Question: I just acquired a violet from a relative that had not been repotted in quite some time. As a result, it has developed a very long and twisted stem. is it possible to get rid of this awful looking stem and save the plant?
Answer: Yes. Normally we eliminate a violet’s “neck” by repotting and covering it with fresh soil. This is done by removing some of the old soil from the bottom of the root ball, lowering the plant in the pot (not necessarily a bigger pot), and adding fresh soil to the top of the pot, burying the neck. Once covered with soil, the neck will eventually produce new roots. If violets are repotted on a regular basis, about every 5-6 months, necks never have the chance to become long and twisted like the one described above.
When a neck becomes this long, repotting is no longer possible, since all, or nearly all, of the root ball would need to be removed to lower the plant enough in the pot to be able to bury the neck. In this case, drastic measures need to be taken. Remove all but the healthiest 4-6 leaves in the center of the plant. Then cut away and discard the entire root ball and old soil, leaving only the fresh, center, growth and perhaps 1/4″ to 1/8″ of the stem.
Fill a 2 1/2″ or 3″ pot with moist soil. Press the plant crown into the soil, being sure that its short remaining stem is firmly anchored. Enclose in a clear plastic bag and place in a bright (not too bright or hot) location. In about a month the plant will be rooted and can be removed from the bag–like new!