Detailed Explanation of Violet Cultivation Techniques and Care Key Points
Violets originate from the Mediterranean coast. They are widely cultivated in southern China. It is a general term for various species under the genus Matthiola in the Brassicaceae family. Also known as stock and garden stock, it is an annual, biennial or perennial herb of the genus Matthiola in the Brassicaceae family, and is one of Europe's famous flowers. The plant height is 20-70 cm, and the entire plant has grayish-white stellate soft hairs. The stem is erect with many branches. The leaves are alternate, oblong or oblanceolate, 3-5 cm long. The raceme is terminal or axillary, with both sides of the sepals having a basal pouch-like shape, the pedicels are thick, the flower diameter is 2 cm, with 4 petals having long claws, and the petals spread out in a cross shape. The flowers come in purplish-red, pale red, pale yellow, white, etc., with a slight fragrance. The flowering period varies by variety: spring violets bloom in April and May; summer violets bloom from June to August; autumn violets bloom from July to September. It has beauty-enhancing effects of moisturizing the skin, removing wrinkles and fading spots. It is not only suitable for beauty-conscious people to drink, but also has therapeutic effects on sore throat, bronchitis, constipation, and eliminating bad breath (especially when paired with lavender for better results).
Sowing and Seedling Raising
The optimal temperature for seed germination and emergence is about 16-20°C. Broadcasting is generally used. The seedbed soil should be passed through a fine sieve. The seedling substrate needs to be soft and well-aerated. Use a watering can to water thoroughly until the bottom water is saturated, then sow dry seeds. The sowing rate per square meter of seedbed is about 5 grams, and cover with fine soil 0.5 cm deep. If sowing with a seedling tray, place the tray in a shaded, rain-proof location. If the seedbed soil has poor water retention, cover with plastic film or glass after covering with soil. Dry seeds emerge in about 4-6 days. After emergence, gradually remove the shading material to let them receive light. During the seedling stage, protect against heavy rain. Violets have poor root regeneration ability, so if conditions permit, raise seedlings in containers and transplant early. Put 1-2 seedlings per container, with a container diameter of 8-10 cm. As the weather gets colder, the greenhouse or arched shed should be appropriately reinforced for insulation to facilitate seedling growth. Keep the seedbed soil consistently moist. Place the seedlings on the south side of the greenhouse to obtain stronger light and a larger temperature difference, which can prevent spindly growth. Transplant when there are 8-10 leaves; plant 2-3 plants in a 26.7 cm diameter pot. Seedlings can tolerate -5°C low temperatures but are averse to high heat. The optimal growing temperature is 15-18°C during the day and about 10°C at night. They like light but are also slightly tolerant of partial shade and intolerant of drought. They prefer fertile, loose seedbed soil, with a suitable pH of 5.5-7.5. When seedlings have 6-8 true leaves, control watering, and two different leaf colors will appear. Remove the yellowing seedlings and keep only the dark green plants for transplanting. Neutral or slightly acidic loam soil is required.
When the daytime temperature is 20-25°C and the nighttime temperature is not lower than 5°C, it takes about 120-150 days from autumn sowing to flowering. In the cold northern regions, sow in August; in other regions, sow in September, so that they can bloom around the Spring Festival. To arrange spring flower beds, sow in December to January in the cold northern regions, which can reduce the number of seedling-raising days and lower seedling costs. For cut flower use, transplant into protected cultivation beds; in warm regions, autumn-sown plants for spring flower beds are moved into cold frames to overwinter. Tall varieties should be pinched at the seedling stage, and sowing times should be staggered. For example, sowing in early July can result in initial flowering in mid-October. For overwintering, suitable varieties should be selected; suitable varieties include Feng Zhi Wu, Xue Zhi Wu, Chun Zhi Wu, Huang Zhi Wu, etc. For winter violets, when there are 8 true leaves, flower bud differentiation occurs at 5-15°C low temperature in about 20 days. After flower bud differentiation, at 5-10°C low temperature, increasing day length can accelerate flower bud development, but under a 7-hour short-day photoperiod, some varieties can still flower normally. Secondly, to increase the proportion of double flowers, preliminary selection can be carried out before transplanting seedlings. The cotyledons of double-flowered seedlings are broadly elliptical with more serrations; the cotyledons of single-flowered seedlings are short elliptical with fewer serrations. Alternatively, when the cotyledons unfold, place the seedling tray in a 4-8°C environment for about 8 days; those with pale green leaf color are double-flowered seedlings, and those with dark green are single-flowered seedlings. Double-flowered seeds have a longer lifespan than single-flowered ones; sowing seeds stored for more than 2 years tends to increase the number of double-flowered plants.
Under normal circumstances, violets are sown from February to May, with an optimal germination temperature of 20-26°C. Germination requires light, and germination occurs in 4-9 days in a germination chamber. The optimal growth temperature is about 18°C. The seedling-raising period is 7-8 weeks, and flowering occurs 8-11 weeks after potting. During the growth period, they are very tolerant of light; however, shading should be noted under strong summer light, as concentrated strong light will cause some varieties to wither.
Techniques for Each Growth Stage in Seedling Production
1. From sowing to radicle emergence (takes 4-9 days): No covering is needed after sowing. The suitable substrate temperature is 20-26°C, pH 5.0-5.5, EC value less than 0.75. During the germination period, the substrate should always be kept moist, but must never be saturated.
2. Until the first true leaf appears (takes 11-16 days): Keep the substrate temperature at 18-24°C with moderate humidity. However, to ensure good seed germination, allow the substrate to dry slightly before watering. Substrate pH 5.2-5.6, EC value less than 1.0. Light should be sufficient, but avoid direct strong summer light. After the cotyledons fully unfold, apply potassium nitrate or calcium nitrate. After full emergence, use the broad-spectrum fungicide thiophanate-methyl to drench the roots or spray, to prevent diseases such as damping-off and root rot.
3. Until finished seedlings (takes 21-28 days): The optimal substrate temperature is 16-24°C, relative air humidity not exceeding 80%, and sufficient light. Allow the substrate to dry thoroughly before watering, but avoid permanent wilting of the plants, as this is beneficial for root growth. Keep the substrate pH at 5.2-5.8, EC value less than 1.5. During this stage, alternately apply potassium nitrate or calcium nitrate fertilizer. Fertilization can be alternated with watering with clear water to control plant height. Pay attention to controlling root pests such as nematodes and bean seed flies; pesticides such as fosthiazate and omethoate can be used for root drenching.
4. Hardening off (takes 7 days): Control the substrate temperature at 14-20°C, relative air humidity less than 70%, and allow the substrate to dry thoroughly before watering. Keep the substrate pH at 5.2-5.6, EC value less than 0.75. When the plants are not lacking nutrients, apply fertilizer containing potassium nitrate or calcium nitrate once a week.
Violet Finished Flower Cultivation Techniques
1. Soil: Persian violets are suitable for planting in light peat soil with a humus content of 45-65%. The soil needs to be slightly fertile with a loose structure; poor air conditions easily lead to root problems. Soil pH 5.0-6.5, EC value 1.5-2.0. Too high a pH value will lead to nutrient deficiency symptoms.
2. Water: During the growth period, the plants should be kept regularly moist, but avoid overwatering, otherwise root diseases are easily caused. Watering is best done by seepage from below, which keeps the substrate surface dry for a longer period and effectively reduces the threat of pests such as bean seed flies and black flies.
3. Fertilizer: Only a small amount of potassium nitrate or calcium nitrate is needed. Fertilization can be alternated with watering with clear water.
4. Light: Persian violets require a certain amount of light for flowering and are very tolerant of light, but shading is needed when light intensity exceeds 75000 lux, otherwise plant growth will be poor.
5. Growth regulation: Begin using growth regulators about 3 weeks after potting. B9, ALan, A-Rest, etc. can be used. The degree of treatment needed varies by variety, but repeated application is necessary.
6. Pests and diseases: Common diseases include root rot and gray mold. Root rot can be controlled with 50% thiophanate-methyl or 50% carbendazim at 500 times dilution. For gray mold, use 5% iprodione wettable powder at 1500 times dilution or 50% procymidone wettable powder at 1500-2000 times dilution. Pests include aphids, thrips, leafminers, etc., which can be controlled with 10% imidacloprid wettable powder at 2000 times dilution, 1.8% abamectin emulsifiable concentrate at 3000 times dilution, and 75% phoxim emulsifiable concentrate at 1000-1500 times dilution, respectively.