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blupit007
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« Reply #75 on: February 06, 2011, 07:44:29 PM » |
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My seedlings are bizarre. The tallest one is great, but I may have burnt it with fertilizer. I cut the leaf off, and it looks good now. Below is a photo of the leaf that's funny. I also have it next to the smallest CH seedling I have, they are pod mates. It started wilting under the big grow lights. The photo shows the damage. I cut the worst leave off, and put it in the fish tank under the fluorescent lights, and it bounced right back. It hasn't grown much at all.... The other one is already brown wood!
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-Kristen
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blupit007
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« Reply #76 on: February 06, 2011, 07:48:43 PM » |
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On the other hand. My mother plant, Cindy's Heart, my GEM!!! I acting funny. She has been showing signs of spider mite damage to the leaves here and there. (I have been using Kontos for several months now, and still have mites) however, CH does not have any. I have checked and checked, none. A few weeks ago, I sprayed her down with water because I thought I saw some. But nothing now. So today, her leaves felt soft and a bit limp / weak. Not wilted, she has moist soil. I watered on Tuesday... Any thoughts?
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-Kristen
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blupit007
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« Reply #77 on: February 06, 2011, 07:50:09 PM » |
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Oh, and I sprayed her with Supernova mixture today after I discovered the tender leaves and now they are stiffer, back to a more normal feel... what do you suppose that was?
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-Kristen
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Darkhorse
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« Reply #78 on: February 07, 2011, 12:28:27 AM » |
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Kristen, you may need to increase your dose of Kontos a little bit to compensate for the plants being indoors and not drinking as much as outside in full sun. Kontos worked really, really well for me until I brought my plants inside. I don't really have a good sunny window, so although I was watering with 1/8 tsp/gal of Kontos with every watering indoors, it wasn't enough and the mite population exploded. I just increased it a couple of weeks ago to 1/4 tsp/gallon and I *think* it's starting to work again.
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"They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." -Edgar Allan Poe
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blupit007
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« Reply #79 on: February 07, 2011, 05:45:22 AM » |
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That is a great idea Jordan. I didn't think of that. Some of my plants are drinking fast and drying out quick, but some are in larger pots like CH... I will give it a try. But what happened yesterday with the soft leaves was weird! Don't you think?
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-Kristen
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Darkhorse
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« Reply #80 on: February 07, 2011, 11:02:22 AM » |
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Yeah that is strange... wilt disease maybe? Hope not! Or did the leaves perk back up again? If CH hasn't been getting much sun, and you moved her to a location where she all of a sudden is getting a lot more sun, this is no surprise.
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"They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." -Edgar Allan Poe
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blupit007
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« Reply #81 on: February 08, 2011, 06:23:53 AM » |
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So here's what I think... We have been having not a lot of sun lately due to the constant snow falls! The other day it was sunny and beautiful out. She was wilty during the day, but not at night, for 2 days in a row. I did however finally find two monster sized mites on her yesterday! UGH!!! I am feeding today, as tuesday is my feeding day, and will up to 1/4 per gallon... I will spray her first!
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-Kristen
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Charlie
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« Reply #82 on: February 08, 2011, 07:17:44 AM » |
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It's neat to hear you guys figuring out the problems together. Especially since your ideas are good ones!
I've seen hibiscus go soft or wilty when suddenly exposed to conditions they are not used to. For instance, sudden exposure to cold can do it. This could be a cold night draft in a window or moving plants from greenhouse to greenhouse when it is very cold. The difference between this type of wilt and disease is that the plants recover from this kind in a few hours or within a day. Same kind of thing for exposure to higher light than they are used to. For instance, seedlings that germinate in direct sun can take strong sun but seedlings germinated in low light and grown in low light cannot be moved into high light without being slowly conditioned to it.
I sure hope increasing the Kontos dose during winter will do the trick. Keep us informed please. Kontos can also be sprayed on the plants but that defeats the purpose of having a miticide that can be applied safely via watering. Please don't spray any pesticide, even organic ones, without mask and gloves and for complete results a disposable Tyvek coverall being worn. The coverall isn't needed for organic pesticides but for others it is safest to use one. Masks ARE needed for organic pesticides because you will breath tiny droplets of oil, soap, or whatever into your lungs if you don't use one. I have to get on that soapbox from time to time, and hope people listen and take precautions.
Charlie
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blupit007
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« Reply #83 on: February 08, 2011, 08:01:49 AM » |
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Thanks Charlie, It is very easy to not use a mask... I admit, I don't. I also never spray indoors. I haven't sprayed anything since I brought them inside for the winter, other then the supernova I made up last week. (is it OK to spray with that regularly?) I think the wilt may be the sudden sunny day since we haven't gotten sun in like a month for more then an hour. She also stopped blooming, so I think it is safe to say that is the culprit!
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-Kristen
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Charlie
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« Reply #84 on: February 08, 2011, 08:46:29 AM » |
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On the subject of "monster mites", we have to be a little cautious here. There are predatory mites that feed on spider mites and those you don't want to kill because they are the very best defense against spider mites.
The most common spider mites found on hibiscus are the 2 spotted mite. These have 2 big spots on their back, one on each side. The spots can be seen under a magnifier. That makes it easy to ID them. Unfortunately, the Southern red spider mite is also a common pest of hibiscus and it is not quite as easy to ID. These mites are a dark reddish orange color. The main difference between them and one predatory mite that feeds on them is size - the predatory mite is approx twice as large and has longer legs so when you said "monster" it made me think of them. Below are photos of both the Southern red spider mite and the 2 Spotted mite.
Bottom line, if you see the 2 spots or the almost solid dark red color it is likely a pest mite. If there is new leaf damage it is likely that pest mites are present but predators are likely then, too. If it is bigger than normal, and has no spots, and moves quickly over leaves and branches, it is likely to be a predatory mite. Pest mites tend to remain on the bottom of leaves or hang onto the spider webs they make. They are active but not as much as predators.
The world of pests and predatory insects is a strange one when looked at through magnification. I've seen critters under magnification that are scarier looking than any dinosaur and thanked goodness that they are so tiny!
Charlie
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Darkhorse
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« Reply #85 on: February 08, 2011, 01:24:37 PM » |
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Kristen, it has got to be the sun that's causing them to wilt. Mine do that too, quite reliably in fact, if they haven't had any direct sunlight for awhile and are then surprised with a nice, sunny day.
Double ew for the mite pictures Charlie!
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"They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." -Edgar Allan Poe
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blupit007
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« Reply #86 on: February 08, 2011, 04:00:17 PM » |
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So I think I blasted off some "good" mites! Damn!! I saw the little buggers with my naked eye, and they were crawling fast. On the other hand, there was new mite damage to the leaves, so they were after them... oh well.
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-Kristen
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Doll
Posts: 1036
Houston, Texas
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« Reply #87 on: April 24, 2011, 03:15:41 PM » |
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Cindy's Heart is one of those varieties whose colors intensify in the sun and heat. CH just beginning to open before the sun came out from under the clouds early this morning.  A couple hours later after being in the hot sun. And it remained this color all day. It's hard to believe that it is the same bloom. However I have never had CH last more than 1 day in my conditions.  |
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I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could.
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davidwood
David In Nha Trang Vietnam
Posts: 1054
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« Reply #88 on: April 24, 2011, 05:17:19 PM » |
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Looks lovely Doll, I certainly think that would do well here in Vietnam, that Space Oddity and Rosiland, I am on the waiting list for all 3, real sun lovers.
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David.
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blupit007
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« Reply #89 on: April 25, 2011, 06:26:33 AM » |
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Doll, it is funny how it is for you. Mine is the same from open to close no matter what season. And it sometimes stays open for 4-5 days for me.
Although this winter, I had a de-foliation happen with her. She was so full of big beautiful leaves and one after another they yellowed and fell off. I think it was just their time, because there were no bugs. Now I have bare stalks with a bunch of 1/2-3" stems going up the stalks. And believe it or not, I actually have buds forming on those!
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-Kristen
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