In search of tasty nectar and pollen, various pollinating insects gladly visit violet flowers. The structure of the violet is perfectly adapted for insect pollination.
The violet flower has five unequal free petals, the lowest of which has a kind of "spur" at the tip. It is on the "spur" that nectar accumulates, which is secreted by the curved spur-like appendages of the two lowest stamens.
The stamens with very short filaments tightly surround the ovary, and the large membranous appendages of the connectives close tightly together and compress the column below the stigma, forming a full cone.
When opened, the anthers release dry pollen powder into the cone. The curved top of the column with a stigma hole, which is usually submerged and directed forward, protrudes from the cone and closes the entrance to the flower.
The column bent at the base rotates in the bending zone and returns to its original state after being deflected by visiting insects. As a result of the movement of the column, a drop of mucus is released from the opening of the stigma cavity, to which the pollen grains adhere.
The main function of mucus is to increase the pollen-trapping surface. Pollen grains germinate only inside the stigma cavity.
Many species of violets have devices that prevent self-pollination when visited by insects - the spatial separation of anthers and stigmas, the configuration of the column head, various outgrowths, hard hairs, and protandria.
In the first days of flowering, when pollen is limited by the cone of appendages and is least accessible to insects, cross-pollination of violets is carried out by medium- and long-probed insects seeking nectar, which are adapted to feeding on violet flowers.
At the end of flowering, when pollen is released from the cone and accumulates on the front petal (while the pollen grains remain viable for several hours), an additional opportunity arises for the transfer of pollen also by short-haired visitors, i.e., the possibility of accidental cross-pollination and self-pollination - pollen transfer from the anterior lobe to the opening of the stigma cavity.
Thus, in the absence of visitors with a longer proboscis, self-pollination prevails.
In search of nectar, the insect inserts a proboscis loaded with pollen from another flower into the spur through the groove of the front petal. Slipping under the post, which blocks the entrance to the flower, the proboscis of the insect slightly raises the post and touches the opening of the stigma cavity, leaving the brought pollen on it.
The beak (in the violet has a tricolor lip-shaped appendage), at the base of the stigma opening, performs the function of a scraper, scraping pollen from the insect's body. The pollen grains accumulate and adhere to the stigma opening due to the release of sticky mucus.
When the proboscis penetrates the nectar, the head of the insect pushes the column, raising it completely. In turn, the column opens the cone of the appendages, and a cascade of pollen falls on the proboscis and head of the insect. At the same time, pollen at the stigma opening is pushed by the pollinator's head into the stigma cavity.
When the nectar is collected, the insect draws out the proboscis with a new portion of pollen, which will remain the next time the insect visits another flower, at the opening of its stigma.
Then the column returns to its original position and closes the cone of the appendages, while simultaneously swallowing the pollen grains that remain on the stigma opening.
Unfortunately, so complex in their design, spring violet flowers often remain sterile and do not set pods, most likely due to the lack of the necessary pollinators at this time of year.
In many violet species, abundant seeds form small, nondescript, bud-like, non-opening and self-pollinating (cleistogamous) flowers. They develop later - in late spring and summer - on erect stems, or on creeping shoots (stolons), or underground on short root suckers, sometimes burrowing into the ground. Kleistogamny flowers are also known in some American gibantus species.
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Violet (lat. Viola) - genus of herbaceous plants of the family Violet (Violaceae).
The violet has a shortened stem, bearing a rosette of hairy, strongly pubescent leaves. The leaves are broadly oval or round, the shape of the edge, waviness, varies depending on the variety. Have different varieties rosette diameter can vary from 7 to 40 cm or more. Flowers are simple, five-membered or double, of various colors, collected on pedicels, 2-7 pieces each.
Violet ranks first in the world among indoor plants. Flowers are nature's most perfect creations. Violet, personifying the arrival of spring, the revival of nature, is a favorite flower for many peoples. These delicate little flowers are full of grace, unearthly beauty and perfection. The violet blooms nine months a year, regardless of the season, without causing allergic reactions. It is not whimsical at all, does not require bright lighting, good land, large pots. The scent of violets has a wonderful effect on the body, intellect and soul at the same time, setting up an optimistic note, relieving stress, activating the body's defenses, and helps against insomnia.
Violet species
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Violet care
Temperature. Based on the data on climatic conditions in the homeland of violets, the optimum temperature for growing is 20-24 ° C. At a temperature of 20 ° C, adult specimens bloom for a long time, flowers are large, they stay on plants for a long time. For young, developing plants, recently separated from the mother leaf, it is better to set the temperature higher than 23-24 ° C.
However, in winter, plants often experience a drop in temperature, especially if they are on a windowsill. If the temperature is 16-18 ° C, this does not noticeably affect their condition. It is only necessary to take care that cold air does not get on them when ventilating. To avoid hypothermia of the roots, you cannot keep the plants on a cold stone windowsill; it is better to place it on a wooden stand.
Fertilizer. Immunocytophyte is a multipurpose stimulator of plant growth and development defense reactions. Designed to increase resistance to diseases (late blight, alternaria, rhizoctonia, black leg, real and false powdery mildew, gray and white rot, bacteriosis, various types of scab), resistance to adverse weather conditions, accelerating the growth and development of plants. Immunocytophyte is a mixture of ethyl fatty acids and urea containing the active ingredient of arachidonic acid ethyl ester (0.16 g / kg). Immunocytophyte is available in blue (purple) tablets.
Immunocytophyte accelerates the growth and development of plants, fruit ripening, promotes wound healing when plants are damaged by insects and increases anti-stress activity. The period of the protective action of immunocytophyte is up to 45 days.
Air humidity for violets. IN natural conditions at home, the violet grows near streams and waterfalls, near cracked stones, so the air is constantly saturated with moisture. Optimum humidity for violets 60-70%. In rooms, especially with central heating, this figure is often about 40%, which is not very useful for people. A normal humidity of 45-50% for us will be quite suitable for our pets. Since it is difficult to create such humidity in the whole room, it is necessary to increase it near the plants, creating a favorable microclimate for them.
There are several possibilities for this. The first is that violets are placed in flat containers (it is convenient to use standard metal baking sheets 33-45 cm, which are sold in hardware stores). Water is poured into them in a layer of about 1 cm. So that the plant roots do not suffer from excessive moisture, the pot is placed in a small tray. By evaporating, the water increases the humidity around the plants. You can place sphagnum peat moss on a pallet with a layer of about 4 cm, which is highly hygroscopic. Moss is moistened as it dries. Sand can also be used.
Spraying water from a spray bottle is helpful for many indoor plants. But for violets with their dense pubescence, this method is unsuitable, you can spray water only not on the plants, but near them, creating something like fog.
It has been noticed that the culture in the kitchen, where there is more evaporation, works very well. This is especially important for young plants. To create them high humidity, they are placed in a greenhouse or covered glass jar or a plastic bag. But it must be remembered that for adult plants such an increased air humidity (80-100%) can cause fungal diseases, especially if there is no supply of fresh air.
The optimum air humidity for our plants is 50-60%, but adult specimens are often content with lower (30-40%) humidity with the correct temperature regime and regular watering.
Watering. For watering, the easiest way is to use an ordinary tap water, which was in a room in an open container for 2-3 days. We do not recommend using magnetized water. It can give good results in the beginning, but will negatively affect the plants later.
How the humidity regime is observed can be judged by the appearance of the plant. If the leaves are constantly elastic, well colored, then the watering regime is correct. When the leaves begin to wilt, this indicates dryness of the soil. If it is very dry, most of the leaves become, as it were, soft, they drop, hang from the edges of the pot, and the earth moves away from its walls. In this case, the pot is carefully lowered 1/2 of the height into warm (25-27 ° C) water, kept for 1-1.5 hours, and then placed in a shaded place, covering the plant for a day plastic wrap... Usually, after a day, the leaves of the violet become elastic again.
If, due to thorough drying of the coma, a part of the thin roots of the plant has died out, it does not quickly restore its initial appearance: until new roots develop, the plant will absorb moisture more slowly.
Some amateur flower growers are afraid to "flood" their violets and constantly keep them on a "water diet" - they rarely and insufficiently water. Such specimens do not die, but grow slowly, their flowers become smaller, the leaves sometimes acquire a yellowish tint. They are more exposed to various diseases, more often they die in winter. With excessive watering, when moisture constantly stagnates in the trays, all the capillaries of the soil are filled with water, air access to the roots stops, the plants seem to suffocate and die. This often happens when planting in a pot that is too large or due to lack of proper drainage.
With a constantly wet coma, the lower leaves of the plant begin to fall (as when drying out). To establish the cause, the plant is carefully removed from the pot and the root system is examined. If the roots are brown, the skin is easily removed from them in the form of a stocking - these are signs of decay of the roots of the violet - the plant must be saved. Carefully wash off the soil from the roots, remove all rotten parts with a sharp razor and lower the remaining living roots for 30 minutes in a weak pink solution of potassium permanganate. Then the plant is planted in a small pot with a diameter of 6 cm with a very loose earthy mixture (equal parts of chopped sphagnum, sand and leafy earth).
Often, beginner growers ask: "How often, how many times a week do you need to water violets?" Such a statement of the question is fundamentally incorrect: after all, it depends on the variety, and on the size of the pot, and on the temperature in the room, and on the earthen mixture.
The main condition for a successful culture: watering should be regular, the earthen coma should not be allowed to dry out. Usually, one of two methods of watering is used: from the bottom from the pallet or from the top.
For normal watering from above, it is necessary to pour a thin stream of water into the edge of the pot so as not to erode the soil surface. In no case should water fall on delicate young leaves, in the center of the outlet, and accumulate there. For watering, it is most convenient to use a small watering can with a long spout (falsely lengthen the short spout using a glass tube and a rubber "sleeve").
Water until excess water flows out through the drain hole onto the pan. It is impossible for the water to stagnate for a long time - this can lead to "acidification" (or rather, to alkalization) of the soil and rotting of the roots, so after 30 minutes the excess water must be drained.
When watering from above, the water, seeping through the earthen lump, washes away some of the harmful salts, which is beneficial for plants. In winter, it is useful to water the plants with a weak solution of potassium permanganate (light pink) once a month. This should be done immediately if signs of overfeeding are noticeable. The pot is placed on a glass jar and carefully watered with a solution (0.3-0.5 L per plant). Through the drainage hole, it is drained into a jar, freeing the earthen lump from harmful impurities.
When watering from below, the water is absorbed into the earthen lump, in which harmful salts gradually accumulate. The plant begins to wither, especially if the water is hard.
In many cities, for example, Moscow, the water is too hard and contains a lot of calcium salts. The use of such water leads to the fact that a whitish coating of salts appears on the surface of the earth and at the edges of the pot.
How can such water be softened? Florists have invented many ways. Even simple boiling of water leads to the fact that some of the salts precipitate. Latvian flower growers recommend placing a bag of peat (about 200-300 g per 10 liters) in a bucket of irrigation water or putting a handful of sphagnum peat moss into the bucket. You can sometimes (once every 1.5-2 months) water the earth with water acidified with vinegar (it is better to use 6% apple vinegar) at the rate of 1-2 teaspoons per 3 liters of water.
Due to the excess content of calcium salts in the soil, the roots cannot absorb some elements, for example, iron, magnesium, although they are present in enough in the soil.
What is the best time to water? Specialists of the Main Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences recommend watering in the morning in spring and summer, and in the afternoon in autumn and winter. Obviously, this can be explained by the fact that already early in the morning in the light, an intensive process of photosynthesis begins, in winter and autumn it dawns much later. If the violets are lit artificially, this does not matter, it is only important to always water at the same time.
When watering, drops of water sometimes fall on the leaves, which is why they become covered with white irregular shape spots and stripes.
Reproduction of violets.
Peduncle. Reproduction of violets by a peduncle is used if it is necessary to preserve and transfer to the offspring a complex (fantasy) flower color. These are, first of all, chimera varieties, which do not transfer varietal coloration when propagated by a leaf cuttings. This is possible only by rooting a stepson or peduncle. You can also propagate your favorite fantasy variety with a peduncle, especially if it gives many varieties or has a multicolored color with dashes, strokes, specks. Reproduction by a peduncle almost 100% conveys a fantasy color. I'll tell you about my way of rooting.
We break out a healthy strong peduncle with the most beautiful flowers... We put it on a hard surface, cut off the lower part with a sharp blade, leaving 1 cm to the stipules (small leaves on the peduncle). We also remove all flowers and buds, leaving hemp up to 3-5mm in height. The remaining small "tree" is exactly what we need. It is good to powder the slices with crushed charcoal, which has the same effect on plant slices as iodine does to humans.
Take a small pot or a clear plastic cup. At the bottom we put a layer of moss 1.5 cm. We put a layer of soil mixture of the same composition as for rooting leaf cuttings with a layer of 2-2.5 cm. With a stick in the center of the pot we make a depression and carefully insert the peduncle up to the stipules. Water a little and put in a greenhouse or bag. The moss on the bottom of the pot should remain dry after watering! We paste the name of the variety and the date of planting. For some time the peduncle will "freeze" while the roots are being formed. It is rarely necessary to ventilate the plant, there will not be much condensation there with poor watering. And greenhouse conditions will help to start the rooting process more successfully. We put the pot in a bright, but not sunny and warm (+ 20-24 ° С) place.
The success of the whole event, in my opinion, lies in watering. Water very little to keep the moss at the bottom of the pot dry. Therefore, it is better to plant it in a transparent container so that it is convenient to observe the process. If everything is done correctly, then after a while small leaves will appear in the axils of the stipules - our future sockets. The timing of the appearance of small rosettes is very different. They can appear even 1.5 months after planting the peduncle, and maybe much later.
The active growth of small leaves in the axils of the stipules indicates successful rooting. The bracts themselves can grow a little too. Through the transparent walls of the pot, a net of white roots is visible, braiding an earthen ball. Now you can gradually open the greenhouse or package, accustoming the plant to indoor conditions. Watering is the same, in small portions and only when the top layer of the earth dries up.
When young rosettes grow 2-3 cm high, remove the pot from the greenhouse or bag. If the rosette has a “leg” without roots, you can wrap it with sphagnum moss for their formation. We grow until 2-3 pairs of leaves are formed and we plant, as in the usual separation of children, when we propagate the violet with a leaf cuttings. As a result of our work, we get an exact copy of our favorite variety. I would not say that root stalk rooting is more difficult than leaf propagation. The main thing, in my opinion, is a healthy and strong peduncle, loose soil and careful watering.
Leaflets. The best time for cuttings of violets - spring and summer. At this time, adventitious roots are formed faster, young plants grow stronger.
The leaves for grafting are separated from healthy, well-formed plants. Developed leaves of medium size are chosen. In young plants, a little more than a year - you can cut off the lowest leaves, in older specimens - from the second row from the bottom, since the lower ones will already be somewhat outdated. Young leaves located closer to the center of the rosette take root faster, but the offspring may turn out to be weakened. Old leaves or those beginning to turn yellow and dry, slowly form roots, often die, not having time to form young plants. Large leaves, especially with wavy edges, are also inconvenient for rooting - they are unstable in the ground, they hardly give growth.
The leaf is carefully cut, taking care not to injure the petiole. Then, at a distance of 3-4 cm from the leaf blade, with a sharp blade of a safety razor, an oblique cut is made again at an angle of 45 °.
How to root cuttings of violets? There are several methods. Many growers are more willing to root their leaves in water. This method is convenient in that you can observe the appearance of roots and their growth. True, sometimes there are difficulties when planting leaves in the ground, the roots can be injured.
Water for cuttings must certainly be clean and soft, distilled water is most suitable. Tap water quite clean, but often quite tough. The adventitious roots develop in it slowly, the petiole often decays. If the water hardness is very high, roots do not appear at all. Boiling does not significantly reduce hardness; to soften, you can use the methods discussed in the section on watering. Lake, river, well water depending on the local conditions It has varying degrees rigidity. But such water must be boiled, otherwise green algae may develop in a vessel with leaves.
Sometimes the water formed when the refrigerator is thawed is used. It is quite soft, but it must be filtered through cotton wool (to remove food crumbs, fat, etc.), and then boiled.
Many growers use rainwater to root their leaves. However, it often happens that, despite the visible transparency, it contains industrial compounds harmful to plants, and the leaves may die.
You can use melted snow water. In spring, it is distinguished by increased biological activity and the roots in it develop rapidly.
Recently, flower growers sometimes use boiled and quickly cooled water without access to air. A pressure cooker is convenient for this: after boiling water, they put it, without removing the lid, in cold water... This water also stimulates root formation.
To root the leaves in water, you can use cleanly washed and boiled medicine vials (preferably dark), jars of mustard or mayonnaise, small faceted cups from plain glass... It is noticed that in some vessels the roots appear quickly, and in others - much slower or even not at all, although outwardly the vessels are almost identical. Interestingly, in crystal glassware, not a single variety in our practice gave rise to roots. Probably the matter is in the composition of the glass.
In a wide-mouthed jar, several leaves can be rooted at the same time, but they should be located freely, not overlapping each other. To do this, cover the jar with thick (preferably parchment) paper, securing it with adhesive tape or an elastic band, then make several holes in the paper and insert a petiole into each. Before planting the cuttings in the ground, the paper is cut.
When the leaves are rooting in water, it is not changed, but only topped up as it evaporates.
Some people put a leaf with a stem into a glass filled with water about ¼ of its volume, so that the leaf rests on the walls of the glass, and the whole glass is placed in a plastic bag, tied tightly - in this case, there is no need to worry about the water evaporating. The stalk should be immersed in water no more than 1.5-2 cm and not touch the bottom (otherwise it may bend and it will be difficult to plant it in the ground).
The method recommended by English growers also gave good results: the leaves with petioles are laid out in a deep plate so that the leaf blades lie at the edges, and the petioles are in the water. With this method, it is more convenient to label each leaf with a label with the name of the variety.
If the end of the petiole decays, it is cut to a healthy tissue and placed in another vessel with fresh distilled water. You can try to root it in the ground or sphagnum.
Violet leaf cuttings are best kept in a bright, but not sunny place. After about 2-3 weeks, roots appear on the petiole. You don't have to wait for them to develop very strongly. When their length reaches 1.5-2 cm, the most favorable time comes for transplanting into an earthen mixture.
It should be very loose, contain a minimum of nutrients, and have a fine structure (preferably sieved). This is necessary so as not to damage the delicate roots of young plants when separating them from the mother leaf. Well washed sand should be about a third of the mixture. Finely rubbed sphagnum moss, which has bactericidal properties, significantly improves the substrate. Sifted ginger peat can be used instead. It is desirable that the mixture contains about 1/3 of the substrate prepared for adult violets (only without dung). You need to add a little chopped charcoal for disinfection. The substrate should always be moderately moist.
Leaves rooted in water can be planted in small clay pots (about 7 cm), but it must be borne in mind that moisture evaporating through the walls cools the earthen lump. In a greenhouse, where the humidity is very high, this phenomenon is not observed. To increase the relative humidity, the leaves planted in pots are covered with a plastic bag or glass jar (aerate once a day or two). The shelter is removed when young growth appears. Direct sunlight should not hit the leaves to avoid overheating.
When planting rooted leaves, flower growers often encounter such a difficulty: at the first watering, leaves that have not yet fixed in the ground fall from their own weight. To prevent this, you can take any thin stick - a splinter, an old knitting needle (it is very convenient to use light plastic "straws" for cocktails). With one end, the stick is stuck into the ground, and the other is propped up with a sheet.
Violets take root well in fresh green (live) peat moss sphagnum. But it is important that it maintains its vitality. Sometimes sphagnum dies from insufficient lighting. He is also very sensitive to watering. It is better to use sphagnum with short stems, planting it in enamel or earthenware; plastic is not suitable, as it can be acted upon by the acids released by the moss. The tops of the moss are lightly trimmed with scissors. You can treat the moss with a weak fertilizer solution.
It is necessary to plant violets rooted in sphagnum when the young growth grows to 5-6 cm. With a more elongated growth, it will be difficult to free the developed roots from the moss.
Another common method is rooting the leaves in an earthy mixture. Convenient for this are small boxes (35 x 25 x 4 cm) made of pine or spruce planks, inside lined with plastic wrap. An earthen mixture (3-4 cm) is poured onto the bottom, moistened with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Leaves are planted at a distance of 4-5 cm from each other, to a depth of no more than 1.5 cm, otherwise it will be difficult for young shoots to break through the ground. Leaves are strengthened with sticks or "straws"; for stability, you can take leaves with shorter petioles (2-3 cm). A wire frame is installed above the box and covered with plastic wrap, leaving a small gap for air flow. The film is removed after 3-4 weeks.
By this time, the leaves are already fixed in the ground. Later they increase in size and shade the emerging growth. Therefore, when the plant reaches a height of 1.5-2 cm, the plates of the mother leaves are cut in half, which increases the illumination of the growth and contributes to its rapid development.
Violet leaves, pre-rooted in water and then planted in a box, do not need to be covered with foil. The damp ground surface in the box creates a microclimate with high air humidity. Boxes with planted leaves are placed near a window or under fluorescent lamps.
If the leaf does not form shoots for a long time, but it grows itself, you can try, without removing it from the ground, to cut off half of the leaf blade from it and plant it for rooting. The surface of the cut is sprinkled with crushed charcoal, a piece of leaf is deepened into the earthen mixture by 0.5 cm.
Sometimes the planted leaf cuttings begin to rot top part leaf, then it is necessary to remove the rot by cutting it to healthy tissue, and sprinkle it with crushed charcoal (the most effective is to powder the cut with fundozol).
If the leaf has lost its turgor, has become soft, and rotting is not noticeable, it is necessary to increase the humidity of the air (it is covered with a glass or a plastic bag).
It happens that the planted leaf has formed a growth not at the cut of the petiole, but on a part not buried in the ground or even at the place where the petiole passes into the leaf blade. This can happen when the air humidity is too high or, for example, if the sheet was cut with a blunt knife. In this case, you need to wait until the shoots grow to 2.5-3 cm, and then they are separated from the petiole and rooted like a lateral stepson.
When the plants formed around the mother leaf reach a height of 4-5 cm, they can be separated. Premature separation, when the growth is not higher than 1.5-2 cm, can lead to its death. Carefully digging out of the ground (it should be moderately moist, crumbly), the mother leaf with its own roots is carefully separated, tilted to the side so as not to damage the fragile stems and delicate roots of young plants. They are separated and each specimen is planted separately.
The most crucial stage is the further development of young plants. It should be borne in mind that the mother leaf is part of an already formed plant, it is more viable than fragile young plants with weak own roots. Therefore, care must be taken to ensure that young plants develop in better conditions. Planting depth is of great importance. Petioles lower leaves should be just above ground level. If the plants are too deep, that is, planted so that the ground is at the level of the growing point, they will develop poorly, and there is a great possibility of rotting of the entire outlet. The earth must not be allowed to fall on the petioles and on the growth point.
Great care must be taken when watering. Water, especially at first, should only be warm (3-4 ° C above room temperature). It is impossible for water to enter the center of the outlet - this can cause decay. If, nevertheless, accidentally a few drops of water fall into the growth point, they must be removed with cotton wool or filter paper.
For successful growth, diffused light is required; direct sunlight is unacceptable. Even with favorable conditions young violets in the first 2-3 weeks, as it were, "freeze" (during this time they develop their own roots). Then the growth of the central leaves begins and the rosettes are gradually formed.
For young plants, it is very important to observe the optimal temperature regime - 23-25 \u200b\u200b° C, especially in the first 2-3 weeks. A drop in temperature to 17-19 ° C in the first days after transplanting can lead to the death of plants. In the future, when young plants get stronger and begin to grow, such a decrease in temperature will no longer be dangerous for them.
Rooting of violet stepchildren. Some varieties of violets (especially new ones, differing in the multicolor color of the flower) can repeat their original pattern only when propagated by side shoots (in the practice of floriculture, called stepchildren). Abroad, such varieties are considered the most valuable and expensive, since they cannot be quickly multiplied.
To get the lateral stepsons, the growth point with the nascent leaves is removed from the violet with tweezers or a needle. After a while, stepchildren - lateral shoots - will begin to appear in the leaf axils of this specimen. When they reach about 3 cm in size, they must be carefully separated and rooted in an earthy mixture, the same as for rooting leaves. For the successful rooting of stepchildren, the first 3-4 weeks must be provided with increased air humidity and a temperature of 22-24 ° C.
Young plants are grown under fluorescent lamps in a greenhouse. Separated stepchildren usually have a short stem, and they have to be significantly deepened. In order not to rot the growth point, for planting it is best to use sphagnum moss and coarse sand or vermiculite in a 2: 1 ratio with the addition of crushed (granules from 2 to 7 mm) charcoal, about ½ cup per liter jar mixtures.
Some of the stepchildren can form in the lower part of the stem, near the surface of the ground, they usually have their own roots. These plants, having separated, are immediately planted in small pots with a loose mixture, they quickly take root.
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Tags: violet, growing violets, reproduction of violets, care for violets, types of violets, photo violets, violet description, violet flowers, indoor plants, indoor flowers
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Having once tasted such a priceless product as pumpkin, it is already difficult to stop looking for new recipes for serving it to the table. Korean pumpkin, despite its pungency and spice, has a fresh and delicate taste. After cooking, you will need to cover the salad and let it brew for at least 15 minutes. My butternut squash is very juicy and sweet, so there is no need to crush it. If the pumpkin is of a different variety, then you can knead it with your hands so that it slightly sips the juice.
Salad, as the earliest and unpretentious green culture, has always been held in high esteem by gardeners. Most summer residents usually begin spring planting by sowing lettuce, parsley and radish. Recently, the pursuit of healthy eating and a large selection of greens in supermarkets make gardeners wonder which of these plants can be grown in their beds? In this article, we will tell you about the nine most interesting, in our opinion, types of salad.
Another "bonus" is always "attached" to the flowering of indoor roses - capriciousness. When they say that it is easy to grow roses in rooms, they are cunning. For flowering indoor roses must be created literally ideal conditions... And vigilant care, attention and response to any plant signals is the main guarantee of success. True, no matter how capricious roses are, you can grow them in a pot format quite successfully. And attentive flower growers should not be afraid of this.
Pollock is best cooked in a casserole, separating the fillets from the skin and bones. Pieces of fish are mixed with a variegated vegetable set, poured with a sauce of cheese, sour cream and eggs. This fish casserole has a presentable look, and its taste is a whimsical mixture of subtle nuances. Vegetables and fillets will be soaked in sour cream, cheese will harden with a golden brown crust, eggs will tie all the ingredients together. Pieces of fish are plentifully sprinkled with Italian herbs, and pollock acquires an unusual piquancy.
Despite the fact that the calendar spring begins in March, you can truly feel the awakening of nature only with the appearance flowering plants in the garden. Nothing testifies to the arrival of spring as eloquently as the clearing of flowering primroses. Their appearance is always a small holiday, because winter has receded, and a new gardening season awaits us. But, in addition to spring primroses, there is still something to see and admire in the garden in the month of April.
Growing rapidly and turning into wild thickets, hogweed disrupts the existing ecosystem and suppresses all other plants. The essential oils contained in the fruits and leaves of hogweed cause severe dermatitis. At the same time, it is much more difficult to deal with it than with other common weeds. Fortunately, today a tool has appeared on the free sale that can short term rid your site of most weeds, including hogweed.
Carrots happen different colors: orange, white, yellow, purple. Beta-carotene and lycopene predominate in orange carrots, yellow due to the presence of xanthophylls (lutein); white carrots are high in fiber, while purple carrots contain anthocyanin, beta and alpha carotenes. But, as a rule, gardeners choose carrot varieties for sowing not by the color of the fruit, but by the timing of their ripening. About the best early, middle and late varieties we will explain in this article.
Recommended enough easy recipe pie with delicious chicken and potato filling. Open pie with chicken and potatoes is great hearty dish, which is perfect for a hearty snack, it is very convenient to take a couple of these baked goods on the road. The cake is baked in the oven for one hour at 180 degrees. After that, we lay it out on a wooden surface, having previously released it from the mold. It is enough to slightly cool the baked goods and you can start tasting.
SENPOLIA
Homeland of the violet.
In nature violets grow in East Africa in the Uzambar and Ulugur mountains. They got their name in honor of the governor Baron Walter von Saint-Paul East Africa, who with his fiancee fleeing the heat in the shade of the trees, found unfamiliar purple flowers... They got their name "Saintpaulia" in honor of the name of the discoverer.
Other name - Uzambara violet - comes from the name of the mountains in which violets were first discovered.
Flowers so impressed him that he described this meeting in the most enthusiastic terms. He compared them to the shining of a pale blue light in a bowl, in the center of which a bright yellow light burned.
The flowers he found were sent to Germany to the florist and orchid collector, Walter Saint-Paul's father Ulrich von Saint-Paul. For identification, the flowers were sent by Ultrich Saint-Paul to the director of the botanical garden, Hermann Wendland in Hanover, who assigned them to the Gesneriaceae family.
1893 is considered the year of "birth" of violets: this year they were shown at international flower exhibitions, were first described in the magazine "Gartenflora" and aroused great interest.
Violet flower (home, indoor, uzambar).
VIOLET (SENPOLIA).
Description of the violet.
Violet (Saintpaulia) - This is a low perennial herb with a shortened stem, from which numerous pubescent leaves on long petioles extend as a rosette. Relate violets to the Gesneriaceae family and grow in the mountains of tropical Africa.
Modern varieties violets (saintpaul) combined into groups according to the shape of the flowers. Distinguish between simple, terry and fringed varieties. Violet flowers can be monochrome - pink, red, white - or multi-colored - with different shades in the form of beautiful patterns.
In addition to the usual, there are also ampelous types violets (saintpaul) , in which the main stem branches out, forming several rosettes of leaves. Leaves from such violets (saintpaul) located less frequently than common varieties.
Violet flower (home, indoor, uzambar).
VIOLET LEAVES.
Violet leaf.
Violet leaves have different shape and color (from light to dark green). Usually violet (saintpaulia) leaves round or cordate up to 8 cm in length, fleecy, brittle.
Depending on the variety, they can have either a monochromatic light or dark green color, or a more complex one - with a small white spot at the base of the leaf, with a white border or spots. The violet leaf blade at the base is cordate, rounded, serrated or entire.
Violet flowers.
Violet flowers have a very wide range of colors: from snow-white, all shades of pink to dark crimson, from blue to dark blue and purple.
The shape of the flowers and the degree of their doubleness are very diverse.
Violet flower (home, indoor, uzambar).
FLOWERS VIOLET.
Violet flowers medium-sized (about 3 cm in diameter) are collected in inflorescences of several pieces. Currently, as a result of breeding work, a huge variety of hybrids and varieties have been created. Flowers of many hybrid violets reach 8 cm in diameter, on one plant there are 70 - 100 flowers.
Flowers are simple, semi-double and double, with corrugated and wavy petals.
Have violets with a border on flowers, it does not always appear at the first flowering, it may appear later in adult Saintpaulias.
Petals of numerous varieties violets decorate with various dots, stripes, spots and rays.
Violet flower (home, indoor, uzambar).
FLOWERS VIOLET.
The smell of violets.
Smell at violets absent. Currently, as a result of breeding work, a huge variety of hybrids and varieties have been created.
Now work is underway to violets also had a pleasant aroma.
Violet at home.
Violet (Saintpaulia) - extremely popular indoor plant... This miniature delicate creation of nature conquers with abundant long (with short interruptions almost throughout the year) flowering.
In apartments, ampelous types of violets are often used. Ampel plants have more voluminous foliage, their stems fall off, hanging over the edge of the pot, representing a wonderful living picture.
Home violet - This is a fairly unpretentious plant, but requires proper care. It prefers bright, but diffused light and does not like drafts.
Indoor violets prefer moderate watering with necessarily settled water room temperature.
Trimmed violets not necessary. Remove broken or damaged leaves if they turn brown and pinch off wilted discolored flowers. It is better not to rearrange the plant during flowering, this can prevent flowering.
Violet flower easily propagated by leafy cuttings. Usually both young and already adult plants are transplanted every year, preferably in spring.
Although violets live indefinitely, but to ensure a large number of flowers and maintain a healthy collection, it is still better to grow new plants every 12 to 18 months.
Violets - video.
Violet flower (home, indoor, uzambar).
Pots for violets.
Standard ratio when choosing pot for violets - rosette diameter to pot diameter 3: 1. Remember, violets have a rather weak root system and in a large volume there is a high risk of overflow and, as a result, root rot.
For violets use clay or plastic pots with a diameter of 5 to 13 cm.Pots and bowls should not be high, since violet roots do not grow very deep. To violet developed normally and bloomed profusely, her root system should braid the entire pot.
In a too large and tall pot violet does not bloom for a long time.
Violet flower (home, indoor, uzambar).
POTS FOR VIOLETS.
Clay pots conduct air and moisture better, so the roots in them rot less often. But such pots are more expensive and fragile and after use they must be thoroughly cleaned and boiled. They are also heavier and dry out faster. If the pot is glazed, then the glaze does not allow water or moisture to pass through.
Plastic pots are lightweight, inexpensive, do not need special care, their range is wide enough.
Violets do not bloom. Why don't violets bloom?
How to make a violet bloom?
In order to home violet bloomed, it is necessary to create optimal conditions for it.
Flower pots should be kept at 18 - 24 ° C. Of course, small deviations are allowed, but in this case the flowering will not be so lush.
Violet flower (home, indoor, uzambar).
VIOLET
It is very important that home violet received the required amount of light. For abundant flowering she needs at least 12 hours of continuous lighting daily. That violet there is not enough light, you can determine by the leaves that begin to stretch up.
These colors need good bright lighting, but also from direct sunlight. violets need to be protected, otherwise burns may appear on their leaves.
Lack of blooming violets can be caused by irregular watering, overdrying or waterlogging of the soil, using cold or hard water for irrigation. Provide violet the required humidity.
Great value for blooming violets has soil in a pot. Simple garden soil for violets does not fit. Heavy, too dense ground does not allow normal development violet roots and as a result violet bloom stops.
And even if initially there was good, loose earth in the pot, over time it thickens, and its composition deteriorates - without transplanting flowers from violets is unlikely to succeed.
Violet flower (home, indoor, uzambar).
SOIL FOR VIOLET.
Indoor violets love bright diffused light. But in winter, due to a decrease in the length of daylight hours, they do not receive enough of it, which slows down the process of photosynthesis. Therefore, it is necessary to turn on additional lighting in the evening for several hours.
In winter, do not often water the flower in order to prevent root rot. Reduce watering and water only with warm, standing water, or water at room temperature. But if the room is hot and dry, water violetsas usual, but do not fill.
Violet flower (home, indoor, uzambar).
VIOLET (SENPOLIA).
In apartments with central heating it is very difficult to maintain the necessary indoor violets humidity. You can increase the humidity if pots with violets put in a pallet with expanded clay and water.
Stop feeding your plants in October. In adult violets, which still form a few peduncles, it is better to remove them immediately. Because the flowers will only take away the strength from the plant that will be needed in the future for full flowering after a dormant period.
Generally, violets they tolerate a decrease in temperature to 15 - 18 ° well, only slowing down growth. But home violet It does not tolerate low temperatures, so if it is cold on your windows, it is better to remove the flower from the windowsill. For violets the critical temperature is already at 12 °. Indoor violets they don't like it when their roots freeze. Decay of roots and aerial parts may occur. If the windowsill is cold, place the pots on a wooden or Styrofoam tray. It is also undesirable that the leaves violets touched a cold window, otherwise rot spots appear on them.
But overheating and dry air in the winter months lead to the fact that the buds are not laid, or they will give crushed, rapidly fading flowers.
Having decided to start breeding violets, it is important to study the characteristics of the plant, as well as study information about the rules for its cultivation. If you are accustomed to approach any business with enthusiasm, relying on scientific experience, you will need other knowledge. For example, where and how violets grow, what are their species differences, how new varieties and hybrid varieties are obtained. Genus Violet ( Viola) belongs to the family of violets (Violaceae) and has, according to various classifications, from 400 to 500 species, as well as many subspecies and varieties of small, mainly herbaceous plants. About what a violet flower looks like, how to choose the right plant in the store and much more useful information and tips you will get by reading this informative article.
Where violets grow in nature and what flowers look like: description with photo and video
The habitat of violets is very wide: from the Arctic and temperate zones of the Northern Hemisphere to Tierra del Fuego, the Cape region and Falkland Islands on South. They can be found in Eurasia, America, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. In subtropical and tropical regions, violets have chosen mostly mountainous regions, climbing up to 4600 m above sea level (in Peru and Bolivia). About 115 species of these plants grow in Russia and neighboring countries.
The petals form an irregular (zygomorphic) corolla, the lower petal of which is larger than the others, sometimes has a spur or a saccular outgrowth at the base. The color of the petals, depending on the species, is white, blue, purple, yellow, variegated, and in numerous varieties it can be monochromatic or multi-colored. As you can see in the photo, sometimes a violet flower looks like a rainbow:
Violets can grow in the most different conditions... Some species grow in shady places - forests, bushes, mountain gorges, others prefer open, sunny meadows, slopes of mountains and hills. Someone needs wet, sometimes swampy soils, while others feel at ease on dry wastelands. Violets in nature can grow both on sandy coastal dunes and in steppes, prairies and even semi-deserts. Alpine species that grow in the Andes on extensive rocky talus perfectly tolerate drought, intense summer heat, and very low winter temperatures. Even the appearance of these violets, with numerous small cartilaginous leaves forming dense rosettes, is completely different from the usual viola, more reminiscent of a young one.
When describing violets, it is often said that this flower forms a rosette or a curtain of leaves, above which numerous small buds rise on long, up to 20 cm, peduncles.Where the species of violets grow in nature, originating from zones of temperate climates, always nutritious, moist and loose soils. These plants prefer both sunny and partial shade places. They bloom in spring and in the first half of summer. In the hot period, in some species, the flowers become smaller and flowering stops, and with the onset of wet cool weather, it resumes. Here you can enjoy a photo of violet flowers in their natural habitat:
Most types of violets are cross-pollinating plants, and only a few (for example, field violet) are self-pollinators.
To prevent self-pollination, many species have various devices: various outgrowths, hard hairs, spatial separation of the anthers and stigmas of the pistil, etc.Violet flowers are pollinated by a variety of insects, to attract which the flowers secrete nectar that accumulates in the spur on the lower petal. Some types of violets can only be pollinated certain types insects.
So, violet clawed, originally from the Alps, has such a long spur (13-25 mm long) that it can only be pollinated by some species of hawk moths, and the violet is two-flowered, with a short thick spur (only 2-3 mm long), pollinated mainly by flies.
A very interesting fact about violets is that insects contribute not only to pollination of these flowers, but also to the spread of their seeds. In the process of how violets grow and their seeds ripen, special oily juicy outgrowths are formed on them, called oily bodies, or eliosomes.It is such seeds, which have fallen out or scattered from the capsules, that the ants are looking for, and then carried at some distance from the mother plants. Moreover, the germination of seeds, the peel of which was gnawed by the jaws of ants, increases significantly. The seeds, on which there are no eliosomes, are not touched by the ants. In addition to ants, in nature, viola seeds can be spread by birds, lizards, deer, goats and some other animals, and in a number of species - by rain or river water.
The diameter of flowers in violets can be from 0.6 cm (in some natural species) to 12 cm (in large-flowered varieties of Vittrok violets). After watching this video, you will receive a lot of interesting information about violets:
History of the origin of violets and flower breeding in different countries (with photo)
Violets have been the favorites of many peoples since ancient times, so it is natural to assume that in ancient times people not only admired this flower, but also tried to grow it near their homes. Unfortunately, accurate information about the history of the cultivation of violets has not reached our days, but the legends say that the fashion for violets was so great that they were grown on huge plantations in the vicinity of ancient Athens and Rome.The number of plantations with violets was so great that even Pliny lamented that it would be better if the Romans were planting olive groves than useless flowers.
Most likely, this is about the origin story fragrant violets ( V. odorata) , since at that time there were no large multi-colored ones,
Varieties Wittrock
Pansies ( F. x wittrockiana)
The main advantage of these plants was their marvelous aroma.
From the Romans, the love of violets passed to the Italians. In the Middle Ages, a large-flowered terry variety of fragrant violets was created in Parma - violet parma ( V. odorata var. parmensis) which was used mainly as an aromatic plant. In 1870, on the basis of her flowers in France, the famous perfume "Vera Violetta" was created, which is still produced today.
Other types of violets, apparently, were introduced into the culture much later than the fragrant violet. So, the tricolor violet flower is known from the history of cultivation. garden plants the first half of the XVI century.One of the first attempts to make U. tricolor widespread in home gardens was made by the German botanist Joachim Camereri the Younger, as well as Prince Wilhelm of Hesse-Kassel, who lived in late XVI centuries. The first complete botanical description this flower. In the 17th century tricolor violet special attention began to be given to Vandergren, the gardener of the Prince of Orange. He bred 5 varieties that can rightfully be considered the ancestors of cultural pansies... In 1819 Lady Mary Bennett, daughter of the Earl of Tankerville, became interested in the viola.
Her gardener, William Richard, sowed pansies throughout the garden and the entire terrace of Tankerville Castle in Walton, England, and then began to collect seeds from the largest and most beautiful specimens and sow them again.As a result, wonderful varieties were soon created, which attracted the attention of many flower lovers and made pansies the favorites of flower growers. However, the main triumph of violet breeding was still ahead. In the 1830s, i.e. 15 years after the experiments of William Richard and Mary Bennett, the tricolor violet was crossed with the European large-flowered violet yellow ( V. lutea) , violet horned ( V. cornuta) known in culture since the end of the 18th century (the first mention of it as a cultivated plant dates back to 1776), and violet Altai ( V. altaica) brought to Europe in early XIX century.
In doing so, many hybrid forms were obtained. Interesting fact: such violets were so different from the original species that they were allocated to a new species - the Wittrock violet. In 1835, Charles Darwin counted more than 400 forms of this species, among which there were specimens with velvety and satin flowers, similar to modern varieties.These photos show how violet flowers of different types look:
A significant number of species of violets were introduced into culture in the 20th century in connection with the emergence of a fashion for rock gardens and alpine plants... In addition, some species are widely used in natural style gardens, especially shady gardens.
In the history of Russian gardening, the first mention of violets refers to XVII century... According to the well-known botanist Arnold Regel, at that time the gardens were decorated with the most unpretentious flowers taken from nature, including violets.In the centuries that followed, the cultural exchange between Russia and European countries also affected gardening. Whole collections of ornamental plants began to arrive in Russia, widely distributed in parks and gardens. At the beginning of the XX century N.F. Zolotnitsky wrote about hundreds of varieties of pansies that adorn our gardens, the most interesting of these violets he called the varieties ‘Emperor Wilhelm’ with variegated flowers and ‘Germany’ with twisting petals.
In Soviet times, the Vittrock violet also occupied the main place in urban and home gardening. The famous florist G.E. Kiselev in 1954 wrote about a huge number of varieties of this species, belonging to two main groups - large-flowered and gigantic.Of the other types of violets, he mentions only three: fragrant violet, horned violet and purple violet. These photos show the results of the selection of violets:
In recent decades, in Russia, as in many other countries of the world, interest in the introduction of new species and the creation on their basis has sharply increased. original varieties... Violets did not bypass this process. Descriptions of new types of violets introduced into the culture began to appear in the literature.
Thus, in the well-known reference book of ornamental garden plants by E.S. and N.A. Aksenovykh (2000) describes 8 types of violets used in landscaping, and in the encyclopedia garden trees, shrubs and flowers of the British Royal Society of Horticulturalists, 1999 edition, a description of 21 types of viola is given.
Recently, a new hybrid species has appeared in the catalogs - violet Williams ( V-. x williamsii) , as well as a large number of hybrid varieties of perennial violets, the pedigree of which is extremely difficult to determine. After reviewing the photo and description of violets, you need to get an idea of \u200b\u200bhow to choose the right plants when buying:
Buying violet flowers: how to choose the right perennial crops
Currently, flower growers are not faced with the problem of buying violet seeds or ready-made planting material (unless, of course, we are talking about rare varieties or species little used in culture).You just need to figure out which species are suitable for the conditions of your garden and which varieties will be most successfully combined in terms of habit and colors with other members of a particular flower arrangement.Perennial violet flowers can most often be purchased in stores and garden centers in the form of ready-made planting material: well-developed plants (often flowering) grown in plastic containers or pots.
When buying such plants, pay attention to the label indicating the species and its basic requirements for growing conditions. In the absence of such data, contact the sellers for clarifications or look at the catalog of this company or other reference literature.
Before you buy a violet, pay attention that the plants are not withered, yellowed, so that the leaves do not have spots and other traces of disease or pests.If, after buying plants in containers, you are not able to immediately plant them on permanent placethen place them in a shaded area and water moderately until planting. Some species perennial plants Violets can be purchased from amateur florists, plant collectors or botanical gardens. In such cases, as a rule, bushes or delenki (part of a bush) with an open root system are acquired, therefore it is important to take into account the phase of plant development.
For the most part, perennial violets perfectly tolerate the division of bushes and transplanting throughout the growing season, however, the most favorable for transplantation are the period of the beginning of leaf regrowth in spring (mid-April) and the second half of summer, after the end of flowering and seed ripening. How to choose the right violets? When purchasing such plants, it is necessary to ensure that the soil in which the dug plants sit is moist, and the leaves are not withered. All shoots should have a well-developed root lobe.
The strips should be immediately packed in plastic bags or crates and watered sparingly to prevent the roots from drying out. Such planting material should be planted in the ground as soon as possible.
Some viola species have a long time between sowing seeds and emergence of seedlings, so if you still have not emerged a month after sowing, do not be discouraged and do not throw the soil out of the seed box, but just be patient.
Sometimes in stores you can buy seeds of some species. If you are already familiar with the description of violet plants, carefully read the recommendations for their cultivation, since the seeds of some species during sowing need to create special conditions: stratification (freezing), scarification (violation of the seed coat), etc.
Often, lovers of herbaceous plants dig their favorite violets directly from "nature". Many ecologists and botanists strongly discourage doing this, so as not to impoverish wildlife.
If you nevertheless decide to transfer any plant from the forest or meadow to the garden, do it carefully, taking it in places of significant concentration of this species, and in very small quantities, so as not to disrupt the existing ecological system in this place.Here are some tips for choosing one year old violets.
How to buy annual and biennial violet garden flowers
It is currently not difficult to buy seeds or planting material of such species as the Vittrock violet or horned violet. In any garden center, shop or tent, you will be offered a whole set of seeds or already given species with all kinds of flower colors. What to choose?First of all, decide what suits you best: purchase seeds and grow seedlings from them yourself or buy ready-made planting material. The first way of buying one-year or two-year-old violets is cheaper and more interesting for many lovers, but rather laborious and requires certain skills and conditions.When buying seeds of cultivated plants of violets, be sure to pay attention not only to the picture and the catchy advertising inscription on the bag, but also to the characteristics of this variety. Seed packages must contain: name of the culture (in Russian and Latin), varieties (if it is a specific variety, not species plants), shelf life, germination, the number of seeds in the package (in pieces or grams).
Read the description carefully appearance plants: their size, color of flowers, since it may not coincide with the color of flowers shown on the package.When purchasing seeds of garden flowers of violets, also pay attention to whether they are varieties or heterotic hybrids. The name of the latter must contain the symbol "F,". From the seeds of such hybrids, the highest quality, leveled planting material is obtained, however, the price of hybrid seeds is much higher than that of ordinary varietal ones. If you do not have the ability or desire to independently grow seedlings of ornamental plants of violets, then you can purchase already flowering, ready-to-plant plants in almost any flower market.
Of course, it is much better to purchase seedlings with a closed root system, grown in pots or cassettes. Such seedlings take root more easily after transplanting into the soil, it is easier to transport and can be stored for a considerable time before planting in a cool, shaded place from direct sunlight. In addition, when buying already flowering seedlings, you can immediately see its varietal qualities: plant habit, color and size of flowers.
When buying cassettes with viola seedlings, pay attention that the plants are not stretched out. High-quality seedlings should look like a compact bush with one or more flowers, or large buds.You should not buy plants with long shoots, at the ends of which there are relatively medium-sized flowers (unless, of course, this is a variety of ampelous viols) - you can hardly create a beautiful flower garden from such plants. When purchasing a cassette with pansies, carefully examine it. All plants in the cassette must be well developed, i.e. about the same size, strong, not lethargic, with bright green leaves and buds or flowers and a damp earthy ball.
In addition, they must not show signs of disease (i.e. free from decaying or dry spots, mold, blackened areas on leaves or stems) or pests (aphids or whiteflies can sometimes be seen on pedicels, buds or the underside of leaves , and a whitish or cobweb bloom on the leaves may indicate damage to plants by ticks and thrips). Also check that the plants are in all the slots of the cassette. To do this, gently push the bushes in the middle of the cassette, and if you find empty cells or very weak, underdeveloped plants (which happens quite often), ask the seller to replace them. These photos show violet plants in cassettes:
Pansies perfectly tolerate a transplant even in a flowering state. In some flower markets in the spring, you can still find grandmothers selling viola seedlings with bare roots, tied in bunches of several pieces and wrapped in damp newspaper or film, in the old fashioned way.
The cost of such seedlings is usually much lower than what is sold in cassettes, and the flowers look very large and attractive.If you decide to buy such planting material, then ask to unfold the bag and inspect the plants: the roots should be in a small lump of moist soil, and there should be no noticeable disease or pest damage on the stems and leaves. Try to plant the plants in the ground as soon as possible, water them well when planting and, in sunny weather, shade them with lutrasil or paper for several days for better survival.
What violet seeds look like and how to prepare them (with photos) To get violet seeds, use the following tips. Only large ones should be plucked, in most varieties - lightened capsules that have already turned upward on the stem, but if the capsules are directed downwards, the seeds in them are not yet ripe. During the mass ripening of seeds, the capsules are harvested at least 2-3 times a week. The testes are dried in a dry room at a temperature of 25-30 ° C. The torn bolls are laid out in a thin layer in linen or gauze bags or in boxes, necessarily covered with paper or cloth on top (when dry, the seed bolls crack, scattering the seeds far around). After complete drying, the heap is carefully rubbed with hands and the crumbling seeds are sifted through a sieve, and then blown clean in the wind or rolled away on a plate. See how violets are in these photos:
In order to get high-quality varietal seeds of pansies, it must be borne in mind that this species is cross-pollinated, therefore the distance between different varieties should be at least 500 m.
Of course on summer cottage it is impossible to maintain such spatial isolation, and it does not matter if you want to get a population with different colors of flowers. But if you want to propagate a particular variety, then it is better to plant it in a separate area, if not 500 m from other varieties, then at least behind the house or garden.In this case, one must also take into account the neighbors, who may also be lovers of pansies and plant them on their plots. Seeds should be collected only from healthy and most typical plants for a given variety. If you are going to harvest seeds from any sample, be sure to pay attention to whether it is a variety or a heterotic F1 hybrid. The latter often set seeds well, but you will not get high-quality, pure-grade material.
Many types of viols are well pollinated among themselves. Therefore, when engaged in seed growing, you need to carefully weed out the wild-growing field violet around and not plant varieties of other types of violets nearby.And in conclusion - another selection of photos of flowers of various varieties of violets:
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