How to rejuvenate violets at home: popular and most effective methods

Signs of violet aging

The serious age of a violet can be determined by the following signs:

• blooms sparingly;
• small flowers;
• crooked rosette;
• bare stem;
• problems with leaves: dark spots, a border unusual for the variety on the edge of the leaf blade, curled, limp leaves even with sufficient watering;
• shrinking of central leaves.

Sometimes the same signs can be observed even in young (2-3 years) Saintpaulias. The reason for such early aging may be the soil.

Carefully examine the earthen ball in which the violet grows.

If you see that:

• there is a white coating on the surface of the substrate (precipitated salts contained in the irrigation water);
• the soil has compacted, i.e. there are no air sinuses, so necessary for the violet to breathe the root system;
• the chemical composition of the soil has changed - it has become acidic from the “wrong” water;
• the root system is cramped in the container,

then the time has come for active action to save the young but already sick violet.

Why are violets rejuvenated?

As mentioned above, the trunk of the flower becomes coarser and thickens, the violet becomes like a palm tree. And this is just one reason why it is necessary to rejuvenate her. The trunk lengthens and becomes coarser, and the leaves and flowers become smaller. This negatively affects the well-being of the flower.

At some point, the plant stops blooming altogether, it “falls asleep.” Elongation of the bare trunk can occur in both old and young plants, and this is a consequence of human intervention, because the lower leaves have to be torn off regularly.

Saintpaulia rejuvenation methods

There are 3 ways to rejuvenate your favorite varieties of violets:

1. Planting a leaf.
2. Digging in the stem.
3. “Blowing off the head” of a violet: re-rooting of the rosette.

Rejuvenation through leaf planting

This is the most common method of propagation and rejuvenation of violets. To do this, use a sharp knife to cut off the petiole with the leaf blade and place it in water so that the water does not touch the leaf. You need to add a crushed tablet of activated carbon to the water.

After 2-3 weeks, roots will appear at the edge of the petiole and the leaf, together with the formed roots, can be transplanted into light soil.

You can do without the intermediate step of soaking the leaf petiole in water. To do this, perform the following manipulations:

• dip the petiole cut into the root stimulator;
• cut the leaf by 1/3 (if the leaf blade is large)
• planted in a moist, nutritious, light substrate;
• cover the top with a cut plastic bottle or plastic bag to create a greenhouse effect. Once every 2-3 days, the greenhouse is opened slightly for ventilation.

Note! This method is practically fail-safe, but you can get a new flowering plant no earlier than 2 years after the start of rooting.

You can get a renewed plant much faster using other methods.

Digging in a Saintpaulia stem

A special feature of the violet is that roots form not only at the buried leaf, but also at the stem buried in the ground. This feature of Saintpaulias is used when the plant “sticks out” from the ground by no more than 1-2 cm. That is, the violet resembles a palm tree on a short trunk. But this trunk is quite viable: green, not overgrown with dead scales and cuttings from removed leaves.

For this:

• cut off (or break off with your hands) the lowest layer of leaves;
• Sprinkle the bare stem down to the lower leaves with a layer of fertile soil or moss.

Carefully smooth out the poured soil.

Remember! Violet does not like compacted soils, so actively pressing down new soil is not recommended.

Unfortunately, only attentive violet owners can see this phase of the plant. Most people begin to think about the reasons for the aging of Saintpaulia when its stem, protruding from the ground, grows to 5-6 cm.

Then comes the phase of radical surgery. Amateur flower growers call it “removing the head of the violet,” and professionals call it re-rooting the rosette.

Re-rooting a violet rosette

The very last phase of Saintpaulia development is when the shredded rosette leaves, curled, limp and spotted, barely grow on the tall brown stem. As a rule, lovers part with their pets without regret at this time, complaining about their capriciousness.

And even novice flower growers are quite capable of correcting this deplorable situation of the violet!

To do this you need to follow simple steps:

• Trim the stem of the violet, without removing it from the pot, at ground level.

• Tear off the lower and diseased leaves as close to the trunk as possible, leaving no more than 6-8 upper, central leaves, trying to ensure symmetry.
• Using a sharp knife, clean the stem from brown dead growths - remnants of petioles - to healthy green tissue.
• Remove all buds and flowers, if any.

• Leave the top to air dry for 30-40 minutes. Some recommendations suggest sprinkling the cut areas with crushed activated carbon. I didn’t sprinkle it, but I placed the cut violet in Kornevin’s solution for 20 minutes.
• Prepare a light substrate for rooting the cut top of the violet, consisting of turf soil, sand and perlite in a ratio of 1:1:1.
• Pour the moistened substrate into the pot and lightly press it down.
• Make a depression in the center with a diameter equal to the diameter of the stem.
• Place the violet in the hole, deepening it to the lower leaves.

• Lightly water the substrate, being careful not to get water on the leaves.

• If the room has dry air, you can place the seedling in a mini-greenhouse made from a cut plastic bottle or plastic bag. To prevent rotting of the seedling, it is recommended to make 5-6 holes in the film or regularly open the greenhouse for ventilation.

Note! A violet that is going through a period of rejuvenation is not fed with nitrogen fertilizers! They cause rapid growth of green mass, which in the absence of a root system can destroy the plant.

To activate root growth, potassium and phosphorus fertilizers are used, and they need to be applied at the initial stage of rejuvenation in a proportion half that recommended by manufacturers.

Violet does not like spraying its leaves, but at a time when there is no root system, foliar feeding and spraying with antidepressants: HB-101, Epin, etc. help it a lot.

Usually after 3-4 weeks the rooting of the top occurs.

By way of repetition, here are the main points of rejuvenation:

What will violet rejuvenation give?

Depending on the degree of aging, Saintpaulia chooses rejuvenation methods that level out age-related defects. The plant's green mass is growing again and new flower stalks are being formed.

How to grow violet from a leaf at home

How to renew a violet with a long stem? It's enough to dig deep enough. The rosette of a flower that is too old is cut off and then rooted. As a result, a dense bush grows.

Note! When the bush ages due to damage to the roots, it is transplanted into new soil, cutting off the damaged root layers.

When can violet rejuvenation procedures be performed?

The optimal time for rejuvenation operations is the period of active growth of violets: spring and cool summer. At temperatures above 27 degrees and below 15 degrees, rooting processes are less efficient.

To quickly build up the root system, it is recommended to water the seedling with root formation stimulants in accordance with the instructions for the drug.

The period of budding and flowering is not the most successful for plant rejuvenation.

Remember! Each flower is a dependent, it takes away from the violet the strength that, when rejuvenated, it should direct to survival.

For a flower to take root as quickly as possible, active photosynthesis is necessary, since in the absence of roots, the plant receives energy only through the leaves. Therefore, long daylight hours are very important during the rooting period of the rosette. It can be provided with additional illumination of the plant with special phyto- or conventional fluorescent lamps.

Caring for violets

Caring for violets is not difficult - as already mentioned, they grow in almost any conditions, the most important thing is nutritious soil and the absence of direct sunlight. Caring for violets comes down to the following:

this plant loves moisture, so violets need to be watered little by little, but often enough; if possible, provide them with bottom watering by simply placing pots with holes in the bottom in trays with water - this way the flowers will always receive the amount of water they need; It is recommended to periodically add liquid fertilizer for violets to the water for irrigation, diluting it in the required proportions

It is especially important to feed your violets during budding and flowering; Do not under any circumstances spray water on the violets, even if it seems to you that they are hot - plants with shaggy leaves do not tolerate this procedure well, the leaves become stained and die; if you feel that the air is too dry, just place containers of water next to the violets - you can use ordinary deep bowls, this will be enough.

As you can see, caring for violets is not difficult at all, and even a novice flower lover can handle them.

How to slow down the aging of violets?

The inevitable aging process can be significantly slowed down if you follow the Saintpaulia transplant schedule.

How often should a violet be replanted?

It depends on the method of watering:

• if top watering or watering through a tray is used to care for violets, then it is enough to replant once a year, in the period March-April;
• if wick irrigation is used, then the frequency of replanting should be higher - every six months.

The container into which the violet is transplanted should be no larger in diameter than 1 cm wider than the diameter of the rosette of leaves.

When replanting, it is recommended to completely change the soil without using the old substrate.

This schedule can be changed if there is a noticeable deterioration in the condition of the soil: salt deposits, caking. In this case, transplantation and rejuvenation are carried out earlier than scheduled.

Renewing a violet with a cut top

With the transplant, in principle, everything is clear, but what is the correct way to “blow off the violet’s head”? After all, this is a serious intervention, and if you do something wrong, you can destroy the flower.

So, first of all, you need to use a sharp knife to completely cut off the violet at ground level at one time, without taking it out of the flowerpot.

Before use, the knife must be disinfected - wiped with alcohol.

Now clean the lower part of the bare trunk from stumps and dry scales, scraping them with a knife, like the skin of a carrot, until living tissue appears.

Place expanded clay at the bottom of the pot and fill it with a light nutrient mixture. Moisten the soil, make a depression in the center and simply insert the cut “head” of the violet into it. Compact it a little so it doesn't wobble.

If the procedure is carried out in the summer, it is better to place the violet in a glass of water for rooting, since it will simply cook in the greenhouse.

The planted top should be placed in a greenhouse so that it grows roots faster. This will take about two weeks, during which it is necessary to periodically ventilate the greenhouse and moisten the soil. Once the violet has taken root, it can be placed on the windowsill.

How to properly rejuvenate a violet with a cut top - video

The first way to rejuvenate Saintpaulia

If the length of the bare violet stem does not exceed 2-3 cm, and the stem of the plant is green in color, then such a Saintpaulia can be rejuvenated by replanting with a deepening of the stem.

This is done like this:

• the old Saintpaulia is removed from the previous pot;
• break off the lower leaves of the plant that have lost their decorative effect;
• Using a sharp knife, cut off half of the earthen clod from below;
• place the plant in a prepared new pot with drainage, covered with fresh substrate;
• they also add fresh substrate to the pot from the sides and top of the earthen clod, sprinkling the bare stem of the plant to the lower leaves;
• water the transplanted violet and place it in a mini-greenhouse.

After some time, the bare stem of the transplanted violet, sprinkled with substrate, is covered with new roots, giving the plant additional nutrition. As a result, the renewed Saintpaulia begins to grow actively and blooms beautifully.

This method of rejuvenating Saintpaulia is less traumatic. Therefore, it is not recommended to bring the old violet to such a critical state that it is necessary to use the second method of rejuvenating the rosette.

Where does violet selection begin?

When planning to develop a new variety and taking this issue seriously, the breeder defines a goal. To do this, he determines a set of factors that he wants to see in the new variety:

• size and shape of the outlet;
• leaf shape;
• flower size;
• flower shape;
• leaf color;
• the color scheme of the bud at different stages of growth.

Knowing the requirements for the future bush, the selection of maternal and paternal individuals begins. When propagating from seeds, it does not really matter which bush will perform which role.

Sometimes, to obtain all varietal characteristics, it is necessary to carry out more than one crossing, but several stages.

The parent bushes must have parameters that are desirable for the new variety. At home, they usually use the seed selection method; for some varieties, the leaf method is available.

It is necessary to take into account the dominance and recessivity of some of them. The first concept implies a strong gene that suppresses the second option.

For example, a standard size when crossing a mini and a standard is more likely to be obtained than a mini or semi-mini.

This parameter does not mean that all 100% of children from breeding will receive a dominant gene, but their number will significantly exceed children with a recessive parameter.

The table shows the main variants of the variety's characteristics, divided into strong and weaker ones.

The examples given are the result of observations by experienced breeders, but the result always depends on the specifically selected parent varieties.

In addition, among seedlings both parameters of mother plants are usually found to a greater or lesser extent, for example, there will be many more standards, but there will still be mini ones.

General recommendations for transplantation

• The Saintpaulia pot must be exactly the right size and have a drainage hole.
• It is imperative to lay drainage material at the bottom of the pots.
• Violet loves neutral soil. It is better to buy a ready-made one, which contains everything you need.
• Water the flower with warm filtered or settled water.
• You cannot use old soil by mixing it with fresh soil. Old pots are also not used.
• A newly transplanted violet needs to be given the most favorable conditions possible.

Nuances during transplantation

When replanting an old plant, you need to remember a few rules:

• if the plant is transplanted into a used pot, it must be washed and disinfected;
• if the soil in an old pot has a white rim, it is depleted and needs to be completely replaced when replanting;
• the diameter of the pot should be 1/2 the diameter of the flower rosette;
• It’s better if the pot is plastic;
• If the flower has peduncles during transplantation, they must be removed.

Rejuvenation process

The plant renewal process itself does not take much time. If you do everything correctly, the flower will again regain its decorative properties and will be pleasing to the eye.

Update methods

There are several ways to rejuvenate indoor Saintpaulias at home:

1. Through cuttings. A leaf is taken from the main bush, placed in water, and soon roots appear on it. The disadvantage of this method is that it is time-consuming, since it will take about 2 years to grow a new bush from a leaf.
2. This method is suitable if the bare part of the stem does not exceed 3 cm and is green in color. You can rejuvenate a violet by deepening the stem. This method is simpler and painless for the plant. Professionals advise practicing this method rather than waiting until the violet grows strongly and more radical measures are required.
3. For old Saintpaulias, whose trunk has already become very coarse and brown, a different method is used. You need to root the cut off stem of an old violet in water.

Step-by-step instruction

The first method is the most common. Many had to bring home leaves and sprout roots on them:

You need a glass of warm water, where crushed activated carbon is added for disinfection to eliminate diseases of violets. A leaf is placed in the container (preferably 2 or 3, since not all leaves germinate). After 1-2 weeks, roots will appear

It is important to ensure that the stems do not rot. The cutting is placed no more than 1.5 cm deep into the soil. In a month, a new sprout will appear on it.

The main stages of the step-by-step instructions for rejuvenating violets using the second method are as follows:

1. First, the plant, along with the root and soil, is removed from the pot.
2. Excess lower leaves are removed from the trunk.
3. Using a sharp knife, cut off half of the clod of earth.
4. In a new pot, drainage with a substrate is placed and the plant is placed there.
5. The earthen lump around is filled with substrate and covered with it on top.
6. The transplanted flower is watered with water at room temperature and covered with half a plastic bottle or a transparent plastic bag. The main thing is to create a mini-greenhouse for the flower.

After some time, the plant stem sprouts new roots that will nourish the flower.

How to renew a violet with a long stem?

This method is suitable for an old plant when the trunk is not capable of producing new roots:

1. The violet is removed from the pot along with the soil.
2. The lower leaves must be removed, leaving no more than 6 leaves, since the plant will be weakened and at first it will not have the strength to feed a lot of green leaves.
3. Using a knife, cut off the stem 3 cm below the beginning of leaf growth and sprinkle it with activated carbon.
4. The rough brown skin is carefully scraped from the violet stem to the green surface, after which it is dried.
5. The cut off top of the flower is placed in water.

In a few days, the renewed old violet will take root. When they reach a length of about 2 cm, the violet is planted in an earthen mixture and a greenhouse is made using a transparent container.

Additional recommendations

A pot for replanting violets should be chosen the same size or slightly larger, with a drainage hole in the bottom. The container must be lined with drainage material; the soil must be neutral. Water the plant with warm filtered water.

When renewing violets, new soil and a new container are used; florists do not advise mixing old soil with new one.

Following these recommendations and proper care will make the transplant as beneficial as possible for the plant.

General information about the development periods of violets grown at home

It is easy to identify the main life cycles of Saintpaulias:

• rooting of planting material using a cutting, a fragment of a leaf grown from a shoot seed, or the germination of roots from a stepson (a shoot formed in the axil of a leaf or at a stipule);
• laying of flower buds, formation of a peduncle, flowering;
• increasing green mass;
• maturation - exposure of the lower part of the stem, critical growth of the rosette.

The old flower looks unpresentable, and the soil becomes poor, salty, and compacted

For your information! The trunk of the old Saintpaulia becomes bare over time, and flowering becomes scarce. The condition of the leaves deteriorates, spots appear on them, a border that is not typical for the species, and irregularities.

The period when a violet is considered old

Flower growers determine the stages of natural aging of a potted plant by the length of the bare stem:

• for the initial stage, length 2 cm;
• advanced stage - a trunk more than 2.5 cm long.

When young plants age, measures must be taken immediately to save the species.