Indoor violets have many varieties and hybrids, loved by flower growers. One such striking example is Magenta's violet. The article describes the conditions for caring for a flower, its features and possible difficulties in growing.

Botanical description of the plant

The violet bush as it grows forms a rosette consisting of leaves on long thick petioles. The bush is loose, with a diameter of about 15 cm. Leafy leathery plates are dense, rounded oval in shape, with a sharp tip. Leaves and petioles are covered with soft pile.

The lower plate is gray-green in color, the upper one is light green in young specimens, and dark green in adults.

During flowering (in early March) Magenta throws long pedicels with 3-5 baskets. Semi-double and double flowers up to 5 cm in diameter saturated red or burgundy. The edge of the petals is outlined by a thin white edging. Magenta's flowering period lasts about 60 days.

Did you know? In the Italian city of Parma, perfume “Vera-Violetta” is still being sold, in the bouquet of which the main aroma is the smell of Parma violet. The fragrance recipe has not changed since 1870.

Growing conditions

For the formation of a lush bush and long flowering of Saintpaulias and violets (these are flowers of completely different families, but united by the same folk name - "violets") certain conditions are necessary.

Placement and lighting

The variety is demanding on light: lighting is necessary bright, but direct sunlight is contraindicated. The tender, fleshy leaves of the violet can be prone to burns, so the light should be diffused. With a short daylight, the flowers need to be illuminated with artificial lamps, extending it to 10-12 hours.

In winter, when the sun is not so aggressive, a flower pot can be placed on the southern windowsill, in the summer - on the east or west side.

Temperature and humidity

The optimum temperature for violets is + 18 ... + 25 ° С. In winter, it is necessary to take into account the heat-lovingness of the senpole: under the pot on the northern windowsill, it is desirable to put a foam insulation in 2-3 cm thick.

The variety loves moist and fresh air. In the warm season, the room must be ventilated, avoiding drafts that are harmful to the plant. The necessary humidity in the range of 50-60% is provided using room humidifiers. In winter, you can moisten the air with the help of wet towels placed on the heating devices.

Important! Magenta, like all senpolis, does not tolerate moisture on the leaves. You can not spray a flower. Pile on the foliage retains droplets of water, which can lead to decay.

Home Care

In care Magenta violet is quite demanding. A special approach is needed to fertilize and water the plants.

Watering

Watering the violets is carried out as the soil dries, not filling the flowerpot, but also not allowing the soil to become completely dry. Water is needed at room temperature - +22 ... + 24 ° C, separated from impurities of the main.

Use several watering methods:

1. Lower. Pour so much water into a deep container so that the pot with violet fits 3/4 of its height. As soon as the topsoil in the pot darkens, this means that the entire soil is saturated with moisture. Remove the pot by pouring excess liquid from the pan.
2. Drip. As a capacity, use a large syringe or a watering can with a narrow nose. Water the soil lump without flooding the growth point and without affecting the foliage;
3. Wick. A piece of natural fiber rope is passed through the drainage hole in the pot, the other end is lowered into a container filled with water. With this method, the root system of the flower will take only the amount of fluid it needs.

In extreme heat, it is better to use the method of immersing the pot in a container: this will prevent the roots from overheating on especially hot days.

Top dressing

There are several types of ready-made complexes for fertilizing violets on sale:

• "Stimovit" - liquid organic composition;
• "Baikal-M1" - a liquid microbiological solution;
• “Master” is a complex mineral remedy (marking 20.20.20 or 18.18.18 + 3 will be suitable for senpolia).

You need to feed violets twice a month; an exception is the period from November to February: this is a period of rest. Fertilize in moist soil after watering. When fertilizing, do not exceed the dosage so as not to burn flowers.

Transfer

Time for a transplant does not really matter. The main condition is not to touch the plant during dormancy and during flowering. If it has just tied up the buds, any intervention will force them to reset the ovaries. In winter, there is not enough sunlight and heat, and the plant may not take root. Magenta's violet needs transplantation once a year.

Suitable soil for the plant consists of a mixture of ingredients in equal proportions:

• peat;
• chopped moss;
• leaf soil;
• humus.

Before use, the soil should be carefully sieved and calcined for half an hour at a temperature of +100 ° C.

The pot is taken wide, but not shallow, given the superficial root system. The variety is in no hurry to bloom until it braids its roots around the entire lump of earth. The material of the pot does not matter. The main thing is that there are openings for water drainage.

Important! When installing several potted flowerpots in one container for moisturizing, make sure that all crops are healthy. Infections from diseased plants can be transmitted through irrigation.

The landing technology is as follows:

1. At the bottom of the pot put 3 cm expanded clay (or any other drainage).
2. Top soil is poured up to 1/3 of the volume of the tank.
3. A plant is placed on an earthen hill, the roots are straightened, and the remaining soil is poured along the edges of the pot.
4. Water the transplanted bush the next day.

Breeding

Theoretically, the Magenta Saintpaulia can be propagated by seeds and the vegetative method. In practice, only the second method is used in home gardening. If propagated vegetatively, then two options are applicable: dividing the bush and leaf.

The division of the bush is used when the plant has bloomed.

The division technology is as follows:

1. The bush is carefully thrown out of the tank, the baby is separated with a sharp knife.
2. The divide is planted in a small, up to 6 cm in diameter, pot and covered with something, forming something like a greenhouse.
3. Airing is carried out daily and watered in small portions.
4. The mother bush is freed from dry parts and transplanted into a new pot.

Leaf propagation is possible in spring and autumn. First of all, you need to choose the right material.

The requirements for it are:

• the sheet should not be old and not from the bottom row;
• the absence on the material of signs of the disease (suspicious stains, burn marks);
• the handle should be healthy, and the plate should be firm and firm.

Further sequence of actions:

1. The cuttings are cut at an acute angle of 45 °.
2. Rooted in boiled water, adding activated carbon, which will prevent decay.
3. After the appearance of roots 1–1.5 cm long, the leaf stalk is transplanted into the ground.
4. The shank is buried in the soil no more than 1 cm, and if necessary, put support for the leaf.
5. Further care, like an adult plant.

Did you know? South Germanic tribes celebrated the first spring day when they found the first violet. And fortunate or fortunate, the find promised a profitable marriage and prosperity in family life.

Growing problems

Since Magenta's violet is a moody plant, any improper action regarding the regime can cause problems.

The main difficulties and their solutions are listed below:

1. Inflorescences were crushed - overheating. Take the plant to a cooler place.
2. The leaves have faded - a draft. Provide the plant with safe ventilation and maintenance in a place protected from temperature extremes.
3. Growth slowed down, no flowering - lack of nutrients. Feed on time, alternate between organic and mineral complexes.
4. The appearance of spots of rot on the leaves and stem (Fusarium) - a sharp decrease in temperature. During the rest period, the temperature is gradually reduced by several degrees (the temperature below +16 ° C is critical). The second reason is humidity. It is necessary to monitor the rate of watering.
5. Brown dry spots on the foliage are burn marks. On the south windows there should be a protective film or backstage.
6. Powdery mildew (white spots on green parts) - high humidity. Do not water the flower. Use recommended watering methods for the variety. Prevention of fungal diseases (fusarium, powdery mildew) will be sprayed with a solution of potassium permanganate once a month. It is difficult to treat flowers: delicate foliage does not withstand spraying with fungicides. Exit: after treatment for therapeutic purposes, transplant to a new place.

Violets are practically not affected by pests. Occasionally, a whitefly attacks, a white fly that lays eggs on different parts of a plant. The harm from her is big. Her offspring feeds on the sap of the plant, causing the leaves to curl and die. Adults can be collected manually using adhesive tapes, and eggs and larvae are washed off with soapy water.

Then the bush is treated with green soap (10 g / 1 liter of water). After water procedures, the foliage should be thoroughly wet with a napkin.

Saint Paulia Magenta is loved by flower growers for large and vibrant flowers. You can achieve flowering by observing the rules for care and providing the plant with the necessary microclimate.