Violet: planting and care at home, common varieties, methods of propagation

• July 28, 2019
• Houseplants
• Ekaterina Andreeva

Violets have long been a favorite houseplant due to their pleasant aroma and bright colors. However, not everyone knows how to plant violets correctly. Inexperienced gardeners may think that due to their small size, they require little or no care or special attention. It is not true. Violets are very capricious flowers.

Homeland of violets

Violet is a flower that does not have an “official” homeland. It is believed that these flowers were first seen in Africa, but later it became known that the same flowers grow in Japan, North and South America, and New Zealand. There are wild varieties of violets in Europe and even in Siberia. Violet has another name - “Saintpaulia”. This is the Russian version of the Latin designation for a flower. But the official “birthplace” of violets in the scientific community is considered to be Africa. It was there that Baron Adalbert Saint-Paul, while taking a walk with his beloved in 1892, came across magnificent bright blue flowers. Without thinking twice, the baron sent samples to his father, who was seriously interested in floriculture and owned an impressive collection of rare flowers.

There are several legends associated with the appearance of violets. One of them says that bright purple flowers with an amazing aroma are Adam’s tears. It is believed that Adam asked the Lord for forgiveness for all his sins. The Lord granted him forgiveness, and Adam’s tears, falling to the ground, turned into amazing flowers - violets.

Another legend tells an even more interesting story that one of the daughters of Atlas, trying to escape the rays of the Sun God, asked Zeus for help. He heard a beautiful maiden, turned her into a violet and hid her in the forests. Since then, every spring these amazing flowers bloom in the forest bushes.

Can violets be planted outside in summer?

Saintpaulia is an indoor flower. But in summer, violets can be moved into open ground. It should be borne in mind that not all varieties of plants are suitable for planting in a suburban area. Many varieties are sensitive to drafts, low temperatures, and direct rays of the sun.

You can move garden violet (Viola) outside. The variety has special subspecies (annual, perennial), which can be planted in open soil. Planting is carried out using seeds; The material is placed in loose soil with drainage and watered regularly.

Suitable containers

If you are wondering what size pots to plant violets in, then the answer is this. The pots should be small, not very deep, and must have a drainage system. For example, if you took a plastic container, then punch several holes half a millimeter in diameter at the bottom. If you prefer ceramic pots, then the drainage system can be built from polystyrene foam and sand. Just finely chop the polystyrene foam, sprinkle it with sand and place it on the bottom about one or two centimeters in height.

How to choose soil

If you decide to grow violets at home, first of all you need to get acquainted with the information on what soil to plant violets in. They, as a rule, can bloom in a whole bouquet in pots and flower beds. However, flowers often die or get sick for one simple reason - they lack nutrients. You can buy special soil for violets at a gardening store, but if possible, it is better to collect it for planting yourself. The most optimal ratio would be:

• peat - two parts;
• coarse sand - 1 part;
• turf - 1 part;
• 0.5 parts of ordinary leaf humus;
• You can add moss, cut into small pieces.

Do not rush to take land from your personal plot. It is better not to do this, since the country soil is contaminated with various bacteria that contribute to the rotting of the plant. It would be great to steam the resulting soil mixture before planting violets to completely get rid of bacteria. You can add a little horse, sheep or cow manure. Just don’t overdo it so that the fertilizer doesn’t burn the root system. After planting flowers, observe. If violets bloom profusely, have bright, strong leaves and an excellent root system, then violets like the land.

Caring for violets at home

Growing conditions

How to care for homemade violets so that they bloom as long as possible? Indoor violets love light, but are afraid of direct sunlight, so the best place for them is a northern, northeastern or northwestern window sill, illuminated by diffused light. You can also keep them on a south window, curtained halfway with a cloth - it doesn’t matter if a ray of the setting sun falls on the violets, but the delicate leaves and flowers of Saintpaulia should be protected from the scorching midday rays.

Daylight hours for a homemade violet should last 13-14 hours, and if you manage to organize additional lighting for it in winter, it will bloom tirelessly even in the February cold.

How to grow violets in a city apartment and what temperature conditions are optimal for them? Violet flowers stop developing when the temperature drops below 15 ºC, so it is necessary to keep the room temperature moderately warm in summer and moderately cool in winter. The optimal temperature for Saintpaulia is 18-24 ºC.

Drafts and sudden temperature changes have a bad effect on them - this is why indoor violets do not like to spend the summer outdoors.

Air humidity is also important for Saintpaulia - it should be high, but water should not get on either the flowers or the leaves of the plant exposed to the light.

Pots for violets

The pot for Saintpaulia should be small, since the violet root does not take up much space, and the plant begins to bloom profusely only when the roots have taken over the entire interior space of the pot. Young Saintpaulias need a pot with a diameter of 5-6 cm, and for an adult violet it is enough to have a pot with a diameter of 7-9 cm. And only very large plants will need a container with a diameter of 11-13 cm. The calculation for selecting dishes is simple: the diameter of the container should be three times smaller diameter of the rosette of leaves. And note that indoor violets prefer plastic pots to expensive clay pots.

Soil for violets

Caring for homemade violets involves choosing soil of a certain composition for it. A soil mixture for Saintpaulias is sold in stores, but experience shows that it is not suitable for all violets. But universal flower soil like “Terra-Vita” is suitable for violets.

You can make your own substrate from turf and leaf soil, sand and humus in a ratio of 0.5:2:1:1. You can add a tablespoon of superphosphate and half a glass of bone meal to a bucket of the finished mixture and mix everything thoroughly. The main requirements for the soil for Saintpaulias: it must be loose, quickly absorb water and allow air to pass through well. But before filling the pot with substrate, place in it a layer of drainage made of expanded clay, vermiculite, pieces of polystyrene foam or sphagnum moss with a volume of one third of the pot - the drainage will protect your violet from stagnation of water in the roots, from which it can die. You can put a piece of charcoal on the drainage.

Landing

When the violet container is filled with drainage, you can begin planting Saintpaulia. Place a layer of substrate on the drainage, place the plant in the center of the pot and gradually add substrate from different sides under the plant, shaking the pot a little to fill all the voids with soil. When 2 cm remains unfilled to the edge of the pot, lightly press the surface of the substrate and water the violet.

Watering

Violets at home require regular watering. How to water a violet? It is best to use bottom watering to moisten the soil in a pot. Once a week or a week and a half, pour warm, settled water into a deep bowl and immerse a pot of violets in it so that the water almost reaches the edge of the pot, but does not overflow into it. After a while, when the top layer of violet soil shines with moisture, remove the pot from the bowl and let the excess water drain.

Frequent or overhead watering can lead to rotting of the plant's roots. You need to moisten the violet only when the earthen lump is almost completely dry. If you have a violet with leaves on long petioles, keep an eye on it: as soon as it drops its leaves, it’s time to water all the violets.

Fertilizer

Caring for violets at home requires adding fertilizer to the soil. They begin to fertilize violets at the beginning of the growing season, and continue to fertilize once a week or a week and a half until the violet enters a dormant period. Liquid complexes for flowering indoor plants are used as fertilizer. The best way is to add fertilizer to the water for bottom irrigation, especially since the frequency of soil moisture coincides with the frequency of fertilizing. However, please note that the concentration of fertilizers should be two times lower than indicated in the instructions.

Transfer

Growing violets requires annual replacement of the substrate in the pot, but the pot itself does not need to be changed. If the plant requires a larger pot, you will determine this by the fact that the violet leaves have become smaller and paler, and the flowering has become sparse. In this case, you need to transplant the Saintpaulia into a pot with a diameter 2 cm larger.

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How to transplant a violet to cause it as little disturbance as possible? Violets are easier to transplant in March. Try to carefully transfer it from one pot to another without disturbing the earthen coma. The root collar of the plant should be 2-3 cm below the edge of the pot. After transferring the Saintpaulia into a new pot on the drainage layer, evenly fill the gaps between the plant’s earthen ball and the walls with fresh substrate, shaking the pot so that the soil fills the entire space. After transplanting, do not forget to water the violet well.

Trimming and forming a rosette

The violet bush should have three tiers of leaves. Leaves located below can be torn off without leaving petioles, especially if they are faded and lifeless. Remove faded flowers and deformed or yellowed leaves in a timely manner to keep the bush looking neat. From time to time, turn the violet pot around its axis so that the leaves in the rosette are evenly spaced. Over time, due to the fact that you removed the lower leaves, the stem of the violet is exposed.

The older the plant, the higher the stem, and this does not add decorativeness to the plant. There are two ways to correct the situation: replant the violet by burying the stem in the ground, or cut off the entire rosette, leaving a part of the stem up to 2 cm high under it, place the bush as a stump in a glass of water, wait for the roots to form on it and plant the violet in the ground.

Hygiene of violets

Caring for violets also involves maintaining hygiene. In the natural conditions of the African mountains, where violets are watered by rain and dried by the wind, they thrive and sometimes grow up to 30 cm in height. Therefore, to the readers’ questions whether violets can be washed and why violets cannot be sprayed, we answer that it is possible to wash and spray violets.

When the leaves of the plants are covered with dust, take them to the bath, turn on the shower and wash the dust off the leaves with a gentle stream of warm water. However, do not rush to return the violets to the windowsill; leave them in the bathroom until the excess water has drained and the leaves have dried, otherwise spots will appear on them under bright light.

Boarding time

The next pressing question is: when can you plant violets? The optimal time for planting such a capricious flower is traditionally spring. It is best to start this in April, when daylight hours are already long enough. On average, violets need about eight hours of daylight. If such conditions are not yet feasible, but you need to plant flowers, then use ordinary lamp lighting. And further. All gardening calendars advise planting violets on the waxing Moon, as this is a special time for the plant to gain strength.

Why might you need to rejuvenate a violet?

Over time, violets (another name for Saintpaulia) lose their decorative appearance, because plants, like all other living organisms, tend to age

It is important to know how to renew a violet. After all, only the first 2-3 years will delight Saintpaulia with abundant flowering

Blooming violets decorate our lives

The leaves of the lower tier of young plants live only 1 year. Then they curl up and die. The stem may become bare and woody. The inflorescences become small and inconspicuous, the former beauty disappears.

All this suggests that the violet is far from young, it’s time to renew it. This old lady can get her second wind. And if rejuvenation is carried out, then Saintpaulia will again delight with abundant flowering.

Only young violets delight with large flowers

Beginning flower growers have a question: how to prune a violet so that it blooms more? Leaves are cut with scissors or simply removed by hand without waiting for them to dry. If the violet has grown greatly in the pot and has become lush, such pruning is very useful: it promotes abundant flowering in the future.

Another good question: should you pluck the bottom leaves of violets? If the leaves are juicy and fleshy, this will not cause harm. But if the plant is weak and the leaves are already old, then the conditions are unsuitable. Saving leaves or, conversely, cutting them off will not help. An emergency transplant or taking a healthy leaf for propagation is needed.

Attention! The older the violet gets, the more it becomes like a palm tree, which has a bare stem and a flowering crown.

Leaf without root

There are several options for planting and breeding violets. One of the most popular is planting material in the form of a leaf with roots. So, the technology of how to properly plant violets in a pot. First you need to prepare your tools. These include soil, pots, spatulas and, of course, the planting material itself. The leaf should be planted as soon as its first roots appear.

The strongest leaf on the mother bush is chosen for planting. It is cut with a very sharp pruner or knife so that the medium is smooth, without nicks or indentations. We cut the sheet at an angle of 45 degrees. It is important that the cuttings that we plan to plant are at least five centimeters long, since short leaves almost never take root.

Transfer

Deadlines

When, next to a rooted Saintpaulia leaf, daughter rosettes grow to sizes of 3-5 cm, this is a signal for replanting and dividing the plant.
Divide the young plants so that each one has 2 leaves with a growing point and several roots. To ensure that plants tolerate transplantation and division well:

moisturize the soil in the pot well; take out the plant along with a lump of earth; carefully shake off the soil from the roots by hand;

small children are separated from one another using a needle.

Transplantation of children.

For such tiny plants, pots are selected whose diameter does not exceed 4 cm. A mixture of soil and perlite is poured into them, planted to a depth of no more than 1 cm and kept under cover for about 10-14 days.

Technology

When the diameter of the rosettes becomes 1.5-2 times the diameter of the pot, the violets are transplanted to a permanent place of residence. For this:

select a pot with a diameter of about 6 cm with drain holes; pour a drainage layer on the bottom; add soil mixture for violets;

moisten the lump of earth in the pot where the plant is located; carefully remove the Saintpaulia with a lump of soil; plant the violet in the prepared pot; add soil mixture from the sides, slightly compacting the soil.

Priming

The soil mixture for Saintpaulia must meet certain requirements. The substrate must be:

• loose;
• fertile;
• moisture- and breathable;
• have a slightly acidic pH.

Many violet lovers prefer to prepare the soil for planting themselves. A mixture of turf, coniferous, leaf soil, compost, sand and peat is suitable for this. Vermiculite and sphagnum moss are used as leavening agents.

With big roots

Instructions on how to properly plant a violet with a leaf with a root more than two centimeters long:

It is necessary to stock up on suitable soil and a pot with a diameter of no more than 10 cm; Place a drainage layer on top and a little soil mixture at the bottom of the prepared pot; They spill the plant; Carefully remove from the old pot, cut off the lower yellowed leaves;

Very long roots can be shortened by 2/3 without harm to the plant, sprinkled with activated carbon; Plant a plant, add soil to the sides, compacting it a little;

Water the Saintpaulia.

Roots that are too long can be cut off.

Growing in water

After cutting a leaf from the mother bush, you must immediately place it in water. The sooner it is in the water, the faster the roots will begin to appear. Water must be prepared in advance. Use boiled or settled water at room temperature. It is better to take transparent dishes. A plastic glass or sauce jar works great. In such a container, you can monitor the appearance of roots and see emerging problems in the form of rotting in time. The prepared violet leaf is lowered into water two centimeters. It is important that the flower does not touch the bottom and remains suspended. You can use a lid to strengthen the sheet.

You need to keep the glass clean. Do not allow microscopic algae to form on the walls of the glass. When they appear, the glass is washed and disinfected. Then one tablet of activated carbon is added to the water to cleanse it of harmful microorganisms. Watch the amount of water. As soon as you notice that it is evaporating, add more, but be sure to boil or settle. With proper care, the first roots should appear within two to four weeks.

What soil is suitable for Saintpaulias?

Violets like soil that is loose, light, and breathable, so that the root system does not suffer from a lack of oxygen.
It is also important that the soil is moisture-absorbing and retains moisture well. And yet, when choosing land for violets, you should take into account the acidity level. These plants thrive in slightly acidic soils, with a pH of 6.0 to 6.5. If there is a strong deviation in acidity in one direction or another, the flower ceases to normally absorb mineral and organic substances from the soil, and nitrogen-phosphorus starvation may occur. The growth of the plant will slow down, the bud will fall off without even opening. If the substrate is too acidic, the young leaves will curl, and in an alkaline environment, they will lose their bright color, turn pale, and their tips will turn brown. Of the chemical elements in the soil for violets, nitrogen and phosphorus compounds, potassium salts and macro- and microelements should be present: iron, boron, calcium, chlorine, sulfur, zinc, molybdenum and others.

To prevent fungal diseases, we recommend treating the soil of homemade violets with a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate or a Fitosporin solution at least once a month.

In small pots, which violets love so much, the soil is quickly depleted - do not forget to fertilize it and promptly replant the plants in new pots. It is best to use ready-made soil for Saintpaulias or indoor Violets, which it is advisable to purchase in specialized stores. Unfortunately, purchased soil often suffers from poor quality. Florist specialists add perlite, vermiculite and coconut fiber to prepared soils as raising agents. But a little bit of everything, so as not to cause root rot.

How to prepare your own substrate for violets

If you are a fan of making your own soil mixtures, we will tell you the proportions suitable for violets:

• high-moor peat - 1 part;
• coniferous soil - 1 part (harvested under coniferous trees after removing the top layer of pine needles);
• leaf soil - 3 parts (harvested under deciduous trees and shrubs);
• turf soil - 2 parts (harvested in areas where perennial grasses grow);
• coarse river sand or perlite - 1 part.

For drainage, use expanded clay with pieces of charcoal of different fractions, which will regulate soil moisture and adsorb harmful impurities.

All components should be disinfected - steamed or frozen.

Vermicompost has proven itself quite well, and some gardeners use it to prepare a substrate for violets: 40% vermicompost plus 60% baking powder so that vermicompost does not petrify over time.

How to test soil for acidity

Soil acidity is not a constant value; it changes over time. Any change in the appearance of the plant, the shape and color of its leaves, slower growth and lack of flowering should alert you and prompt you to check the acidity.

The acidity of the substrate is checked using a special device. If you don’t have one, try to determine the acidity of your soil using traditional methods. We'll show you how to do this.

1. Take two small containers, glass or ceramic, it doesn’t matter. Place the same small amount of soil in them, slightly damp.
2. Add vinegar to the first container. If the environment is alkaline, the earth will hiss.
3. In the second container, fill the soil with soda. If the environment is acidic, gas bubbles will begin to form.
4. If there is no reaction, your soil is neutral.

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You can reduce acidity at home using dolomite flour, and increase it with peat.

Leaf with roots

Among people who love and grow violets, there has long been a certain confrontation: how to plant violets - with or without roots? But the majority is still inclined to planting material with roots. Let's look at how to properly plant a violet with a leaf and a root.

To plant a leaf, you need to prepare the soil with absolutely the same composition as for cuttings without roots. When preparing a violet leaf, you need to pay attention to the veins on the leaf. At least one vein must be present. It is from this that the root system will develop when you plant the cuttings in the ground.

Next, the cutting must be protected from various harmful bacteria with which it may be infected. To do this, prepare a special solution of copper sulfate. If this is not available, make a regular soap solution and rinse the cutting. It is important that the water temperature not only in this, but in other, for example, irrigation liquids, is at least twenty-five degrees. Cold water, again, promotes rotting. If you see that the rotting process has begun, simply cut off the infected tissue with a sharp knife.

There is no need to worry that the cuttings will not take root - the roots that appear will quickly begin to grow and hold the leaf in a straight position. Among the advice from experienced gardeners on how to plant violets, there is one essential one. After you have planted the leaf, cover it with film. This will create the greenhouse conditions necessary for development. We looked at the question of how to plant violets with leaves and roots. But there is another way.

How to avoid mistakes when propagating violets

It is better for inexperienced gardeners not to start with the capricious Saintpaulia: breeding and care take a lot of effort and attention. It is important to choose the right substrate - moderately acidified and always loose. Do not allow the soil to become dry, cold, or exposed to the rays of the burning midday sun.

Sometimes babies do not germinate well due to irregular and weak watering. There is no need to bury the root collar too deeply into the ground. When rooting planting material, it is important to thoroughly disinfect the cutting areas . If such nuances are not taken into account, then rooting will slow down, the stem will rot, flowering will slow down, and the plant will not produce new leaves for a long time.

Planting seeds

The next planting method is quite complex and is more suitable for professionals than amateurs. In this case, all the scientific literature on how to plant a violet correctly may turn out to be unusable if there is no skill and experience. So, first you need to prepare the ground. It is not made too rich. Gently pour drainage into a small pot or plastic glass and add a little crushed moss. Sprinkle earth on top.

Take violet seeds and pour all the contents onto a regular white sheet. Then we add a third of the wood ash, a pinch of sand, mix everything thoroughly and plant it in the soil. We must cover the pot with film to create a greenhouse climate and place it in the sun. When preparing the pot, do not forget to make several holes in the bottom so that watering water comes out freely and does not accumulate in the ground. Otherwise, the seeds may rot.

Methods of planting violets and a detailed description of the process

There are two main ways to grow violets: from leaves and from seeds . The second option is preferred by professionals who have already studied all the features of the plant and are ready to spend their time on the flower. It is much faster to grow a violet from another plant. All you need is a healthy leaf and a little time.

Planting shoots

This method of breeding is chosen when they want to preserve and subsequently improve varietal characteristics: brightness of flowers, richness of greenery, size or climatic features. In this case, the lateral processes are isolated. They are located on the sides of the main violet bush. Cut off the pieces with a sharp knife so that the cut is smooth. It is important to remember that closed buds should never be used for planting shoots. They are unable to take root and will wither the next day.

All inflorescences are planted in one container at a distance of several centimeters from each other, covered with film and left until the shoots are completely strengthened. After the flowers come into force, they are planted in separate pots.

Important information

Deciding how to plant violets is one thing. Further, in order to achieve results, you need to follow several strict rules.

1. It is highly undesirable to plant violets earlier than after six to nine months. The plant needs this time to strengthen its roots.
2. When replanting, the pot should be selected based on the proportion of 1:3. If you decide to reuse a pot from another flower, be sure to disinfect it.
3. A flower planted in the soil requires about fourteen days of adaptation period. At this time, it is very desirable to protect the plant from drafts and maintain a stable temperature of 24-25 degrees.
4. Before planting violets correctly, you need to take into account the humidity of the room. The optimal humidity level is fifty to sixty percent.

Also, do not bury the roots deeply. One or two centimeters is enough for each cutting.

Basic requirements for growing violets

To prevent the petals from wilting, the roots rotting, or the appearance of pests on the plant, you should adhere to certain principles of caring for it. Bright flowers require a suitable location and air humidity; it is also necessary to properly water and fertilize.

Rules that help to grow beautiful violets:

1. The plant should be replanted every couple of years as the flowers become smaller and the leaves grow larger. Therefore, without transplantation, it loses its attractive appearance.
2. To give the shape, you need to carefully trim the lower leaves. This way Saintpaulia will grow like a neat cap.
3. The bright color of the buds can be obtained by periodically watering your home flower with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. This step will also protect the soil from pests. However, you need to make sure that the liquid does not get on the leaves.
4. The pot should be turned regularly so that the violet takes on the correct round shape.

Splitting multiple roots

If you see that daughter shoots are appearing on the cuttings, then it’s time to separate them. Each rosette must be separated in such a way that a few threads remain at the spine and a couple of leaves.

If you plan to plant separated rosettes, separate them very carefully. To do this, you need to moisten the soil in which they are located as much as possible. It is better to pull the plants out with the soil and then carefully clean the roots. The main thing is to take your time and not damage the root system.

How to grow an adult plant from a baby?

You can raise children yourself or trust store specialists:

• If you grow the babies yourself, then when they appear on the leaf, do not rush to separate them. This is done when the rosette reaches a size of 4-5 cm and has a pair of leaves;
• If you bought a baby, then do not rush to transplant it into your pot. Give her time to get used to the ground. And after 2 weeks, replant.

Plants in the stage between baby and adult are called “starters”. At this stage, the plant is transplanted into fresh soil. At the same time, all the lower, small leaves are torn off, this contributes to the formation of a beautiful and regular rosette.

Stages of violet development.

There are several important points on how to grow a beautiful rosette:

• if the “sterter” is constantly flooded, an irregular rosette will form, the leaves will bend, and the middle will become denser;
• At the stage of rosette formation, lighting plays a very important role. In order for it to be of the correct shape, the pot with the plant is periodically turned towards the light;
• the first buds and stepsons that appear are removed, the violet is not yet ready for full flowering;
• with the further growth of Saintpaulia, temperature plays a role in the formation of a correct rosette.

Within 7-9 months after the baby has separated, you will have a fully formed plant.

Advice from professionals

When choosing leaves for planting, you should not choose the lowest ones. As a rule, the lower leaves are always the weakest and can be infected with destructive bacteria and fungi, which begin to destroy the plant from the lower leaves. It is best to choose the third or fourth leaf from the ground. They are strong and healthy. Having chosen, inspect it again from all sides and make sure that there are no burn spots, rotting, cracks, scratches or drying out. Next, pay attention to the color. The leaves should be bright, uniform green in color, without spots or gaps.

If it so happens that you were sent a few violet leaves as a gift or given from someone, and they were on the road for some time, then first you need to take care of bringing the leaves back to life. Over the long journey, they can dry out and lose most of their vitality. Place the leaves in boiled water at room temperature. Add a few grains of potassium permanganate. Don't overdo it. A stronger solution will simply dry out the precious petals from the inside. Planting material must remain in water for at least three hours. During this time, the violet should be saturated with water. After this, the leaf is pulled out, an incision is made at an angle of forty-five degrees and planting manipulations continue.

What to do with violets after flowering

During flowering, faded peduncles should be regularly removed from the plant so that they do not interfere with the opening of new buds and do not spoil the appearance of the blooming violet. When the last flower fades, let the plant rest. Trim damaged, diseased or shriveled leaves. Take care of restoring the vitality of a well-worked violet - tear off the lower rows of leaves at the rosette, transplant it into a new pot with a nutrient mixture. If you do not have this event planned, start feeding the flower again with fertilizers with a predominance of nitrogen components so that the violet begins to grow new leaves to replace the ones you torn off.