Planting hydrangeas
Growing from seeds
Seeds are usually very easy to propagate for species of hydrangea. Also, this breeding method is often used by breeders in their work. It is quite easy to grow such a flower from a seed, but it is a time-consuming method. You need to sow seeds in the autumn. To do this, you need to fill the container with a loose soil mixture rich in nutrients, which can be prepared by combining peat and leaf soil with river sand in a ratio of 2: 4: 1. Seeds sown on the surface of the substrate should be sprinkled with a thin layer of soil, and then watered with a spray bottle. Then the container must be covered from above with a transparent film or glass, while the shelter must be removed several times at knocks in order for the soil to be aired. It should also be taken into account that the soil should be slightly moist all the time. The optimum temperature is from 14 to 20 degrees. After the first seedlings appear, the shelter must be removed permanently. The pick must be done 2 times. The first time in the developmental stage of the cotyledons, and the second - in the first month of spring. At the same time, when diving a plant for the second time, you need to take small pots for each of them (diameter 7 centimeters). After you transplant young plants a second time, you need to start hardening them. To do this, flowers in the summer are taken out into the street and a place is chosen for them, which is protected from direct sunlight, gusts of wind, drafts and precipitation. In the evening, the hydrangeas are returned to the room. For 2 years, the hydrangea must be grown indoors, and in the winter it is kept in a fairly cool and lighted room, and in the summer it is transferred to the street. In this case, it is imperative to cut off all the buds, since they will take a lot of energy from a still young plant.
Hydrangea seedlings
After 2 years, at the very beginning of the spring period (in areas with a cold climate - in the autumn), the grown flowers are transplanted into open soil, immediately to a permanent place. When choosing a suitable place, do not forget that all species are photophilous and need direct sunlight. However, there are several species (groundcover, Sargent, rough and tree-like) that thrive in partial shade. The soil should be loose, enriched with organic matter, neutral or slightly acidic. Alkaline soil can be acidified by taking high-moor peat or Acid Plus acidifier. It is not recommended to plant trees or shrubs with a superficial root system next to these flowers, since after some time these plants will fight each other for water and nutrients.
The first step is to dig a hole, while its size should be 2 times the volume of the root system of the seedling together with the pulled out lump of earth. Then organic and mineral fertilizers, as well as peat, must be added to the hole, which should be mixed with the ground. Then the seedling taken out with a lump of earth must be thoroughly shaken off from the soil and the roots must be aligned. Then it is lowered into a hole, which is covered with a mixture of compost and soil. In this case, it is necessary for the root system to rise quite a bit above the soil surface. Then the soil should be compacted, the bush should be watered and the area should be covered with mulch (bark or needles).
Home violet (Saintpaulia, indoor violet): description and photos
Saintpaulias are perennial herbaceous plants with an underdeveloped fibrous root system. Depending on the species, the fleshy stems can be shortened with basal leaves forming a rosette, or elongated and branched with many hanging rosettes. Their diameter ranges from 6 cm to 60 cm.
The leaf blade can be round, ovoid, oblong in shape with a sharp or rounded tip and a heart-shaped or simple base. Its edges are devoid of relief, slightly rounded, and also in the form of small or large denticles.Saintpaulia leaves can be flat, slightly wavy, heavily corrugated, or have the shape of a spoon or a backward-curved spoon.
Usually the leaves of Saintpaulia are colored in different tones of green, sometimes with the addition of ash or golden hues. There are types of indoor violets, in which the leaf may have areas painted in cream, olive, salad, yellow or pink. Usually, such multi-colored areas are located at the base, along the edges of the leaf blade, or form various mosaic patterns on its surface.
The seamy side of a home violet leaf is in most cases silvery-green, although some varieties or types of violets often have different shades of red in its color.
Apache Heartbeat Room Violet Fancy Leaves
The leaf veins of home violets are of two types in their shape: resembling a herringbone or with a longitudinal-parallel arrangement like a plantain. In addition, the surface can be glossy or matte, which is covered with hair to varying degrees. The sheet can have a bubbly or quilted texture.
If the petals in a room violet flower are located only in one row, it corresponds to a simple type of structure. In the presence of two full rows - semi-double type, and three or more - terry.
Simple violets
Semi-double violet saintpaulia
Most often, the Saintpaulia violet has petals, the surface of which is covered with a large number of tiny shiny balls. However, there are types of domestic violets, in which the flowers are covered with a delicate edge, which makes their surface matte. Such flowers are called velvet violets.
In addition, the edges of the petals can be slightly wavy or heavily corrugated.
Saintpaulia terry
The sizes of the flowers, forming lush, racemose inflorescences, range in diameter from 2.5 cm to 8-9 cm. The color of the petals of Saintpaulias, which grow in natural conditions, usually has all shades of blue, purple and purple.
The species and varieties of violets bred by breeders have a variety of colors, including a pure white color and the entire tonal range of the rainbow spectrum.
The seed capsule of Saintpaulia, which contains many small seeds, is round, ovoid or fusiform in shape.
After ripening, it is destroyed by moisture.
Violet seed capsule
Landing
For Kansas peonies, sunny areas are suitable. Flowers do not like shadow - without light, they simply refuse to bloom. Undesirable close proximity of bushes and trees. Nearby buildings will also interfere with good air circulation.
The plant roots are impressive in size. They are almost 1 meter long. The root system of a 5-year-old flower is about 80 cm wide.This means that when preparing a planting hole for a bush, the recommended parameters should be taken into account. The optimal size is 80x80 cm.
The pit must be filled with fertile soil. In this case, the soil should be mixed with humus (1.5-2 buckets), double superphosphate (300 g), ash (300 g). If the soil is clayey and heavy, it will be useful to add sand and peat (1 bucket). If the soil is sandy, add clay.
The resulting valuable mixture is filled with 1/3 of the pit. This is a nutrient reserve. The root system of a young peony should not come into contact with it. The rest of the space (upper part) is dedicated to normal fertile soil. Here, additional additives are not needed, except in cases where the soil is not loose enough - you can combine it with peat. After that, the soil is compacted and irrigated.
A hole for a young plant is prepared in advance. They begin to do this a month before planting, which allows the soil to settle. Do not forget - if you are planting more than one peony at the same time, a certain distance between flowers should be observed. It should be about a meter.
The root process is deepened in a certain way.The recommended position of the upper kidney is 5 cm below the ground surface. If you plant a flower deeper, or, conversely, do not deepen it enough, this can negatively affect the development and flowering of the culture.
Growing conditions
This Saintpaulia is not particularly difficult to grow, but, nevertheless, there are nuances in caring for it.
Seat selection
In order for your pet to feel comfortable, it is important to choose the right place for her "dwelling". The ideal option would be to position the pot on the east or west side.
Then the plant will receive enough light, but direct sunlight will not harm it.
If the saintpaulia is located on the south side, in order to avoid burns, it must be shaded.
It is allowed to place a pot with a violet on the north side, but if you notice that it has begun to stretch, then this is the first signal about a lack of light.
And since Amadeus has elongated cuttings, the lack of light on the plant will affect very clearly. Saintpaulia will not look aesthetically pleasing.
If you want the violet to bloom all year round (with only a short break for rest), then when daylight hours decrease, you should turn on artificial lighting.
Pot selection
The volume of the pot should be 2/3 less than the outlet. If the pot is large, then the violet will spend all its energy on the development of the root system, filling all the space. In this case, it will not bloom.
Priming
Just like for all varieties, the Amadeus violet needs the right soil.
It can be purchased at a specialty store for Saintpaulias. Or cook it yourself.
To do this, you need to take:
- Three pieces of land;
- One part of peat;
- One part of perlite or vermiculite (for looseness and lightness of the soil).
Mix all the ingredients, while not forgetting to place drainage on the bottom of the pot. If the soil for violets is prepared at home, all components should be sterilized.
Watering
Do you use wick irrigation?
Not really
- Do not fill
- Prevent drying out
- Do not get water on the leaves
If you have a large number of Saintpaulias in your collection, then experienced florists advise wick watering or watering plants in pallets.
To do this, we collect water in a container and half immerse the pots with violets. We stand for 15-20 minutes, during which time the soil has time to be saturated with water. We take out, while draining excess moisture from the pallets.
In summer, watering is carried out once every 2-3 days, as the soil dries up. In winter, the amount of watering is reduced to once a week.
Temperature and humidity
Like any violets, Amadeus prefers room temperature with medium humidity.
Expert opinion
Olga Nesterova
Land improvement specialist, master of landscape design. Indoor floriculture consultant
Sharp temperature changes and drafts are not allowed. All this negatively affects the life of the plant.
It is noticed that with increasing temperatures, the color of the petals of Amadeus acquires more saturated shades of crimson. As the temperature drops, they become pinkish.
Since it is impossible to spray Saintpaulia, and it is necessary to maintain the air humidity, containers with water or a humidifier can be placed near the pots.
Top dressing
Any violet needs additional "nutrition", Amadeus is no exception.
Top dressing of Saintpaulias is carried out during the flowering period, from early spring to late autumn. In winter, the plant needs rest.
The main fertilizer for violets is a complex that includes P (phosphorus), N (nitrogen), K (potassium).
In early spring, nitrogen N should prevail in top dressing to build up greenery.
During budding and flowering, phosphorus and potassium.
The use of folk remedies is allowed: coffee grounds, banana peels, citrus fruits, etc.
Watering
Lituanica is a moisture-loving violet, but excessive watering can lead to root rot.The drying out of the earthen coma also has a detrimental effect on the plant. Therefore, the main rules for watering Lituanica are moderation and regularity. If there is a failure in the usual rhythm of watering, the addition of a biostimulant drug (Epin, Zircon) to the water will help to reanimate the "dried" plant - 1-2 drops per 100 g. water. The violet reacts to stagnant water or systematic waterlogging with lethargy leaves. In this case, you should dig up the plant, examine the roots. Their brown color is an indicator of the beginning of the decay process.
Care features
This plant needs a warm and humid room for good growth. The temperature regime of 15 - 22 degrees Celsius must be observed. At temperatures above or below this indicator, diseases appear.
When grown on a window in the summer, the flower pot is moved to the edge of the window sill to avoid direct sunlight, while in winter the plant is moved from the heat source closer to the sun. This type of Saintpaulia does not tolerate drafts.
The Bronze Horseman is grown on the north, west and east windows. On the south side, do not put it so that the plant "does not burn". Diffused lighting is required. For the winter, the plant should be provided with artificial light from fluorescent lamps. Otherwise, the buds will become dull, and the leaves will be faded.
Allowable humidity for a flower is 50%. It cannot be sprayed due to the development of pathogenic microflora. Place containers with water next to it. Watering should be regular and abundant.
Moisten the soil on the same day using the same amount of water. In winter, watering is done once a week, in summer - 2 times.
Excess moisture is killed from the pallet. For violets of this variety, wick irrigation is used. In this case, the plant independently receives the amount of moisture that it needs.
This type of Saintpaulia is not very demanding for feeding. Violet is enough with what is in the universal soil. During flowering, mineral complex compounds are introduced. They are sold in flower shops. When preparing a solution, a dosage is needed 2 times less than that indicated in the instructions. Fertilizers are applied every 2 - 3 weeks.
Violet Kira: variety care
Violet Kira: photo
Violet Cyrus needs bright lighting. In the winter period, you will need to take care of installing additional lighting. However, the plant does not need direct sunlight. If you want beautiful dark tips on flowers when the plant is in the bud, you need to grow it in a cool room. In the rest of the time, the temperature should be +19 +22 degrees and a high level of air humidity. Watering must be done with water at which room temperature, previously settled, cannot be hit on foliage and sockets. Once every 2-3 years, the soil mixture needs to be updated. Also, during the growth of the plant, it is necessary to apply special fertilizers. The indoor variety of the violet Kira is a charming plant. If you can care for it properly, it will be able to delight its owner with beautiful flowering over a long period of time. Due to the fact that the LE Kira violet is compact in size, it is suitable for growing these plants on narrow windowsills. Many give this beautiful flower honor for creating harmony in the room where it is grown, removing all the negative background.
Agrotechnics
For all its unpretentiousness, Ito-hybrids of peonies need care no less than others. Almost any neutral or slightly acidic soils are suitable for growing them, peonies grow especially well on loam. If the soil where the flower will be placed is heavy, clayey, then it is diluted with sand. On the contrary, clay is added to too light sandy soil.
Peony bushes are watered abundantly, but not flooding the plant.Since the root system of Ito hybrids does not lie as deep as that of herbaceous ones, they do not need to be too diligently watered. The plant calmly withstands even a slight drought, experiencing an increased need for moisture only during the flowering period and the buds of resumption of growth.
Peonies are fed in the spring, with the beginning of growth, then at the time of bud formation, and the next feeding is carried out a couple of weeks after the end of flowering. To obtain nutrients by the plant, a complex mineral fertilizer is used, spraying the leaves and scattering around the bush. When the peony has faded, it is watered with a superphosphate solution.
The necessary loosening and weeding is carried out throughout the growing season, and with the onset of autumn, the soil around the bush is mulched with peat or compost, which will allow the plant to receive organic fertilizers from early spring.
Cora Louise, like other Ito-peonies, does not require complete removal of the tops in preparation for winter. The stems that have poured in must be cut to a height of 50-100 mm, since new buds are laid on them, ensuring the growth of the bush next year.
Best of all, peonies tolerate autumn transplantation and division of the bush. To do this, prepare a landing site in advance:
- in late July - early August, a hole is dug with a diameter and depth of about half a meter;
- fill it with a substrate obtained from earth, peat and sand, with the addition of wood ash, leaving about one third of the volume free;
- left alone until the onset of planting operations in late August - early September.
The bush to be transplanted:
- removed from the ground;
- release the root from the ground;
- washed the roots, protecting them from damage;
- dry and examine;
- a wedge is carefully driven into the center of the rhizome so that it breaks up into divisions;
- each part is examined, choosing those where there are 2-3 revival buds and additional roots;
- too long roots are pruned, leaving 10-15 cm in length, and sprinkled with crushed coal;
- before planting, the delenki are disinfected in a very weak solution of potassium permanganate and treated with fungicides.
Planting and breeding
You can grow a violet using a leaf or rooting a side shoot. It is preferable to root the leaf in a loose and light soil based on perlite or vermiculite.
You can use a peat-distilled tablet or sphagnum moss. Before the procedure, the tablet must be left in water until it swells, then knead, mix with perlite. In the resulting mixture, you need to place a shoot or leaf.
Sphagnum is cut into small pieces, placed in a container, filling it to 1/3 of the total volume.
Cut off the side shoot or the top of the rosette with a sharp and clean knife, remove the bottom leaves, put on the moss.
The container must be covered with glass or foil to speed up the rooting process. Loose soil helps to facilitate and accelerate the process of germination of children.
Reference! If the container is additionally illuminated, the root system can form after 15-20 days. The stepson can be put in a separate pot by making a film shelter for a period of 4 to 6 days. This will help minimize transplant stress.
