If the small plant in the front is the semi mini I would not repot at this time. Just not large enough IMO, no neck, and just coming into bloom so I see no reason to repot. JMO Rosie

Thanks, Rosie. I was kind of thinking it should probably have at least a few leaves that extend out beyond the pot rim, maybe. I'll hold off.

Joan

I would. She still looks like a baby. Give her a couple bloom cycles and then revisit the repotting! Rosie

Thanks again, Rosie. I have no idea how big a semi-mini is going to ultimately get, so it's hard for me to judge this infant. It's not that I haven't looked up the potential measurements of each, but that's so theoretical compared to something visual. What one reads is "can be up to X". Potential size under ideal and expert conditions vs typical (but careful) household size doesn't really help me. I have tried to find photos, but they're all focused on the plant in question, and there's no sense of comparative scale. If anyone can post photos of typical mature plants, standard, semi, and mini, all in one photo, that would sure help me figure out what to expect. It might be fun to wait for the eventual "reveal" but I feel about plants like I felt about being pregnant: boy or girl?? I had to know, ha ha!

Joan

Joan, People who buy from VB usually do repot right away because the compact mix that company uses is not conducive to easy, good growing. If you repot it, simply use the same pot. Also, VB AVs typically come in the right size for getting started. It should be fine for 3 to 6 months. With semi's, to encourage blooms, keep it in the small pot.

With semi's, if or when you do decide to move it to a 3" pot, the leaves will get large. Blooming will be delayed while the foliage grows out.

For my own personal preference, if the AV is supposed to be a semi, I let it grow in a 3" pot.

There is no standard size for semi's. They can vary quite a bit.

Joanne

Joan, P.s. All AVs are girls! Flirty girls at that! Joanne

Well, one would hope they wouldn't be shy ... we don't want shrinking violets.

Joanne, thanks again. :) Good to know, re violet barn purchases. I decided to take a look at the soil and root structure on little tiny Apple Orchard. Soil actually looks okay, although more vermiculite and less perlite than I quite like. Possibly a shipping compromise? Or an assumption about future environment? In any case, I easily knocked away about half the mix and replaced it with something that has lots more perlite, in the same teensy dixie cup.

I already repotted another one from VB that I think of as "Bad Boy" (RS Masha Rastarasha) without trying to knock off any soil because it seemed like a husky, fast-growing, greedy dude, was drying out fast, and the root ball in the pot was fully filled out to the pot edges and reaching for more. There was no loose potting mix. I didn't want to damage any roots so I just gave it a mild "rub" (a little agitation) and moved it up. In the three weeks since I got it it has expanded in diameter by 2" at least, and gained 3 leaves. In the two days flat since I repotted it already looks bigger and has exploded noticeably in the crown and minuscule hints of bloom spikes have appeared. I'm amazed. Chunky Masha.

Joan

Hi, I did not realize your VB mini was in a dixie cup. It sounds like you did what was needed. At some point, you might want to replace the cup with an actual 2" pot.

Some growers send their plants in temporary packing material, both the potting mix plus the container. They expect the buyer is experienced and will evaluate and soon repot. VB is considered to be that type of grower/vendor.

Your rapidly growing Russian plant sounds like fun. You know what you are doing! Joanne

If the dixie cup is a solo cup then that is a good type of "pot" to use. I regularly use plastic solo cups (small size of course, lol) as a pot. Just poke holes and it serves the purpose well. It is also a good size. If you are only growing for yourself as I do,,,,,a lot of containers can be repurposed as pots! (recycler) Rosie

LOL Blueberry!

Rosie, I think maybe it is a "solo" cup, not "dixie," if the difference is that the former is plastic and the latter is paper? I'm not sure; to me every tiny disposable drinking cup is a "dixie" because that's what they were when I was a kid. There was no plastic disposable cup at that time, and I've never since bought any single-use cups for my house, hah. Single-use anything gets on my nerves, ever since the original Earth Day in 1970. Anyway, I'm sure there's still growing room in it, now that I've looked.

Joanne, I've heard that before (from you, probably, on another thread?) about repotting VB stuff. But the directions that came with the plants said to wait for a bit and let them acclimate, so that's why I've been delaying. Plant #3 will get repotted today. I'll have to see what the root ball looks like before deciding on a pot.

I really appreciate all you folks. Thanks so much, everybody!

I was wondering that also. I almost asked if it was the "paper" cup we all know and used to love back in the day or the small bathroom plastic solo cup. Anyway,,,,,it is the small solo plastic cup that I use, reccommend and love! PS. I wash them and use them over and over until they finally "die". Then I recycle them! Rosie

Rosie, do you use them for potting up the tiny babies from propagating? (I hope to have some of those at some point.) Do you keep minis in them?

P.S. VB plant #3, a standard in a 2" square, had fully filled its pot, and got moved up. :) I feel better about all the little ones now.

Joan, White plastic Solo cups - I believe that is the brand name - are the standard cups used as pots by AV growers throughout the U.S. They are used for starting leaves.

The square or round 2" and other sizes can be purchased on the internet from various AV growers/suppliers. Joanne