| Sandra - I'm certan there IS a good reason - I have a theory about why the spikes in the center of the crown happen. At this point it is ONLY a theory. If I ever hear anything to the contrary I will post. I believe that when the new leaf is just forming, before you even know it is coming (as in very very tiny) it gets killed by pest (or I suppose some disease could do it as well). It is the same net effect as crown rot, but just is not obvious because the last leaf that is removed was so young/small. I have had mealies from time to time and I believe THEY are the culprits in my case. They suck the life out of the tiny leaf that you had not even seen yet and the plant then stalls out.........Those little buggers are REALLY ANNOYING! I keep thinking I have them totally eliminated and then they show up in one single place. Don't know if it is the ants bringing them in (Lord knows I always have plenty of them!) or I just loose my vigilence before I have them 100% removed from ALL my collection? The worm tea helps with them too - but again continued vigilence.......  |