Question: My violets are all scorched and brown. What causes that, and how do I stop it?

Answer: Like so many of our other plants, violets are subject to spider mite damage. Their leaves will turn tan and mottled, and you will be able to see the tiny mites if you thump the affected tissues over white paper. Control them with an insecticide that is also labeled for mites, but use a pump sprayer that will let you apply it to the bottoms of the violets’ leaves. These particular mites sometimes show up as early as March.