Violet: home care
Violets have won the hearts of gardeners many years ago. Now more than 900 species of this flower have been bred. Among them there are unusual specimens, distinguished by a special color and shape of the leaves. Caring for Saintpaulias is not difficult, since this flower does not differ in special requests. But all the tin is some of the nuances of breeding.
Content
Planting violets
Violets love loose and nutritious soil. Such a primer can be purchased at a specialized store, or you can make it yourself. To do this, take 3 parts of peat, 5 parts of leafy soil and 1 part of sand. You can add a little charcoal to the total mass. For the normal development of the plant, it is important that air can penetrate to the roots.
To to plant violet, choose a pot that is not too large. This is necessary for the plant to bloom. Plant small plants in pots with a diameter of no more than 6 cm. Later, when the violet grows up, it can be transplanted into a larger pot.
For planting, use pots with drainage holes - excess moisture has a detrimental effect on the condition of the violet. Be sure to pour drainage into the bottom of the pot. Be sure to plant the plant at the correct depth so that the root of the plant is not exposed and the growing point does not rot.
Violet varieties
All violets are divided into five types according to the size and position of the flower petals:
- The violet "Pansy" has 5 petals, divided into 2 rows. At the same time, the petals of the upper row are much smaller than the others in size.
- Violet "Star" is distinguished by a uniform arrangement of petals and their equal size.
- The bell violet has a distinctive feature - it has grown together petals near the base. Because of this, the flower does not fully open and resembles a bell.
- The violet "Chalice" has a similar structure. Its flowers also do not fully open, although they do not have fused petals.
- The wasp violet flower consists of completely separated petals. Two of them are rolled up in a tube, and the rest hang down.
Home violet
For the first time, domesticated Saintpaulias were discovered in 1892. This was done by Walter Saint Paul in Tanzania. He saw on a walk a blue flower that grew directly from the stones. After collecting the seeds of this plant, he sent them to his fellow botanist Hermann Wendland. He grew a flower in the botanical garden of Hanover and named it in honor of his friend "Saintpaulia". Since that time, the violet began to spread throughout the world.
Violet care
Violets are very fond of a stable temperature up to 24 degrees and are afraid of drafts. Do not leave violets in direct sunlight, but at the same time, do not shade. This plant loves a lot of light. For long-term flowering, you can additionally illuminate the plant with lamps.
When watering, do not let water get on the leaves themselves. It is best to moisturize the plant by placing the pot in a pan of water. Too much moisture can kill the plant. Regularly feed violet mineral fertilizers... Feed once a week in the fall and spring. So you can save Saintpaulia from diseases.
Violet transplant
The ideal option would be to transplant Saintpaulia every six months. The best time for this manipulation is considered to be early spring and early autumn. Do not keep the plant without transplanting for more than a year. During this time, the soil is completely depleted, salted and becomes unusable.
In no case do not mix the old soil with the new one when replanting. There is too much waste and waste products of the plant in the old soil. In addition, Saintpaulia first deposits this waste in the lower leaves. Without transplanting, these harmful substances will then pass into younger leaves and destroy the plant. Outwardly, this state of the plant manifests itself in the yellow color of the leaves.
Before transplanting, old pots should be well washed from salts and must be boiled from pests. The diameter of the pot should be three times the diameter of the rosette of the plant. Take the ready-made soil, slightly moisten it so that when squeezing water does not flow out of it, and when you open the palm of your hand, the lump of soil does not disintegrate. To the bottom pot don't forget to put a drain.
Lift the plant out of the pot by the stem, along with the soil. Remove all yellowed leaves as well as the bottom row of leaves. Gently remove the soil from the roots. Examine the root system and remove any old and overly long roots.
Place the soil in the pot 2-3 centimeters and start planting violets. Spread the roots well over the pot. The flower should be located strictly in the center. In this case, the very first row of leaves should be one centimeter below the edge of the pot. Top up the soil carefully so that the first row of leaves is flush with the soil. Watering the violet after transplanting is not required.
Reproduction of violets
The easiest way to propagate violets is a vegetative method - a leaf. Choose a leaf from the second or third row of leaves. They are already sufficiently formed, but not infected with plant residues. Cut the sheet at an angle 3-4 centimeters from the base.
Then place the sheet in a container with clean, settled water. To prevent it from touching the walls of the container, secure it with a sheet of paper. To prevent illness, throw an activated charcoal tablet into the water. After about 2-4 weeks, you will notice the first roots of the plant. When they reach a length of 1-2 centimeters, the plant can be planted in a container with soil.
Violets: photo
