Funny you should ask, or maybe it is not funny. Having grown violets for many years I now have quite a few things that seem to work well for me. When I first started growing and showing violets I used a #2 pencil and frankly that does work nicely removing blossoms that are just starting to form.
Then I discovered the sucker plucker. It can be purchased through many of the AVSA commercial businesses. As you can see it has a scooped pointed end and a sharp end. I use the scooped end to remove suckers and blossoms and the sharp end to dig out suckers, cut leaves, trimming and a variety of things that need to be removed. The sharp end can easily cut a hole in a leaf so I am very careful using it.
My grooming tools took quite awhile to find them. They are brushes I found in stores and make-up cabinet. Q-tips are really great grooming minis and semiminis because they will remove dust but not leave any residue. I always take the brushes and small scissors to groom the plants before the show begins.
At the far right of the picture is a knife that Jung Seed Company sent me. It has a nice thing blade and not too big. I also found one at a Coast to Coast store. I use it to trim the roots off a plant. Scrapbooking companies sell serrated scissors that I use to trim strep leaves. It leaves a leaf with a similar design that is natural looking.
And last, but not least, are electrical tape and a permanent maker that I use to label plants. The tape does NOT leave any residue on the pot. I always use permanent markers because any other pens will fade with time being exposed to water. Thanks Sharon J. for the scoop!
