Viola Wittrock: photos and key characteristics of the plant

Viola Wittrock - quite old and famous plant, this flower belongs to the violet family. This flower is mainly cultivated as an annual or biennial plant, but if divided regularly, it can be perennial.

Today we will tell you what varieties of Wittrock viola exist, what are the features of growing and planting viola from seeds, as well as caring for this flower. In the material you will see photos of some varieties of viola.

Key features of the Wittrock viola

This flower includes a large number of varieties and variety groups. This type viols is one of the most popular. It was obtained by crossing the following types of varieties:

Altai;
yellow;
tricolor, etc.

The flower is a dense bush about 30 cm high. Its flowers are large and have a diameter of about 11 cm, they have irregular shape and can have different shades. It is very rare to find viola petals of the same tone.

Varieties of Wittrock viola are combined into the following series:

Rococo;
Bambini;
Swiss giants.

Viola varieties, their descriptions and photos

Below are descriptive characteristics of some varieties of viola:

Growing Wittrock's Viola

When planting a viola, you need to know its main characteristics:

cold resistance;
tolerates shade well;
neutral regarding the length of daylight hours.

Mostly flowers are good develop in both partial shade and sun. It is worth remembering that in very hot weather in the sun the plant stretches and the flowers appear too small. Optimal temperature for growing viola is about 15 degrees. When grown in partial shade, flowering will be longer, but not abundant.

Viola is planted in the following soils:

fertile;
loamy and sandy loam;
well drained.

Viola will not bloom on dry soil, but the flower needs heat good watering. It also needs to be protected from drafts. Viola is good at replanting during flowering. It is not recommended to plant in lowlands where there is stagnation of melt water. Also, the flower does not really like fresh organic fertilizers.

Despite all that has been said, viola is not too demanding in terms of care and gives good self-seeding.

Viola of this species is capable of reproducing in the following ways:

dividing the bush;
seeds;
cuttings

It is best to grow biennial plants through seedlings. We'll talk about this below.

Planting flower seeds for seedlings

Planting seeds for seedlings gives the plant the opportunity to bloom in the middle of summer. But if you sow the seeds directly in open ground in June, you will see flowers only at the beginning of the next season.

Growing viola from seeds can begin in February. To begin with, the seed is needed for a day soak in a solution with a biostimulator, For example:

"Epinom";
"Zircon";
"Heteroauxin".

Dilution of liquids must strictly comply with the instructions for a particular product.

mark the furrows;
sow the prepared seeds;
pour settled water;
sprinkle the seed with soil;
cover the containers with glass or transparent film;
place them in a room where the air temperature is about 15 degrees.

First shoots and picking

In about a couple of weeks the first shoots appear. When germination begins, the film or glass must be removed, and the containers themselves must be placed in a cool and well-lit place with an average temperature of about 10 degrees. Plant care at this time is as follows:

If the seedlings of viola seeds grow quite intensively, they need to be planted again, but, as a rule, one transplant is enough.

When should a plant be transplanted into open ground?

Planting viola seedlings in open ground should be considered depending on the climate of your region. As a rule, transplantation is carried out at the end of April or May. The most important thing is to plant the flower after the end of the period when there are night frosts. Frail flowers do not always tolerate such sudden temperature changes.

Transplantation into the ground carried out like this:

Place the seedlings in the holes at a distance of 15 cm from each other;
sprinkle the roots with soil;
compact the soil around the flower;
Water well.

Perennial plant varieties tend to grow and lose their attractiveness over time. They can be propagated by cuttings.

Features of caring for viola in open ground

After you have transplanted the flower into open ground, you need to observe enough simple rules caring for it:

The flowering of viola will be simply magnificent if once a month you fertilize it with ammonium nitrate or superphosphate at the rate of 30 grams per square meter of soil.

Compliance with all planting and growing rules is the key to beautiful flowering in the future.

Collecting seeds

Viola seeds left on peduncles ripen in mid-August or early September. After the flowers fade, small boxes appear containing small seeds. Brown. It is important not to miss the moment when they begin to ripen, because the boxes may open and scatter the seeds. When the seed pods are turned up, this means that the seeds are ready to be collected. They should be cut, the seed removed and spread out to dry. Then they are taken to the basement or refrigerator for subsequent stratification.

If the boxes filled with seeds are not specifically removed, the seeds will sift themselves, and over time you will see spontaneous shoots throughout the area. In such cases, seedlings need to be planted in prepared areas without preliminary seedlings.

Caring for viola in winter

Despite the fact that viola is resistant to cold, in very severe frosts it must be covered with tree leaves or spruce branches. As a rule, this applies to regions where average temperature in winter it drops below 30 degrees below zero.

Dangerous diseases and pests for flowers

The most common diseases that violas are exposed to are:

root rot;
gray rot;
powdery mildew;
rust;
spotting;
blackleg;
variegation;
ring necrotic spotting.

Plants affected by the disease must be removed immediately to deprive the planting of a source of infection. Then the soil needs to be dug up well.

As for pests, but The danger in this case is represented by:

clover cutworm caterpillar;
violet mother of pearl.

Both pests very quickly eat plant leaves. To eliminate them, insecticides are used, a solution of chlorvos, tobacco infusion or karbofos is sprayed.

Viola Wittrock in landscaping

Viola has so many varieties that it can be easily used to create flower beds of different styles. Early flowering allows these plants to be widely used for spring decoration of gardens, parks, ridges, partners, borders or flower beds. Violas are often used in leading positions in mixborders, next to stones in rockeries, on hills, in group plantings on the lawn.

Very often they are used to draw up tree trunk circles next to trees, container compositions that are installed on windows, loggias and balconies.

We can conclude that Wittrock's viola is incredible beautiful flower, unpretentious in care and easy to plant, capable of decorating any interior of a park or garden. And the long duration of flowering of this plant will certainly not leave any lover of green pets indifferent.

Beautiful garden flower Viola or pansy belongs to the violet family. Despite the fact that the tropical part of Africa and Australia is considered the birthplace of this crop, this plant also feels good in our country.

On this moment There are 400 varieties of garden violets known, but only a few of them have gained popularity among gardeners.

Viola wittrockiana

Vittorka is especially popular among domestic flower growers. This plant is considered a hybrid; it was obtained as a result of interspecific crossing of tricolor, horned, yellow and horned violets.

The culture in question differs from the rest in its branching low bush up to 30 centimeters in height. The leaves are round-oval in shape with serrated edges. The inflorescences are irregular up to 11 centimeters in diameter. The petals are often riddled with veins, and sometimes they may have spots or streaks.

Thanks to the efforts of breeders, gardeners were able to grow ampelous Vittorka with elongated vines up to 40 centimeters in length. The stems are dotted with many flowers up to 5 centimeters in diameter. Canopy crops are grown mainly in hanging baskets or plastic pots. One such ground cover plant can take over a garden plot about 60 centimeters in diameter.

Vittorka is a biennial plant, but if sown early, it can form inflorescences in the same year. If planted in autumn, it blooms in the second year.

Swiss giants

These are quite large plants with huge pansies flowers. Their diameter can reach up to 8 centimeters. The coloring of this variety is multi-colored and bright.

Rocco

It differs from its relatives in its unique corrugated petals; the diameter of the inflorescence is about 6 centimeters. Flower petals often have dark spots or streaks.

Vittorka Bambini

Another variety of violet, Vittorka Bambini, is capable of producing many flowers during the growing season. Inflorescences of the most varied colors: beige, purple and even blue. The diameter of an individual flower is up to 6 centimeters.

Majestic Jans

The Majestic Janse hybrid has gained popularity among gardeners due to its large flowers; their diameter can reach up to 9 centimeters. In the central part of such a plant there is usually a dark spot that looks like a bow.

Horned viola (viola cornuta), or ampelous viola

This perennial crop does not lose its decorative effect, but its winter hardiness will depend on the variety used. Most plants overwinter without problems, but hybrids may die with prolonged exposure negative temperatures. The inflorescences of the horned viola are relatively small, their diameter does not exceed 5 centimeters. Petals are blue, violet or lilac, in the center of the flower there is yellow peephole.

Rich color scheme have horned viola hybrids. Flowers can be red, orange, yellow and even white.

The species in question can be used as an indoor crop or a plant for open ground. Pansies can often decorate flower beds or borders. When growing this flower, you need to take into account that it can cross-pollinate with its relatives and produce numerous hybrids that do not retain the qualities of the original plant.

Arkwright Ruby

The large-flowered variety differs from the others in the bright red color of the petals, the central part of the inflorescence is standard yellow. The spots on the petals add special beauty to this garden violet.

Belmond Blue

Viola with climbing bushes, has beautiful blue flowers. The crop in question can be grown in hanging baskets or containers on a balcony or loggia.

Purple duet

It is distinguished by the special structure of its inflorescences. Two of its petals burgundy color, located at the top, the other three are dark pink.

Hansa

A variety with low climbing bushes has small blue inflorescences with purple tint.

Horned viola is characterized by a long flowering period, inflorescences form from mid-spring until the first serious frost. Such plants are propagated by seeds, division of an adult bush or cuttings. It is better to grow this variety from seedlings.

Viola odorata

Fragrant violet differs from other varieties in its rich, pleasant aroma, so raw materials taken from this culture are used to make cosmetics and perfumes. The fragrant viola bush is small, up to 15 centimeters in height. The leaves of the plant are round with characteristic jagged edges. The inflorescences are small, up to 2 centimeters in diameter, located on thin and long stems.

This type of pansy blooms in spring or late summer. The petals of the inflorescences can be purple, red, pink, and in wild relatives - white, blue, violet. Behind wonderful aroma and high decorative qualities fragrant violets are grown in flower beds, alpine hills, near borders, and also in hanging baskets on balconies.

Caesar

The low variety has small, beautiful purple inflorescences. Produces an intense pleasant aroma.

Rosina

The Rosina variety has pink petals. There is a dark pink spot inside the inflorescence.

Red Charm

The Red Charm variety of fragrant viola delights gardeners with large red flowers.

La France

La France has simple flowers, small purple inflorescences.

Viola moth or capillary

The moth violet grows up to 22 centimeters in height. The plant has single large inflorescences with speckled petals. The hooded viola is considered a swamp crop; it has a fairly developed root that is not afraid humid environment.

The most popular varieties capal viola are:

Freckles

The easy-to-care variety Freckles blooms in spring and has large white inflorescences. The petals of this crop are covered with numerous purple specks.

Royal Robe

It is considered a compact flower and has a pleasant scent. The color of the inflorescences of this crop can change from violet-blue to purple. The petals have black or yellow thin strokes.

Red Giant

The variety has large red inflorescences with a purple tint. The culture is characterized by a long flowering period. Its inflorescences are held by thin and long stems.

Ruba

The hooded viola of the Ruba variety differs from the others in the red-ruby color of its petals. The height of this plant does not exceed 15 centimeters.

Growing viola from seeds

In practice, two methods are used to grow violets from seeds: sowing the seeds directly into open ground or pre-growing seedlings. The latter method is considered more effective, because when using it you can get flowering plants in this year.

When to plant viola seedlings

To obtain quality planting material sowing of seedlings should be carried out from the last ten days of February or in March. It is not advisable to carry out such activities after mid-spring, because seeds are sown in open ground in the last ten days of April or early May.

Sowing viola for seedlings

Pre-prepared and calibrated grains can be sown in any container, for example, plastic cups, cassettes, cuts plastic bottles or food packaging. To prepare the nutrient mixture, components such as garden soil, humus and peat are used. All components are taken in equal proportions and mixed thoroughly.

When using the traditional sowing method, shallow furrows are made in the nutrient substrate using a pencil, approximately 3-5 millimeters, the distance between rows is about 1 centimeter. Next, the grains are placed in the depressions made every 2 centimeters and sprinkled with soil. Now you need to water the crops with water and cover the container transparent film. After this, the containers are placed in a warm room with temperature conditions 20 – 25 degrees.

To prevent the appearance of mold in the soil, plantings must be ventilated at least twice a day.

Seedling care

The first sprouts of pansies usually appear 7-10 days after sowing. More late date Seed hatching occurs in the following cases:

use of old planting material;
in case of filling seeds with a thick layer of soil;
when using a nutrient substrate of incorrect composition, for example, clay soil.

After germination, the plants should be placed on a well-lit windowsill. In the spring, pansies are not afraid of direct rays of the sun, so containers with seedlings can be placed even in the southern part of the apartment. After germination, the violet has fairly strong stems, but this does not mean that you need to immediately remove the film from the container. In the first days, the plants are ventilated at intervals of 2 times a day for 20-30 minutes. In the future, the duration of ventilation is increased, but the shelter is removed only after a week.

Garden violet has certain indicators of frost resistance. Its seedlings can withstand temperatures down to -10 degrees, and this applies to young shoots. In the presence of stable warm weather, strengthened seedlings must be taken out to the balcony or open air.

Viola needs good watering, but the soil must be moistened as the top layer dries out. For such events, it is worth using rain or melt water. It is advisable to leave ordinary tap liquid for 2-3 days. Plants are afraid of waterlogging, because a high concentration of water in the soil can cause rotting of the flower roots.

Viola pick

It is necessary to transplant young plants into new containers when the first two true leaves form. Pansies are not afraid of transplantation; they take root in the new nutrient substrate even with minor damage to the root system, which sometimes happens when the plant is removed from the container. Such violas are slightly slower in development, but general indicators it doesn't matter.

If there is insufficient lighting or cramped space on the windowsill, violet seedlings may stretch out. To get quality healthy flower When planted in a new container, such crops are buried down to the cotyledons, which makes it possible to obtain additional roots on the underground part of the stem.

Young violas develop quickly after picking; within a month they are ready to be transplanted to permanent place into open ground.

Pinching

An event such as pinching the stem allows you to achieve better tillering of the crop. Similar events are held after the appearance of 5-6 true leaves.

When to plant viola seedlings

Planting garden violets in a permanent place depends on the climatic characteristics of a particular region. Similar actions should be carried out when stable warm weather sets in in the last ten days of April or early May. To plant a flower, select an area well lit by the sun.

After digging the soil, crushed soil is added to each planting hole. charcoal middle fraction 200 grams and the same amount of humus. Viola develops well in soils consisting of peat, humus and turf soil in equal proportions with the addition of half of the sand.

How to plant viola seedlings

During transplantation to a permanent place, prepared seedlings are placed on the site every 15-20 centimeters. The crops are buried in pre-dug holes and covered with soil. Next, compact the soil around the bushes and water the plants with warm water. When growing garden violets, it is necessary to divide the bushes in the plantings every three years. If such events are not carried out, the crop will grow rapidly, and its flowers will become small and lose their decorative value. For rapid reproduction The flower cutting method is used.

Viola: growing from seeds in open ground

Not every gardener will want to grow pansy seedlings, as this is quite a troublesome task. In this regard, many gardeners sow seeds directly into the ground. Such operations should be carried out at the end of May or at the beginning of June. In this case, the violet will begin to bloom at the end of summer or in September. To obtain flowering crops on next year, in early spring, sowing seeds must be done in August.

Flower seeds are sown in a pre-prepared area in shallow furrows, several at a time. The distance between the nests should correspond to the arrangement of plants in the flowerbed, this is 15-20 centimeters. When using old or damaged seed material sowing density is increased. With this method, excess crops can be transplanted to other places.

After sowing the seeds, it is necessary to shed the soil with warm water and wait for the seedlings to appear.

Proper care of viola

basis proper cultivation pansies on garden plot It is considered to maintain the soil in a loose and moist state, removing weeds. Another nuance of care is the removal of faded inflorescences or formed seed pods. Timely implementation of such actions allows you to prolong the flowering of the crop.

Watering and fertilizing

Periodic watering is considered the basis for the intensive growth of viola. This is due to the fact that the root system of the crop is superficial; it is located at a depth of up to 20 centimeters. The soil on the site is moistened as needed in case of persistent drought.

Watering should be done in the evening using water heated in the sun.

During its development, the flower sucks nutrients from the soil. To replenish useful components in the soil, it is necessary to fertilize every 3-4 weeks. For every square meter usable area scatter 25 grams of superphosphate and bury the granules in the ground. After this, the plants are watered.

Viola after flowering

If flowering deteriorates, as well as in cases where new buds are almost not formed or are formed weakly, it is necessary to prune the crops to a height of 9-12 centimeters from the surface of the ground. Violas are fed and watered with warm water, which will promote shoot growth and re-flowering.

Regularly pluck out dried inflorescences and trim shoots, this will help rejuvenate the bush.

If the pansies have bloomed and completely stopped developing, you need to collect the seeds and prepare the plant for wintering.

How and when to collect viola seeds

The period for collecting viola seed material begins in late summer or autumn. After the inflorescences wither, boxes with fruits form on the crops. The main sign of their maturity is the drying of the shells. After turning upwards, the boxes are cut off and the seeds are removed. Next, the grains are dried in a ventilated area, placed in a fabric bag and placed in the refrigerator.

If you do not collect seed material, the grains fall to the ground on their own and germinate under favorable conditions. In this case, violet seedlings can be seen in autumn or early spring.

Viola in winter

So that perennial was able to overwinter painlessly, it is covered with fallen leaves of fruit trees or spruce branches. With the arrival of spring, such a mound is raked a little, which will prevent the process of damping off the stems. An overwintered crop will be able to form the first inflorescences already in mid-spring, when crocuses bloom.

Garden violets that develop in a greenhouse overwinter differently:

Plants are removed from pots and transplanted into open ground at the end of summer. Before the first frost, the crop will be able to get used to new conditions. About 20 days before the expected cold snap, inflorescences and excess shoots are cut off from violas. After this, they are covered with fallen leaves or a thick layer of spruce branches.

Another option for wintering greenhouse plants involves moving the pots to a cool room with a temperature of 8-12 degrees, for example, to a veranda or insulated loggia. In such conditions, the bushes are preserved until spring. When warm weather arrives, the mother bush is divided into cuttings and new plants are obtained.

Pests and diseases of viola

The most common diseases of pansies are:

rotting of the root system;
late blight;
powdery mildew.

Root rotting occurs as a result of excessive watering of the soil or when keeping the crop in a cold room. An urgent transplant of the flower into new loose soil will help prevent the further development of this disease. If this measure does not help, you need to cut off the root of the viola and put the trunk in water, top part the plants are covered with a plastic bag. After the first roots appear, the crop is transplanted into new ground.

Fusarium wilt or late blight enters plant cells through damaged areas. This disease occurs when high humidity air, provokes browning and rotting of stems, falling leaves. The main control measure is to transplant the viola into a new pot, along with pruning the root system of the crop.

Another dangerous disease is powdery mildew. The disease occurs mainly in spring under the influence of low temperatures and high air humidity. Powdery mildew appears on violet leaves in the form white plaque. Next, shallow ulcers appear on the affected areas, the spread of which leads to the death of the plant. Spraying the flower with drugs such as Topaz or Bayleton will help defeat the disease.

As we can see, even an inexperienced gardener can grow viola at home. Learn to properly care for flowers, and they will delight you with lush blooms and a pleasant aroma.

This flower has many names, including both the familiar from childhood “pansy” and the ancient one that came from Ancient Rome– Viola. Although the flower has been known in the world for several centuries, the viola gained final fame in the 19th century, when, through the efforts of botanists, a special violet was developed that combined elegance of form and multicolor.

Viola is a herbaceous plant, rarely reaching 25 centimeters in height, with a single bright flower on long peduncle. Years of selection have not been in vain - about 400 species of perennial and annual plants have been bred, whose shape and color are extremely diverse: one or several colors, with characteristic patterns (stripes or spots) and, of course, complex geometry of petals - smooth, wavy or double. The variety of species allows the flower to be used both in the frame of clubs and borders, and to create original flower arrangements. But what they are, you can read in detail in the article at the link.

Popular types

Despite all the diversity of plant species, there are several varieties that confidently lead in the preferences of gardeners, landscape designers and ordinary violet lovers.

Vittorka Bambini

A hybrid of tricolor, Altai and yellow violets, also called garden pansies, is the most popular look plants, in the process of selection, received many of their own variations-varietal groups, differing in both the colors of the flowers, the shape of the petals and the size of the bush (on average about 20 centimeters).

Vittorka Bambini

Vittorka is divided into annual and biennial and differ in planting methods - if the first is grown through seedlings, then the second is planted in open ground, fortunately, the plant overwinters excellently under a thick layer of snow. Vittorka blooms under favorable conditions from April to October. In cold climates, flowers do not bloom until June. The size of the flower varies from 5 to 10 centimeters, it consists of five petals that differ from each other (the upper ones are drop-shaped, the side ones are oval, and the lower ones are in the form of an equilateral triangle).

Vittorka has several main types of coloring:

Of all the subvarieties of Vittorka, the most popular are:

Swiss giants– low, neat bushes with large, lush flowers (up to 8 centimeters in diameter) of bright, multi-colored colors. A distinctive feature of the color is a “butterfly” border along the edges of the petals and a dark “eye”. Planted in a group, Swiss giants create a sunny, joyful multicolor of flowers in the flowerbed.
Flowers of Viola Vittorka Swiss giants
Rococo- another variety of Vittorka, distinguished by the complex corrugated shape of the petals. The flowers reach 7-8 centimeters in diameter and delight with rich colors, shaded with dark strokes and a scattering of spots. The photo shows a rococo view:
Bambini- one of the brightest representatives Vittorki varieties. Abundant long flowering, smooth transitions of delicate tones - pink, creamy, blue. A distinctive feature of the variety is a white or beige “butterfly” in the center of the flower.

Horned

Perennial violet is a compact bush reaching a height of 25 centimeters with flowers of rich lemon, purple, soft blue and lilac shades. An interesting color effect is given by darkening or, on the contrary, lightening the core of the petals.

The diameter of the flower is 5 centimeters. The name of the species is explained simply - a spur-horn stands out on the back side of the peduncle. Horned viola is a rather unpretentious plant that can easily tolerate wintering under the snow without additional insulation and is prone to self-sowing. Flower growers will also be pleased with the early flowering - for example, the “Princess Cream” subvariety throws out the first flower stalks after three weeks from the appearance of sprouts.

Tricolor

Known to everyone since childhood, pansies, which have successfully conquered the fields of France and Russia, are a hardy perennial plant of a dark purple color, complemented by bright yellow lower petals and a velvety-dark border along the edge.

Tricolor

Williams

A hybrid obtained by combining Wittrock's violet and horned viola. One of the tallest representatives of the species (up to 30 centimeters in height) cannot boast of large flower sizes - they are no more than 4 centimeters in diameter. However, Williams' Viola will not go unnoticed - rich colors petals are clearly visible from afar.

Williams

Known subspecies:

"Pearl Falls"– an ampelous plant bearing a large number of white-blue flowers with a delicate aroma;
"Sparkler"- a hanging plant with catchy butterfly-shaped flowers in yellow and deep burgundy shades.
"Amber Kiss"- a widely growing bush with flowers of a rich reddish-yellow hue.

Ampelnaya

The plant is a bush medium height characteristic spherical shape with narrow leaves, almost completely covered with flowers - both plain and variegated. Young plant stretches upward, but with the beginning of flowering the shoots descend, cascading beautiful waterfall– their length can reach half a meter. Flowering continues until early frosts.

Ampelnaya

“Black Crystal”

A hybrid of pansies, which differs from most violets in its deep black and dark purple color. And here is what it looks like and how it is grown from Matthiola seeds evening scent, is described in great detail in this

Black crystal

The plant is mainly used to shade any other multi-colored varieties of violets, giving flower arrangements noble and solemn appearance. Although the plant tolerates shade and cold well, flowering will be more abundant in a sunny place.

But how annual Phlox is sowed with seeds, and how such sowing occurs correctly, is described in great detail in this

Landing

Sowing seeds into a snail

The fairly new “snail” technique is increasingly used by gardeners. There are several reasons for this:

simplicity and convenience of the method;
high seed germination; guaranteed soil savings;
no need for complex care.

The optimal method is when the seeds are sown in pre-moistened soil, poured onto a laminate substrate no more than 2 mm thick.

Agrotechnics of cultivation

No matter how diverse the varieties of violets are, there are a number general recommendations for planting and further cultivation. When planting any of the Viola varieties, you should remember that premature planting can lead to the appearance of autumn buds that do not survive frost and significantly weaken the plant. Late planting in the ground will not allow the plant to reach full strength by the end of the warm season, which can cause subsequent diseases and even death of the flower.

The optimal time for planting in open ground is considered to be mid-summer - in this case, the seedlings will have time to get stronger, and the grown plant will take root well in its place of permanent growth. Most violets love slightly acidic, light soil, fertilized with humus and dug until it is “crumbly”, that is, there is a complete absence of dense lumps of earth. In small areas, many gardeners prefer to grind the soil by hand.

Video of agricultural technology for growing flowers:

When choosing a site, you should remember that violets should be shaded from too bright sunlight, so the proximity of tall plants would be useful.

Care

In general, viola is quite unpretentious - for example, it can easily tolerate transplantation in a flowering state, but in order to create optimal conditions for abundant flowering, it is advisable to follow a few simple rules:

regular loosening and frequent moistening - the roots of the viola are located quite close to the surface and require a good supply of oxygen;
weekly removal of faded inflorescences to prevent depletion of the plant;
frequent fertilization (at least once every two weeks) with mineral complexes in the form of solutions;
preventing stagnation of water at the roots due to the risk of rotting.

Viola is not the easiest plant to care for, but if handled correctly, a luxurious flower carpet will delight the gardener all summer long

- a great way to get a lot of beautiful plants for your balcony or plot. Moreover, for almost nothing. Viola seeds are quite inexpensive, unlike already grown seedlings.

You can sow viola seeds in boxes for growing seedlings or directly into the ground.

– biennial (Wittrock viola, Williams viola, tricolor violet) or perennial plant (viola Sororia, viola hornata, fragrant violet). You can grow any type of viola according to three schemes:

1. Autumn sowing for flowering next year (in open ground)

This pattern is considered traditional and is usually recommended in the instructions on the seed packets. The meaning of such cultivation of viola is as follows: the seeds are sown in the soil in August-September. During the fall, the plants have time to sprout, grow stronger and acquire a powerful root system. In this state, young violas go under the snow and overwinter. The next year, already in April, flowering begins, which lasts until frost.

2. Early spring sowing for flowering in the year of planting (for seedlings)

It is believed that viola blooms only in the second year after planting. But that's not true! It can bloom in the first summer. To do this, you need to sow its seeds early - at the end of February or beginning of March. It is advisable to use additional lighting. In this case, viola seedlings from seeds will bloom 2-3 months after sowing, that is, in May-June, simultaneously with other summer plants. Viola can bloom all summer long (especially if you choose the right planting site - without direct sunlight and drying heat), become a green bush before winter and next spring bloom again.

Growing viola from seeds by spring sowing is suitable for subsequent planting of plants in open ground or in balcony boxes.

3. Summer sowing for flowering in the year of planting (in open ground)

You can sow viola seeds directly into the ground in May-early June. Flowering of such plants begins in August-September. Violas grown in this way leave under the snow with flowers. And in early spring they bloom again!

Growing viola seeds for seedlings

Let's consider the technology of growing viola seeds for seedlings for subsequent planting in the ground or in balcony boxes.

In order for viola from seeds to bloom at the beginning of summer (or even at the end of spring!), sowing must be timed for the end of February or the beginning of March.

Step 1. Sowing

Viola seeds are sown in any seedling containers: cassettes, pots, used containers from food products. Select loose and moisture-absorbing soil - this is very important for viola seedlings, which suffer greatly from a lack of moisture in the soil.

You can create a suitable soil mixture for viola yourself using the following scheme: fertile garden soil + peat + humus + humus in a ratio of 2:2:2:1.

Fill the seedling containers with soil.

It is convenient to grow viola seedlings in peat tablets placed in plastic cassettes

Sowing option No. 1 – traditional, with embedding in the ground

Now is the time to start planting. The classic scheme for growing viola assumes that its sprouts sprout in the dark. Therefore, again traditionally, viola seeds are planted in the ground. Do you want to follow a generally accepted pattern? Then perform the landings as follows:

In the prepared soil, form grooves (with your finger or pencil) 0.3-0.6 cm deep. The distance between the grooves is approximately 1 cm.
Place viola seeds in the resulting depressions in increments of 1-2 cm.
Cover the grooves with soil.
Water the plantings with water (if you did not do this before sowing).
Cover the seedling container with film to create a humid microclimate. Ventilate the soil 2 times a day for 10 minutes, opening the “greenhouse”. Otherwise, mold may appear on the ground.
Place the container in a warm place with a temperature of 20-25°C; the degree of illumination before the first shoots of the viola does not matter - either place it in a dark closet or on a sunny windowsill.

Sowing option No. 2 - popular among gardeners, without embedding in the ground

Another, although not generally recognized, but very common among gardeners, method of growing viola seedlings involves sowing seeds without planting them in the ground. In this case, the sprouts appear faster, since they do not need to waste energy growing through the soil layer. But! Since the nature of viola involves germination in the dark, after sowing the seedling container is placed in dark place. Planting viola seeds using this method can be done as follows:

Sprinkle the soil generously with water (preferably warm, about 30-35°C).
Spread the viola seeds superficially on the ground in increments of 1-2 cm (the greater the distance, the later it will be possible to pick).
Place the container in a warm, dark place or cover with a sheet of cardboard.

Sowing option No. 3 – average alternative

Or you can do it according to the “neither yours nor ours” type. Like this:

Sow the seeds superficially (as in option No. 2).
Sprinkle a thin layer of soil (literally 1-2 mm) or sand on top.
Spill the plantings with warm water.
Cover the container with film or glass and ventilate the soil regularly.
Place in a warm place, lighting does not matter.

Step 2. Care of seedlings

The first shoots of viola seedlings from seeds should appear on the 5-10th day - depending on the variety. Although some “slow-witted” can take a very long time to emerge – up to a month. This delay is especially common if:

old seeds;
a thick layer of soil is sprinkled over the seeds;
the seeds are sprinkled with dense, heavy soil.

Further development of the viola occurs in the light, therefore, if the container was in a dark place before germination, it needs to be moved to a light place, for example, on a windowsill. In spring straight Sun rays Violas are not terrible for seedlings, so even a south-facing window will do.

Sprouted viola sprouts

Despite the fact that viola seedlings are initially quite strong, do not rush to remove the film from the container immediately. Ventilate the soil 2 times a day, starting from 10-20 minutes. Gradually increase the duration of ventilation. After about a week, the film can be removed completely.

Many garden flowers have some degree of frost resistance. These flowers include viola, the seedlings of which can withstand about 5-10 °C even in infancy, until the true leaves appear. Therefore, as soon as sunny spring weather arrives, you can safely take the baby violas out onto the balcony. Not only will they not freeze, but they will also get stronger faster in the fresh air.

Pansies (especially seedlings) really need good watering. Make sure that the soil in the seedling boxes does not dry out; water when the top layer of soil dries. But don’t go to the other extreme - there shouldn’t be a flood either. Flower growers often notice attacks on second-year violas during cold and rainy springs. This is because violas, despite their love for moisture, are prone to rapid rotting when there is an excess of it. This is the “duality” of viols!

Step 3. Picking

At the stage of 1-2 true leaves, viola sprouts can be dived into individual cups. If the roots are torn during transplantation, no worries. Viola tolerates transplantation very well, even during flowering. Sprouts with damaged roots may be slightly stunted in growth, but this will not affect their health.

Viola seedlings are often elongated by the time of picking. The central stem extends to the cotyledon leaves. Therefore, to prevent the sprouts from falling over and becoming more compact, when replanting, bury them in the soil up to the cotyledons. Such manipulation will not only improve the appearance of the viols, but also make them more powerful root system(additional roots will appear throughout the entire area of the buried part of the stem).

After picking, the viola seedlings begin to grow rapidly and in 3-4 weeks will be ready for planting in a permanent place

Step 4. Pinching

As soon as the viola seedlings expel 2-3 pairs of true leaves, pinch the seedlings for better tillering.

Step 5. Planting the viola in a permanent place

Viola seedlings can be planted in a permanent place after stable warm weather has established, without night frosts. On the balcony this can happen as early as March, in open ground - in May-June.

Planting viola seedlings in open ground

Plant viola bushes at a distance of 10-15 cm from each other; crowding has a bad effect on the condition of the plants and can lead to disease. When growing violas in boxes or pots, it is enough to allocate 1-2 liters of soil per specimen.

Blooming viola seedlings in a balcony box

Growing seedlings is a troublesome business. Therefore, many people decide to sow viola seeds directly into the ground. This can be done already in late spring or early summer - then the violas will bloom in August-September. If sowing work is timed for August, then flowering will be postponed until next year - in early spring.

Sow viola seeds in furrows 0.3-0.6 mm deep. The distance between the seeds should correspond to the distance between future plants - 10-15 cm. If there is a problem with seed germination, you can plant them more crowded, and after germination, plant the violas at the required interval.

After sowing, water the soil generously and wait for sprouts to appear. At the stage of 2-3 pairs of true leaves, pinch them off. Further care for violas consists of regular watering and fertilizing.

Flowering of violas, when sowing seeds in open ground in early June, begins in August and lasts throughout the fall, until frost

Planting violas: where pansies grow and bloom best

It is important to choose the right place to plant violas. These flowers bloom best in cool conditions, but with plenty of light. That's why the best place for violas – light sunny areas, but with mandatory shading from midday rays. For example, violas grow well under young fruit trees with a sparse crown, which protects them from the drying summer heat. Or on bright western and eastern balconies. On southern balconies viola can also show itself in all its glory, but, unfortunately, only until June-July, that is, before the heat sets in.

The duration and abundance of viola flowering, along with the extraordinary color of the flower, is attracting the interest of more and more people when decorating a loggia and landscaping local area. These amazing flowers can be grown and propagated in several ways, among which the greatest preference is given to growing viola with seeds.

Viola is herbaceous plant one-, two-, or multi-year nature. Due to the viola belonging to the violet class, the plant is often called Wittrock's violet. At the same time, the original coloring of the flower, reminiscent of the cheerful face of a baby, gave rise to another common name for viola - pansy.

Depending on the variety, the height of the viola is 15-30 cm, and the flowers reach a diameter of 5-10 cm. Every year, new varieties of viola appear, striking with their grace and non-trivial coloring. To the number distinctive features of a particular plant variety include the tone of the petals, the shape and size of the bush, as well as the duration of flowering. Both varieties with completely monochromatic petal colors and those containing small inclusions of a different shade have become widespread. However, tricolor violas are no less popular.

Deserves special attention hybrid varieties violas labeled F1, which are distinguished by the large size of the flowers, reaching a diameter of 10 cm, as well as by the preservation decorative properties from early spring until late autumn. The latest achievement of ongoing breeding work is ampelous viola, characterized by abundant flowering and a spherical bush shape. Thanks to these characteristics, ampelous viola is ideal for decorating balconies by planting in hanging planters or for decoration alpine slides, flower bed

The only disadvantage of a viola obtained by interspecific crossing is its cost. However, collecting ripened seeds from hybrid violas to re-grow a plant with the same characteristics is a waste of time, since varietal characteristics are not preserved in the next generation. But wild varieties (for example, tricolor viola, horned viola), which have medium-sized flowers and bloom from late spring to early autumn, reproduce well by self-seeding.

Despite high cost seeds, hybrid varieties of viola are still in greatest demand. Depending on when it is necessary to obtain flowering, seeds purchased or collected independently are planted at different times using seedlings or without seedlings.

Planting seeds for seedlings

Get flowering plant in the year of planting seeds, it is quite possible if you sow them in boxes or a greenhouse, and then plant ready-made plant seedlings in the place reserved for flowers. Start growing viola with seeds at the end of January or beginning of February.

Preparing the container

The container with soil must begin to be prepared a week before the upcoming planting as follows:

rinse the container thoroughly with a weak manganese solution for disinfection;
Add a layer of small pebbles to the bottom of the container, which will prevent the soil from acidifying;
on top of the pebbles we pour self-prepared soil consisting of sand, humus and earth in a ratio of 1: 2: 2, although you can purchase ready-made soil labeled “Violet”.

The soil must be kept in the cold for 24 hours to kill all kinds of microbes.

Sowing seeds

Since viola has very small seeds, to control the distance between seeds it is better to resort to the following trick:

lightly compact the soil in the box;
pour a layer of snow on top of the ground and level it so that it covers the entire ground;
distribute the seeds evenly throughout the planting container;
sprinkle with soil to a height of 0.5 cm and lightly moisten with a spray bottle;
cover the container with cellophane or glass to prevent the soil from drying out;
We remove the container before the first shoots appear in a cool, dark place where the air temperature does not exceed 17-19°C.

The first shoots hatch in 1-2 weeks. After the size of the sprouts reaches 1 cm, it is necessary to begin to accustom them to fresh air, gradually moving the glass and increasing the hardening time daily. The glass is completely removed after the sprouts have 2-3 leaves.

Instead of boxes with soil, viola seeds germinate well in peat tablets, which contain the necessary supply of nutrients, also retain heat well and prevent the rapid evaporation of moisture, which has a positive effect on the survival of seedlings.

Planting seeds in peat tablets it happens like this:

Soak the tablets in water and wait until they swell;
put 2-3 seeds on a tablet;
sprinkle with a light layer of soil;
Place the tablets on a tray, cover it with cellophane, creating a greenhouse effect, and put it in a cool, dark place until sprouts form.

Seedlings must be periodically fertilized with minerals. In this case, watering the sprouts is carried out strictly at the root. Fertilizing is carried out monthly before planting the plants in the ground, starting from the 3-week age of the sprouts. In this case, the appearance of 2 leaves on a plant indicates the need to transplant or thin out the seedlings.

Picking seedlings

Despite the fragile stems of the sprouts, future plants must be planted in a timely manner, preventing the stems from stretching.

Plant picking is carried out 2-3 days after the cellophane or glass is completely removed from the box. The sprouts are either transplanted into another container or simply thinned out without replanting.

The main thing is that the distance between plants is 5-6 cm and does not interfere normal development seedlings.

Landing in the ground

Plants are planted in a permanent place in mid-May, when night frosts have passed and upper layer the earth will warm up enough.

When planting seedlings, the following work is performed:

under each bush we dig a hole to a depth of 5-7 cm;
the distance between the holes should be at least 10-20 cm, since the viola grows quite quickly;
we place several pebbles at the bottom of the hole and lower the plant along with a lump of earth;
Without compacting, we fill it with soil and water the plant abundantly at the root.

In order for the plant to grow better, we shade it for several days by building a small canopy or simply sticking tree branches next to the hole.

After a week, the shadow barriers can be removed.

Planting seeds in open ground

To receive two-, or perennial viola hanging, growing from seeds begins in July by planting seeds directly into the ground. In this case, the plant will delight you with flowering only next year.

Selecting a location

The best option for growing viola is considered to be loamy and moderately moist soil. Violet prefers sunny areas with slight midday shading, delighting with bright and large flowers. Violets, which are in the shade most of the time, are distinguished by the pale color of the petals and the small diameter of the flowers. However, the flowering time of a viola growing in the shade is 2 times longer than that of a viola placed in an open sunny area.

Soil preparation

Since the plant does not tolerate stagnation of water, it is necessary to build a drainage system, placing several pieces at the bottom of each hole broken bricks or pebbles. On top of the stones, it is necessary to pour and level a layer of sand 2-3 cm thick, and then fill the hole with soil prepared in advance, including a mixture of garden soil and humus in a 1:1 ratio.

If the seeds are planted several days after preparing the site, the soil will have to be loosened again.

Sowing seeds

The process of planting seeds into the soil is as follows:

make grooves at a distance of 10 cm from each other and evenly place the seeds along them;
sprinkle 0.5 cm of soil;
moisten the soil, being careful not to wash the seeds;
fill the furrows with a small layer of sawdust to maintain soil moisture.

After 7-14 days, the first sprouts will appear, which must be shaded from too bright sun with a dark film, or installed nearby with beds of tree branches.

2 weeks after germination, the film is removed. At the end of August or beginning of September, the seedlings, when 3 leaves appear, are planted in a permanent place.

Despite the possibility of losing some viola bushes due to severe freezing of the soil in severe winter, the splendor and duration of flowering of plants planted directly into the ground is somewhat higher than that of viola obtained from seedlings. However, the abundance of flowering largely depends on the conditions of care for the permanently planted viola.

Features of viola care

Many novice gardeners or just amateurs beautiful plants Quite often people are interested in the question of not only how to grow viola from seeds, but also how to make flowering as abundant as possible.

Despite the unpretentiousness of the viola, it still requires certain care, which consists of:

in daily but moderate watering, especially on sunny days;
in periodic feeding of plants mineral fertilizers(1 time every 3 weeks);
in the timely removal of weeds that interfere with normal growth violas and drawing out the supply of nutrients from the soil;
in loosening the soil;
insulation for the winter with straw, spruce branches, dry branches, which will ensure the preservation of the plant’s root system during winter frosts;
in the second year after planting, it is necessary to prune, leaving stems only about 5 cm high from the soil level, bushes that have grown too large and have lost their decorative qualities.

In addition, removing dried flowers throughout the season will promote long-lasting and abundant flowering violas.

Thus, growing pansies from seeds is quite labor-intensive work, requiring not only an impressive amount of time, but also patience in the process of planting, growing and caring for such fragile flowers. However, the efforts made will delight the owner during the flowering period, resulting in a luxurious carpet of flowers of a wide variety of shades.