"The leaf on the lower left side looks like it has goosebumps! Do all of the Optimara Rose Quartz leaves look like that?" Actually almost all AV leaves look like that if you look close enough at 'em :-)

They are probably still young, you will get stronger bloomstalks later when the plants mature. It also depends on the variety - miniature and semi-miniature violets as well as trailers have much skinnier bloomstalks than standards and even standards vary. Some have skinnier, some have thicker bloomstalks. Depending on your culture - f they have enough light, you feed them regularly and the soil is good - you can leave them alone and enjoy the blooom. If you grow them on the windowsills - - they won't be as strong - you can leave one bloomstalk on each plant - and pinch the rest - so the energy goes to the growth. But in a long run - they will catch up. If you want - you can post the photo - so we all can see what you are talking about. Irina_co

In colder climates the rustle of leaves warn us that winter will soon be here. I know some vendors ship in the winter; my only experience with that wasn't good. Mary, Rob is well known for his miniatures. I have never bought off ebay (I need lessons lol) but I enjoyed looking up David Thompson and will remember your good experiences with him and one of these days I "may embrace" the whole ebay experience and jump right in!!! Eleven and Gardener, I just watch the description Rob gives by each plant; I haven't a lot of experience watching Rob's minis grow. Right now his Wagga Wagga and Toorooka (ordered earlier) are impressive. His other plants have done well for me too, all except Gillian It has suckered so much, never bloomed....if anyone wants young suckered Gillian plants next Spring, I will have a bunch. I like to order from Lyndon Lyon greenhouse too I ordered the minis, Chantaspring and Lil' Runaround from Lyons' and they have stayed very small. Dear Friends enjoy your violets, junebabe, smiles, Linda

Hmmm - green plant out of bloom??? I have plenty of it - it is called a lawn and I need to mow it...(Oh NO!) If you fix your conditions to the best you can - it is not that AVs will look like plastic plants with flowers always on. They go through the cycle faster and when they bloom - they do have more flowers - but they have out of bloom stages when they rest - just they rebuild the resources for blooming in a more expedient way. I think it is the fun part - to try to improve, to try a different approach - sometimes it is a total flop - sometimes it is for the better. So I am pretty sure that the improvement bug will bite you again..