Detailed Guide to Violet Cultivation and Planting Techniques

[Alternative names]Caoguihua, caoziluolan.

[Family and genus]Brassicaceae, Matthiola.

[Morphology]Subshrub-like biennial herb, stem base lignified, upright, sometimes branched, plant height 30-50 cm, the whole plant covered with gray stellate pubescence. Leaves alternate, oblong or oblanceolate, apex rounded-obtuse, base gradually narrowed, entire margin. Racemes terminal and axillary. Flower diameter 2 cm, red-purple, slightly fragrant. Petals 4, obovate with a long claw, flowering period April to May. Silique cylindrical, seeds in one row, seeds with white membranous wings, 1000-seed weight 0.8--1.2 grams.

[Varieties, forms and cultivars]Flower color varies from white, pale pink, rose red, deep red to deep purple, and there are also yellow varieties. Double-flowered types are divided into three major categories: (1) biennial type, sown in autumn, flowering in winter and spring; (2) annual type (var. annua), sown in spring, flowering in summer and autumn; (3) intermediate type, which can be sown in early spring to flower in autumn, or sown in autumn to flower in winter and spring. However, in the Shanghai area, because summer weather is extremely hot, spring sowing is difficult, so all three types can only be sown in autumn. According to plant height, they are also divided into tall stem (40-50 cm) and short stem (within 30 cm).

[Origin and distribution]Native to southern Europe.

[Habits]It likes mild winters and cool summers, can tolerate low temperatures of -5°C in winter, and dislikes extremely hot summer weather. It prefers fertile, moist and deep soil. (This article is excerpted from the complete book "Rural Breeding Industry")

[Propagation]Sow in early September in a shallow pan, or sow directly in 3-4 inch small pots. The optimum germination temperature is 20°C, and seedlings emerge quickly and evenly.

[Cultivation]Because its root system has weak regeneration ability after being cut, care should be taken whether transplanting seedlings or repotting. After the cotyledons of the seedlings unfold, immediately pot them into 3-inch pots to reduce losses. Later, gradually repot into 5—6-inch pots. Overwinter in a cold frame. If used as potted plants or cut flowers, 3 plants can also be planted in a large pot in a “pin” shape and placed in a cool greenhouse. Except for annual cultivars, biennial cultivars need to pass through a low-temperature vernalization stage before flowering. Field planting spacing is 30 cm.

[Seed collection]Because double flowers are sterile in double-flowered lines, seeds can only be collected from plants bearing single flowers; in excellent lines, plants with double flowers can reach 70%. For seed collection, cut once when the fruits turn yellow, dry them, allow them to after-ripen, and then thresh.

[Uses]Can be used as potted flowers, cut flowers, or removed from pots in mid-March and planted in the ground for flower beds.

[Appendix: Other flowers of the same genus]Night-scented stock: annual or biennial herb, much branched, somewhat weak, plant height 30 cm. Leaves oblong-lanceolate, upper leaves entire. Flowers purple or lilac, nearly sessile, smaller than stock, blooming at night, very fragrant. Silique open, apex forked into two horn-like points. Native to Greece.

How to grow African violets? Growing methods and cultivation techniques for African violets

Growing methods and cultivation techniques for African violets

Cultivation management

Watering

When cultivating African violets, watering is very important. In early spring, when temperatures are low, watering should not be excessive, otherwise stems and leaves are prone to rot, affecting flowering. In summer, when it is hot and dry, more water should be given, and spraying water to increase air humidity is advisable; otherwise flower stalks droop and the flowering period shortens. However, when spraying, 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, leaf stalks elongate, flowering is delayed, and flower color is dull. In midsummer, if light is too strong, young tender leaves can be scorched or turn white, so shade protection is needed. It requires night temperatures to be higher than daytime temperatures; with 24°C at night and 16°C during the day, stems and leaves grow luxuriantly and flowers are large and numerous. During growth, fertile, loose leaf mold is most ideal, with fertilization once every half month. If fertilizer is insufficient, flowering decreases and flowers become smaller. After flowering, remove faded flowers at any time to prevent them from becoming moldy and rotting.

Fertilization

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 can instead cause growth disorders; however, 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 under conditions of adequate light for its effect to appear. As long as light is ample, the environment is suitable 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 growth period. However, if the plant's growth vigor and flower quality are to be pursued, fertilizers suitable for different growth stages must be used.

For African violets, the fertilizers required and the key points of fertilization at different growth stages 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; fertilize after 2-4 weeks. Fertilizers with higher nitrogen and potassium content are suitable, such as fertilizers with N-P-K 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 N-P-K ratios of 30-10-10, 25-5-20, 5-1-1, etc.

3. Flowering stage - begin application about 2 months before the expected flowering time. Fertilizers with higher phosphorus content are suitable, such as fertilizers with N-P-K ratios of 10-30-20, 15-30-15, 12-36-14, 0-10-10, etc.

Repotting

Aged plants, seedlings being moved into new pots, plants with diseased roots, pots with salts deposited 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 key points. Taking healthy plants (small and medium seedlings) being moved from small pots to larger pots and aged plants as examples, the order and key points are as follows:

1. Tidying the plant and checking the health of the root system - first remove the lowest smaller or poorly growing leaves and inspect the roots: if they are white, they are healthy; if brown or dark brown, they are unhealthy or even rotting. Unhealthy root tissue must be removed with a blade or scissors along with about 1/3-1/2 of the medium; generally, the more severe the browning, the greater the proportion of medium to remove. Healthy plants, however, do not need any root treatment, and injury to root tissue should be avoided as much as possible.

2. Potting into a new pot - when moving a plant from a small pot to a large pot, first put a small amount of new medium in the bottom of the larger pot, place the plant with its medium into the large pot, and fill the gaps with new medium.

3. Aftercare after repotting - water thoroughly and then place in a suitable environment for cultivation. After repotting, plants are usually weaker or have injured roots, and root absorption capacity is reduced, so avoid fertilizing within 2 weeks after repotting.

For repotting, it is best to choose a season with suitable environmental climate so that the plant can recover smoothly. Generally, it is advisable to maintain a temperature between 18-26°C when repotting. 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. There are three commonly used growing media: peat moss - a brown sediment of decayed plant material from swampy areas, with good water and fertilizer retention; perlite - white granular material formed after limestone is treated at high temperature, does not absorb water and has poor fertilizer retention, but has excellent aeration; vermiculite - fragments formed by mica expanding 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-retentive 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; therefore, media with good aeration are mainly used, and perlite and vermiculite can be between 60-80%.

Water management

Generally, the watering temperature should be as close as possible to that of the plant, and it is enough to avoid watering at midsummer noon (above 35°C) or on winter evenings (below 15°C). The timing and amount of water supply are mainly determined by the moisture content of the medium. There are several methods to test the moisture content of the medium:

1. Touch the medium with a finger - when the surface soil is dry, water should be given.

2. Weighing - when the moisture content of the medium is higher, 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, watering is needed.

3. Leaf appearance - African violets tolerate water shortage better than many indoor plants, so when the leaves are slightly wilted, it indicates that the plant lacks 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, in principle, fully wet the medium, with excess water flowing 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 methods of water supply are:

5. Spraying method — water with a spray pot, which can also wash dust and deposited salts from the plant, but avoid using water with too great a temperature difference that may cause water injury.

6. Irrigation — irrigate with a long-spout pot, which can avoid water contacting the plant or flowers, thus not causing water-injury spots, and is also suitable during the flowering period.

7. Bottom-tray absorption - pour water into the bottom reservoir tray and let the medium absorb water to the medium by capillary action; after several minutes, when the medium is saturated with water, pour off the remaining water.

Key cultivation points

When seedlings have 3-4 leaves, transplant into 6 cm pots, and when they have 7-8 leaves, plant into 10 cm pots: in early spring temperatures are low, so water less; in summer, when it is hot and dry, water more and spray water to increase air humidity. In autumn and winter, as temperatures gradually drop, 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, if light is too strong, shade protection is needed: during the growth period, fertilize once every half month, and during the flowering period apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizer twice more; 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 optimum growth temperature is 20-22°C, and the suitable light intensity is between 10000-12000 lx. In summer, avoid strong light and high temperatures; spray shading agents on cultivation facilities or use shade nets to block stronger light, and spray water to cool 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 rot of stems and leaves. 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, flowering will be sparse and pale in color, or even only leaves will grow without flowering; if light is too strong, it will cause leaf yellowing and scorching, so it can be maintained in a bright place without direct sunlight. The optimum growth temperature is 16°C to 24°C, and in winter it must not be lower than 10°C. During cultivation, avoid sudden rises and drops in temperature, otherwise the plant can easily die. In summer, keep it in a cool, ventilated place for maintenance, avoiding a stuffy, hot and humid environment and direct sun exposure. Usually, watering should not be excessive; water again only when the potting soil is slightly dry. Water accumulation in the potting soil is often the main cause of plant rot. During the growth 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 key points

Location: Do not place it where the sun tends to reach; it can grow as long as there is scattered light indoors. African violets are very shade-tolerant indoor plants and are instead not suitable for outdoor planting. The best location is by a 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 fuzz and the flowers are small and delicate, so when watering it is best not to let water accumulate on 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, and water can also be added directly from the bottom tray to let the root system absorb the water. Especially during the full bloom period, when leaves and flowers occupy the whole size of the pot, the bottom method can avoid injuring the leaves.

Sunlight: It can grow anywhere indoors with bright light, and the sunlight at a windowsill 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 optimum 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 grow well, but attention must be paid to replenishing water.

Fertilizer: It needs relatively more fertilizer; it is best to supplement liquid fertilizer once every about 10-20 days, applying small amounts more frequently; when entering the flowering period, supplement phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. If there is too much nitrogen fertilizer, it will instead promote lush leaves without flowering.

Care: African violets bought from flower markets are mostly 3-4 inch finished potted flowers, and have already bloomed or have buds. After bringing them home, they can be placed in a bright window or a place with scattered light. Water according to the degree of soil dryness; if there is a saucer, simply replenish water after the water has dried. Care is not difficult.

How to plant violets: Violet planting techniques

Many plants grow better naturally in the wild, but when transplanted indoors for cultivation, many problems arise, which is related to their adaptability. Plants growing in the wild, having endured wind and rain, have relatively strong resistance, and there are also more nutrients in the wild, making survival easier. When planted indoors, they are greatly affected by the environment, and their resistance is much lower. How can violets be planted so that they grow better and produce more beautiful flowers? Today let us learn about it.

1. Propagation characteristics
Violets also reproduce by seeds; through sowing, they then take root, sprout, bloom and bear fruit. Violets are cold-tolerant and afraid of high temperatures. They belong to winter-spring plants, and sowing begins after September each year. Seedlings emerge after half a month, and flowering takes about 3 months.

2. Soil requirements
Violets relatively prefer neutral to slightly alkaline soil. In acidic soil, it is very difficult for them to germinate, 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 germinated violets to rot.

3. Temperature requirements
Violets are cold-loving plants and can grow well only in places with low temperatures and good ventilation. If 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; simply plant them in a place with relatively good light.

4. Cultivation requirements
After planting, violets need to be watered from time to time, and care should be taken not to use too much water; after 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 violet planting methods 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 scene. They add a decorative touch to our rooms.|Small home garden|Sunken garden|Small balcony garden|