How to properly and timely water a violet - 4 ways from A to Z
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4 WAYS TO WATER THE VIOLET
From the moment of acquiring the first plant, every saintpaulia lover faces the question - which watering method to choose.
Searching for an answer on the Internet, as a rule, does not bring a solution, since each author praises only his favorite watering method, and everyone has different conditions and opportunities.
Let's try to understand the basics of each method in order to make an intelligent choice, and not blindly follow someone else's recommendations.
WATERING VIOLETS IN A POT
Before the onset of the “new era” in the development of the “violet” hobby in Russia, only one method of watering was known to our flower growers - in a pot. No, however, there were slight variations - in a pot from above or below. The second method, when water is poured into a pan, was especially fond of those awkward flower growers who were afraid to spoil the leaves by watering violets on the ground. Since then, by the way, there has been a firm belief that Saintpaulias can only be watered this way. One has only to mention in the new company that I grow these plants, as surely someone will flash the knowledge that "violets are watered in a pan."
Top and bottom watering methods allow you to individually adjust the care regimen for each plant, but are time consuming.
What is the difference between these classic irrigation options? It is believed that when watering from above, not only water, but also nutrients move in the same direction. This way is most similar to how plants get water and plants.
the nutrients created in it in the natural environment. It is usually recommended to carry out the next watering after the top layer of the soil dries out, and this is a very important remark, since in addition to absorbing an aqueous solution of salts, the roots must receive oxygen for normal functioning. A big mistake is frequent, but very poor, literally drop by drop watering. In this case, only a very small top layer of soil receives moisture. The roots tend to master it, but any accidental drying leads to the death of the suction root hairs. The violet is under stress, its roots are constantly working in emergency mode, and the leaves remain sluggish. From such a plant you should not expect magnificent flowering.
When watering from above, it is important to wet the root ball well to the full depth, while excess water flows through the drainage holes into the pan, and if the soil does not absorb it after 15 minutes, then this water must be drained. In the next 2-3 days, the roots actively absorb dissolved nutrients, in addition, water evaporates from the soil surface and through drainage. For another 1-2 days, the soil dries out, but remains moderately wet, this time is favorable for the respiration of the roots. Next, you should again shed the earth well in a pot, and everything repeats again. But plants can react to external conditions (temperature, humidity, light), in addition, babies and flowering violets will consume water in different quantities. Therefore, if you notice that the soil does not dry out for a long time, postpone the next watering, and vice versa - if the earth dries out in a day, then water more often or adjust the amount of water.
Top watering does not mean that all violets need to be irrigated from a strainer, as in a garden. Hairy leaves can retain moisture for a long time, which is why in cool weather or in a draft, ugly discolored spots will appear on them. Water needs to be poured only on the ground, for this they use watering cans with a thin spout, special water bottles from bottles or rubber dosing bulbs, which allow you to accurately dose the poured amount.
The irrigation regime is closely related to the composition of the soil used. In the usual "Soviet" version, the violet could be planted in the ground from a flower bed, and at the same time it grew well and bloomed without much trouble. And this is natural, since the roots received all the nutrients from the earth, and its “heavy” structure retained moisture quite well. In general, overhead irrigation involves the use of more nutritious and dense soil with fewer rippers, so now, when almost all mixtures are based on peat, classic irrigation does not always work successfully, because peat can dry out very quickly, and when dry, it hardly takes moisture.
WATERING VIOLETS IN THE PALLET
It may seem that watering through the pan is technically easier - splashed as much as it fit, and that's it. However, in reality it requires more attention. It is imperative to arrange a drainage layer, since the earth
some time completely in the water. When watering into the pan, it is not uncommon for the lower part of the clod to remain waterlogged for a long time, and the moisture never reaches the surface. The need for watering cannot be determined by the “finger method”, and there is a danger of flooding the plant.
Therefore, it is important to be more careful in choosing the composition of the soil, it can still be the same nutritious, but should contain more rippers. With bottom watering, moisture and dissolved nutrients move from the bottom up, so the roots tend to go deeper and, in general, the plant is less stressed, but only if such watering is properly adjusted. The amount of water supplied here is also dosed, and it is always possible to provide each plant with an individual regimen. But, once again, this method requires more experience and attention.
Reference by topic: Pests and diseases of senpolia, problems with flower care
WATERING SAINTPAULIA THROUGH CAPILLARY MATS
Everything flows, everything changes, and in addition to the classical methods of irrigation, new materials and techniques have come. One of these methods is humidification through capillary mats.
First of all, let me clarify what a mat is. This is a synthetic rolled non-woven material with a thickness of several millimeters to a centimeter or more. The mat is cut to the size of the tray or pallet in which it is placed, while the edges of the fabric should not rise and Professional mats can be replaced with any synthetic material
When watering through mats, it is important that all plants combined on one tray are in approximately the same phase of development, since the weakest, with an underdeveloped root system, may die. hang over the edge of the tray. If the mat has a bottom and top layer, then it is important to lay it that way. In addition to the mats, a perforated film can be supplied, which is laid on top, trying to slightly overlap the fabric.
A tray with a capillary mat is filled with water or a nutrient solution, and pots with plants are placed on the protective film. When the soil comes into contact with the solution-filled mat, moisture enters the roots. The perforated film prevents idle evaporation of the solution from the surface of the mat and its rapid salinization.
The mode of watering through the mats implies their constant uniform moistening, but also allows for short-term drying. It is clear that at this level of humidity, ordinary soils containing humus or humus quickly lose their structure, “turn sour”, therefore, only landless mixtures based on peat and mineral or synthetic fillers are used for irrigation through the mat. In the soil oversaturated with moisture, the breathing of the roots is almost impossible, and here rippers come to the rescue. The most accessible is perlite, its share in the mixture with peat can be from 1/3 to 2/3 (the ratio is selected empirically for specific conditions). Perlite can be used mixed with polystyrene balls (polystyrene, styrofoam) or even completely replaced by them.
Since the substrate for irrigation through capillary mats contains practically no nutrition, it is necessary to constantly add a small amount of fertilizer to the water. How to calculate its amount? For example, according to the instructions, it is recommended to dilute 10 ml of fertilizer in 2 liters of water and use it once every two weeks. On average, for 2 weeks, you have to water violets 4 times, which means we divide 10 ml by 4. Thus, with each watering, you need to add 2,5 ml of concentrate for every 2 liters of water. But do not forget that saintpaulias do not tolerate excess salts in the soil, so it is usually recommended to reduce the dose that is indicated in the instructions and is suitable for other flowering plants. It is common to use a solution of 1 ml of fertilizer per 1 liter of water for constant addition to the capillary mat.
The method of watering through mats is often used in the industrial cultivation of flowers and vegetables, so it is clear that we can talk about individual care here very conditionally. The advantage of such watering is speed, that is, the method is good in large collections when growing a large number of even-aged plants. Another plus is space savings, pots can be installed more tightly in pallets or trays than with free arrangement. The downside is that when watering through mats, the soil quickly loses its structure, and there is a need for frequent plant transplants.
Wick Irrigation of Saintpaulia Violets
Wick watering saintpaulia is by far one of the most common and popular. Since this method uses an individual reservoir for each plant, you can transfer one violet or a hundred violets to the wick, depending on the size of your collection.
Saintpaulias, as usual, are planted in individual small pots. Only a mixture of peat and mineral or synthetic fillers is used as soil, and in this case the proportion of rippers should be higher than for soil with irrigation through mats. When planting a plant in a pot, a synthetic cord is passed through the root ball, and its free end 10-15 cm long is passed through the drainage hole. The plant pot is then placed on top of a reservoir of nutrient solution, and the string coming out of the pot is lowered into the nutrient solution. In order for the wick (cord) to start working, the first time watering is carried out from above.
As a nutrient solution, you can use the same fertilizer solution as for the capillary mats. Under the tanks, you can adapt any containers, glasses, cans. The main thing is that they allow you to control the level of the nutrient solution and add it in a timely manner. On sale you can find ready-made systems for wick watering and for pots of different sizes. The volume of the tank is a matter of taste, but it is better if it exceeds the volume of the pot by 4-5 times, then the nutrient solution will have to be added to it no more than once every 2-3 weeks.
As I already mentioned, wick watering can be applied even if you have only one violet on your windowsill. Properly composed substrate, proper planting and nutrient solution - and all care comes down to adding fertilizer every 2-3 weeks. It's really very convenient. And with wick watering, Saintpaulias practically do not experience stress due to irregular moisture. The root ball is always evenly moistened and saturated with air due to the use of a large number of rippers.
The advantages of the wick irrigation method are obvious - it saves time for care, optimal individual
For wick irrigation, it is better to choose opaque tanks: the simplest algae, which take away food from plants, develop less actively in them.
moisture conditions for each plant. But there are also disadvantages. Not everyone likes the look of the tanks that the pots are placed on, although there are great examples of creative design. Weakened plants cannot be transferred to wick watering due to the increased sensitivity of the roots to excess moisture. And finally, when using this method, it will be necessary to transplant saintpaulias even more often, otherwise, after a wave of active growth, after about six months, their inhibition becomes noticeable due to the decomposition of the substrate that has begun.
Each of the listed watering methods can be used in its pure form or combined, but it is more convenient if the care of all plants in the collection is the same. This greatly simplifies the work with violets, because you do not need to prepare different soils, plant fertilizers separately, and select pots.
WAYS OF WATERING SAINTPAULIA - PLUSES AND MINUSES
Watering method | Features | Advantages | Disadvantages |
From above | The classic method - nutrient soil, watering | Tailored to the individual requirements of each plant | Takes a lot of time |
in the pallet | The classic method - nutrient soil, watering, moistening from below | Tailored to the individual requirements of each plant | It is necessary to more subtly feel the needs of each plant |
Through the capillary mat | A variation of hydroponics using synthetic mats | Fast unified care for a large number of plants | Does not take into account the individual requirements of each plant, suitable mainly for use on racks or in greenhouses, frequent replanting required |
Wicky watering | A variation of hydroponic irrigation using reservoirs | Convenient care for any number of plants, to a certain extent allows you to take into account the individual requirements of each instance | The use of bulk tanks is not always aesthetically pleasing, not suitable for poorly developed plants, frequent transplants are necessary |
See also: Mini-senpolia (photo) from A to Z: landing and care
WAYS OF WATERING VIOLETS - VIDEO
© Author: I. MILEKHIN, florist, collector of Saintpaulia
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PEROXIDE FOR VIOLETS
I water my violets very carefully in winter - if you overdo it with water, they can rot. If you don't water it enough, they will start to dry out.
For several years now, during winter watering, I have periodically used a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide.
I dilute 1 tbsp in 1 liter of water at room temperature. l. product (peroxide), carefully loosen the soil with a toothpick and spill it in a thin stream so that the drops do not fall on the plants themselves.
I carry out this procedure once every 10-14 days (depending on the condition of the soil in the pot).
Hydrogen peroxide improves the turgor of leaves, makes them more saturated and promotes more active formation of new buds.
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Our violet always bloomed from spring to autumn, and rested in winter. This year, the unusually warm end of September disrupted the usual rhythm of the flower’s life, and the violet bloomed in December. It, of course, does not bloom as profusely as in summer. But it’s winter outside, there’s snow and cold outside, and we have fresh flowers on the window. A great gift for the New Year!