Viola: growing from seed, when to plant for seedlings

Landing in open ground

Decorative flowers grow rapidly in the garden, forming lush, bright flower beds. The plant is considered shade-tolerant, but if there is a thick shadow, then the flowers will be small, the stems will begin to stretch.

Recommendations for choosing a landing site

• The flower is thermophilic, therefore, the area where pansies will grow should warm up well in the sun, be sufficiently illuminated;
• You can choose slightly shaded areas, especially if planting is done in the southern regions. The sultry sun promotes wilting of flowers;
• The site should be slightly elevated. Pansies do not tolerate stagnant moisture. Accumulation of spring melt water can cause root rot if the site is in a lowland;
• The soil should be fertile with neutral acidity levels. If the composition of the soil is poor, the land is depleted, then it must be fertilized. You can add plant compost per 1 sq. m for 1 bucket of fertilizer.

Flower seeds are planted in open ground in June-July. In the first year, the plant does not bloom, the first flowers can be seen next spring. Conventionally, the planting process can be divided into 5 stages.

Pansy planting and care in the open field

1. Site preparation for the nursery. The gardener will need to choose a suitable place in which the pansies will feel comfortable. An elevated, lighted, heated area would be ideal. Loosen the soil, moisten;
2. The choice of the variety. Many gardeners prefer to grow large-sized varieties, but flowers with small petals are more hardy. It is recommended to select varieties based on the climatic characteristics of the region. There are frost-resistant varieties that are suitable for planting in northern latitudes;
3. Soil preparation. It is better to plant flowers immediately on pre-fertilized soil. It is better to prepare the soil in the fall. Mineral fertilizers must be applied to the site. If the acidity of the soil is increased, then lime or dolomite flour is added to it;
4. Sowing seeds. You can sow seeds directly in open ground in the summer or in pots in February. It is necessary to mix the seeds with sand. The procedure is done so that the seeds do not grow too thickly. Make small ditches on the site, no more than 0.5 cm deep. Distribute the seeds evenly, you can sow by eye. Sprinkle the seedlings with earth on top. Pour them from a spray bottle. The first shoots will appear on the 7-10th day. For the first time, the sowing is covered with a film;
5. Picking, seating. After the emergence of seedlings, they must be planted so that the flowers do not interfere with each other's growth. After the appearance of 2-3 true leaves, the seedlings are ready for picking. The transplant is carried out in the evening, when there is no sun and it is cool. The seedlings are planted at a distance of 25 cm. If frosts are expected, then the young plants should be covered with straw.

How to care?

Growing viols is a fun and easy activity that does not require a lot of effort and time. These unassuming plants do not have very high requirements for care, to which they respond with abundant and long flowering.

The basic rules for the care of viols provide for the provision of conditions such as:

• sufficient light during the day;
• compliance with the irrigation regime;
• timely fertilization;
• regular weed removal (when grown outdoors);
• Constantly checking plants for signs of disease or pest activity.

In order for the plant to fully develop and delight with gigantic and bright flowers, it needs a sufficient amount of sunlight. The easiest way to achieve this is by growing flowers in mobile containers and flowerpots.

When growing viols in the open field, it is important to determine the most illuminated place for them in advance. Given that these plants have a fibrous and superficial root system, it is important to ensure that the ground does not dry out on hot days.

Water the viols as needed, trying to direct the stream of water closer to the roots. It is not recommended to irrigate so that the water can get on the leaves or flowers.

During the period when the plant is preparing for flowering, it needs feeding. They are also needed during flowering, when viols spend a lot of energy on the formation of new buds. Plants are fed with ordinary superphosphate about once every 3-4 weeks. Complex mineral fertilizers for flower crops are also suitable as top dressing. It is not recommended to feed viola with organic fertilizers.

Viols growing in open ground must be promptly cleaned of germinating weeds. Drowning out garden violets, weeds not only prevent them from fully developing, but also create favorable conditions for the development of diseases and pests. In addition, weed-covered flower beds look very unpresentable. Some growers recommend to loosen the ground in flower beds with viola.

In very hot and sunny weather, garden violets can be slightly shaded. Flowers growing in containers can be temporarily removed from the scorching sun, and when its activity subsides, the pots and flowerpots can be returned to their usual place.

When growing viols both in the open field and on the balcony, the plants should be inspected regularly. This simple procedure allows you to control the condition of plants, timely identify traces of diseases or pest activity. Dry leaves and flowers must be removed regularly. They not only make plants unkempt, but also create favorable conditions for the existence of parasites and pathogens.

Varieties

To date, breeders have bred many variations of the ampelous viola, which have excellent decorative qualities. If we single out the most remarkable varieties of this plant, then their list will look like this.

"Waterfall mix F1". Despite its sophisticated appearance, the violet in question can boast of excellent cold resistance. It branches well, the length of its lashes reaches 40 cm, and its white, yellow, lilac and purple flowers grow up to 5 cm in diameter.

"Summer wave purple." The main feature of this viola is its high growth energy, one of the manifestations of which is the impressive length of the lashes (up to 75 cm). Another advantage of the variety is delicate purple flowers, the diameter of which reaches 5-6 cm.

Plenschief F1 lavender blue. The mature bushes of the described plant look like a solid ball of flowers, decorated with purple, lilac and white petals. The endurance of the presented variety is also noteworthy, which allows it to painlessly tolerate frosts down to -7 ° C.

Wonderfall Blue Picoty Shades. This ampelous violet is interesting for its large flowers, the color of which suggests the presence of two basic tones - white and purple. As for the length of the lashes, in the representatives of this variety it is relatively small (around 30 cm).

"Black Waterfall". One of the most spectacular ampelous violas, a distinctive feature of which are dark purple flowers, reaching 5 cm in diameter. Another feature of this violet is its beautiful foliage, which has a rich green color.

Cool Wave. Representatives of this variety are characterized by very developed shoots (up to 75 cm) and a large number of flowers of various colors.Despite the impressive length of the lashes, the height of an adult plant is 15–20 cm, which is barely up to the average value for ampel violets.

"Golden Waterfall". A distinctive feature of the viola in question is a lot of yellow flowers, organically combined with bright and dense greenery. Also, the plant is characterized by relatively short shoots, the length of which rarely exceeds the 30-centimeter mark.

Pansy F1 Diana Lavender. This violet is notable for its abundant and early flowering. Its upper petals are colored lilac, while the rest are white with purple shadows and a slight yellow spot.

Pearl Waterfall. The presented variety is characterized by a long and very effective flowering. The average length of the shoots of adult plants is 30 cm

The flowers are eye-catching with their pearl purple color, which creates a spectacular combination with bright green foliage.

Worthy of a separate mention is the ampelous viola "Fashionable Butterfly", whose yellow-violet flowers reach 8 cm in diameter. With such an ornament, it looks very elegant, which is confirmed by the vast majority of its owners.

Description

The height of this variety does not exceed twenty-five centimeters.

• The flowers of the plant are delicate with an exquisite aroma. They are small in size, about five millimeters in diameter.
• Their petals are elongated. The inflorescences grow singly and give the bush the look of a pillow. Over time, the violet grows and the flowers are laid in a carpet.
• The horned violet got its name from its appendage at the back. It resembles a horn in appearance. The varieties that have recently begun to be renewed do not have such a shoot.

The cultivation of horned violets began in 1776. The roots have many branches and the property of spreading. This plant grows well and reproduces well.

Several planted bushes, in a year will turn into a flower garden with an area of ​​two square meters. Each of them can grow up to sixty inflorescences.

The flowers grow on long stems. In the center of the inflorescence, there is an eyelet that has an orange tint. The oval leaves are dark green with large denticles along the edge. The horned violet can have different colors of its inflorescences.

They may be:

• pale purple
• yellow,
• orange,
• burgundy.

Some plant species can grow in solid flowers. Landscape designers prefer them for recreating flower gardens. There are varieties in which there can be several colors at once on one bush.

The property to bloom for a long time is the advantage of the horned violet. From May days to September, the flowers do not disappear from the plant. The first inflorescences that appeared in the spring are usually more magnificent than all the others.

On hot days, the violet cannot have large flowers. By the fall, her abilities are restored.

Advantages:

• Various shades of inflorescences;
• Blooms early and long;
• Not afraid of cold weather;
• Practically does not get sick.

Landscape design

Small flowers of the plant do not give a beautiful appearance if planted separately. Therefore, professional designers, to give a general look, try to plant violets in groups (several bushes nearby). They are small in height, so they are always placed in front of the flower garden.

Bright inflorescences look organic:

• In flower beds;
• In mixborders;
• On the alpine slides;
• In the curb area.

The small size of the bush can be used for decoration on the balcony.

Ideal neighbors for a horned violet in the front garden can be:

• Conifers in the form of shrubs or trees. They shade the violet with their size. Thus, they hide it from direct sunlight. A carpet of flowers under coniferous bushes gives the flower garden an aesthetic look.
• Ferns or hosts.
• Flowers can be planted: tulips, daffodils, hyacinths.

Horned violet varieties

The plant is well suited for crossing with other species. Breeders have created many hybrids of horned violets.But their properties are already different from the original form. Their leaves have sharp teeth and are oval in shape.

Bushes can grow with a rug and stay in this state for the entire flowering period. And some hybrids stretch their shoots. This requires constant pruning.

Florists share two groups of varieties:

1. Horned violet;
2. Violet horned hybrid.

Care and cultivation depends on the type of plant. The rules may differ from each other. Hybrids are less resistant to cold weather. Therefore, it must be protected from them. And some violets are biennial bushes.

Violet Wittrock

The violet family is named Viola from the prevailing violet color of flowers in nature. And the Vittrock violet with its petals reflects the whole range of colors: from white to black.

What species does it belong to?

Viola Wittrock. Viola Wittrockiana:

• Genus Violet (Viola);
• Violet family (lat.Violaceae).

The plant is herbaceous. Perennial. A hybrid of many years of work and using complex combinations. And an outstanding result from the entire Fialkov family!

Main participants:

• Violet tricolor Viola tricolor;
• Altai violet Viola altaica;
• Violet yellow Viola lutea.

The horned violet was also used.

After all, the variety has not turned out alone. And many lines and groups of varieties. Most florists and summer residents call them garden Pansies.

How is Pansy different from wild violets?

Garden flowers Pansies are known to almost every summer resident. But not everyone knows their correct name.

Nowadays, they are not always called varieties. That's right - heterotic varieties:

• Accelerated growth;
• Flowering begins faster. And longer;
• Less susceptible to various diseases.

History and dissemination of culture

These violets are naturally named by this name:

• Veit Wittrock (1839-1914). University professor. He is also the director of the Bergen Botanical Garden;
• Author of scientific papers on viols. And books on her history;
• For a long time and fruitfully studied the history of their development. Developed a classification. Its morphological description of violets is still successfully used by specialists and flower growers today.

They are ranked among anthropophytic plants. Thanks to humans, they entered the local flora and grow constantly in the territories (habitats) they created.

As an ornamental plant, it is cultivated in vast areas of the entire planet. Where there are no tropics. Rarely found as a varietal.

Its history dates back to the thirties of the nineteenth century. English breeders brought it out:

• It quickly became popular in Germany and France;
• A little later we met them in Russia. At the end of the eighteenth century, the botanist P.S. Pallas brought such a violet from Altai to Petersburg.

Today, most hybrids are created by the Japanese firm Sakata Seed Corporation. Heterotic varieties with improved characteristics and properties prevail.

Pensy. Pensy Viola. This is what Pansy is called in English. Not a word about Anyuta and her eyes:

• And in French, they symbolize free thought. In the petals with specks they saw a human form. Pensive or thinking;
• And Russian-speaking amateurs gave them such a tender name.

Photo and description

• Roots:

  Fibrous and small.

• Leaves:
  • Dark green. Elongated oval. At the top, they are narrower. They grow up one by one;
  • Bushes are formed as compact, and spreading and creeping;
  • Their height is also different for varieties. From 15 cm in babies and up to 40 cm in violet giants.
• Flowers. Formed from the axils of the leaves. One at a time on thin peduncles:
  • The flat corolla consists of five petals;
  • All colors are present in their coloration:
    • Plain;
    • With strokes;
    • With spots.
• Fetus:

  A box of three chambers.

Growing viola Rococco from seeds

Pansies This variety looks great on flower beds and borders. Growing flowers of terry viola is not a difficult process, but rather painstaking.To obtain rapid flowering of Rococco varieties in the year of planting flowers, it is necessary to start the cultivation process in the first weeks of February. Seedlings are planted in a moist and sufficiently compacted soil, then a greenhouse is formed using the same glass or polyethylene. The temperature required for seed germination should initially be maintained at about 10-12 degrees, and as the shoots grow, rise to 16 degrees. With the appearance of the first 2-3 leaves, future flowers dive.

Growing viola seedlings

When to plant viola seedlings?

Having bought several bags of bright viola, pay attention to the fact that the sowing of this flower is carried out in the summer. Many inexperienced growers make the mistake of sowing viola in the spring, and expect to get a lush bloom in the summer.

This is a biennial crop, so it is important to know when to plant viola seedlings. In June-July, a place is set aside in the flower garden for sowing pansy seeds

The seeds are pretreated with a growth accelerator. The seeds are buried 0.5 cm into the groove, sprinkling it with earth without lumps. The soil is carefully shed with water, trying not to wash out the sowing site. It is useful to mulch the sowing site with small sawdust, which will keep moisture in the soil.

In June-July, a place is set aside in the flower garden for sowing pansy seeds. The seeds are pretreated with a growth accelerator. The seeds are buried 0.5 cm into the groove, sprinkling it with earth without lumps. The soil is carefully spilled with water, trying not to wash out the sowing site. It is useful to mulch the sowing site with small sawdust, which will keep moisture in the soil.

Care for viola seedlings grown in the open field consists in warming it with straw or spruce branches before winter. Such a "cover" will protect the plant's root system from freezing. In spring, young plants are fed with a complex fertilizer solution twice - before the formation of buds and at the beginning of flowering.

It is unacceptable to use fresh manure, as it provokes the disease "black leg".

Growing from seeds

In regions with harsh climates, planting viola seedlings from seeds becomes the only way to grow this flower.

The complexity of this method of growing viola lies in the need to create a number of conditions:

• Additional lighting;
• Compliance with the temperature regime;
• Selection of the optimal soil.

The optimal substrate for growing viola is made from peat, the pH of which is 5.5-5.8. It is not necessary to apply fertilizers to such a soil; it is necessary to feed the viola seedlings in the phase of the formation of two true leaves.

To obtain good seedlings, it is important to create drainage in the container. Sow viola seeds for seedlings on top of a moistened substrate, sprinkling them with a thin layer of vermiculite. Before emergence, the container is covered with plastic wrap or a piece of glass. This will speed up the seed germination time. Periodically, the shelter must be removed for ventilation, which will avoid the formation of fungus in the soil. If you use cups for growing, 3-4 seeds need to be sown in each of them. After germination, the strongest and most well-developed sprout is left in the glass, removing the rest.

With container growing, viola seedlings are dived twice:

1. The first time the plants are planted when two real leaves have formed.
2. The second pick is carried out at 5 weeks of age. For this, separate pots are used, the diameter of which does not exceed 10 cm.

If the plants dive into large seedling boxes, it is important to maintain a distance between the plants of about 6 cm.Unheated greenhouses in the summer cottage are suitable for growing seedlings

Since the sowing of viola on seedlings is carried out in peat soil without fertilizers, the first feeding is done after three weeks.

To do this, use any mineral fertilizers, pouring the solution under the root. Further feeding is repeated every month. You also need to be careful with watering.Water should be directed under the very root, avoiding drops on the leaves.

In the open ground, the grown viola seedlings are planted in mid-May, when return frosts are not expected.

This is the basic scheme for growing pansies. But how to grow viola seedlings healthy so that they do not stretch out in a container on the windowsill? Since sowing is carried out at an early date, the seedlings need to be supplemented, for which they use ordinary fluorescent lamps or phytolamps, which belong to the category of special lighting devices. Viola requires at least 14-16 hours of daylight. Growth regulator Alar somewhat restricts the growth of seedlings, but subject to the use of supplementary lighting.

As for the temperature regime, 18-30 degrees of heat is required for seed germination. Deviation in any direction negatively affects the germination of viola seeds.

Even an increase in temperature to 23 degrees causes the viola shoots to be delayed for up to one month. As soon as sprouts appear above the soil, the temperature should be reduced to 12-15 degrees. The grown viola seedlings easily tolerate low temperatures, even at 5 degrees, they feel good. At the same time, development slows down somewhat, but under conditions of a lack of light, the seedlings stretch less.

Sowing seeds

For growing ampel violets from seeds, a variety of containers with sufficient area are suitable. As for the substrate, it is possible to use nutritious and loose soils that retain moisture well. One example of a suitable soil is a mixture that includes garden soil, peat and humus (the optimal proportion is 2: 1: 1).

If the owner of viols wants to grow them as annuals, he should start sowing seeds in the second half of winter.

There are three ways to sow the seeds of the plant in question.

• With instillation. This method involves preparing grooves that are 5 mm deep and spaced 10 mm apart. In each of them, it is necessary to place seeds, observing a step of 10 to 20 mm. Further, the planting material must be covered with soil, thoroughly watered, covered with a transparent film and transferred to a dark room with room temperature. In order to avoid the development of pathogenic microflora, it is advisable to ventilate the soil twice a day, removing the "shelter" for 10-15 minutes.
• Surface. The described technique allows you to achieve a faster emergence of shoots (shoots do not need to break through the soil layer). To do this, water the soil with warm water, carry out the marking in accordance with the previously mentioned gap and distribute the planting material over the surface of the substrate. The further sequence of actions does not differ from the one given above.
• Combined. This method provides for following the algorithm described in the previous paragraph, up to and including the distribution of seeds over the surface of the substrate. Here, the planting material is sprinkled with a thin layer of soil (up to 2 mm), after which they adhere to the sequence of actions common to all methods.

After the emergence of seedlings, the container should be exposed to the light as long as possible (the best option is from 12 to 14 hours a day). If there is not enough lighting, it makes sense for the plant owner to use phytolamps.

Despite the endurance of the seedlings of the described viola, experts advise to accustom them to fresh air gradually, daily increasing the duration of airing. The film can be removed immediately, but this will complicate the adaptation of young plants to the changed conditions of keeping.

Growing viola from seeds at home

Sowing in snow shows good results

For the harmonious development of plants, it is necessary to take a responsible approach to the choice of soil substrate. You can purchase a ready-made universal soil for flower seedlings or prepare the mixture yourself.

The optimal composition of the seedling mixture for viola will be as follows:

• 2 parts of sod land;
• 1 part peat;
• 1 part of humus;
• 2 parts of river coarse sand.

Such a composition will be quite loose and breathable. It is good to add a glass of wood ash and a tablespoon of complex mineral fertilizer to the finished soil for 5 liters of soil volume.

You can sow viola in common boxes with subsequent transplantation into a separate dish, into peat tablets.

How to sow viola into a snail

Some growers at home practice sowing pansies in a snail. This interesting method significantly saves space on the windowsill, the plants feel good and do not require picking. It happens in the following way.

Prepare the necessary materials for work: low wide dishes for installing the snail, sawdust for drainage, soil, strips of strong polyethylene or foam backing under the laminate, 10 - 12 cm wide, seeds, scissors, a spatula, rubber bands.
The tape is rolled out on the table, a slightly moistened soil mixture is laid on it in a layer of 1 cm. There is no need to rush and immediately pour earth on the entire tape. First, fill in a segment of 20 cm

The earth is lightly compacted with a hand or a spatula.
Seeds are placed on the compacted ground at the required distance from each other, and closer to one side of the tape, to the one that will be the top.
Carefully roll the tape with the earth into a tight roll to the point where the earth ends.
Repeat all operations again until the tape runs out.
The finished snail is fastened with an elastic band so that the structure does not fall apart, and placed in a wide bowl with sawdust on the bottom (drainage). Make sure the edge of the seed ribbon is on top.
Very carefully, the snail is poured with warm water, and covered with a plastic bag on top

Everything, you can wait for the germination of seeds. Viola usually emerges one week after sowing.

Attention! Viola seeds are very small and decomposed inside the structure may not germinate. Therefore, it is best to lay out flower seeds on the soil surface after the structure is assembled and watered .. Caring for flower seedlings is not difficult - this is watering, picking at the age of two real leaves, hardening

Viola does not like too high temperatures, even for germination, she needs a coolness of no higher than 20 degrees

Caring for flower seedlings is not difficult - this is watering, picking at the age of two real leaves, hardening. Viola does not like too high temperatures, even for germination, she needs a coolness of no higher than 20 degrees.

The best temperature for growth is 15-18 degrees, this must be taken into account.

Video from Yulia Minyaeva - growing viola from seeds in a snail

Pansy seedlings for sale

Experienced growers with greenhouses and greenhouses successfully grow flowers for sale. The most active demand for summer seedlings is traditionally the month of May.

To get the bushes ready for flowering by this time, viola is sown in the second decade of February.

The best option for a large number of seedlings is sowing seeds in peat tablets, already enriched with all the nutrients for the plant. And the installation of pallets with seedlings in a heated greenhouse, with an optimal air temperature of 18-20 degrees. In this case, the plants do not stretch, and care consists only in timely watering.

In the absence of heating in the greenhouse, you can keep young shoots at home. And after a pick in April, plant it for hardening in a greenhouse or greenhouse without additional heating.