How to plant violets? Practical growing tips shared
Many plants grow well naturally in the wild, but when they are transplanted indoors for cultivation, many problems arise, and this is related to their adaptability. Plants growing in the wild have been through wind and rain, so their resistance is relatively strong, and there are more nutrients in the wild, making it easier for them to survive. Grown indoors, they are greatly affected by the environment, and their resistance is much weaker. How should violets be planted so they can grow better and produce more beautiful flowers? Today let us learn about it.
1. Propagation characteristics
Violets also reproduce by seed; through sowing, they then take root, sprout, bloom, and bear fruit. Violets are cold-tolerant and afraid of high temperatures, belonging to winter-spring plants, and sowing begins after September each year. They emerge after half a month, and flowering takes about 3 months.
2. Soil requirements
Violets prefer neutral to slightly alkaline soil. In acidic soil, they are very difficult to sprout, and the seeds will also rot. In addition, the soil drainage must be good; if too much water accumulates, it will also cause the seeds to rot, or cause the roots of already sprouted violets to rot.
3. Temperature requirements
Violets are cold-loving plants and can only grow well in places with low temperatures and good ventilation. In places with relatively high temperatures or relatively dry air, they are very prone to pest and disease problems. Violets are cold-tolerant and do not like shade, so simply plant them in a place with good light.
4. Cultivation requirements
After planting violets, they need to be watered from time to time, and be careful not to use too much water; after the violets take root and sprout, after a period of time a little flower fertilizer needs to be added to supplement the nutrients in the soil. When loosening the soil, be very careful not to damage the roots and stems, because violets are taproot plants. When the plants grow larger, pay attention to pest prevention; violets have many pest and disease problems, so timely prevention and control are needed.
Once you have mastered the correct method for planting violets and understand how to plant violets, you can grow beautiful violet flowers. Placing these plants on a bedroom windowsill or balcony also makes a beautiful sight. They add a decorative touch to our rooms. |Small home garden|Sunken garden|Small balcony garden|
Violet growing tips: how to prevent and control violet pests and diseases
Violets grow well naturally in the wild, but when they are transplanted indoors for cultivation, many problems arise, and this is related to their adaptability. Plants growing in the wild have been through wind and rain, so their resistance is relatively strong, and there are more nutrients in the wild, making it easier for them to survive. Grown indoors, they are greatly affected by the environment, and their resistance is much weaker. How should violets be planted so they can grow better and produce more beautiful flowers? Today let us learn about it.
Violet growing tips
1. Propagation characteristics
Violets also reproduce by seed; through sowing, they then take root, sprout, bloom, and bear fruit. Violets are cold-tolerant and afraid of high temperatures, belonging to winter-spring plants, and sowing begins after September each year. They emerge after half a month, and flowering takes about 3 months.
2. Soil requirements
Violets prefer neutral to slightly alkaline soil. In acidic soil, they are very difficult to sprout, and the seeds will also rot. In addition, the soil drainage must be good; if too much water accumulates, it will also cause the seeds to rot, or cause the roots of already sprouted violets to rot.
3. Temperature requirements
Violets are cold-loving plants and can only grow well in places with low temperatures and good ventilation. In places with relatively high temperatures or relatively dry air, they are very prone to pest and disease problems. Violets are cold-tolerant and do not like shade, so simply plant them in a place with good light.
4. Cultivation requirements
After planting violets, they need to be watered from time to time, and be careful not to use too much water; after the violets take root and sprout, after a period of time a little flower fertilizer needs to be added to supplement the nutrients in the soil. When loosening the soil, be very careful not to damage the roots and stems, because violets are taproot plants. When the plants grow larger, pay attention to pest prevention; violets have many pest and disease problems, so timely prevention and control are needed.
Once you have mastered the correct method for planting violets and understand how to plant violets, you can grow beautiful violet flowers. Placing these plants on a bedroom windowsill or balcony also makes a beautiful sight. They add a decorative touch to our rooms. However, violets can also get sick, so how should violet pests and diseases be prevented and controlled?
Violet pest and disease control
Common violet pests and diseases include downy mildew, fusarium wilt, verticillium wilt, mosaic disease, leaf spot, and diseases caused by aphids. If you do not look, you would not know; once you look, it really gives you a fright: such a small plant can also have so many kinds of diseases. So how should violet pests and diseases be prevented and controlled? What are the correct methods?
1. Prevention and control of downy mildew
This disease mainly starts when pathogens in the soil infect the roots; sowing too densely or poor drainage will trigger this disease. The symptoms are light green spots appearing on the leaves, later turning yellow, with a white frost layer on the underside. The prevention and control method is: make the sowing spacing of violets slightly larger, ensure good ventilation, pay attention to drainage, and keep the water content in the soil appropriate. For plants that have already contracted the disease, they need to be removed promptly, and a little fungicide aqueous solution should be sprayed around them.
2. Prevention and control of fusarium wilt
Fusarium wilt is caused by Fusarium oxysporum. Its symptoms are: the plant becomes shorter and stunted, young plants have obvious veins on the leaves, and larger plants show drooping leaves. Prevention and control method: soak the seeds in warm water at 50-55 degrees for a few minutes to kill the pathogens, and the soil can be disinfected with a 1000-times potassium permanganate solution before planting. For plants that have already been infected, they need to be removed promptly.
3. Prevention and control of mosaic disease
Mosaic disease is caused by turnip mosaic virus, transmitted by aphids and also through sap. Prevention and control method: plants that have already been infected need to be isolated promptly, then treated with a plant-based insecticide, 1.2% nicotine anabasine solution diluted 2000~4000 times, for disinfection.
4. Prevention and control of pests
Pests are mainly caused by aphids. Aphids pierce into the internal tissues of plants with their mouthparts to suck sap, causing yellow spots or black spots on the affected parts, while affected leaves later shrivel and fall off, and flower buds also become deformed. Prevention and control method: remove weeds around the plants, and spray a 40% dimethoate or omethoate solution diluted 1000-1500 times for pest control.
The above prevention and control methods for several violet pests and diseases are only among the more common plant diseases now; there are other plant diseases that everyone needs to learn about and prevent and control well. Do a good job of pest and disease prevention and control in a timely manner, let violets grow healthily and bloom beautifully, and while you harvest beautiful scenery, you also gain a little sense of accomplishment.
After reading the above introduction on violet growing tips and pest and disease control, do you have a better understanding of violet growing tips? If you want to know more about violet growing tips, please keep following.
How to grow African violets? African violet growing methods and cultivation techniques
African violet growing methods and cultivation techniques
Cultivation management
Watering
When cultivating African violets, watering is very important. In early spring with low temperatures, watering should not be excessive, otherwise the stems and leaves are prone to rot, affecting flowering. In summer with high temperatures and dryness, more watering is needed, and spraying water to increase air humidity, otherwise the flower stalks droop and the flowering period shortens. However, when spraying water, if too much water splashes onto the leaves, it can also cause leaf rot. In autumn and winter, as temperatures drop, watering should be appropriately reduced. African violets are semi-shade plants, and 8 hours of light per day is most suitable. If light is insufficient on rainy or snowy days, artificial light should be added. If light is insufficient, the leaf stalks elongate, flowering is delayed, and flower color is dull. In midsummer, light that is too strong will scorch or whiten young tender leaves, so shade protection is needed. The nighttime temperature is required to be higher than the daytime temperature; nighttime 24°C, daytime 16°C, and the stems and leaves grow luxuriantly, with large and numerous flowers. During growth, fertile, loose leaf mold is most ideal, fertilizing once every half month; if fertilizer is insufficient, flowering decreases and flowers become smaller. After flowering, remove spent flowers at any time to prevent them from molding and rotting.
Fertilizing
Generally, when the light source is sufficient, only a small amount of additional fertilizer is needed to maintain normal plant growth, and too much fertilizer will instead cause growth disorders; but in an environment with insufficient light, even if ample fertilizer is provided, the plant will still grow poorly, or even die. Therefore, fertilizer application should generally be carried out when there is no concern about the light source in order to show its effectiveness. As long as the light source is ample, the environment is appropriate, and management is correct, merely mixing base fertilizer into the medium or the fertility stored in the medium is enough for the plant to grow normally and bloom even if no fertilizer is added during the growing period. However, if you want plant vigor and flower quality, you must use suitable fertilizers for different growth stages.
For African violets, the fertilizers needed at different growth stages and the fertilizing essentials are as follows:
1. Rooting stage - such as propagation, transplanting, repotting. Just after handling, because there are no roots or the roots are injured, absorption function is poor, so it is not suitable to fertilize immediately; wait 2~4 weeks before fertilizing. Fertilizers with higher nitrogen and potassium content are suitable, such as fertilizers with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium ratios of 7-6-19, 14-12-14, etc.
2. Vegetative growth stage - such as from seedling growth to before flowering and after the flowering period. Fertilizers with higher nitrogen content are suitable, such as fertilizers with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium ratios of 30-10-10, 25-5-20, 5-1-1, etc.
3. Flowering stage - begin applying about 2 months before the expected flowering. Fertilizers with higher phosphorus content are suitable, such as fertilizers with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium ratios of 10-30-20, 15-30-15, 12-36-14, 0-10-10, etc.
Repotting
Aged plants, seedlings being moved to new pots, plants with root disease, pots with salt deposits on the rim and outer wall, and plants that have lost their shape or look unattractive should be repotted promptly. Plants in different conditions have their own suitable repotting methods and essentials. Taking a healthy plant (small or medium seedling) being moved from a small pot to a larger pot, and an aged plant, as examples, the order and essentials are as follows:
1. Tidying the plant and inspecting the health of the root system - first, remove the smallest or poorly growing leaves at the very bottom, and inspect the roots: if they are white, they are healthy; if they are brown or dark brown, they are unhealthy or even rotting. Unhealthy root tissue must be removed with a blade or scissors, removing about 1/3~1/2 of the medium; generally, the more severe the browning, the greater the proportion of medium removed. Healthy plants, however, do not need any root treatment, and try to avoid damaging the root tissue.
2. Putting it into a new pot - when moving a plant from a small pot to a large pot, first place a little new medium at the bottom of the larger pot, put the plant with its medium into the large pot, and fill the gaps with new medium.
3. Post-repotting care - water thoroughly, then place it in a suitable environment for cultivation. Repotted plants are usually weaker or have injured roots, and root absorption capacity is reduced, so avoid fertilizing within 2 weeks after repotting.
It is best to choose a season with suitable climate and environment for repotting, so the plant can recover smoothly. Generally, when repotting, it is advisable to maintain the temperature between 18~26°C. In Taiwan, China, spring and autumn are more suitable, but if grown in an environment with air-conditioning equipment where the temperature can be maintained at around 25°C, repotting can be done in all four seasons.
Cultivation techniques
Growing medium
An ideal growing medium must have good aeration, retain water and fertilizer, have a pH suitable for plant growth, and have good cation exchange capacity. Three commonly used growing media are: peat moss - a brown sediment of decayed plant matter from swamp areas, with good water and fertilizer retention; perlite - white granular material formed after limestone is treated at high temperature, does not absorb water, has poor fertilizer retention, but has excellent aeration; vermiculite - fragments formed when mica expands and splits when heated, with good aeration but poor water and fertilizer retention. African violets have different requirements for the physical and chemical properties of the medium at different growth stages, such as: vegetative growth stage - moisture-retaining medium (that is, peat moss) can be between 50~60%; cutting propagation stage - at this stage there is no root tissue and water cannot be absorbed, so the medium should not contain too much water, and therefore a medium with good aeration is mainly used, with perlite and vermiculite able to be between 60~80%.
Water management
Generally, the watering temperature should be as close as possible to the plant, and it is enough to avoid watering at midsummer noon (above 35°C) or winter nighttime (below 15°C). The timing and amount of water supply are mainly determined according to the water content of the medium. There are several methods for testing the water content of the medium:
1. Touch the medium with your finger - when the surface soil has dried, it should be watered.
2. Weighing - when the medium has a higher water content, the plant is heavier; conversely, the plant is lighter. Generally, when the weight of the plant together with the pot is about 1/3~1/2 of the weight at maximum water content, it needs watering.
3. Leaf appearance - African violets tolerate water shortage better than many indoor plants, so when the leaves show slight wilting, it indicates the plant is short of water and water should be replenished promptly.
4. Visual inspection of the medium surface - when the surface soil is dry, its color is whiter than when moist, and this can be used to judge the timing of watering.
Each watering should be based on the principle of fully wetting the medium and having excess water flow out from the bottom of the pot. In a general indoor environment, the watering cycle for African violets is about 3~7 days, but it must vary according to the current environment. The watering methods are:
5. Spraying — water with a spray bottle, which can also clean dust and deposited salts from the plant, but avoid using water with too large a temperature difference that causes water damage.
6. Irrigation — irrigate with a long-spout pot, which can avoid water contacting the plant or flowers and therefore will not cause water damage spots, and is also suitable during the flowering period.
7. Bottom-basin absorption - pour water into the bottom reservoir basin, let the medium absorb water into itself through capillary action, and after several minutes when the medium is saturated with water, pour off the remaining water.
Cultivation essentials
When seedlings have 3-4 leaves, transplant them into a 6 cm pot, and when they have 7-8 leaves, plant them in a 10 cm pot: in early spring temperatures are low, so water less; in summer with high temperatures and dryness, water more, and spray water to increase air humidity. In autumn and winter, temperatures gradually drop, so watering should be appropriately reduced: African violets are semi-shade plants, and 8 hours of light per day is suitable; if light is insufficient on rainy or snowy days, artificial light should be added. In midsummer, light is too strong, so shade protection is needed: during the growing period, fertilize once every half month, and during the flowering period increase phosphorus and potassium fertilizer 2 times; plants kept for seed need artificial pollination. The seed-setting rate is high, and the seeds are plump.
African violets like a semi-shady, warm and humid environment. The suitable growth temperature is 20~22°C, and the suitable light intensity is between 10000~12000lx. In summer, avoid strong light and high temperatures; spray shading agents or use shade nets on the cultivation facilities to block relatively strong light, and spray water to lower temperature and increase humidity, but pay attention to good ventilation. During cultivation, relatively high air humidity should be maintained, and watering should be appropriate; do not let it become too wet, so as to avoid stem and leaf rot. The difference between water temperature and air temperature should be less than 5°C, otherwise a large number of yellow spots will appear on the leaf surface. If light is insufficient, there will be fewer flowers and pale color, or even only leaves and no flowers; if light is too strong, it will cause the leaves to turn yellow and scorch, so it can be kept in a place with bright light but no direct sunlight. The suitable growth temperature is 16°C to 24°C, and in winter it must not be lower than 10°C. During cultivation, avoid sudden sharp rises and falls in temperature, otherwise the plant can easily die. In summer, keep it in a cool, ventilated place, avoiding a stuffy, hot, and humid environment and scorching sun exposure. Usually watering should not be excessive; wait until the potting soil is slightly dry before watering. Water accumulation in the potting soil is often the main cause of plant rot. During the growing period, apply a fully decomposed dilute liquid fertilizer or compound chemical fertilizer once every 7 to 10 days. The nitrogen content in the fertilizer must not be too high, otherwise the leaves will grow very luxuriantly but there will be very few flowers.
Care essentials
Location: do not place it where the sun tends to reach; as long as there is scattered light indoors, it can grow. African violets are very shade-tolerant indoor plants, and on the contrary are not suitable for outdoor planting. The best location is by the windowsill.
Soil: loose, well-drained soil is best; peat moss mixed with vermiculite and perlite can be used as the medium.
Water: note that violet leaves have fine hairs and the flowers are small, so when watering it is best not to let water accumulate on the buds or leaves; a narrow-spout pot can be used to add water carefully. A saucer can be placed under a potted flower on a table to prevent water from leaking out, or water can be added directly from the bottom tray so the root system absorbs the water. Especially during the full-bloom period, when the leaves and flowers occupy the entire size of the pot, the bottom method can avoid damaging the leaves.
Sunlight: it can grow in any bright indoor place, and windowsill sunlight is just right; if placed in front of a desk, a plant light can be added to supplement light, which can extend the flowering period and keep it blooming continuously.
Temperature: the suitable growth temperature is 15-25 degrees; in summer, pay attention to ventilation; if placed in an office, because there is air-conditioning equipment, the temperature will not be too high or too low, and it should be able to grow well, but attention must be paid to replenishing water.
Fertilizer: it needs relatively more fertilizer; it is best to supplement liquid fertilizer once about every 10-20 days, applying small amounts more often; when entering the flowering period, supplement phosphorus and potassium fertilizer; if there is too much nitrogen fertilizer, on the contrary it promotes luxuriant leaves without flowering.
Care: most African violets purchased from flower markets are 3-4 inch potted finished plants, and have already bloomed or have flower buds. After bringing them home, they can be placed by a window or in a place with scattered light. Watering depends on the degree of soil dryness; if there is a saucer, wait until the water is dry before replenishing water. Care is not difficult.