A violet is not a dog or a parrot; does it have an “expiration date”? Eat.

It turns out that violets age. You probably noticed that the violet periodically parted with its lower, worn-out leaves. This is normal. But it leads to the fact that in 1.5-2 years, instead of a “socket” on the windowsill, you will have a “palm tree”. You may not care, but the violet, it turns out, is suffering. Why?

Let's remember again where and how Uzambara violets grow.

In the shade of trees and bushes. And leaves also fall from trees and bushes. They cover the exposed stem of the violet and new roots appear on it in a humid, warm environment (the result of the decomposition of fallen leaves). And the old roots die.

This is how a violet grows - the leaves die, new roots appear in their place - the old roots die off. A constant desire for the “stars” (or rather, for the sun).

But this is in nature.

And in our apartment?

We carefully monitor our pet - we remove all wilted leaves and flowers, only the soil, pot and green bush. No trash. But there won’t be a “warm, moist atmosphere” around the stem either. Old roots die off, new ones, even if they try to grow, immediately dry out. The rosette becomes scarcer, the flowers become smaller. In general, violet aging in all its “glory.”

What to do?

How to rejuvenate violets?

While the pot allows, add new soil.

When this reserve is exhausted, transshipment is carried out. It is advisable to carry it out in the spring - in early March.

If the violet is still young and sitting in a small pot, then for transshipment you can take a larger pot (the diameter is 2 cm larger than the previous one - no more is needed). Place small pebbles and 1 cm of soil mixture at the bottom for drainage. Then, take a pot of violet. If it is plastic, squeeze it on all sides with your fingers so that a lump of earth comes away from the walls (the earth should be slightly damp). In a ceramic pot, use a knife to carefully separate the soil from the walls. Now in right hand take the violet by the stem, holding the pot, turn it over. The clod of earth slides out easily. It needs to be supported so that its weight does not break the stem or damage the roots. Carefully place the freed plant in a new pot. Add new soil on top to the level lower leaves. Water and cover with plastic. In a month, when new roots appear and the intensive growth greenery, polyethylene can be removed.

But this can be done with a relatively young violet, with a still green stem (up to 2 cm).

A taller “palm” is already covered with a brown crust, through which the roots cannot break through.

Then, before replanting the violet, use a sharp knife to scrape the crust from the stem to the green tissue. In this case, you should try to preserve the upper part of the earthen clod, carefully separate the lower third, and only after that plant the plant in a new pot. Next - watering and a greenhouse for a month.

If you are not lazy and carry out the “rejuvenation” procedure at least once every 2 years, then your violets will live forever.

There are many options for planting violet leaves. I would like to remind you once again that these are answers to frequently asked questions “How to plant a leaf”, “I’m afraid I can’t grow from a leaf...”. These notes are for those who have not yet decided to grow a violet from a leaf. This is my experience of growing violets from leaves. I came to him after countless leaves and mature plants were thrown into the trash. I hope you find it useful.

When to expect what? – we will call all dates from the date of separation of the leaf from the mother plant.
After 3 weeks - roots, after 5 - 6 weeks - children, after 12 weeks - seeding of children from the mother's leaf, after 5 months transplantation into an "adult" pot, after 6 - 9 months - flowers. These are approximate dates!
Leaf stalk (leaf, it consists of a stem stalk and sheet plate)) separated from the mother plant. (We break off the sheet, taking it to the side). If the sheet is damaged, a little scratched, cut - NOTHING TO TERM!!! The upper part (1/3) of the leaf blade is often cut off to speed up the appearance of babies.
Now we’ll cut the cutting, leaving 3 cm. If it accidentally breaks off and remains shorter, the leaf will also take root perfectly.
Let's prepare a slightly warm solution of potassium permanganate, light pink in color. Place the leaf completely in this solution for a few seconds.

The leaf can be rooted in water: This option is less preferable to me - cuttings often rot in water, leaves placed in water often lose turgor. In any case, flower growers very often talk about the death of leaves rooted in this way.
The second option for rooting a leaf. And this method is much better!
The leaf can also be rooted in a light mixture.
Prepare the mixture - simply and quickly:
- A glass of vermiculite
- A glass of perlite
- a glass of any nutrient soil
You can get by with just perlite and vermiculite without adding soil.
Pour this mixture warm boiled water.
Take a plastic pot with a diameter of 5 - 6 cm and fill it with the prepared mixture.
We plant a leaf in the mixture, deepening the cutting by 1 cm. If it falls, you can make a support from counting sticks, plastic cocktail tubes, etc. We place it in a greenhouse, or better yet, just cover it with an individual bag.
There should be no water in the pan of the greenhouse; there is already sufficient humidity there. The mixture is completely saturated with water, now you need to pour out the excess water. No one has ever said that when rooted in this way, the leaves die. Well, what if the leaf has withered? Let's put it in wet moss, and definitely in a greenhouse, or more simply put, under a bag. You can cover the entire leaf with wet moss. The secret is high humidity and warmer. And of course, keep the leaves away from the windowsill! So, our leaf is sitting, and we are waiting for the roots.
The leaf does not need to be fertilized with anything. He must look for food - then he puts out roots.
The roots of the leaf appear 2–3 weeks after separation from the mother plant. Sometimes after 4 is also acceptable.
When the “babies” appear at the base of the leaf (after about 5 - 6 weeks), the greenhouse can be removed - first gradually, for a few minutes a day, and when the “babies” are 2 centimeters high, remove it completely.

It really doesn't matter what kind of soil you use for violets. The main thing is any soil that says “especially for violets, completely ready for use, with the addition of perlite, moss, etc.” In fact
not ready for growing violets.
Leavening agents must be added to it. The best ones are sphagnum moss, perlite, vermiculite. Moss absorbs moisture and then gradually releases it to the roots, perlite provides “forced” air access to the roots, vermiculite absorbs moisture and keeps the soil loose. You can do without moss and vermiculite, but perlite must be present. You can get by with finely chopped foam.

Leaves and babies should be kept at a temperature of at least 20 degrees. Optimal – 24 – 26. Adult violets – at a temperature of at least + 18.
You cannot sprout leaves or “babies” on the windowsill. The leaf or baby needs a minimum temperature of +20 degrees. On the windowsill at night + 12 – 15. This is only permissible for adult plants (although very undesirable). Place a thermometer on the windowsill and see what the temperature is early in the morning.
So the kids have grown up
Each “baby” has 3–4 pairs of leaves; they reach a height of about 4–5 centimeters.
We seat them. We take the entire plant out of the pot, without trying to shake off the soil. Let the roots of the “babies” remain with lumps of earth on them. Carefully separate the babies from the mother's sheet and from each other. Everyone learns this process only on their own through practice.
Each baby developed a small “wound” - a place of separation from the mother’s leaf. Sprinkle this wound with crushed coal.
We place the children in pots with a diameter of 4–5 cm. The diameter of the children (opened leaves) should be equal to the diameter of the pot.
To plant children, the mixture must contain more nutritious soil.
- Half a glass of perlite
- Half a glass of vermiculite
- Two glasses of nutrient soil
Pour the mixture with warm boiled water and place it in a greenhouse for several days. The greenhouse must have holes for air. The greenhouse should not be completely sealed either for leaves or for children.

When the “kids” became “starters”
young plants ready to lay peduncles (diameter 12-15 cm, leaves with a diameter of 3 - 4 cm, about 6 - 8 leaves)
– we plant them in pots with a diameter of 6–7 cm.
At the bottom of the pot we place drainage pebbles - expanded clay (or moss, or crushed polystyrene) in a layer of 1 cm.
Mixture:
- Half a cup of chopped sphagnum moss
- Half a glass of perlite
- Half a glass of vermiculite
- Three glasses of nutrient soil
We don’t put these babies on the windowsill either. There are strong temperature fluctuations even in summer.
You can try placing it on the windowsill when 2-3 months have passed from the mother’s sheet after the children have been seated. It's better not on the south window. In general, there is a lot of trouble with the window sill. Certain varieties cannot stand the sun; the plants need to be shaded. During the day they can “hang” leaves. Plants are often attacked on windowsills powdery mildew – white coating on flowers and buds, rot, fungal diseases. So, it is best to grow violets on a shelf under lighting. A lamp (3 cm in diameter) 60 cm long at a distance of 25 cm from the crown of the plants illuminates a shelf 30 cm wide. In this case, two thin Chinese lamps with a power of 20 Watt (the diameter of such a lamp are 1 cm) are needed. Any lamp is suitable, it’s a matter of lighting intensity. The light should be brighter than for reading.
The violet should receive bright light for 12 to 14 hours daily. On the windowsill, in any case, it only receives enough light from March to September. In October, normal light is only from 9 am to 5 pm - that’s 8 hours, and in winter it’s even less. That's why violets bloom on the windowsill by May - two months of normal lighting have passed
(March and April). 60 days is the normal period for the formation of a peduncle and its development.
On shelves under lighting, violets bloom for 2 months, then rest for 2–3 months. There are no seasons, and leaves take root in any month.
Do not try to plant the violet in a spacious pot.
In a pot that is too large, the soil will turn sour, the violet may “disappear” into leaves, and it will not bloom well. Maximum pot for an adult violet - with a diameter of 9 - 11 cm (for large varieties– 12 – 13 cm). The rule is that the diameter of the rosette is three times the diameter of the pot.
Watering – warm water, settled, boiled, or passed through a filter. Before watering room temperature add a little boiling water so that the water is slightly warmer than fresh milk.
Never reuse any components of soil mixtures or drainage! There are two reasons: Firstly, the soil has already given up all its nutrients. Secondly, microorganisms have already begun to multiply there. By the same principle, the same crop should not be planted in the same garden bed for two years in a row.

Good luck to you! source http://fialki-flame.ru/start_first_steps.html

There are many legends about violets. They pacified formidable emperors and touched enthusiastic poets. But indoor ones, so popular these days, or Usambara, violets They have absolutely nothing to do with those legends or with the plant itself.

Frankly speaking, they are not violets at all, but Saintpaulias. This plant received its botanical name in honor of the governor of East Africa, German Baron Walter von Saint-Paul. It was he, walking with his bride in the Uzambara Mountains on a sunny day in 1892, who found unknown flowers, so similar to violets, right in a crevice on a rock. Since the history of the plant is so short (just over a hundred years), then, naturally, it has not yet become overgrown with legends. The only superstition that for some reason arose and stubbornly persists is that indoor violets are flowers of loneliness. But everyone who deals with them resolutely denies this. One short story to prove it.

In a small American town there lived a lonely lady. Her only occupation was breeding indoor violets. And the only person with whom she communicated a little was the doctor who lived next door. It was to him that she complained about her loneliness. And the doctor gave her advice: to send pots of violets as gifts to neighbors when they have some kind of holiday. The lady followed the doctor's advice. After some time, she noticed that the neighbors not only politely bowed to her when they met, but also smiled welcomingly. And sometimes they stopped to thank her for the flowers and ask her how to care for them, or just chat about this and that. Soon the Lady with Violets became the pride of the whole city.

Agree, this story is not about loneliness, but about how violets helped to overcome it. Moreover, it is completely documented - described in a book on psychology. Because the doctor who gave the lady wise advice was one of the greatest psychotherapists of the twentieth century - Milton Erickson.

Everyone knows that any flowers, in addition to their other advantages, also have communicative functions to some extent. But Uzambara violets turned out to be endowed with this quality to the highest degree. And if plants have a purpose, then Saintpaulias have it, of course, to connect people.

This is proven by the entire history of the spread of violets around the world.
After that romantic walk, on which Saint-Paul presented his bride with a bouquet of unknown flowers, he, like a rational German, collected the seeds of the plant and sent them to his father, a passionate orchid collector, in Germany. He handed them over to the director of the Botanical Garden, who classified the plant as a member of the Gesneria family and gave it a name Saintpaulia ionantha("ionanta" - "like violets"). The first Saintpaulia found had dark green, heart-shaped leaves, and up to ten purple-blue flowers bloomed on its stems. Later, other types of Saintpaulia were discovered in Africa.

In 1893, Saintpaulias were first presented at an international flower exhibition. At the same time, work began on breeding cultivated varieties. But all this is just the prehistory of Uzumbara, or African, as they are also called, violets. The story began in the late thirties of the last century in America, where Saintpaulia began to be grown industrially.
Many people liked the modest plant. And if the first cultivars violets did not differ in variety - the flowers were purple or blue, and at the beginning of the twentieth century it was possible to obtain red-violet and white ones, then in the thirties, when the plants fell into the hands of enthusiastic people, a breakthrough occurred - Saintpaulias with double flowers and pink ones were bred. Later they received leaves with a white stripe and corrugated edges.

The more people became interested in this plant, the more varieties and varieties they received. A real violet mania has begun. But sharing new varieties and breeding experiences required communication. And in 1946, the first Saintpaulia exhibition took place in the USA - eight thousand people visited it. About 500 varieties of Saintpaulia were presented to the public. And they founded the American Society of African Violet Lovers. This is how the violet united people across the country. Until now, this organization is one of the most authoritative, but, of course, not the only one.

In Russia, Uzambara violets became popular in the early sixties. Over time, Russian Saintpaulia lovers also had a need to unite. Today there is a Central Society of Gesnerian Lovers and a Russian Open Society of Saintpaulia Lovers with branches in different cities. Many clubs are open, there are websites on the Internet, and in Moscow you can visit the Violet Center. What other plant can boast of so many organizations united under the sign of its flower?

So what is her secret? In fragility? In the almost porcelain glow of the petals? In endless variety? What varieties, forms, types and varieties of violets have not appeared over the past half century! There are standard violets - their rosette diameter is 20-40 cm, and there are large ones - 40-60 cm. For fans of minimalism, semi-miniature (15-20 cm), miniature (7-15 cm) and microminiature (less than 7 cm) have been bred. The latter has leaves no larger than the fingernail of the little finger. female hand. True, the size of the plant has little effect on the size of the flowers. In large forms, the diameter of the flower is 4 cm, in mini ones - up to 2 cm, and in medium ones - from 2 to 4 cm.

The types of flowers are varied: there is a classic, star-shaped, wasp and bell flower. In addition, violets come in single, semi-double and double varieties. And the choice of colors - with and without bordering - is completely beyond description, because almost all the colors of the rainbow are represented. And they vary in the most unexpected and unusual combinations, because in addition to single-color ones there are two-tone, two-color, multi-color and fancy (with spots, stripes and patterns). And according to the shape of the rosette, the plant can be bushy or hanging.

One of the most important conditions growing Saintpaulia - the right pot. It is a mistake to think that the larger it is, the better for the plant. In a large pot, the rosette will grow to the detriment of flowering. The optimal diameter of the pot in relation to the diameter of the crown is 1:3, that is, the violet leaves should protrude beyond the edges of the pot. Second required condition- light, loose soil. Very important and proper watering. Violets cannot be overwatered - the roots will rot. But you can’t overdry it, so it’s useful to line the pots with expanded clay or sphagnum - they will humidify the air around, especially during heating season. You can water Saintpaulia only with well-settled water (2-3 days), or better yet, boiled water (cooled, of course).

Although violets come from Africa, they do not like the southern scorching sun; they need soft, diffused light. But if there is not enough light, the leaves move from a horizontal position to a vertical one - they reach towards the sun. Violets are fed with special fertilizers: “Violet”, “Power of Life”, “Micro”, “Growth” and others.

Lifespan violets at good care is not limited. For example, in America they count the years of the long-lived violet: in 2011 she turned 61 years old!

Rest period absent. At good lighting does not stop growing in winter, blooms almost all year round.

Substrate: perlite, vermiculite, high-moor peat, cut sphagnum (1:1:3:1).

Location: eastern, western, light northern windows.

Watering: Always keep the substrate slightly moist, avoid dampness and complete drying.

Feeding: once a month throughout the year with any fertilizer for indoor plants.

Indoor violet or Saintpaulia is a beautiful, cheerful and hardy flower. Subject to basic care rules, it is almost all year round pleases with bright blooms. The easiest way to propagate Saintpaulia is by rooting the leaf. This method gives good results and does not require special costs time and effort. Any business has its own nuances, so you should listen to the advice of professionals on how to grow a violet from a leaf.

Bright flower bed on the windowsill

The extensive violet family is a perennial herbaceous plants with evergreen foliage. Plants mature quickly, reaching a height of 10-20 cm. The stem is formed from the leaves of the basal rosette. The leaves are round in shape, pointed towards the edge. They are dense, leathery, covered with soft hairs. The leaf blades of violets come in various shades of green, and in some varieties they are spotted. Buds with five petals, wide range of colors: pink, blue, purple, two-tone. Saintpaulia flowers are simple or double. The plant loves long-term but diffused lighting, warmth (20-25°C), and air humidity of 60-70%.

Violet - interior decoration

Methods for propagating violets

You can expand your collection of indoor flowers using several propagation methods:

• leaf;
• stepson (daughter rosette);
• seeds.

Stepchildren are shoots that appear in the axils of the leaves. They are removed to maintain decorative look. The stepson, which has 4-5 leaves, is cut off and rooted in a separate pot.

Breeders prefer to grow Saintpaulias from seeds. The seeds are germinated in loose, moistened soil placed in a container. Created for them greenhouse conditions. After 15-21 days, leaves appear on the seedlings, they are picked and transplanted into separate containers.

Rooting a leaf step by step

Saintpaulia leaves are mature organs capable of suitable conditions take root. Grow new flower in water or directly in a special substrate. Both methods give good result, each gardener decides for himself how to plant a violet leaf.

Choosing a leaf for planting

A leaf from the second or third row of the rosette is suitable for propagation. The leaves below are old, they have almost outlived their useful life and will not be able to produce children. The planting material must be mature; the young leaf from the top will not have enough supply nutrients for the formation of children. The plate should be uniformly colored green color. This is a signal that the plant has a lot of chlorophyll. Staining, damage and burns are not allowed.

Taken for landing green leaf with a petiole 2-3 cm

Cutting

Having chosen a leaf for planting, it is carefully cut off, moving the rest of the plant aside. If the stalk turns out to be small, this is not a problem. In any case, it is shortened to 3-4 cm. The cut should be at an angle of 45°, its edges should be even and smooth. Before planting, the cuttings must be dried for 30-45 minutes.

Cutting a leaf

Attention. The most common mistake a novice gardener makes is tearing off a leaf from a violet by hand. When pressure is applied to the petiole, the tissues are dented and subsequently rot. A knife must be used.

Rooting in water

Planting material for root formation is placed in water or soil. The first option has a significant advantage. In this case, thanks to the transparent container and liquid, the grower has the opportunity to observe the process. Small (150 ml) glass or plastic cups will do. They are filled with boiled or filtered water. The petiole is immersed 1-1.5 cm. The leaf plate should not touch the surface of the water.

Rooting in water

Advice. Before planting, the leaf is dipped in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for a few seconds. Allow to dry for at least half an hour. This procedure allows you to get rid of possible diseases.

The container with seedlings is covered with trimmed plastic bottle, glass jar or a plastic bag. Growing violets from leaves at home occurs in a bright and warm place at a temperature of about 25°C. After two weeks, the regrown roots will become noticeable. The water level in the container is constantly monitored and liquid is added if necessary. Some gardeners cover the glass with a lid with a hole. This design reduces evaporation and prevents the leaf from getting wet.

Violets in greenhouses

Advice. Spring - best time for propagation of indoor flowers. It is advisable to choose a period when the children grow up before the onset of the summer heat. At high temperature young violets are susceptible to infections and diseases.

If reproduction occurs in the autumn-winter period, then due to lack of lighting or coolness, the petiole may rot. By acting quickly, the situation can be corrected. The damaged part is cut off with a knife. The cut is treated with powder activated carbon. The water is changed and activated carbon is also added to it. When the cutting grows a root of more than 1 cm, it is time to replant it in the ground.

The petiole is ready for planting in the ground

A layer of expanded clay and loose soil is poured onto the bottom of the pot. The cutting cannot be stuck into the ground; a depression is made for it and inserted at an angle. Sprinkle 1.5 cm of soil on top. Cover the container with improvised means (bag, plastic bottle) and place it in the place where the cutting was rooted.

Soil preparation

Whatever rooting option you choose, soil will be needed in any case. Experienced flower growers Often they prepare the mixture themselves. But it’s easier and smarter for beginners to buy ready-made soil for violets. To a young plant good air exchange is required. Loose soil will provide it. The addition of special disintegrants will improve the structure of purchased soil:

• perlite is a rock that increases soil looseness, prevents the appearance of lumps and provides air access to the roots;
• vermiculite is a porous mineral for aeration and preservation water balance soil;
• coarse river sand.

You can check the quality of the soil in a simple way: Hold a handful of prepared soil in your hand; if it crumbles and does not clump, you can use it for flowers.

Ready soil for violets

Rooting a leaf into the ground

Many experienced gardeners prefer to root planting material straight into the ground. This way the cuttings rot less often, produce a lot of children, and for some varieties of violets this is the only option. An obvious advantage of the method is that the plant immediately adapts to the growing conditions; there is no need to replant. Purchased soil is sometimes replaced with a homemade mixture:

• slightly acidic peat;
• forest land (coniferous);
• leavening agents;
• charcoal.

The leaf is selected and cut off according to the same pattern as when rooting in water. For growing, plastic cups or pots with a diameter of no more than 5 cm are used. A hole is made at the bottom to drain moisture. A wick can be inserted through the hole for watering. In this case, moisture will come from below from the pan with liquid. Children will not be flooded with water.

Rooting in the ground

The soil is mixed in a spacious container and moistened. The prepared mixture is placed in growing cups. A depression of up to 1 cm is made under the violet cuttings; if you plant it deeper, the children will take longer to germinate. After planting, the soil is lightly compacted. You can support the leaf in an upright position using a wooden toothpick or a plastic spoon. From above, each plant is covered with its own plastic bag. You can use a capacious plastic container as a greenhouse for all violet sprouts.

Advice. If the soil for the substrate was taken outside, it must be poured with boiling water with the addition of potassium permanganate. This procedure will disinfect the soil.

After planting violets with leaves in the ground, the children will have to wait about a month. Don't worry if the leaf wilts at first. A warm and humid microclimate will help it quickly acclimatize and take root. To grow young Saintpaulias, you need to find a warm and bright place, without direct sunlight or drafts.

Growing violets in the ground

With the advent of children, a greenhouse is no longer needed, but plants need to be accustomed to new conditions gradually. During the week, increase the ventilation time so that the seedlings get used to less humidity. Place the children in separate pots start after 3 months.

Growing in a peat tablet

Serves as a replacement for substrate and water peat tablet. It contains:

• compressed peat;
• nutrients;
• coconut fiber;
• microelements.

The cuttings are planted in a wet tablet, where they take root and produce babies. In this environment, leaves rarely rot. The plant is replanted together with a peat lump.

Violet babies

In order for the babies to emerge from the ground faster, it is recommended to cut off part of the leaf plate. This technique stimulates the development of young plants. The supply of nutrients from the leaf is reduced, and the roots of the children begin to grow more actively into the soil. When the children are 3-4 cm tall and there are several pairs of leaves, it’s time to plant them. You can do this earlier, but if you wait, the plants will get stronger enough.

Children are young violets

Young violets and petiole are removed with a lump of soil. They are carefully separated by hand. Separate cups with a drainage hole and a special substrate are prepared for children. Saintpolim needs to be provided with sufficient lighting and watering. Children develop at different rates; when the rosette grows to 12-15 cm, the next transplant is performed.

Babies are ready for transplant

Attention. The main enemies of young violets are dry soil and water on the leaves.

Growing a new violet from a leaf is exciting process, requiring patience and knowledge of the basic features of the process. By following the instructions and advice of professional gardeners, you can achieve excellent results in propagating indoor plants.

There are 4 types of growing violets: leaf, peduncle, stepson and cuttings. Each of them is good in its own way, but we offer the simplest, but somewhat time-consuming method of propagating violets - with leaves.

If certain home conditions are created, violets can be propagated all year round. If there is not enough heat and light for this, then it is better to postpone the reproduction process to the spring. summer period.

It is not recommended to take planting material for rooting from the bottom row of the rosette, since the leaves there are old, they may not produce babies, and the leaf will disappear. It is preferable to choose 2-3 mature and mature leaves closer to the topmost tier of the rosette. It is very important that there are no damages, scratches, bends on it, and that it itself is green and elastic.

A leaf is cut from the mother plant at an angle of 45 degrees, leaving a small stump, which is then sprinkled with activated carbon. The length of the stem of the cut leaf should not be more than 4 cm, a smaller size is allowed. Sprinkle the cut with coal and give a little time for the cut to dry.

If the period of time between immersion in water and cutting is long, for example, the leaf was taken at an exhibition or from friends, at home before immersion in water you need to make a fresh cut again and allow it to dry for about 2-3 minutes. Only then can the violet cuttings be placed in water or rooted directly in the ground.

Rooting violet leaves in water.

At this stage, you need to pour boiled water at room temperature into a clean glass, and add an activated carbon tablet for disinfection. After drying, the leaf is placed in a container of water. The edge of the cutting should be immersed in water to a depth of no more than 1 cm.

Periodically, as it decreases, boiled water is added to the glass. Depending on conditions, violet leaf may produce roots within 1-2 weeks after being immersed in water. If the stem begins to rot, you need to make a new cut and start the rooting procedure again.

You can use small bottles where the leaf will be securely fixed at the neck and will not fall into the water.

Planting a leaf with roots in the ground.

When roots approximately 1-1.5 cm long appear on the leaf, it can be planted in soil selected specifically for violets with an acidity of pH 5.5-6.5. IN plastic cup several holes are made for escape excess moisture, pour drainage or polystyrene foam onto the bottom and fill it evenly with soil. For a leaf with roots, make a depression in the moist soil, preferably at the edge, and plant it.

We put it in a warm place, but not sunny place, water it periodically, create greenhouse conditions by covering it with a plastic bag. A cup with drainage holes can be placed in another cup of the same type, but without holes. Thus, the pot will be double - convenient for watering from below.

Depending on the conditions of detention, in one and a half to two months the children will grow up. If after the expiration of the term the children do not appear, it means the stem has rotted. To prevent this from happening, be very careful with watering.

You can root a violet leaf directly in the ground.

From my experience I know that it is more convenient to plant planting material directly into the ground, there is less loss and time. To propagate in soil, place a leaf cutting of a violet without roots, cut side down, at an angle of 45 degrees or almost horizontally, placing the edge of the leaf on the side of the cup, lightly pressing the cutting with your finger and covering it with soil. The shallower the depth of planting of the cuttings, the faster the leaf will produce new rosettes.

Leaves planted without roots sometimes lose turgor, but there is no need to worry. As soon as roots appear, turgor will be restored. After some time, babies emerge from the ground.

If violet cuttings are planted in the summer, then they do not need to be covered, but if the apartment is cool, then it is better to cover the cuttings or young rosettes with a transparent bag. Be careful with watering so that the petiole does not rot; keep in a warm and bright place, but not in the sun, which can cause burns.

Separating and planting rosettes in separate pots.

You can separate the babies after the leaves are sufficiently grown and deep green in color. Transplant into a small pot or into separate cups. At the bottom you need to put drainage in the form of expanded clay or foam. Everything is covered with soil, a depression of about 1 cm is made and a rosette of violets is planted.

Children should receive excellent lighting, warmth, and moderate watering. When the rosettes grow, it will be possible to “transfer” them to a pot, which should correspond in size to the plant. By following these simple requirements for propagating violets with leaves, you will get beautiful plant, which will delight you with beautiful and long flowering.

There is a method of cuttings, when the violet leaf is propagated directly in a transparent plastic bag.

Saintpaulists share their experience on how to propagate violets, when a rooting substrate is poured into a small bag, a cut of the cutting is inserted into the soil, the bag is tightly closed and simply hung on a rack. At the same time, make sure that the leaf blade does not rot from excess moisture, so it is often ventilated.

From cutting to violet blossom...

Bringing home a piece of paper unique variety, we always want to quickly see the result of its flowering, but, alas... In the best case, a multiplied violet leaf gives birth to children within a period of one month, sometimes you need to wait longer.

Approximate time from the moment the leaf separates from an adult violet:

• after 3 weeks roots appear,
• in 5-6 weeks - babies,
• after 12 weeks - placement of children from the mother’s sheet,
• after 5 months - transplant into an “adult” pot,
• after 6-9 months the violet blooms.

Why do these deadlines depend?! Some factors should be taken into account when propagating and growing violets at home..

First of all, it depends on the conditions of keeping the rooted leaf (lighting, presence of a greenhouse, air temperature); from the nutrition of the mother plant (just do not need to feed young violet rosettes during cultivation).

In the spring, the plant will produce babies faster than in the fall. Also depends on varietal characteristics violets. There are varieties that germinate quickly, and some are slow-witted with long petioles, which have taken root and live happily for themselves, but are in no hurry to give birth to children.

If you plant leaf cuttings in October-November, you get new rosettes in February, replant them, and in the summer, with proper home maintenance, these violets are in full bloom. It is not advisable to propagate violets during flowering; it is better to wait until indoor plant will bloom.