Why does a violet have a dense rosette. Formation of a beautiful rosette at a violet. How and what leaves to remove so that the violet blooms
The first experience did not start very well, for a long time I could not figure out how to straighten the violet stem, I have one individual, it lay almost on its side. I decided to tilt it in the opposite direction so that it would straighten up under its own weight, but then a problem arose, the leaves also began to bend strongly under their own weight, so this method had to be abandoned (there would have been even more problems).
The second point, I tried to straighten the violet and put something under the leaves so that it could not return to its original position, but this method is extremely rough and can simply break the violet, I also did not use it.
It remains just to transplant, or re-root, but this method has a number of disadvantages: you can lose a lot of leaves during the rooting process (which we do not need), and after transplanting, the problem is likely to remain. I decided not to immediately transplant the violet, but first put it in water so that new roots appear on the bare stem, while I didn’t cut the old ones, this is what happened:
About a week later, new roots began to grow. This method, unlike re-rooting with cutting off old roots, does not injure the violet, it does not wither and does not lose leaves, in the future, when the stem is very long, but covered with roots, it will be possible to partially shorten it without depriving the violet of the roots completely and not at the risk of ruining her. (observation: with this method a very powerful root system is formed)
After landing, the corrected stem looks something like this:
He became completely even! So that the violet does not lie on its side, I deepened it a little when planting, so it will not be able to bend over until it outgrows its pot and all the leaves of the lower row fall off (this will happen no earlier than six months, or even a year, with good care )
Hence my conclusion: making a bracket for straightening the stem turned out to be unacceptable and not expedient, if it exists, it will not be suitable for all varieties of violets, or it will be with a complex design that does not justify itself. If you have your own opinion or observations, write!
Brackets for leaves are still in development.
Indoor violet with fragile delicate flowers of various shades leave few people indifferent. If one flower appeared, then surely their number in the apartment will grow, given all the variety of Saintpaulia in nature. A common question for beginner flower growers is: “How to propagate indoor violet without spending money on buying a full-fledged flower in a pot?”. You will find the answer in this article.
Under what conditions do violets reproduce?
If it is possible to create certain conditions, then you can breed Saintpaulia at any time. Violet is a capricious enough houseplant that will not tolerate negligence.
Time
The best time to get new plants is spring and summer. At this time, the sunny day is quite long.
The flower itself, which is at rest all winter, begins to gradually come to life and actively grow.
Daylight hours for rapid reproduction should be more than 12 hours. In winter, it is necessary to illuminate with fluorescent lamps or special fitolamps.
Humidity
Violets do not like dry air, especially during the breeding season. To maintain a suitable level, a pot with a rooting leaf, peduncle or seeds of this houseplant must be created as a "greenhouse". The optimum humidity for the propagation of violets is 50-60%.
Temperature
Violets do not tolerate temperature extremes. Mature plants themselves can tolerate cold at 10℃ and heat at 35℃, but they thrive well at 22-24℃. The optimum temperature for growing violets is 24-27℃. Moreover, this temperature should be on a permanent basis: violet does not like temperature fluctuations.
The soil
The soil for the most favorable growth and reproduction of violets must be of a certain composition. It should be slightly acidic, breathable, loose.
Therefore, the soil taken in the garden will not work: it may be too dense.
For beginner flower growers, there is an option to choose a special soil in the store. There is a large selection, the main thing is to ask a competent seller to choose the right one.
But flower growers with experience say that the purchased land can be very different from what is written on the package itself.
To be sure of the quality, they make the potting mix themselves. The composition of this mixture includes components:
- washed sand - 1 part;
- slightly acidic peat - 3 parts;
- leaf humus - 1 part;
- green moss - 2 parts;
- sphagnum (peat moss) - 1 part;
- charcoal (or perlite, vermiculite) - ½ part;
- sod land from the garden - 1 part.
Perlite or charcoal is added to maintain the optimum level of moisture, bactericidal properties, soil disintegrator, to prevent the soil from drying out too much or being too wet.
The moisture regulator is sphagnum, which cannot be overdone: it can cause putrefactive processes. It is better to take the land in a mixed forest where coniferous trees, alder, linden grow, but garden land is also suitable.
Pot
For a leaf, peduncle and seed taken for reproduction, any small container 4 cm in diameter and with holes at the bottom for good soil drainage will do.
The grown plant needs to be transplanted into a larger pot when the violet is twice the size of the previous pot.
If its size is not more than 6 cm, the violet is simply rolled over, adding a little earth around the edges and below. A little expanded clay is needed at the bottom to prevent stagnation of water.
Reproduction methods
Violets are easy to propagate with the help of a leaf in the ground and water. Rare specimens can be propagated using a leaf fragment. In this way, you can not only expand the collection, but also save a plant that cannot be helped.
There are ways of reproduction with the help of seeds, peduncle and stepchildren. Consider each of the methods of reproduction separately.
leaf reproduction
This method of rooting in water or immediately in the ground is most often chosen by flower growers. This method is explained by simplicity and relative ease. The main thing is to be careful and patient. The main stages of breeding:
- choice of planting material (leaf);
- rooting a leaf in a special soil or in water;
- separation of children;
- transshipment of young rosettes.
If everything is done correctly, then the room violet will surely delight you with new healthy offspring.
How to choose a suitable leaf for propagation
The final result depends on the correct choice of planting material.
For breeding, it is better to use a sheet not from the bottom row, but from the middle one, an example is in the photo on the right.
It should not be lethargic, unnatural in color, with spots. It will be difficult to get a good baby from such a sheet. It is better to choose a brightly colored leaf that matches the variety, resilient and strong. Do not take old leaves.
Important! If the cut violet leaf has become lethargic, then you can put it in boiled water, slightly tinted with potassium permanganate, for several hours. Then you need to cut the leaf 3-4 cm from the base and use it for further breeding.
How to cut a leaf
You need to cut off a suitable sheet with a sharp knife, scalpel, blade. Treat the cutting part itself with an antiseptic. The cutting angle should be about 45⁰. The length of the stem on the leaf remaining after cutting should exceed 3 cm.
Rinse and dry completely on a towel or clean cloth for about 20 minutes. This will stop the secretion of juice and avoid further rotting of the leaf. You can skip the drying stage when rooting in water. Apply powdered charcoal to the cut site. More details can be seen in the video below.
How to root a leaf in water
Step-by-step instructions for rooting room violets:
- Take a suitable container: a dark glass jar (for example, an empty medicine bottle) is best.
- Pour into it water at room temperature, boiled or distilled. Dissolve an activated charcoal tablet in it.
- Lower the violet leaf into the water so that the immersed part is no more than a centimeter. To do this, it is convenient to fix with a paper sheet with a slot.
- Carefully monitor the water level so that the cut does not dry out due to insufficient water. Maintain optimal temperature, avoid drafts and direct sunlight.
- After about 2 weeks, the first roots will appear. The plant needs to be transplanted into the ground when their length reaches one centimeter.
Important! If the sheet began to rot, you need to cut off the affected part, rinse the container and change the water.
Rooting directly into the soil
Another way to root the violet leaf, which is popular. The procedure here is as follows:
- Take a suitable pot no more than 100 ml in volume (flower growers often use a plastic cup with holes);
- Fill a third with expanded clay or crushed foam for drainage. Fill in pre-purchased or self-prepared soil. Make a hole.
- Dip the cut leaf into Fitosporin solution to protect the plant from fungal diseases. Pour the same solution into the hole for additional disinfection.
- Deepen the stalk of room violet by one and a half centimeters, do not tamp strongly.
- Put in a bright and warm place, protect from drafts. Do not place under bright sun. To maintain humidity, cover the pot with a plastic bag, a larger jar. Water as soon as the topsoil dries out.
It is not necessary to make a greenhouse from a bag or container, especially when it comes to unpretentious varieties of violets. But it is better not to experiment with rare plant species and follow all the recommendations.
How to seat violet babies
The first leaves appear in one and a half to three months. You need to start planting violet babies after the appearance of 4-5 leaves. The height of the plant (if it is not a mini-violet) should be about 5 cm.
You need to take a pot of a suitable size (about 7-8 cm), fill up the drainage (expanded clay or polystyrene), fill it with special soil for violets by about two-thirds. The acidity of the soil should not exceed pH 6.5 (slightly acid soil).
Put the grown outlet in the center of the pot, sprinkle with a new portion of the earth. It is important not to cover the growing point, otherwise the plant may die. After that, water the soil well and provide the transplanted children with high-quality lighting and a comfortable temperature. You can see more details in the video below.
Reproduction by a leaf fragment
Reproduction in this way is appropriate with a limited number of planting material, when the violet variety is quite rare, and when a single leaf begins to deteriorate and rot. The stalk of the leaf is cut off completely. The leaf itself is divided in such a way that at least one vein remains on it. More often flower growers root the upper third of the leaf.
The cut is allowed to dry and then treated with crushed charcoal. You need to plant a fragment of a violet leaf so that the cut is in close contact with the soil. It is even better to plant in this way in sphagnum, which has bactericidal and water-retaining properties.
Interesting fact! When propagating violets using a leaf fragment, there will be more children than with any other method.
How violets reproduce with peduncles and stepchildren
This method should be used when you want to preserve as much as possible all the signs of this violet variety. For example, chimera violets have a beautiful color of petals. These methods will help keep the color of the petals as bright as that of the parent plant.
Reproduction by stepchildren occurs as follows: the lateral stepchildren (rosettes), which form in the sinuses around the main rosette of the plant, are separated. The process of rooting occurs in the same way as the leaves. Then, after rooting and the appearance of new leaves, they are transplanted into a suitable pot. In chimera violets, the color potential does not appear in the first flowering, so you should not be upset if the first flowers did not live up to expectations.
Reproduction by peduncles is also used for chimera violets. Bloomed or faded will do. For this method, unblown buds are not suitable. With disinfected scissors or a sharp blade, the peduncle is cut off along with the stipules, planted in sphagnum, creating a greenhouse over the peduncle. You need to wait for rooting (a new outlet appears) and transplant into a pot.
Reproduction by seeds
First you need to choose a pair of violet parents with suitable traits. Plants should be healthy, blooming luxuriantly. Pollen is carefully collected from the flowers of one plant, and the pistils of another flower are pollinated with it. After 4 months, the seed pods are fully mature and dry. In this form, they are collected and sent for storage for a couple of days.
Violet seeds are planted as follows. We moisten the soil with a high content of perlite. Seeds are mixed with sand and planted. It is not necessary to cover with a layer of soil. We cover the container with the planted seeds with glass, put it in a warm place under special lamps.
It is necessary to water from a spray bottle, carefully monitor and prevent drying out. When the sockets reach 0.5 cm in diameter, they need to be dived into separate containers with special soil and grown as seedlings. Periodically, violets need to be transplanted into larger pots.
Proper planting of violets step by step
In order not to damage the plant, not to worsen its condition, the plant must be properly transplanted. We will analyze in detail all the nuances, we will tell you step by step how to plant a violet correctly:
- The frequency of transplanting violets is from six months to 9 months.
- For a sufficiently strong plant (no longer a baby, but not an adult plant either), a pot is needed with a diameter of 8-9 cm, the maximum size for an adult violet is 11 cm. Miniature violet grows well in a 5 cm pot. The ratio of the diameter of the new pot to the diameter of the plant itself should be 3:1. The size of the holes on the bottom should be about 3 mm. They need several. The pot, if used repeatedly, must be decontaminated, do not use from under diseased plants!
- Pour drainage a quarter of the height of the pot, then sand (to cover the drainage layer with a thin layer), then the prepared soil mixture for violets.
- When replacing with a more spacious pot, the violet is simply rolled over, adding new soil around the edges. If the old pot is used, the depleted earth should be shaken off the roots a little. Remove damaged roots and sprinkle cuts with crushed charcoal. Place the flower in a pot and, holding the root neck, carefully introduce the soil in parts, carefully distributing it between the roots. Lightly tamp the top.
- The transplanted violet is well shed. The first 2 weeks the plant will adapt. During this period, you need to carefully monitor it: keep the temperature slightly above 24 ℃, if necessary, create a greenhouse around the flower.
Possible errors during reproduction
The list of the main mistakes made by flower growers:
- wrong soil: too dense, with wrong acidity;
- low humidity and temperature, direct sunlight;
- weak or too abundant watering;
- strong deepening of the root collar;
- lack of disinfection during rooting.
Such errors arise due to ignorance of the rules for caring for violets, its features. They lead to a slowdown in rooting, rotting of planting material, inhibition of flowering and the formation of new leaves.
Scion care
Caring for rooted shoots of violets is similar to the standard care of adult plants.
- After rooting, the temperature is reduced from 27℃ to a comfortable 22-24℃ for violets. Humidity is needed within 50⁰.
- The difference between watering shoots and adult violets is more frequent watering.
- More perlite can be added to the soil for cuttings so that young tender roots do not rot.
Useful video
Find out more from the video below:
Summarize
Breeding violets is quite an exciting activity. In addition, self-propagation will help save money by not buying a ready-made plant in pots at an overpriced price in a flower shop.
Knowing the rules and methods of propagation of violets, you can easily cope with the task of increasing the number of indoor violets and replenishing the collection of this plant with new varieties.
Saintpaulia is a very common houseplant and is known as the uzambar violet. More than 32 thousand varieties of this plant exist today. But as soon as you buy a violet, the question immediately arises: "How to properly care for it?".
Choosing the best place for Saintpaulia
The first problem that arose immediately after the appearance of violets in the house was the choice of its habitat. Violet grows well in a bright place without direct sunlight and drafts.
If possible, it is better to place it on east side. In this case, the morning sun is not as aggressive and will help the plant bloom better.
If there is no choice, and the windowsill is constantly illuminated by sunlight, then to prevent burns on violet leaves, it is necessary darken the window with blinds or blackout curtains.
Nevertheless, insufficient lighting leads to weak flowering of the plant. You can fix this by rearranging the violet in a brighter place or using artificial lighting. As lighting elements, you can use a fluorescent lamp or a phytolamp, which is turned on for 10-12 hours a day.
Violets, like people, feel more comfortable at an average air temperature of 18 - 24 0 C. In order for the flower to be symmetrical, the pot must be turned from time to time towards the sun in different directions.
How to choose a pot for violets
When choosing a pot for violets, you need to pay attention to its size and material of manufacture. By size, violet pots are divided into small (diameter and height 5 cm), medium (7 × 7) and large (9 × 9). It is not recommended to plant Saintpaulias in very large pots., because: firstly, it does not look aesthetically pleasing, and secondly, we want to get flowers, not a bush with leaves.
Important! In large pots, violets do not bloom until two years old.
Violet roots are always close to the surface. This contributes to good ventilation and easy absorption of nutrients by the root system.
If you have reached the pot 9 × 9, then the process of transplanting must be carried out in the same pot. Shake off a third of the earth from below, plant it in a pot, add more earth from above. A place has been made for the germination of new roots, since the roots of the violet grow at the top, and the lower ones gradually die off.
Pots can be plastic or ceramic. Plastic- light, cheap, flexible, durable, but poorly breathable. To eliminate this drawback, they are made with a special plastic pallet.
It has a ribbed surface that allows you to keep the bottom of the pot in an elevated position. This promotes the flow of air to the roots of the plant.
Clay pots come with and without icing. Glazed options have the same drawback as plastic ones, although they are more beautiful, but their cost will be appropriate.
unglazed pots are less aesthetic, heavy and short-lived, but violets feel great in them. An aesthetic flaw can be eliminated by purchasing a planter or a beautiful pot of a slightly larger size. We install the plant pot in a pot.
Soil requirements for growing violets at home
Violet potting soil can usually be purchased at a flower shop, but some growers prefer to make their own as they find store-bought too light. First, drainage is installed on the third part of the pot (charcoal, expanded clay, small pieces of brick).
The soil should be light, nutritious and breathable. The components of the nutrient group of the soil include: leaf humus, soddy soil, compost, rotted manure, biohumus, and for light soil and breathability, fillers such as peat, coniferous humus, light garden soil, peat briquettes, sphagnum moss are used.
Also, soil baking powder is often used: sand, perlite, vermiculite.
Did you know? Violet helped discover a large zinc deposit in Europe. On lands rich in zinc, the largest flowers of violets grow.
Features of watering and spraying
Watering Saintpaulia occupies a special place in the care and cultivation of the plant. It does not like excessive watering and dry soil. Therefore, water every few days and keep the soil moist.
It is necessary to water with settled or boiled water at room temperature. For watering, use a watering can with a thin, long spout, because the violet does not like water to fall on the leaves or the growing point in the center of the bush.
At the bottom of the pot, there must be a hole through which the rest of the water comes out. Half an hour after watering, excess water must be drained. If water gets on the leaves, blot it with a napkin.
You can water the violet through the pan. Pour water into a container and wait half an hour. Violet will take the required amount of moisture. Drain excess water.
The leaves of the plant are not so much afraid of water as the development of bacterial and fungal rot, and water only contributes to this process. That's why, do not spray the leaves of the plant, but you can humidify the air, for example, by spraying the air around the plant or using a damp towel on a hot radiator.
Violets prefer moist air with a relative humidity of 50-60%.
When and how to feed a violet
For normal growth and flowering, you need proper care for violets and a sufficient amount of micro and macro elements. The main macronutrients are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. All of them must be in the required quantity, because their excess or deficiency leads to a decrease in flowering, yellowing and death of the leaves.
Trace elements also play an important role in plant growth. These include iron, manganese, cobalt, molybdenum, zinc, copper, boron. Their role in the life of the plant is to ensure the synthesis of enzymes that make it possible to effectively use the energy of the sun, water and nutrients contained in the soil.
Vitamins and amino acids stimulate the absorption of micro and macro elements by the roots of the plant.
Violets need to be fertilized once every 10-14 days with a violet fertilizer or an all-purpose fertilizer by root dressing. Read the instructions for fertilizer and prepare a solution for irrigation. We carry out fertilizer in the same way as regular watering, following all the instructions.
Important! Different fertilizers have different concentrations. Therefore, be sure to read the instructions and strictly follow the dosage. Violets do not tolerate an overabundance of fertilizers very well.
It is better to have several types of fertilizers and change them from time to time. For example, for more intensive growth, a universal fertilizer for ornamental flowering plants, with a high nitrogen content, is better, and for violet flowers and care for them, a special fertilizer for Saintpaulia, with a high content of phosphorus and potassium.
It should be remembered that it is not worth fertilizing violets in such cases:
- within a month after transplantation;
- with a strong weakening of the plant by pests or diseases;
- with a strong increase or decrease in air temperature.
How to prune a bush
The question often arises: "How to care for violets at home?" To get a beautiful symmetrical plant. First of all, it must be remembered that the violet rosette should look proportional, pretty and consist of about three rows of leaves.
The center of growth and development of violets should not be clogged with foliage. This happens as a result of a lack of useful elements for the development of new leaves, and they become small.
If this happens to you, then simply remove the lower leaves, which already look a little yellow and not quite alive. It is not difficult to separate them from the stem, just press with your fingernail at the base, and then completely remove the unwanted leaf with twisting movements.
If the violet, as a result of such actions, has a bare trunk, then it can then be deepened or sprinkled with earth. In order for the bush to be symmetrical, you need to periodically turn it towards the light in different directions.
Saintpaulia breeding rules
The simplest and most common method of propagation of violets is leaf propagation in water or soil. In this method, the correct choice of sheet plays an important role. It must be taken from an adult violet under a peduncle.
Leaves from the center of violets are not suitable for propagation, as they have not yet acquired enough strength and nutrients. The leaf should be without damage and defects, bright green. Extreme leaves have few nutrients, so it is better not to take them.
Carefully break off the selected leaf, leave the handle about four centimeters long and cut off the excess part with an oblique cut. Dry the cutting for 15 minutes.
Reproduction Saintpaulia leaf in a container with water produced in the following order:
- For each sheet, prepare dark glassware with a narrow neck.
- Fill the dishes with distilled or ordinary water with the addition of activated carbon. This will prevent the decay process.
- Place the cutting 1 cm into the water. Make sure they are not exposed to direct sunlight.
- Water can be added, but not changed.
If the cutting suddenly rots, then shorten it to a healthy part and sprinkle with activated charcoal. Change the water in the bowl. Follow the process of root formation. It can last up to a month. With a root length of 1-2 cm, the leaf can be planted in a plastic cup.
Reproduction Saintpaulia leaf in the ground is done as follows:
- Prepare plastic cups. Make a hole in the bottom.
- Place a drain in the bottom third of the cup. Use foam or expanded clay as drainage. Fill the rest of the place with soil for violets.
- Make a hole in the center, pour a little perlite mixed with earth into it and plant the cutting to a depth of 1.5 cm.
- Make sure the soil is constantly moist and does not dry out.
Other breeding methods are very laborious and have a small percentage of obtaining a positive result.
Eg, chimera violets propagate by stimulating the formation of stepchildren, and when propagated by a leaf, their color is lost. Stepchildren on a plant often appear due to the high nitrogen content in the soil. They are grown to the size of children and carefully cut off from the maternal outlet.
Rooting the growth of a stepson can be carried out in a greenhouse by placing it in sphagnum moss. The whole process takes about two months. As a result, you get a fairly large varietal plant. Stimulation of stepchildren in chimera violets can be carried out by cutting off the top.
Violets are propagated using flower stalks or seeds only by breeders.
Did you know?The ancient Romans called violet the flower of Jupiter.
The sequence of transplanting violets
The annual transplantation of violets stimulates the flowering of the plant and makes it possible to lower the lower part of the stem. The best care for violets in the spring is to transplant them. It can be carried out at any time, but not during the flowering period. Blooming violet is transplanted in emergency cases, and then only to save the plant.
Transplantation can be carried out in one of the ways: with a complete replacement of the soil, partial replacement of the soil, by transshipment.
Transplantation with complete soil replacement used mainly for adult violets. The advantage of this method is the almost complete replacement of the soil, as well as the inspection and cleaning of the root system of the plant. After removing the plant from the pot, the earth is shaken off, and the lower leaves, peduncles, and old roots are removed.
We put drainage at the bottom of the pot, then a little soil. We place the plant in the center and fill it with soil from all sides to the lower leaves. Watering is carried out on the second day. In case of subsidence of the soil, we fill it up. We make sure that the violet leg is in the ground.
Transplantation with partial soil replacement carried out mainly for young violets. For this method, you need to have a large pot. Transplantation is carried out similarly to the previous method, only the soil is shaken off only by the one that crumbles itself.
Transplantation by transshipment is the most gentle for the plant. To do this, take a pot of a slightly larger size. Cover the drainage with a small layer of soil, and place an old pot in the center.
Fill the space between the pots with earth and tamp down with shaking. Remove the old pot and place a violet with an earthy clod in the formed funnel. Soil surfaces must be equal.
Caring for these beautiful plants, you will receive a lot of pleasure and gratitude in the form of a magnificent bouquet on your windowsill. 
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Flowers bloom on the violet - they are just wonderful! What delicate shapes, what a bright color, how long we have been waiting for them! But as they bloom, sometimes there are disappointments - flowers are not collected in bouquets, there are very few of them, and the rosette is somehow crooked. No, we did not want such beauty. What to do? Are there secrets to growing an even rosette? In order for Saintpaulia to bloom magnificently and beautifully, and it would not be necessary to justify it to possible spectators, you need to be able to grow an even rosette - a properly grown violet will only delight you. First of all, you need to plant the violet correctly. The stem of the outlet should be located exactly in the middle of the pot, perpendicular to the ground. This will allow the root system and, accordingly, the green ground part of the plant to develop symmetrically.
The second main rule is that the outlet should have only one growth point. Often, after transplantation, stepchildren (daughter rosettes between leaf cuttings) begin to grow at Saintpaulia. If they are not intended for rooting, then they must be removed as soon as possible, completely, at the stem itself. Sockets thickened by stepchildren always have an untidy appearance and cannot be even. After removing the overgrown stepson, voids remain in its place, which also spoil the appearance of the outlet. Of course, the removal of stepchildren does not apply to trailers. Trailers do not have an outlet as such, and the formation of a bush occurs in a different way. Stepchildren are left in the axils of the leaf and pinched as they grow, so that each sprout also gives a stepson. Thus, a lush bush is obtained (but no longer a rosette).
If your violet grows on the windowsill for a long time without additional lighting, then you can see that all the leaves turn in one direction - towards the main light source. From the side of the light source, a faster growth of green mass is observed, and the outlet becomes one-sided. To prevent this from happening, the socket must be constantly turned, for example, once a week in different directions to the sun. The same should be done if the violet grows under the lamps, and the light falls on it only from one side - turn the outlet regularly. The ideal rosette should be even, the leaves should overlap, and the petioles should not be visible. If the petioles are long, the leaves fall apart to the sides and do not form a dense rosette, then, most likely, the violet does not have enough lighting. Move it closer to the light.
If the outlet grows too flat, the lower leaves wrap around the edges of the pot down, and the center of the outlet is too dense and the flower stalks break through between the leaves with difficulty - then there is too much light for such a violet. Keep it away from windows or lamps. Old leaves must be removed in a timely manner so that they do not pull on the nutrition necessary for young leaves and flowers, and they do not add decorativeness to the outlet. If there are already more than 7-8 rows of leaves on the rosette, then the lower leaves begin to turn yellow or become too light - such leaves must be removed. After removing the faded and lost the beauty of the leaves, be sure to pour the earth into the pot to the remaining lower row of leaves.
You need to start forming an even outlet right away, do not wait until it grows in a curve, and then only correct this defect. To do this, seat the children in a timely manner, preventing them from outgrowing, interfering with each other's growth. Any, even the most crooked baby, in the future, with active growth, is able to give an even outlet. And when planting, do not deepen the growing point! In violets, still in the starter stage, juvenile leaves (the first children's leaves) should be removed, usually 3-6 of them, which do not have intense color and size, and in variegated varieties, they do not have variability. If crooked curving leaves have grown on the outlet, then they must be removed in a timely manner so that they do not interfere with the even growth of the remaining leaves.
In the stage of rosette growth to an almost adult starter, plants should not be fertilized with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers (to stimulate flowering), during this period, use humate fertilizers to grow leaf mass. An old overgrown violet can also be put in order and get a beautiful even plant. If the trunk is not too long, then the violet is transplanted with deepening. If the outlet is on a long stem, then the trunk must be cut off, its lower part must be cleaned of leaves and placed in water for rooting. The roots will appear along the entire length of the trunk, and then you can plant the outlet in the ground, observing the necessary planting rules. After 2-3 months, the violet rosette renewed in this way will bloom (in good conditions), and will delight you with its beauty for a long time to come.
For a long time, beautiful flowers with velvety leaves - violets - began to be grown as a garden, and then a room culture. How to care for a beautiful representative of exotic flora to bloom has been of interest to flower growers since that time. Because the violet, scientifically known as saintpaulia, is a plant with a capricious character.
The absence of flowers in violets, as a rule, is associated with a violation of the rules for caring for a crop:
- deficiency or excess of nutrients;
- large pot sizes;
- unsuitable soil;
- non-compliance with watering rules;
- incorrect temperature regime;
- lack of lighting.
Important! Flowering may also depend on the variety: there are varieties that can bloom year-round, and those that, after a short flowering, need a long rest.
Requirements for growing a flower
A low perennial with racemose inflorescences of beautiful small flowers, it is a fairly demanding plant.
How to choose a pot?
Proper selection of the pot is an important component of successful cultivation of violets, the roots of which do not develop deep, but are on the surface. The main parameters that you should pay attention to when choosing a pot include:
Dimensions
There are three standard sizes of pots, depending on the size and age of Saintpaulia:
- The 9 x 9 cm pot is the largest pot possible and is suitable for a full-grown plant.
- Pots 7x7 cm are used for cultivating specimens of medium size.
- Saintpaulia babies or compact varieties are grown in containers 5x5 cm.
When growing a flower in a pot with a diameter of 9 cm, transplantation is carried out in containers of similar sizes, since the use of larger diameter dishes adversely affects the state of the culture. This is expressed as follows:
- lack of flowers for 24 months;
- building green mass to the detriment of the formation of flowers, which are small and in small quantities;
- the development of fungal diseases and pests in the excess part of the soil that is not braided by the roots of the culture.
Material
The pots used for Saintpaulia are made of plastic and ceramics, which have their own characteristics:
- If the grower opted for light, practical plastic, he will need to make additional holes on the sides of the pot for air access so that the root system is freely ventilated and the soil does not turn sour.
- When buying a ceramic container, which is notable for its fragility and heaviness, you should pay attention only to containers that are not covered with glaze, which are capable of passing air.
Correct soil
Currently, specialized flower shops offer a wide range of substrates designed for growing violets. But due to the light structure, when watering, water does not impregnate the soil mixture, but flows between it and the walls of the pot. To avoid such difficulties, you can prepare a loose substrate that allows the roots to breathe, independently from garden soil and sand in a 2: 1 ratio. Before filling the pot, it is worth calcining it to destroy harmful organisms and placing it in a container on top of the expanded clay drainage layer.
How to take care of violets?
Violet, subject to the necessary conditions of detention, is an excellent decoration of the home.
Lighting
To place the pot, a well-lit place is chosen without access to direct sunlight that can leave burns on the leaves of the flower. Window sills on the north, northwest and northeast sides of the house are well suited for this. In the absence of such an opportunity, artificial shading will have to be created by placing the violet on the sunny sides. In order for the violet to bloom profusely for a long period, it needs to receive light for 10-12 hours, which in the autumn-winter period can be achieved using artificial lighting with fluorescent lamps.
Advice! Constant monitoring of Saintpaulia will allow you to determine the sufficiency of lighting: with an excess of light, the foliage of the culture droops down, and with a deficit, it stretches up.
Temperature regime
The optimum temperature for flowering varies between 20-22°C. If you keep a violet in such conditions, a wide and bright edging is clearly manifested, the green becomes more saturated. While the flowering that occurs in the summer, at hot temperatures from 28 ° C, is not as intense, with small flowers, pale greens and the absence of a border on it. Being in such conditions is detrimental to violets. To reduce the depressing factor, you can use air conditioning, a fan or ventilation.
In winter, hypothermia of the culture should not be allowed, which can cause root rot, in which only re-rooting can save the plant. It is also worth protecting the violet from cold air currents, due to which the culture loses its decorative effect: beige spots appear on the leaf plates.
Watering
For moistening, which is carried out after the soil has dried, warm and settled water for 3 days is used. Violet does not like excessive watering, but the complete absence of moisture negatively affects the condition of the plant.
Humidification can be done in several ways:
- Water is poured into a pan, where a flower pot is placed for half an hour.
- At temperatures above 22°C, the flower is carefully watered from above so that drops do not fall into the outlet.
Carefully! Violet should not be sprayed, but it is necessary to maintain a high level of humidity by placing a container of water next to the flower.
Feeding violets
Additional nutrition is provided during the period of intensive development:
- For young plants, top dressing is carried out with the help of nitrogen-containing fertilizers.
- Adult specimens need potassium and phosphorus, which contribute to intensive budding and flowering.
Important! An excess of nitrogen-containing fertilizers in the substrate can cause a lack of flowers.
Proper care of violets in winter
In winter, the main care procedures remain:
- Providing additional lighting and temperature control not lower than 20 ° C without hypothermia during ventilation.
- Watering three times a week with warm water.
- Maintaining high humidity in the room where the flower is located.
Care after flowering
If Saintpaulia pleased the grower with abundant and long flowering, you should take care of restoring its vitality by cutting off the lower rows of leaf plates and transplanting it into a new substrate. In the absence of such an opportunity, you can limit yourself to fertilizing.
Important! During flowering, one should not forget about the timely removal of faded inflorescences.
How to propagate violet?
Saintpaulia can reproduce in a generative and vegetative way. Since it is impossible to preserve varietal characteristics with the seed method, cuttings are the simplest and most productive method.
Leaf reproduction is carried out throughout the year, while:
- A well-developed leaf blade is separated along with the petiole and placed in a container with water.
- After the formation of roots, the cutting is planted in a pot with a soil mixture.
Or:
- The sheet is placed immediately in a special substrate, after which the dishes with the handle are covered with glass and a warm room with good lighting is moved, where there is no access to direct sunlight.
- The substrate is systematically moistened with a spray gun.
Root formation can take a long time, so do not rush to get rid of the cutting for this reason.
How to seat children?
Adult plants, growing, form children, which often hamper the development of the maternal outlet. In such situations, it is necessary to carry out the procedure for separating the daughter bushes, which is best done in the summer, so that the mother plant has enough time to recover by the onset of winter.
For this:
- The baby carefully digs out with a sharp object so as not to damage the mother's outlet.
- With a lot of leaves and a small number of roots, some of the leaves on a separated outlet are cut off.
- The baby is placed in a flower pot with a substrate similar in composition to the soil mixture in a container with the mother specimen.
- The new plant is moderately moistened and moved to a warm place with plenty of diffused light.
Plant diseases and pests
Despite the resistance of the violet to diseases, manifestations of the late blight fungal disease in the form of brownish spotting are often noted on the tropical representative. There is practically no point in fighting it, so it is necessary to prevent the possibility of spreading to healthy specimens by destroying the affected plant and substrate. Of the pests, the most dangerous are nematodes: damaging the root system, they make it impossible to further feed the flower, after which the latter dies. To prevent the possibility of infection of violets, the substrate for pots should be purchased in stores or well calcined in an oven.
So, the violet flower, being a representative of the tropical flora, has a rather capricious disposition. However, subject to the rules for care, the florist will receive a lot of positive emotions from a profusely flowering plant that adorns the home with its beauty almost all year round.
