Violet is a gentle, beautiful, common indoor plant. This species has many varieties. The flower is loved by many, as it is unpretentious and undemanding in care. Interesting are the tiny varieties of this beautiful culture - they take up little space, bloom with a magnificent hat, from under which tiny leaves are barely visible.
About the history of appearance
The Latin name is Saintpaulia, the flower received it in honor of the president of the German dendrological society Adalbert Saint-Paul, who brought violet seeds from Africa. Saintpaulia mini, like the standard, spread throughout the world from Africa.
What mini violets look like
Three varieties of mini are known: semi-mini violets, miniature and micro-miniature species.
Mini violet
The diameter of the outlet for a halfmini ranges from 15 to 20 cm. If they are transplanted into a more spacious pot, they will quickly move into the category of standard violets.
The rosette of mini varieties in diameter does not exceed 15 cm. In order for these varieties not to grow, the lower tier of leaves is constantly removed, and the flower is transplanted.
The diameter of the outlet for microfiolets is no more than 8 cm, the length of the leaves is only 0.6-1.2 cm. These babies are the most demanding in care. Leaf blades in shape resemble a heart or a circle with wavy edges. The central vein at the base of the leaf is thicker and lighter than the other veins. Babies have more leaves than standard violets. Their flowers in diameter are no more than 4 cm.
Description of common varieties
Common varieties of semi-mini violets are:
- Aca's Happy Star - the flower in this variety resembles a large terry pink star in shape, from which dark burgundy rays diverge from the center.
- Aca's Johnny Redcoats - the variety has a dark lilac color of flowers, the tips of the petals are white, the petals of the flowers are velvet.
- Adirondack Moon is a variety with variegated leaves. Inflorescences are terry or semi-double white. In the center, the petals give yellow and lilac-blue.
Mini flower in hands
Among the mini-violets are popular:
Alan's Blue Star is a variety with large blue flowers. An interesting variety is that on the petals its small dots of coral color. In shape, the flower resembles a star with wavy edges and a thin white stripe along the edge. The leaves of this variety are small, dark green in color with denticles along the edge.
- Bahamian Sunset is a variety with a neat rosette of burgundy double flowers and a thin white stripe around the edge.
- Gleeful Elf - a variety with a compact rosette of delicate blue flowers, along the edge of which a white-green border. The leaves are light green in color.
Microsorts are represented by such varieties as:
- Chantaspring - violet with a rosette of small yellow bells.
- Rob's Twinkle Blue is a blue violet. A flower outlet is only 5-6 cm in diameter.
- Child's play - a variety with leaves in the form of hearts and white flowers with a lilac shadow on the petals.
Care for mini violets at home
Care for minisorts is easier than standard ones. They are less likely to get sick, it is convenient to propagate them by cuttings. However, certain subtleties of care need to be known so as not to destroy the plant.
Temperature
Miniature violets are more demanding on temperature conditions. The optimum temperature for them is 21-24 ° C. Delicate leaves should be protected from direct sunlight. Babies feel good in partial shade. Diffuse lighting is ideally suited for them: through a thin curtain fabric or mosquito net.
Lighting
Daylight hours for crumbs should be at least 12 hours. With a shortage of natural light, they are placed on racks under the lamps.
Watering
Due to the small size of the pot, miniature senpolis have to be watered more often, guided by the drying of the upper layer of the earth. In summer, plants need more frequent watering. A portion of the water should be small. The best measure for irrigation is a medical syringe.
Saintpoly mini is watered with settled or filtered water at room temperature. Pour water into the pot until it begins to flow out through the drainage holes onto the drain pan. After half an hour, the water from the pan must be drained.
When watering, a stream of water is sent to the edge of the pot so that it does not fall on the bottom row of leaves.
Attention! Mini varieties tolerate temporary drought more easily than excessive watering. If the upper layer of soil does not dry out, the likelihood of decay of the roots and lower tier of the leaves is high.
In addition, Thumbelinae can be watered through a drip tray to maintain moisture, using coal and sphagnum as drainage. It is possible to use wick watering.
Watering option
Spraying
Plants are sprayed from pests and for the prevention of diseases with the Confidor pesticide. The procedure is performed outdoors on a cloudy day when its temperature is above + 15 ° C. Only when the leaves are completely dry, the pot is brought into the room.
Closer to the fall, you can spray Aktellik or Fitoverm violets for prevention. Such spraying is done twice with an interval of a week.
In order for the babies to develop faster and bloom better, they are sprayed with Epin once a month. For the procedure, 1 ml of the drug is diluted in a small amount of water, mixed thoroughly, then poured into 5 l of water. The solution should be evenly moistened with all the leaves.
Important! The prepared Epina solution cannot be stored.
If Thumbelina had stress in the form of drought or hypothermia, it is recommended to treat them with a 2% solution of succinic acid. To prepare a solution of 1 g of acid, diluted in 2 tablespoons of warm water, then poured into 2 liters of water. The prepared succinic acid solution can be used within 3 days.
Attention! Preventive spraying is carried out only when the mini does not bloom. If the flower has unblown buds, it can not be sprayed.
Humidity
For good health, babies need a humidity of 50-70%. Central heating systems in apartments very dry the air. Therefore, to create suitable conditions, micro varieties are placed in aquariums or placed on a pallet with wet expanded clay, raw sand. You can also moisten the air if you put an open container of water on the windowsill next to the violets.
Priming
Since small pots are taken for violets, the soil in them quickly becomes unusable: the earth is caking, its acidity is changing, the nutrients in it end. In order to avoid problems with the development of babies, they are transplanted 2 times a year, changing not only the soil mixture, but also the pot itself.
Microsorts do not need baking powder in the soil. A good soil for them is one in which there is a sufficient amount of peat, and there is sand. Expanded clay or sphagnum is used as drainage.
Top dressing
Subject to plant transplantation 2 times a year, micro violets do not need fertilizer. If according to the state of the plant it is clear that it needs mineral or organic fertilizing, then for mini-species they take the same fertilizers as for standard violets, but the concentration of the solution should be made 2 times lower.
The optimal fertilizing will be complex factory fertilizers with potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus.
When and how it blooms
How to bloom
The flowering period in small violets begins earlier than in standard species: 5-6 months after planting, a young stalk will bloom. Despite their small size, their peduncles are strong, form large caps of flowers and do not lie on the leaves.
The onset of the flowering period can be accelerated if you increase the daylight hours and the light intensity for babies, feed them with fertilizer with phosphorus, cut off stepsons.
Appearance, shape and color of flowers
Since there are many small varieties of senpolia, the appearance of their flowers is very different. Petals can be smooth or terry, the shape of a flower can resemble a bell or a star. On one peduncle usually several flowers are located.
The color scheme of the petals is also quite wide. It is interesting that the petals are monophonic, sometimes they have one or another shade. The most common colors for mini senpolia are white, white with a lilac shadow, pink, pure blue or blue with a purple tint, red-burgundy, blue.
After the flowering period ends, seed bolls form on the peduncle.
When they bloom (for example, popular varieties)
If optimal conditions are created for mini, then the flowering period will last from 9 to 12 months. It is noteworthy that the flowering period is not related to the time of year - babies bloom both in summer and in winter. However, in most varieties, flowering begins in early spring.
Changes in flowering care
During the flowering period, the babies are looked after the same way as during the dormant period: they are watered, the necessary humidity is maintained. Just remember that pests and diseases during the flowering period are not treated.
In addition, a characteristic feature of small species is that during flowering, they have many stepsons that need to be cut to extend flowering and prevent the transition to standard.
Transplanting mini violets after purchase
After transplant
It is best to purchase a flower in the fall or spring. Immediately after the purchase, the flower should be transplanted into a pot of the same size.
At the first transplant after purchase, the root system of the flower is left in its original state. As the plant develops, its root will grow, so with subsequent transplants, the following manipulations need to be done:
- Brush off the old soil from the roots.
- Part of the root system is cut off.
- Trim several rows of lower leaves, trying not to disrupt the shape of the outlet.
- In the prepared new pot put drainage, sprinkle a layer of earth. The violet should be placed in the pot so that its leaves touch the edge of the pot. If necessary, the roots are still shortened.
- Add the right amount of soil, ramming it.
- Cover the plant with a plastic bag and keep under it for 2 weeks.
Attention! After transplanting, the bush is not watered. Need to water in a day.
Possible problems in growing mini violets
Florists may encounter some difficulties and problems. The presence of problems is signaled by the appearance of the plant: deformation of the leaves, a change in their color, falling leaves and buds. The fact that the plant was chosen by parasites is evidenced by the appearance of flying insects.
Disease
The main diseases of small varieties are:
- Rotting of the roots. This problem occurs with excessive watering and a relatively low air temperature in the room. When it is detected, the affected roots must be trimmed by treating the slices with crushed charcoal. Change the soil, optimize the growing conditions.
- Burns on the leaves (yellow spots on the leaves). This problem occurs as a result of direct sunlight. Damaged leaves must be cut. For violets pick up a new place, protected from the scorching sun.
Pests
Common pests of tiny varieties are thrips, slugs, aphids. Signs of pests include plaque on leaves, similar to honey, sticky discharge on leaves and stems. To combat parasites, the leaves of the plant should be washed with a soapy solution and sprayed with garlic infusion or diluted calendula tincture.
Sick violet
Other problems
Due to the fact that in plants the lower rows of leaves are close to the ground, their decay is highly likely. In addition, due to errors in care, they may not bloom. So, the senpolia will not bloom if it is not artificially stopped the rest period, stimulating active flowering.
Thus, mini violets are popular among gardeners. Many are attracted by the variety of varieties, the opportunity to get a mini flower garden on the windowsill. In addition, despite some features of care, in general, the plants are unpretentious, are distinguished by good immunity and are rapidly developing.
Mini garden
