Sounds a little like "African violets
for Dummies" (politely put, of course! g) which is just what I need!
Thanks to each of y'all.
Belle

John!!!
Thank you!
Two great sites for a beginner like myself! Both went immediately
into my "Favorites"
I do remember my grandmother with a Qtip and alcohol dabbing at her
violets, by golly. I think mealy bugs may be the problem. I do get
the willies thinking of thoroughly rinsing the *entire* plant after
treating with the alcohol, but I'll trust the "Doctor".
Apparently the Optimara place is in Nashville...about five hours from
me. If I win the Powerball lottery....hmmmmm....I can see a plush
limo with dozens of their plants, me grinning into a champagne
flute...headed back to Appalachia! LOL
Thanks a whole bunch!
Belle


"John T. Jarrett" wrote in message ...
http://www.optimara.com/doctoroptimara/diagnosis.html

Dr. Optimara (Optimara grows violets) says it is probably Thrips. You can
click the leaf icon on that page to start a new diagnosis.

http://www.rachelsreflections.com is a great source of dozens of easy to
understand Violet Care pages.


hth,
John
Austin, Tex


"Belle Thomas" wrote in message
m...
I have a good-looking, blooming African violet which has suddenly come
up with little white dots, a few on some leaves, but mostly down some
stems and at the main stem. I lost a couple of leaves, but not an
unusual amount for a plant this big (about 9"diameter).

Can anyone tell me:

What it is?

is it not a "good thing"? g
and

how to get rid of it/prevent it if it's harmful to the plants or me?

I don't have the problem on any of the other violets. And, I have a
*bunch* of 'em. This one is on one side of the kitchen sink...I have
two other smaller/younger ones on the other side of the sink and they
have no spots. All of them are watered/fed from the bottom.

Puzzled...
Belle

Glad I could be of help!

Watch out for that Rachel's mail group, tho....I just learned about online
violet groups a couple months ago. After being thru Rachel's site twice and
joining the email group, someone has sent me about 2 dozen leaves plus a
half dozen baby plants to grow! For just the price of shipping! We are
talking violets with pink dots in the flowers, pink variegated leaves, white
leaves, all kinds! Highly addictive! I've now covered my dining room table
and am working with a local potter to get pots at wholesale...

:)

Good luck,
John
Austin, Tex



"Belle Thomas" wrote in message
m...
John!!!
Thank you!
Two great sites for a beginner like myself! Both went immediately
into my "Favorites"
I do remember my grandmother with a Qtip and alcohol dabbing at her
violets, by golly. I think mealy bugs may be the problem. I do get
the willies thinking of thoroughly rinsing the *entire* plant after
treating with the alcohol, but I'll trust the "Doctor".
Apparently the Optimara place is in Nashville...about five hours from
me. If I win the Powerball lottery....hmmmmm....I can see a plush
limo with dozens of their plants, me grinning into a champagne
flute...headed back to Appalachia! LOL
Thanks a whole bunch!
Belle


"John T. Jarrett" wrote in message
...
http://www.optimara.com/doctoroptimara/diagnosis.html

Dr. Optimara (Optimara grows violets) says it is probably Thrips. You
can
click the leaf icon on that page to start a new diagnosis.

http://www.rachelsreflections.com is a great source of dozens of easy to
understand Violet Care pages.


hth,
John
Austin, Tex


"Belle Thomas" wrote in message
m...
I have a good-looking, blooming African violet which has suddenly come
up with little white dots, a few on some leaves, but mostly down some
stems and at the main stem. I lost a couple of leaves, but not an
unusual amount for a plant this big (about 9"diameter).

Can anyone tell me:

What it is?

is it not a "good thing"? g
and

how to get rid of it/prevent it if it's harmful to the plants or me?

I don't have the problem on any of the other violets. And, I have a
*bunch* of 'em. This one is on one side of the kitchen sink...I have
two other smaller/younger ones on the other side of the sink and they
have no spots. All of them are watered/fed from the bottom.

Puzzled...
Belle

There are 2 telltale signs of thrips:

one is if the leaves of the flowers are dusty with pollen, i.e. the
thrips munch on the pollen and leave it all over the leaf and 2,
if you hold the plant on its side and tap it gently over a piece of
white paper, thrips fall onto the paper and look like grains of sand.

One of the ways that people like me buy and bring home large volumes
of plants from strangers (shows) and faraway places and try to avoid
bringing home bugs like thrips, is we *always* disbud any new plant
before bringing it into the house, i.e. take all of the flowers and
flower buds off of the plant.

I hope this helps,
Cynthia