Growing conditions
In order for Saintpaulia to delight you with its flowering as long as possible, it is necessary to create comfortable conditions for it. It should be noted that the uzambar violets have a rather capricious disposition, so it takes a lot of time to care for the plant.
Temperature
Violet "Isadora" is distinguished by its special heat-loving nature. Therefore, in the room where she lives, the air temperature should be maintained at any time of the year at a level of 22-24 degrees during the daytime and 18 degrees at night. Only under such conditions will Saintpaulia grow healthy and strong, and will also delight you with abundant flowering. Temperature conditions below this mark are categorically unacceptable.
Lighting
For full growth and development, a flower needs at least 12 light hours a day. If the plant lacks light, then it grows very poorly. In regions where it is impossible to achieve the required insolation in a natural way, you should additionally highlight the Saintpaulia with special phyto lamps of the yellow spectrum.
At the same time, direct sunlight should be avoided at the outlets. If the lighting is excessive, the leaves will drop, and there will also be a risk of burns. That is why the eastern and western windows are considered the best places for placing Isadora. On the north side, the plant lacks light, especially during the cold season. On the southern windowsill, the flower falls prey to the scorching sun. However, you can slightly shade the window, for example, stick a reflective film or curtain it with light tulle. The light will be diffused, and the violet will feel comfortable.
Characteristics of the variety "Dn-Kira"
Dmitry Denisenko is a young, but already confidently declared himself a breeder from Ukraine
Its varietal violets, for example, "Dn-Wax Lily", "Dn-Blue Organza", "Dn-Kira", "Dn-Sea Mystery", "Dn-Shamanskaya Rose" attract the attention of many lovers of these plants. The varieties bred by Dmitry are compact, have good peduncles and large flowers of various colors from white-pink ("Dn-Zephyr") to dark purple ("Dn-Parisian Mysteries")
The Dn-Kira variety was bred in 2016. The plant has a compact, neat rosette. This violet has large (about 7 centimeters) flowers of a rich blue-violet hue with a white border along the edge of the petals. They can be double or semi-double. Leaves are variegated, slightly wavy at the edges.
Conditions and care
This variety requires bright lighting with additional lighting in winter, but not direct sunlight. In order for the flowers to have beautiful darkish tips, the plant must be kept in cool conditions during the budding period. The rest of the time the recommended temperature is 19-22 degrees Celsius and humid air. You need to water with water at room temperature, which has previously settled, without getting on the leaves and the outlet. Every 2-3 years, the soil mixture in the pot should be renewed and special fertilizers should be applied during the period of active growth.
Indoor violet "Kira" is a charming plant that, with proper care, will delight you with flowers at any time of the year. Due to its compact size, it can be successfully grown even on a narrow window sill. In addition, it is believed that this beautiful flower creates an atmosphere of harmony around itself, neutralizing negative energy.
For information on how to determine the variety of violets, see the next video.
Description of the variety
The variety is interesting for its unusual color, this is its zest. The sharp and deep contrast is what catches the eye and amazes the viewer.Against the background of dark green leaves of a regular oval shape, large flowers-stars stand out, rich burgundy, almost black, with contrasting bright yellow anthers. The contrast is very strong, and the dark color is very deep, therefore, in order to photograph or shoot a blooming violet on the camera, you have to add light as much as possible, otherwise the inflorescences in the picture are not clearly visible, merge into one dark spot.
The flowers of the "Black Prince" are very large, sometimes reaching 6.5-7 cm in diameter. This is more than an ordinary matchbox, which is 5 cm long and 3.5 cm wide.
The "Black Prince", like a violet of red shades, does not have many buds, the flowering period is not as long as that of other varieties, but it is spectacular, bright and increases over time. The violet rosette is standard, the seamy side of the leaves is red. Every year the flowers of the plant become darker, more saturated, and the surface of the leaves becomes more velvety.
Many growers are worried that their starters (young violets blooming for the first year) do not meet the standards of the "Black Prince":
- the color of the buds is red, they are smaller, of a different shape, they bloom for a very long time;
- leaves of a light color, without a red back, not very pubescent;
- the socket itself grows for a long period of time.
Upset newbies believe that their violets have been reborn, therefore they look completely different or, due to inexperience, they have wandered into a plant of a different variety. Breeders who have developed the Black Prince variety and experienced collectors argue that it is not worth making hasty conclusions. To see the abundant "black" bloom, Saintpaulia needs patience, love and proper care.
Diseases and pests
"Château Brion" is a strong plant, so it rarely gets sick. The most common problem is pests.
The most common are mealybugs. If you find them on the flowers, it is enough to simply remove them with a soft cloth moistened with an alcohol solution.
On subsequent returns of pests, an insecticide should be used. Also, chemicals will help in the fight against whitefly and spider mites.
Cyclomene mites are considered more dangerous, since unhealthy parts of Saintpaulia must be removed to protect against them, which negatively affects the plant.
Growing varieties
The correct growing conditions are the key to the health of the flower, let's take a closer look at the basic rules.
Earth
For the correct cultivation of the variety, it is necessary to select a good soil.
Saintpaulia requires an acidic composition with leafy soil, peat and sand.
Their ratio is 5 to 3 to 1, respectively.
It is advisable to add charcoal or dried moss, but not more than 10% by volume.
It is recommended to mix peat with vermiculite to retain moisture. In the process of growth, additional feeding is necessary.
In spring and autumn - mineral, in winter - humate solution.
Plant container
When choosing a container, several points must be taken into account:
To protect against acidification, the roots must be allowed to grow. Since the plant is small, it is enough to start with a glass with a diameter of 6 cm or more.
For an adult Saintpaulia, a small pot with a diameter of at least 10 cm and a height of 12 cm is enough.
There should be a drainage filler underneath. The drainage hole must be large enough.
The first inflorescences are formed after the growth of the roots in the container.
Chateau Brion requires a transplant every year. It is enough to change the soil, while the container may remain old
Be careful, especially when cleaning the roots.
What kind of lighting do you need?
Saintpaulias love light. LE "Chateau Brion" is no exception, but it should be borne in mind that direct sunlight in the warm season will have a negative effect.
In total, the violet should spend more than half a day under light.
The best option would be a window sill, with windows facing north or northwest.Any other option is possible, but the light should be diffused, for example with dark curtains. In winter, it is necessary to supplement natural lighting with artificial ones.
Important! Violets are unpretentious, so they can be grown indoors without access to sunlight, under artificial lighting
Temperature regime
Saintpaulia does not develop well at low air temperatures.
The most optimal for adult plants is 20-25 degrees Celsius, and for young plants - 22-24 degrees. It is desirable to maintain this temperature daily.
In addition, flowers do not tolerate sudden changes in temperature and wind, as a result of which you should be extremely careful when ventilating the premises.
Humidity
Chateau Brion is hygrophilous, so it is recommended to grow them away from heating and heating appliances. Spraying with thin streams of water is also recommended. The liquid should only get on the leaves, since moisturizing the flowers themselves is undesirable.
Reproduction of Saintpaulia
can be produced in several ways:
- rooting of leaves (cuttings);
- pinching or rooting of peduncles;
- seeds.
Cuttings
The first method is the most common. For him, you will need to disinfect a knife and cut a leaf of the plant with it at an angle.
Before rooting, the cut should be renewed and placed in water until roots are formed.
As soon as the roots grow up to 6 cm, the plant should be protected from moisture evaporation and weathering. After it grows up again, transplant it into the ground. With proper care, the first flowers will appear the next year.
Stepping
Both pinching and peduncle propagation are much more suitable for “Chateau Brion”, since the variety is bred.
That is, this Saintpaulia, when propagated by leaves, can randomly change the color of the inflorescence and give the so-called sports.
In the first case, small stepsons are needed for reproduction, formed from the first plant.
The flowers must be removed from the pot and the roots carefully unraveled, and then planted in several containers. In the second case, it is necessary to separate the blossoming or faded flower with stipules from the mother plant.
Then it should be rooted in the ground, provided with heat and moisture. After the formation and development of the first rosette, it is required to transplant the flower.
Seeds
Seed propagation is the most difficult method presented. A strong parenting pair must be chosen.
Both flowers must be healthy and have a symmetrical rosette.
It is necessary to collect pollen from the loose flowers, with which the wet pistils must be pollinated.
Attention! The pistils themselves will become wet when it is time to breed. Several flowers on a peduncle should be pollinated to increase the chance of ripening.
After the formation of seed pods, which should occur in a month, you need to dry them, leaving them on the flowers for several months, at least 4. After hardening, send them to a dry, warm place, protected from sunlight for a week.
Soil selection
Violet "Gold of the Nibelungs", like all other Saintpaulias, is quite suitable for ready-made soil for violets, which is sold in the store
When buying, you should pay attention to the color of the soil. It should be brown, with peat fibers
However, experienced flower growers do not really recommend the ready-made mixture, since it has a number of disadvantages:
- the mixture is not sterilized, and this can affect the chemical composition of the soil;
- the presence of parasites is possible in the mixture;
- there is a possibility that there will be incorrect proportions of fertilizers - some components will be put in excess, and some substances may not be enough, which will certainly affect the growth and flowering of the plant;
- in cheap mixes, peat is usually of poor quality and sour quickly.
It is best to prepare the soil yourself, but it must meet certain requirements.First of all, the soil must be loose so that air and moisture exchange is well carried out. It is desirable that it includes:
- leafy earth and rotted leaves - 3 parts;
- turf - 2 parts;
- coniferous land - 1 part;
- peat - 1 part.
Sometimes coconut fiber is added to the soil to improve air exchange. However, it does not contain any useful microelements and serves only as an additional component. Vermiculite, perlite, sphagnum and river sand can be used as a baking powder for LE-Gold of the Nibelungen violets.
For information on how to water violets in winter, see the video below.
Diseases and pests
The problems that violets are prone to include the following diseases.
- Powdery mildew. It is characterized by the appearance of white spots on the leaves and stems of the culture; it is formed due to the improper content of violets. Treatment with foundation will help here. If necessary, after 14 days, the treatment is repeated.
- Late blight. This disease is caused by the penetration of the fungus through the root system into the plant. In this case, only removing the flower and sterilizing the container where it was will help. However, this disease can be prevented. To do this, you need to monitor the level of humidity in the room and avoid exceeding it. In addition, it is advisable to fertilize the soil with superphosphate.
- Gray rot. It is a fluffy bloom on the leaves and stems of violets caused by the fungus Botrytis. It can get into the soil from the environment, therefore it is advised to ignite or freeze the soil before planting the plants. A preventive measure to prevent fungus is not to get carried away with watering and maintain an optimal temperature regime in the room.
The most common pests of indoor violets.
- Aphid. It penetrates into the house with other plants, and in most cases on cut flowers. The insect feeds on Saintpaulia juice, which is why the indoor flower stops developing and blooms poorly. To combat this harmful insect, crop protection chemicals are used. For example, Mospilan.
- Ticks. They are microscopic and difficult to detect on a plant. A plant affected by a tick stops developing. Regular inspection of the plant is a preventive measure. Since moisture is destructive for this insect, the air around the plant must be constantly humidified. Wipe and wash the leaves regularly under the shower.
Reviews for this plant are mostly positive, many people liked this beautiful flower that does not require any special care. If you properly care for violets, adhere to the rules of caring for them, then they will delight you with their beautiful flowers for a long time.
You can find out how to water violets in winter below.
Pests
Often, violets are exposed to various parasites.
- They can be affected by mealybugs. As a rule, pests appear on the buds. To get rid of insects, you need to make an alcohol solution and prepare a piece of cotton wool. It is thoroughly moistened in a solution and the plant is cleaned of pests. If the mealybug reappears on the violets, then in this case they must be treated with special insecticides.
- Violets can be affected by powdery mildew. It occurs due to harmful fungi. At the same time, the flowers are covered with scattering of white dots. As a preventive measure for the appearance of parasites, it is worth monitoring regular watering using special dressings, treating it with fungicides in a timely manner.
- Sometimes violets are damaged by mites. In the early stages of pest infestation, it is almost impossible to see. Only after the appearance of new leaf plates can harmful insects be noticed, due to which the growth and development of flowers sharply slows down. In this case, the plants are treated with insecticides, but before that, diseased violets must be isolated from healthy ones.
- Violets can also be severely affected by the nematoda.These worms quickly penetrate from the soil into the root system of the plant and completely suck out all the juices from it, which disrupts the supply of the plant with the necessary substances for growth and development. Violets will look as weak as possible, they will stop blooming and grow poorly. Later, small thickenings (parasite larvae) appear on them.
- Sometimes on the roots of plants you can see small thickenings in the form of bubbles (cysts of worms). Most often, when infected with such a parasite, flowers are immediately disposed of. Moreover, together with them, they destroy the soil in which the diseased plant was located. The pot can simply be thoroughly disinfected.
- Violets can be affected by aphids. In this case, sticky secretions can be found on the plant. Wash off the pest with a simple soap solution. Sometimes tobacco dust is used for this.
- Thrips are considered the most dangerous harmful insects for indoor plants, because they spread as quickly as possible to other healthy flowers. You can get rid of parasites with the help of the drug "Aktara". During the procedure, it is necessary to process not only the plant itself, but also the soil in the pot.
- Sciaris can be seen on violets. These are small black flies. The parasites feed on juices. First of all, they damage the root system. In this case, the ground, along with the roots, is treated with special insecticides.
