ah, I truly understand this. I used a soft toothbrush before I knew better. AVs are watery fleshy fuzz critters.

But, now I use this instead https://www.elfcosmetics.com/p/total-face-brush 

Makeup brushes will make your green friends very happy and shiny. and congrats on the gorgeous blooms!

As for saving them, I'm not really sure. Broadly speaking, rooting leaves is your best option. Its actually pretty easy to root young leaves, i.e. ones in the 2nd or 3rd row from the center of the plant. Rooting them in moist vermiculite would be kindest and easiest for them.

Since I'm not that experienced here, I'll leave it at that. Good luck! :o)

I'm now more cautious (worried) and use a small paintbrush the width of my fingernail on my minis. I also try to steady the leaf as I brush it as I have snapped off a tiny leaf by brushing a little too vigorously.

Background credit-- AV MAG July August 2017 cover. That plant shown is a beauty: Rob's Boolaroo shown by Kurt J.

Makeup brushes and paintbrushes definitely sound like they'd be more gentle than whatever prompted me to lose my mind with the hardware brush!

In reference to the rooting young leaves, currently the only ones on Ian Countess that I think will survive are all in the first row. I lost the second, third, and fourth rows entirely. The largest leaf is about the size of my thumbnail, and the two smaller ones are pea-sized or less. It's basically been taken back to tiny baby plant again, just with a better root system.

I'm hesitant to repot it again so soon, especially since it's so stressed, but it's a three-leafed plant being absolutely dwarfed by the four inch pot it's in. It was overpotted to begin with, but now it's at distinctly-raised-eyebrows levels of overpotted. I'm going to let it be for a couple of weeks and then see what I think.

Speaking of overpotting - what's the generally accepted rule for young plants where their diameter does not quite justify a pot up, but their current soil is nothing but a solid mass of roots? Slightly deeper pot of the same size? These were in nursery pots. I typically start from leaves and bumble through the adolescent violet stage.

Young plants looking a bit overpotted is not a big deal - they will catch up soon. Do what your green finger tells you - and you do have a green finger.

Regarding the plants you mistreated. I would remove dying leaves and not worry about the size of the pot. It is not only the mass of leaves - but mass of roots and thick stem that holds the reserves to regrow. The removal of outer leaves will stimulate the production of growth hormones and the plant will rebuild soon.

I guess you are not experimenting with metal scrub brushes, toilet brushes, brooms and vacuum cleaners anymore 8-((. I find that if a plant looks dirty - the easiest is to rinse it with a lukewarm water and dry. And you can leach the soil at the same time.

Irina -- I took your advice and removed the dying outer leaves. That was my first inclination. Seemed silly to let the plant waste energy trying to save something not worth saving. This is all that's left of Ian Countess.

Don't worry! I think you'll get most of them back. As for the ones you think you'll lose, a wise thing to do would be to go here (if these are Optimara violets) and see if you can find the exact name of the variety. That way you can buy an exact replacement if you'll really miss the original.

And yes, Irina's right, you can plant little ones in 3" pots if they have a nice root ball going. My one word of advice is make extra sure not to over-water in that case so they don't end up swamped.

The thing about using small paint brushes is that, if you're trying to cover a whole leaf, you tend to work even harder which might actually raise the chance of injury. (Also my experience with actually painting with them over large areas of canvas.) This one from e.l.f. seems like it would be mega useful for smaller violets if you would like to try that. But that's all my opinion--do whatever floats your goat! :o)

I would go THAT far! I do not think I have 1 violet in 4". I think I am going to move one in 4" right now. Out of 3.5".

Starter to Solo cup or Keurig cup - next step azalea type 3" pot - then 3.5" and if I really want to - 4".

If you let your plants bloom - they do not grow that large. If you are preparing for the show - and disbudding for 2-3 of months - then... they really grow fast.

The one that are marked as LARGE - grow bigger and if you house has good humidity - they tend to grow bigger too.

I have a heck of a time finding any sort of sizes between 2" to 4" locally. I suppose I'll have to either look or pout harder. Or hit up my good friend Amazon.

On ebay violetshowcase and kathystrep sell pots. I know personally both of them and I order pots from them. Price is pretty good. Better than Amazon. I think they order pots from the manufacturer in bulk - and do not up the price too much.

If you do not need that many - lest say - you need decent looking 3.5" - order them - and use solo cups, yogurt cups, keurig cups, whipped cream cheese cups - for intermediate size. Wine plastic cups you can get at the party supply shelf work well instead of 3" pots. The only thing - you cannot punch the hole in them. i got a cheap soldering iron - I think you can get one in Walmart under $10 - and make nice round holes in every plastic container I want. I love Dole's fruit cups - you can put 3 leaves or a mini trailer in them.

Sorry Irina! I thought I typed 3", not 4"!

Those are great for containers. Personally, I let my hot glue gun heat up and I melt holes in the bottom that way. I wipe it off/out in between pots. It works super well.

I also use cut-down wonton containers that are left over when we get Chinese. Love those.

Recycling is very respectable - and cost nothing! Hear, hear!

Looks like micro-mini to me. I tried several... they only grow covered for me... itti-bitty ones. Cute! So - you got a sable brush in art supplies - just for this one ;-)).

Hi, anybody try to wash the plant with neem oil mix with water? I read somewhere in the internet but I don't know any beneficial to the plant. Maybe make the leaves shiny because there is oil?

That must be a micro-mini!! That's so adorable!

I'm an advocate for doing whatever the plant likes--in my experience, mine don't like baths. Our water isn't too great. I also live in a valley, so the extra humidity is cause for concern re: crown rot/leaf fungus etc.

Last time I used neem oil as a preventative I scorched some plants. I was very new to gardening then but I still only use insecticidal soap--safest for me and the beneficial critters. Generally, just using brushes makes them shiny enough. But I too am curious if that is beneficial in the long run?

Sable hair -- oh, yeah, sable -- only the best for my little chickadees.

Heh, I actually have little use for a micro-mini. Even the couple of blooms it had were micro. Who wants to look at a plant with a magnifying glass? But you're right, a very cute tiny little remarkable plant.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction in regards to those pots, Irina. I'll definitely be checking them out.

I've heard the minis and micro-minis are very popular in terrariums. I'm embarking on my first adventure with minis as we speak -- one of my leaf requests from Lyndon Lyon was substituted for a mini and I ordered one as well so now I've got two sets of leaves. They are breathtakingly tiny. I will admit to far too much squealing when I saw them in person for the first time.

Well that gives me an idea now...

Who wants to trade some cute little micro leaves for a Cajun...