Violet (Saintpaulia, viola) is a small, amazing warm flower. Among indoor plants, it ranks first. Violets differ in shape and pattern; they have a huge range of colors and many shades - from white to dark blue. There are several tens of thousands of varieties of violets, and they are all different: terry and simple, multi-colored and plain, with lace frills. Behind each variety there is a lot of work by breeders.

In nature, Saintpaulia grows in South and Central Africa and has about 20 species. And more than 2 thousand varieties and hybrids have been grown by breeders. Violets bloom 9 months a year.

The most popular of all Saintpaulia varieties is the horned violet. Perhaps there is not a single person who does not know this handsome and delicate flower. It has a lot of other names: “ Pansies", "viola", "field brothers", "brother and sister", "moths".

The colors and hybrids of horned violet are different; even black flowers with bright specks are found in nature. Every gardener wants to have such flowers in his collection. And therefore they should be planted correctly. These flowers are unpretentious and will quickly begin to please the owner’s eye with their excellent flowering.

Popular varieties of horned violet

Horned violet from seeds

How to grow violets from seeds? This question is asked by any gardener who wants to plant these flowers in his garden. beautiful flowers. It is easy to grow from seeds, as well as by cuttings. The only drawback with this type of reproduction is need to wait a little longer for flowering, but it will be more resistant to various diseases and the seedlings will be quite strong.

Experts suggest growing this flower in special peat tablets, since they have everything you need nutrients and maintain a certain humidity.

Growing violets in a peat tablet

You should prepare the required number of tablets - how many seeds are prepared. Place the tablet in warm water, give it time to swell. After this, place the seed on the tablet and cover it with a small amount of soil if planting is done in open ground.

At home, place tablets with seeds in cups or boxes and cover with film on top to create a greenhouse effect.

Growing horned violet from seeds

Typically, seeds are planted according to the following scheme:

Indoor violet

Every housewife has indoor plants on the windowsill of her apartment or house. And most have violet. There are a huge number of varieties of domestic violets. They love good care , otherwise they may die.

This flower grows well when natural light, but does not tolerate direct sunlight. Violet grows best on a north-facing window. If this is not possible, then the flower should be protected from direct sunlight, for example, by covering the glass with tulle. It is tulle that will create for her required lighting.

From is the absence of the planting material itself, that is seeds. Find seeds in flower shops indoor violet(sempolia) is practically impossible. The only thing that can be found on sale is seeds, close relatives of Sempolia. However, the necessary seeds can be obtained by pollinating the flowers of an adult plant and waiting for the seed pods to ripen. To carry out pollination, you need to remove the pollen from the father’s flower and carefully transfer it with an ordinary sewing needle to the mother’s pistil. The seed capsule begins to form 2-3 weeks after pollination and matures within 5-6 months. The completion of its maturation is indicated by drying and a change in its color. Before receiving seeds The seed pods removed from the plant need to be dried additionally for a week. Then, using a needle, the capsules are opened over a sheet of white paper and the ripened seeds are removed. It is important to remember that violet seeds are very small and resemble specks of dust in appearance. Therefore, you need to handle them very carefully, trying not to touch them with your fingers. Germination seeds persists for 6-8 months, but it is preferable to plant them as early as possible. Plant the seeds in specially prepared soil. Optimal soil for planting there will be a mixture consisting of half and half of fertile leaf humus and washed river sand. Moreover, the fertile soil must first be sifted to remove too large elements. In prepared earth mixture with sand you need to add a little ground charcoal and mix thoroughly. It is best to use a wide, shallow container as a planting box. At its bottom you need to put a small layer of sphagnum moss, and on top of it an earthen mixture 2-3 cm thick. After leveling and compacting, the prepared substrate is washed with water. Small seeds are carefully distributed over a damp surface, trying not to cover them with soil. Then the container is immediately covered with glass or placed in a tied plastic bag and place it in a warm, illuminated place, away from direct sunlight. Before this, a window sill above the battery, facing the north or cardinal directions, is good. During germination seeds it is necessary to monitor the maintenance high humidity soil, but avoid dripping that could wash away the tiny seeds. It is best to water through a tray with clean, settled water. At proper care The first shoots will appear only after 2-3 weeks. When the fourth leaf has formed on the emerged seedlings, they need to be

Violets have been popular among gardeners for many years. They are grown not only as a houseplant, but also to create alpine slides and rockeries in summer period. The plant invariably arouses great interest among breeders due to its variety of shapes and colors, so the number of Saintpaulia varieties increases every year. For successful cultivation flower, it needs to create suitable conditions. Then it will delight you with its lush flowering for a long time.

What varieties of violets can be grown from seeds?

For propagation by seeds, breeders use different varieties. This method can be used to grow indoor Usambara violets and all varieties of garden viola. Among the variety of Saintpaulia varieties, they are distinguished by the following characteristics:

• Based on the diameter of the rosette, violets are divided into micromini, mini, midi, standard and large.
• The inflorescences have a classic shape, bell-shaped, in the form of a star, wasp or spider. Flower petals are simple, semi-double or double. The color of flowers can be monochromatic, two-tone or multi-colored.
• Leaves are divided according to shape and color. The edges of the leaflets can be either solid or jagged or wavy.

For growing in an apartment, the following varieties are most often used:

• Caprice - with white double flowers with a greenish fringe and wavy leaves of variegated colors.
• Macho - has purple double flowers with a white border and simple green leaves.
• Your Majesty - distinguished by pink double flowers with wavy edges and bright green leaves.
• Sea wolf - has large blue flowers with a mesh pattern, the foliage of this variety is dark in color.
• Jabot - with dark blue flowers with a greenish wavy border and wavy leaves.

Soil preparation

To grow violets from seeds at home, you must first take care of suitable soil for it. The soil can be purchased at a specialty store or made independently. Soil containing a lot of clay is not suitable for violets. In such soil, the plant is very likely to get sick or even die. If you decide to use ready-made soil, then it is preferable to use one that contains disintegrants. Typically, this is performed by perlite or vermiculite, which retain moisture well and provide air access to the root system. Since violets feel better in acidic soil, peat must be present in it. When preparing the soil yourself, it is mixed from equal parts of perlite and crushed peat.

It is convenient to use phyto-cassettes with lids for sowing seeds. A drainage layer of broken shards is poured onto their bottom. Then you need to pour a layer of coarse river sand and lay a layer of sphagnum moss. Lastly, the soil is poured. Before filling containers, all materials must be sterilized. The shards and sand are kept for some time in a hot oven, and heating with water steam is used to sterilize the soil and moss.

Sowing seeds

Uzambara violet has very small seeds, so it is recommended to pan them before planting. This will allow you to use it more economically and evenly. planting material.The procedure is carried out in two stages:

1. 1. The seeds are sprayed with water and the same amount of crushed charcoal is added. The mixture is placed in a jar and shaken for a while, after closing the lid. As a result, coal dust envelops the seeds and disinfects them.
2. 2. Add the same amount of sand and shake vigorously again.

The prepared seeds are scattered in a thin layer on moist soil and covered with a lid. Containers with seeds are placed in a warm place so that direct sunlight does not fall on them. Now we need to control temperature conditions and constantly moisten the soil until the first shoots appear.

At the stage of seed germination, the temperature should not fall below +20 degrees. Then the first shoots will appear on the 20th day after sowing. If you increase the temperature to +25 degrees, the violets will germinate in two weeks.

Violet occupies a worthy place in the hearts of flower growers. This simple flower pleases with its velvety leaves and juicy color palette, while it does not take up much space on the windowsill and is ready to share it with other flowers. Violets have different shapes, shades, tonality, patterns, texture to the touch.

There are about twenty species of violets, mainly growing in Africa, and there are more than 2000 hybrids.

Saintpaulia flowers reach up to 8 cm in diameter, their maximum number on one plant reaches up to 100 flowers. The plant blooms 9 months a year.

Every year the number of flower shapes and colors increases as breeders become captivated by the potential of the simple plant. But how to grow Saintpaulia from seeds at home?

What varieties of violets can be grown from seeds?

The following varieties are most often bred at home:

• Sea wolf - this variety is characterized by a dark green tint of leaves and large flower buds blue color, painted with a mesh pattern.
• Caprice - this variety has wavy leaves and white double flowers, decorated with light green fringe.
• Jabot - this variety is similar to Caprice, differs in the color of the flowers, they are rich blue.
• Your Majesty – this variety has outstanding flowers Pink colour, terry texture and wavy rim.
• Macho - this variety has simple leaves and unusually rich purple flowers with a white border.

Varieties of Uzambara violet and varieties of garden viola are propagated by seed.

Basic methods of propagating Saintpaulia

There are five ways to propagate Saintpaulia:

• Rooting cuttings in water. For this method, the main thing is to choose the right cutting for rooting. A leaf from the second bottom row is ideal as a cutting; old or young leaves are not suitable. The cutting should not be damaged, the leaf is cut at an angle of 45 degrees, the base is sprinkled activated carbon. Then the leaf is placed in a container with water, after a while the roots appear, it’s time to plant the violet in the pot.
• Rooting sheet plate in the substrate. The violet leaf is cut into pieces, disinfected in manganese, dried, the sections are sprinkled with activated carbon, then the leaf fragments are placed in a substrate in greenhouse conditions.

Video: how to grow a violet from a leaf

• Rooting cuttings in the ground. This method boils down to the following steps: the cut cutting is placed in a plastic cup with soil. Holes are first made in the glass, 1 cm of substrate is poured into the bottom, as well as vermiculite and perlite, everything is moistened.
• Rooting flower stalks. This method will require cutting off the top of the mother plant. After this, stepsons begin to grow on the sides, and as soon as they become larger, they are rooted into the ground.
• Propagation by seeds.

Propagation of violets by seeds

If you want to get decent results in growing violets, you need to take your choice seriously seed material. If you purchase seeds at a spontaneous market, there is a risk of planting an infected plant, so it is best to buy in exhibition stores or from breeders.

Planting violet seeds

Planting a plant with seeds is accompanied by the following steps:

1. Soil is poured into prepared containers for the plant (before this it is treated with a fungicide), and it is advisable to sift the top layer through a sieve.
2. After the soil dries, furrows are made in it and seed material is sown, mixed one to one with sand, then sprinkled with a small layer of earth.
3. At the end of sowing, the future seedlings are watered.

The soil mixture plays a big role in the effectiveness of cultivation. Sandy loam soil is well suited for growing Saintpaulia. It can be purchased in specialized stores, or you can make it yourself. For this you will need: peat, sand, leaf soil, humus, perlite.

Video: how to sow violet seeds

The violet container should not be too spacious, since the flower is miniature by nature and root system will develop poorly.

Necessary conditions for growing seedlings

For effective seed germination, future seedlings are covered with a lid or paper and placed in a dark place, while it is important to control soil moisture and temperature conditions in room. The temperature should not be below 20 degrees above zero.

At high temperature and insufficient watering, the plant can develop spider mites. Insecticides will help overcome this problem.

Shoots can be expected twenty days after planting. After the leaves appear, the flowers are picked and planted at a distance of 2 cm from each other. The second picking is done as soon as the plant grows; large seedlings are planted in separate containers.

Caring for violets involves balanced watering, sufficient access to sunlight, and timely feeding.

1. Proper watering. When watering, do not allow water to get on the leaves and flowers, and watering should not erode the soil. Permissible temperature water 18-20 degrees above zero (room), if the water is from the tap, let it stand for up to one hour.
2. Sufficient lighting. For violets, the optimal daylight hours are 12-14 hours. When there is a lack of light, the plant becomes elongated and the leaves lose their velvety texture. With too much light, violet growth slows down, the flowers become small and pale.
3. Feeding. If the plant is kept in conditions artificial lighting he needs feeding all year round. The plant is fed mineral fertilizers and organics. Excessive feeding leads to rapid growth of leaves and fading of flowers.
4. Additional care comes down to removing dust from the leaves and periodically turning the pots, eliminating pests.

Violet is wonderful, indoor plant, its amazing flowers can create a decorative effect and bring special comfort to your apartment. It is not difficult to propagate this flower, if you decide to do it using seeds, take the choice of seed material seriously and then you will achieve the desired result.

When growing violets from seeds, it is necessary to follow agrobiological, agrochemical and agrotechnical rules.

Prepare ahead of time:

• sand
• forest moss
• sphagnum
• neutral light and porous nutrient soil
• acquire required sizes photo bath, white plastic packaging box or plastic container for fat, butter, sour cream, processed cheese
• glass lids of appropriate sizes.

At the bottom of the dishes, several holes are drilled for drainage (their number depends on the size of the dishes), which are covered with shards.

Then a layer of drainage is laid and an antiseptic is added to it - a few pieces of charcoal. Sand is poured onto the drainage, a thin layer of crushed forest moss or sphagnum is laid and filled with a neutral substrate. The proportions of drainage, sand, moss or substrate are 1: 0.5: 0.5: 2. The substrate is leveled to the level of the edges of the dish and watered. Naturally, all this must first be sterilized.

Sowing seeds is not a difficult task, but it is responsible. Seeds from a bag or open box are poured onto a sheet of clean white paper, mixed with fine sand and charcoal powder and sown in the substrate (can be in furrows with or without row spacing of 1.5-2 cm). The greenhouse is covered with glass and placed in a bright, warm place, protected from direct sunlight and drafts.

If the glass of the greenhouse becomes covered with “dew”, it is removed, wiped, and the greenhouse is ventilated. As the soil dries, the crops are carefully watered with distilled or settled boiled water. warm water(2-3 °C higher room temperature). If sowing is simple, then watering is carried out so that the water drips onto the soil near the walls of the greenhouse and thereby does not wash away the seeds or seedlings. Remember, overdrying for sowing is harmful and disastrous.

Some Saintpaulia lovers grow seedlings on sphagnum or forest moss. Both are scalded several times with boiling water, cooled and only then used instead of soil. Before filling the greenhouse, the moss is generously moistened with settled boiled or distilled water, squeezed out, placed in a box, compacted a little, seeds are sown, and the frame of the greenhouse is covered with glass. IN further care for sowing is the same as when sowing seeds in the ground. Shoots appear on 12-23, and sometimes on the 10th day.

When the seedlings grow up and begin to crowd each other, that is, when the second pair of true leaves appears, you need to make a pick - plant the seedlings so that they grow freely without interfering with each other. The roots of young plants are tender and fragile, so they must be removed carefully, after preliminary watering.

For picking, prepare a spacious container, which is filled with the same substrate as for sowing seeds. The substrate is moistened, and then using a planting peg, or, in the absence of one, a pointed one with a simple pencil make holes. The seedlings intended for picking are carefully dug out of the soil with a small wooden or metal fork, planted in the hole and the substrate is lightly pressed against the roots of the seedling.

Picking seedlings can also be done “under the finger,” that is, the hole for the seedlings is made not with a planting peg or a simple pencil, but with the index finger. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that the roots of the seedlings do not bend, the root collars do not go deep, but are at the level of the ground surface. The harvested seedlings need to be watered well and protected from bright light in the first days. As necessary, the picking is repeated, each time increasing the distance between the plants. During the second or third picking, the seedlings are transplanted into pots with a diameter of 5 cm.

On a set day, once a week, fertilizing watering is done. The concentration of the solution is 1/4 of the composition that is used to fertilize adult plants. The soil in ceramic pots should not be allowed to dry out, for which they are placed on a tray with gravel, and the gaps are filled with damp sterilized sand or boiled forest moss. After about 5-6 months, the violet is transplanted into pots with a diameter of 7 cm. This is done as follows. The violet is placed on a tray and watered until water begins to seep through the bottom hole. Then with your left hand, passing the Saintpaulia between your fingers, grab the pot from above and turn it upside down. Using a planting peg or pencil, carefully push an earthen lump out of the pot through the bottom hole, which is placed in a prepared new pot. Holding the plant at the required level, right hand add new soil around the earthen ball, which is then slightly compacted. After this, the violet is watered abundantly and placed in the designated place. After a month or two, the plant blooms.

Thus, from one seed pod a whole tribe of young plants emerged. However, individual individuals in the shape of the leaves and the intensity of their greenness, height, elasticity and number of peduncles, the number of flowers on a peduncle, the structure and color of the flowers are not similar to each other and differ from their parents. This is the result of hybridization. If by vegetative propagation within three to four years Saintpaulia will repeat its data, we can assume that a new one has been developed hybrid variety violets. A novice breeder who has achieved a positive result will not stop there and will continue his experiments further.

It is known that violet hybrids inherit certain qualities of their parents, so the following must be remembered.

When artificially crossing violets, they adhere to the same rules that were followed when growing their seeds.

After harvesting the seed pods, they are dried and stored in special paper bags with records of information about the parents (usually the name of the mother variety is written first) and the date of pollination (for example, Sailor, Big Blue, 07/2/1961).

Conditioned seeds are sown simultaneously, which makes it possible to carry out the required number of experiments and observations.

It is imperative to keep an observation log in which each operation of the experiment is recorded:

• selection, characteristics and names of parental pairs;
• dates of pollination, seed harvesting;
• conditions of their detention;
• dates of sowing, appearance of cotyledons, first and second pairs of leaves, picking;
• description appearance seedlings, the nature of their growth.

Such records are necessary for subsequent crosses.

If a violet has grown from seeds and is superior in quality to its parents, it is propagated vegetatively, new hybrids are bred, and they are tested for stability.