By Eric Reyes
Hi everyone!
During our March 15, 2026 meeting we had the pleasure of having Annette Rowan and yours truly (mainly Annette though!) presenting “Bugs Be Gone!”, during which she shared the wealth of knowledge she possesses from having been a professional and hobbyist plant grower for decades!
As always, our membership engaged in a lively conversation both about their own experiences with different solutions as well as active cases of infection or infestations they’re dealing with, bringing with them a wonderful community vibe that’s perfect for plant lovers!
If you’ve been growing plants for any stretch of time, you know that it just naturally comes with the hurdles of figuring out how to control insects and the infestations that come with them, in addition to figuring out how to manage viral and fungal infections that can sometimes overcome our plants. If it’s alive, just like us, it’s a target!
Some argue that there is greater value in pursuing natural approaches that effectively establish an ecosystem inside or around your homes – which involves acknowledging natural insect and plant life cycles and embracing them – while others prefer a more chemical approach that offers a more robust and controlled method, effectively neutralizing any potential pests and infections along the way.
If this is the kind of topic you’re interested in, then please come join us for future sessions of the VAVGC to gain valuable information about plant care in the future! We’re excited to both teach and learn together as our community develops their amazing collections!
External References
As part of the presentation, we shared a PDF provided by the African Violet Society of America (AVSA) which you can read and download here.
To see the article “Diseases of African Violets” by Joyce Stork, please press on the button!
Thanks for the read and we hope to see you soon!
Eric
Vancouver African Violet & Gesneriad Club 