Put the whole thing in a giant freezer bag and close it, then sit it on a sunny window sill and in about a month, new leaves should start growing! If the soil is not moist, water it just a little before putting it in the bag, shouldn't need to water it again until you decide to take it out of the bag all together and treat it like normal again. If the inside of the stem is brown and mushy, you can cut it off until you get to the firmer green (or purple depending on the violet) center. It will grow new roots off the fresh live part of the stem. I just did this with a very sad root/stem rotted violet, it was a little less than a month before I started seeing new baby leaves.

Thank you! I had one person instruct me to put foil over a glass or jar filled almost to the rim with water - poke a hole and put the crown in that so the bottom can root and the leave stay dry. Have you tried this with any success?

What both of you are talking about is two different ways to "start" leaves or cuttings. Miss Mo you are talking about starting it in water. A lot of people like this method.

Ocean Meyer is talking about starting it in a loose soil mix. Some prefer this method.

Either method works it just depends on what works well for YOU. That comes thru trial and error.

Looking at your pix, I think I would opt for the soil mix. I would make sure it is maybe a 50/50 mix of perlite and indoor potting soil. Make sure it is BARELY damp. And yes into your baggie it goes! Don't be over anxious as it will take a minute to acclimate and start to regrow. When you see new growth, well, you may have a good thing "growing"! lol Good luck to you and let us know.

Be patient. this could take a while! Rosie

I am with Ocean Meyer and Rosie on input, a gallon ziplock is a horticulturist's best friend. Just make sure it isn't getting too much light in the windowsill you pick, an unprotected South or West window could cook it. East would probably be best, or if you have one of those flourescent light fixtures under your kitchen cabinets, under there would also work. I propagate suckers in bags of moist soil, mixed 50/50 as Rosie suggested, sealed in a ziplock, under a flourescent about 10-12" above the plant. Works everytime!

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You go girl! Rosie

I usually do it in soil. Why this time I think it is bbetter in water - the leaves look very damged. If you cover or bag it - the leaves will start rotting - and it will be the end of the crown. In the water - the lower air humidity will keep the damage contained, and the tips of the leaves will eventually dry and it wil be possible to remove dead tissue.

Irina do you think if she put it in almost DRY soil and bagged it that may work? I just have a gut feeling there is more rot than potential in that poor little baby and I would be afraid of more water. The leaves look to be almost gone as it is. But certainly at this point anything is worth a try. I just am not sure. Rosie

Ooh, I hadn't considered that Irene. That makes a lot of sense. Would cutting the stem up a bit higher help any? It does look a little brown at that end. I know there is lrecious little to work with though, maybe an anti fungal?

OMGosh! You are all so helpful - thank you!!

I ended up doing the water method. I used a clean exacto knife and cut away part of the end and some of the sides of the stem. Then I placed saran wrap over a small juice glass with a hole. I did put it all in a gallon size baggie in an East-facing window with no direct sunlight. As you can see it's leaves are looking better (minus one that is completely dead now) and I can see two itty bitty ones poking through. Our home has the AC running pretty regular and I feel the bag is really helping. Now I am just keeping my hopes up for some roots.

But so far, it's much better than it was the day I started!!! I will post another update in a week or so. Thank you again!!!

Mo :-)

Good choice,,,it IS looking a little better. Good luck! Rosie

Nicely done Mizz Mo! I like that you found a way to combine the best advice all around. And wow did that make for a fast turn around, starting to look like it has a serious chance at life. I am going to remember this trick should I ever need to use it. Good luck!

Good Job. You can remove the dead leaf now.

LOL - the dead leaf is gone :-)

Update: Here is a picture of the violet as of today. I planted it in soil on Friday (7/22) and it looks like it might survive! I used a 50/50 of African Violet soil and perlite (I recycled a candle holder for a planter).

I want to thank all of you for your help - I am forever grateful!! Looks like I will be investing in a cloche to help with the humidity from here on out. Again - thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

I am sorry to be a pain in the ass - but you planted it in an ungodly large container - the pot should be 1/3 of a leaf span - I bet a solo cup or a yoghurt cup with a hole in the bottom would serve it well - plus you planted it too deep - the leaves are not supposed to touch the soil, the soil level should be a bit lower than the place leaf stems are attached.

You are creating unfavorable conditions for your little plant - and you can kill it. You did exceptionally good job saving it - now it is time to stick to the rules.

Get yourself a book.

https://www.amazon.com/Growing-Show-Winning-African-Violets/dp/0961571519/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469407056&sr=8-1&keywords=pauline+bartholomew

You do not need to be a show grower - but it is a good read and not that thick of a book - I would say - after you finish with it - you will understand AVs do's and dont's - and you will feel what this plant likes. I wouldn't go so far that they will start talking to you... but it is a beginning of a Plant Whisperer training.

Irina, the bore

Hi Irina,

The picture is deceiving - sorry about that. I should have taken it at more of an angle. The container is only 2"x 3" and only 2" deep - much smaller than a solo or yogurt cup. I added extra perlite to the top of the soil to give it some cover. If I took a picture from the side you would see the leaves are actually above the perlite and not touching :-) Plus, until I get a cloche, it is back in the bag since we have zip, zilch, zero humidity right now. But it's a dry heat :-/

Before my violet tried to off itself it was in a 4" pot for the past six years. I went with this small and shallow pot for now until it gets used to soil again (it was in the water glass for five weeks) and grows larger and stronger. Hopefully it will back to it's original glory by next year.

I have been reading up on AV care on this site and at avsa.org - especially Joyce Stark's FAQ's (and I ordered her book, You Can Grow African Violets, from abebooks.com and should be here this week). I'm with you - I definitely need(ed) resources to ensure continued success.

You're not a bore and I appreciate all of the help I have been receiving! Thank you again!

Mo :-)

Woohoo, your violet is looking great!

6 years in one pot - sounds like not repotted all this time... that's an unkillable one- defiitely worth saving.

I have both these books. They probably have a similar information, but the one I recommended just deliveres better. Joyce Stork's book is more of the questions in answers - Pauline Bartholomew is more like a manual. It is more of an engineering approach - you do this, 2 weeks later you do that, 3 weeks later you do that ...- and in 12 weeks - you have a show plant to die for.

Joyce Stork's book is based on the questions people asked AVSA and it is written in more detailed way - you have this problem - why it happened, what did you do wrong, what should be done better...

I think each book appeals to the different readers and good to have both of them. I just prefer to go through the 5,4,3,2,1 - launch scheme first - it sure delivers - and then discuss possibilities. I think it is very important to have an initial success.

Regarding how to grow AV covered. It really needs 50-60% humidity, not 100%, so think about covering your container with a angel cake lid or salad bowl lid with a good size hole cut in it. An AV needs water to evaporate - so it can absorb more water with fertilizer. If there is no evaporation - it sits hungry and pale.

I.

Hello Everyone,

Just wanted to give an update on the violet. As you can see it is doing great and is in bloom just in time for the holidays! Because we live in the high desert, I had to find a way to help it with the humidity it needs and found the Socker Greenhouse which works perfectly for my needs - looks great - and it's only $20! Ikea also has some neat planters, called Sotcitron, that use a water wick system that look a bit more modern (if anyone is interested).

I wanted to thank everyone again for your help and encouragement!! Happy Holidays to you all and I hope you have an amazing 2017!!

Mo :-)

Nice job, Mizz Mo! It's hard to believe that's the same violet.

Back from the dead! Now it will live forever!

Beautiful job!!!!! Rosie