How to water violets at home in a pot, summer, winter

Transfer

Violet transplant

In the flowering of violets, an important role is played by the frequency of the soil change and the size of the container in which the cultivation takes place. As mentioned earlier, the violet needs regular feeding, so sooner or later the soil will have to be changed.

The optimal timing of its replacement is 1-2 times a year. The soil is changed in the off-season - in spring or autumn. In addition to enriching the substrate with nutrients, this procedure also allows you to carefully examine the root system and carry out its sanitation by removing diseased and damaged roots.

The most important thing at this stage is to choose the right diameter of the pot into which the violet will be transplanted.

Drainage pot

The violet begins to bloom after its root system has completely occupied the available space of the pot and stops growing. If the pot is too large, flowering may not start at all.

Recommended pot diameters for different varieties of violets:

"Mini" varieties - diameter 5-7 cm
for ordinary or medium varieties, a pot from 7 to 10 cm is enough
large varieties can be grown in containers up to 13 cm in diameter.

For violets, ceramic pots are recommended as they have the ability to allow air to flow to the root system. It is not advisable to use plastic containers (pots, boxes, flowerpots, etc.), since this has a bad effect not only on the aeration of the roots, but can also lead to high humidity near its edges.

During plant transplantation, many growers transfer the violet along with an earthy clod. This is a mistake as the substrate needs to be completely replaced. You should not be afraid to damage the root system of the plant when washing it - Saintpaulias have a very high ability to regenerate and vegetatively reproduce, even from leaf scraps. Also, during transplantation, all children of the plant located on the edge of the outlet are removed.

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Planting technique for wick irrigation

The wick is a synthetic thin cord. It is inserted one or two centimeters into the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot before the earth is poured into it. If the soil is well watered, this will be sufficient. If not, then a longer cord is inserted into the pot. Sometimes, for better wetting, two cords can be inserted into the pot from opposite sides and placed symmetrically relative to each other or perpendicular to the bottom of the pot until the desired soil moisture is achieved.

If the pot is small in size with a diameter of eight centimeters and the soil is loose enough, then you can do without drainage. If the diameter of the pot is more than nine centimeters, drainage is required.

At the bottom of the pot, medium-sized expanded clay is laid in one layer. The lace must be inserted into the pot before laying the drainage; the end of the cord must certainly be placed on top of expanded clay.

Next, gently shake off the ground from the roots and plant the violet in a prepared pot with a wick. In size, it should be the same size or a couple of centimeters larger, it depends on the degree of root development.

Then put the pot with the plant on a container with water so that the cord floats in the water, and the distance between the bottom of the pot and the water in the container is about one centimeter. As a reservoir, you can take plastic cups or cut plastic bottles and other containers.

In order for the wick to start working, the violet is watered one last time before the soil in the pot is wetted and that's it. There is no need to water any more. Now the flower is taking care of itself. And a person only needs to sometimes pour water into a container.With the wick irrigation method, you need to periodically dry the soil in a pot.

From time to time, a green bloom appears on the walls of the tank with the irrigation solution - these are algae. There is nothing terrible in this, they do not affect the vital activity of violets. Probably the only drawback is the not very pretty look. But sometimes you can wash these containers to remove the greens.

You can also make a greenhouse for plants. There is nothing complicated here: if there is such an opportunity, then it is worth building it - both children and cuttings will grow in more comfortable conditions. If this is not possible, then its absence will to some extent be compensated for by the evaporation of water from the containers and the correct moisture content of the soil in the pot.

If the collection of violets is on the windowsills, where it is very cold in winter, then the plants at this time must be transferred to traditional watering, as the roots may suffer. However, the cord does not need to be removed from the pot. It is enough to remove the pots from the water tanks and place them on ordinary trays.

But if there is nowhere to rearrange the collection, and for some reason you don’t want to switch to the usual method of watering, you can insulate the window sill with foamed polyethylene cut to fit the shelf.

When violets are kept on the wick, many stepsons often appear at the base of the cutting. Today, this feature is considered by growers rather as positive, since it makes it possible to obtain a lot of material for planting with guaranteed characteristics of the variety, without wasting extra space and time.

This is especially important when breeding artificially bred varieties. Just at the next transplant, you need to carefully separate the side rosettes from the main plant, root them in the greenhouse and after two months get flowers with the maximum varietal staining

The wick irrigation method is especially effective when keeping a large number of "children". Young rosettes with a wick are placed on top of a grate, which is installed on top of any container of a suitable size. Water is poured into the container, or a solution with fertilizer, which stimulates growth. Approximately once every ten days, water is added to the total container. Babies grow much faster, which is facilitated by a constant supply of nutrients and a synchronous local increase in air humidity.

You can also rejuvenate the plant on the wick. It is necessary to remove all the roots, clean the stem from the keratinized tissue in place of the previously harvested leaves and plant the rosette in the ground in a small pot with a wick. After about six months, the plant will form a new excellent rosette. To form a harmonious plant, the first leaves must be removed. Buds appeared in the axils of the leaves. Now it is better to remove them, but after a couple of months, mature plants with excellent flowering will form.

How to water violets at home: different types of watering

When starting to care for a violet, it is important to remember that moisture should not get on any part of the plant.

Therefore, the plants should be watered very carefully and carefully.

Drip irrigation

Drip irrigation violets

Actually, this is not quite drip irrigation, in which water enters the soil constantly and little by little. Rather, it is regular gentle watering. We know that it is necessary to prevent liquid from getting on the leaves of the violet, so for watering it is necessary to use either a watering can with a long and thin spout, with which you can get to the soil without disturbing the leaves. Or a syringe, the volume of which is enough to water the plant.

It is important to calculate the amount of watering and make sure that moisture is absorbed into the soil, and does not linger on its surface. If your collection of indoor plants has two or three violets, then it is quite possible to water them with a syringe

But if you have a larger number of plants, then it makes sense to consider other watering options.

Basic ways

Basic watering methods are well known and are suitable for almost all plants.

But when moistening violets, you need to pay attention to some features.

Upper

A small watering can or enema is poured over the soil in a pot. The water must be settled, watering is done in a circle. They are poured exclusively into the ground, without getting on the leaves and the outlet.

In the mountainous area where violets grow, they are located near the waterfalls. The spray moistens the air, so no special watering is required. At home, everything is different: on wet leaves, water flows into the core, which leads to decay of the root system.

Important! Water from the pallet after about 30-40 minutes. after watering they are drained so that it does not stagnate

Through the pallet

Tray watering is the most suitable method for a home environment.

There should be holes at the bottom of the pot, which are covered with expanded clay and clay shards. Water is poured from a watering can into a tray of violets, then topped up as it enters the pot. Watering is stopped when the liquid no longer leaves. It must be drained to prevent root rot.

You can simplify the task by placing a drain in the pan, which can be moss. Water is gently poured onto it, and the moss gives the violets moisture.

Capillary

It is carried out using a capillary mat, which is sold at the horticultural center. It is a synthetic felt, which is smooth on one side and fleecy on the other. The pile is covered with a special film that allows water to pass inside the mat, but does not allow roots to grow through it.

A pallet with walls is selected for the mat. It can be a regular flower box. An ordinary plastic wrap is laid on the bottom, then the mat, slightly going onto the side walls.

Note! Violet pots should be such that the drainage hole touches the capillary mat. The mat is poured with water so that it does not float, but absorbs the liquid

You can check by pressing the film with your finger, it will remain wet. Then pots of Saintpaulias are placed in a box, which begin to absorb moisture from the mat.

The mat is poured with water so that it does not float, but absorbs the liquid. You can check by pressing the film with your finger, it will remain wet. Then pots of Saintpaulias are placed in a box, which begin to absorb moisture from the mat.

This watering can be enough for a month.

Wick

Wick irrigation of violets is best suited for transplanting, as the method requires careful preparation.

In the pot where the violet will be planted, a wick is threaded through the drainage hole, covered with soil mixture and the plants are planted.

Instead of a pallet, place a container with water under the violet, which should be no more than two-thirds full. These can be plastic cups, cut-off bottles, or containers with a lid that has a hole in it. The root system of Saintpaulia does not touch the water, the pot hangs on the container. Only the wick comes out of it into a jar of liquid.

Important! To use this method, you need to choose the right soil and strip of fabric. The earth must be light, permeable

To do this, add vermiculite or gel.

The wick is made from various materials, both natural and artificial. Very often, nylon tights are taken, from which strips about 2 cm wide are cut.

There is a serious drawback with wick irrigation. Together with moisture, various harmful substances rise up to the soil surface, which interferes with the development of roots.

What does the wick look like?

Immersion

Often watering in this way is not used. But once every 30 days, you can pour water into a basin so that, when you put a pot there, it will be in vodka by a third. Moisture will begin to flow into the container.

When the earthen lump is well saturated, the plant is removed and returned to the growing site.

How to properly water violets with a wick method

The meaning of wick irrigation is that water (with nutrients) continuously rises through the wick into the substrate, where it is used by the roots of the plant.

For the wick, choose a cord made of synthetic material (it is not subject to decay), hygroscopic, with a diameter of 1 to 5 mm, and a length of 20 cm. Its main quality is that water must pass through it well and, if it dries, it is easy to resume conductivity.

The wick is moistened. Depending on the absence or presence of drainage, the cord is also laid:
A wick is passed through one drainage hole and taken out through the other. You can put an anti-mosquito net on the bottom so that the soil does not spill out. If there is excess moisture, cut the other end of the cord.
A wick is inserted and placed in the form of a ring on the drainage (expanded clay, polystyrene).
Pour soil and plant saintpaulia.

First, you must thoroughly shake off all the old earth from its roots. The first time is watered from above in the usual way. A number of flower growers put the plants on wick irrigation after a few days, while others withstand a month for better root engraftment, and all this time they water in the usual way.

Plant pots can be placed in individual or shared containers.

Various transparent disposable dishes, glass jars, etc. are suitable for them. Such containers are good from such points of view as cheapness, simplicity and convenience in tracking water consumption. But if you already have experience and the aesthetics of keeping uzumbara violets matters to you, you can pick up a fairly large range of containers from different materials from your arsenal. If the container is large, then from above it is covered with a net or a lid in which holes are made and cords are passed through.

Clean water is poured into the tanks, the pots are placed on the surface of the lid or in the holes made. The bottom should not touch the surface of the water, and the wick is immersed in the water.

How to plant and transfer a violet to a wick look

If you want to plant a violet on wick irrigation, you need to adhere to the following rules:

Before transferring violets to wick irrigation, you need to take care of the containers where the solution will be located. You can make them yourself or use thick plastic cups.
Make sure a hole is made in the flower pot.
Now we are preparing the cord itself. For one pot, we need a piece 15–20 cm long. It needs to be threaded through the hole and laid in a circle on the bottom of the pot. The other end of the cord should be dipped into the solution.
On top of the cord a few centimeters we lay sphagnum moss, which will later help to separate the plant children, and pour the nutrient mixture.
After that, you can plant cuttings of violets in cups. Each of them must be placed in a separate container.
Dip the cups into a container with Nutrisol solution so that the moss and the wick itself are saturated with moisture. After that, you can put the cups on a container of water. Make sure that they do not sink into the liquid, but are several centimeters above the water level.
If you did everything correctly, the flowers will take root in a few weeks. This will be evidenced by the raised leaves, which offer resistance if you try to pull them slightly.

Transferring a violet to wick watering is not so difficult. Here's a step-by-step guide to transferring your plants to wick watering flowers you've been growing for a long time.

In the same way as in the first case, we prepare the soil, the pot and lay the cord on the bottom of the pot.
We put the pre-prepared mixture into the pot (it is recommended not to use the soil so that the roots do not rot) for the violets, transplant the flower and water it with water until the mixture gets wet (this must be done once, do not water the flower on top anymore). Then you need to drain the excess water and place the pot on a container with some water (it must be settled and slightly warm).
When transferring violets to wick watering, make sure that the distance from the surface of the water to the bottom of the pot is within 1–2 cm.
So, the translation has been successfully completed. Now the water, rising up the wick, will wet the soil to the required state.

Despite the fact that it is much more convenient for your flowers to get moisture on the wick, not everything can go smoothly the first time. Therefore, it is recommended not to transfer all the Saintpaulias that you contain to such watering at once. Transfer several plants, observe the results, use trial and error to find the optimal conditions for your flowers (cord length, material, amount of water in the container, etc.).

Methods

There are three main methods for watering Saintpaulia at home. The most common is overhead watering, but it is also the most unsafe and unacceptable. But in no case should you pour water directly on the violet or on the ground! Only watering with a thin watering can under the root is allowed, almost deep into the soil. Do not pour on the leaves and wipe them with water, and it is also very dangerous to hit the outlet (in its center) with a stream of water.

The second method is wick watering of violets. Such watering is convenient: once having correctly configured the system, the owner will only have to wash the water container with soap or soda every month. Moisture will enter the pots by capillary through the cord. The soil will be protected from overdrying or overflowing - depending on the humidity of the environment and the soil itself, the system itself will "water" the violets in the right amount. In addition, in the absence of the owners for a long time, you will not have to ask the neighbors to “watch the flowers and water them regularly”. Labor costs will be very noticeably reduced, and the flowering of violets will be more lush and longer. But in winter, the water in containers near the windows can freeze strongly, and this is detrimental to violets.

The third method is tray watering at home. Several violets (two or three saintpaulias or even seven or eight) stand in pallets. Watering and fertilizing through it is carried out. There is a danger of overflow, but with proper watering, the violets will feel great. Pots with large drainage holes and legs are well suited for this sump watering - then the water remaining on the sump will not get into the soil (excess moisture). If the pot is ordinary, then this moisture is simply wiped off the pallet after watering. Drainage can be, for example, moss.

How to water at different times of the year

Violets need daily watering during the spring and summer - in summer, irrigation is recommended in the morning. At this time, the process of photosynthesis is activated in plants.

In winter, autumn, and in the cold early spring, violets are best watered during the daytime. If, in addition to natural lighting, artificial illumination with fluorescent lamps is used, the flower can be irrigated at any time of the day, except at night. The main thing is to decide on the watering hours and strictly observe them.

In winter

During the winter season, Saintpaulias need less irrigation only if they grow on a windowsill. Whatever the temperature in the house, it is always lower near the window. The length of daylight hours also decreases significantly. During this period, the roots do not absorb moisture well. Watering should be done sparingly and with a minimum amount of fertilizer.

If the Saintpaulia pots are under constant artificial light, you don't need to change anything. You just need to monitor the humidity of the air. When the heating is turned on, its parameter will necessarily decrease, the requirements for care and watering will change. During this time, the plant requires frequent and abundant irrigation.

Summer

In summer, violets grow and bloom actively. They absorb water in much larger quantities than in winter.

It is necessary to ensure that during watering in the hot season, the flower is not in direct sunlight. In addition to increasing moisture consumption, the plant needs feeding once a month.

Proper watering of violets at home

Before watering violets, you need to take into account the influence of a number of environmental factors. Do not forget about the peculiarity of the structure and functioning of the root system. Sufficient saturation of the flower with nutrients and moisture depends on it.

Watering violets is troublesome

Features of the root system of violets

Few gardeners, especially amateurs or beginners, take into account the fact that the root system in violets has a short-term functioning. Mature roots after a while are replaced by new ones that appear from the adventitious branches.

In turn, the adventitious roots, having fulfilled their purpose, also die off. With a certain cyclicality, the entire root system of the flower goes through a period of complete renewal.

Along with the death of old roots, the aging of the flower occurs. During this period, it must be strengthened in order to prevent the death of the plant.

Additional Information! To rejuvenate a violet, its ground part must be cut off and re-rooted in water or in the ground. This is the main condition for the plant to please with constant, abundant flowering and bright colors.

What intensity of watering do violets like?

Experts recommend feeding the plant at the same time.

It is impossible to unequivocally answer the question of how regularly it is necessary to irrigate Saintpaulia. The frequency of watering for each flower is individual. It depends on many factors.

Factors that affect the intensity of water consumption

To understand how to water violets in a pot at home, you need to consider the following nuances:

air temperature;
intensity of natural light;
humidity - this factor will change depending on the season;
substrate - the drier it is, the more regularly you need to feed the violets with water;
flowering - during this period the plant needs more moisture;
the age of the bush;
development of the root system - if the roots are completely entwined with an earthen lump, this leads to a rapid drying out of the soil.

For reference! Even what the pot is made of matters. In plastic, moisture stays longer, and in a clay pot it will quickly evaporate through the walls.

Different methods of watering in winter and summer

Direct and tray watering

The most common way to water violets is the direct method using a watering can. There are some nuances to consider. Using a watering can, water is poured along the edges of the pot in a thin stream so that it does not fall on the outlet, leaves and flowers.

For this purpose, watering can with a thin elongated spout
or a syringe. Water is poured until it starts pouring out of the drainage holes.

Another type of violet watering is pan watering. Water is poured into the bottom pan, from where it is taken by the roots. If too much water has been poured and it remains in the pan twenty minutes after watering, it is discarded.

This must be done to avoid root rot.

Immersion method

Immersion irrigation is not very common today. The success of such watering depends on the care of the grower and the availability of the right amount of time. Some collectors use this method, especially when it's sultry heat outside
.

Watering by immersion is very easy. For this, a container of water is prepared, where a flower pot is placed. The roots and earth take up water for ten to fifteen minutes. At the same time, the leaves of the rosette should not touch the water.

It is worth watching the time carefully, you cannot keep the plant in this state for a long time, otherwise the soil will be saturated with an excessive amount of moisture. This method has a disadvantage: while watering by immersion hazardous mineral salts accumulate in the substrate
and are not excreted together with water.

They remain on the topsoil and turn into a crust. Petioles and lower leaves are injured by contact with salt deposits in the soil.To prevent a similar situation once a month the soil is spilled with warm water
to remove excess salts.

Wick and drip irrigation at home

The wick irrigation method is used by amateurs who do not have the opportunity and time for constant watering of violets. When using this method, moisture enters the roots with the help of the so-called wick - a damp string or tourniquet.

At the preparatory stage, you will have to spend a little effort, but then watering will take place practically without the participation of a grower
.

To make the wick, choose a cord or rope made of synthetics. Harnesses made from natural materials will rot in constant humidity conditions.

The most suitable wick will be a synthetic rope or a part of unnecessary tights twisted into a bundle. It should be borne in mind that the wick should be thin
- about 0.15 - 0.2 centimeters.

At the next stage of preparation, containers are selected for planting violets. Any plastic pots will do. A pot with a diameter of nine centimeters is popular. This size is suitable for an adult specimen and will perfectly accept the wick.

You can take a half-liter plastic cup. At the final stage, we place the pot above the container with water and we lower the tourniquet-wick into the glass
.

With this method, the violet can be provided with moisture for two weeks. Some growers do not immediately add water to the cup after it has run out. Within two days, they allow the soil to dry out a little, after which they resume watering.

Wick irrigation has its drawbacks: during the winter months, water on a cold windowsill may freeze or cool
... Cold water has a destructive effect on the violet.

Drip and wick irrigation work according to the same scheme: water in small quantities is constantly supplied to the root system of the plant. Drip irrigation systems are sold in specialized stores.

They are completely automated. With their help, through tubes with tips, water flows drop by drop to the plant.