How to cultivate and propagate viola
Let me tell you about the cultivation, propagation, and related introduction of green plants and flowers such as viola, and then share the detailed content.
Viola is a perennial herbaceous flower of the Cruciferae family and the Viola genus, also known as Sita Kik, grass osmanthus, grass viola, wealthy flower, purple fence, purple blue, etc. It can grow up to 60 centimeters tall, with the whole plant densely covered with gray-white pubescent branched hairs. The stem is erect, multi-branched, and slightly lignified at the base. The leaves are oblong to oblanceolate or spoon-shaped. Viola flowers are abundant, bright in color, with strong fragrance, long blooming period, and long inflorescence, making it loved by many flower enthusiasts. It is suitable for potting and ornamental purposes, and can also be used to decorate flower beds, steps, and flower paths. The whole plant can be used as a bouquet.
Viola is native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean coast, prefers a cool climate, and dislikes dry heat. It enjoys a well-ventilated environment, prefers a mild climate in winter but can tolerate brief low temperatures of -5°C. The optimal growth temperature is 15-18°C during the day and around 10°C at night. It is not strict about soil requirements but grows better in well-drained, slightly alkaline soil and dislikes acidic soil. Viola is cold-resistant but not shade-tolerant, and is afraid of waterlogging. It thrives in higher positions and is prone to diseases and pests in hot, humid weather with poor ventilation. Fertilization should not be excessive, as it can be detrimental to flowering; insufficient light and ventilation can also lead to diseases and pests.
I. Propagation methods of viola: The propagation methods of viola include seed propagation, cutting propagation, and tissue culture.
1. Cutting propagation: Viola is commonly propagated through cutting, mainly using leaf cuttings, which are most effective in summer and autumn. After flowering, select robust and green leaves from the plant, cut the middle part with a sharp knife, leaving 2-3 cm of petiole, slightly dry them, insert them into a sand bed, water thoroughly, maintain high humidity, keep the room temperature at 18-24°C, and after 3 weeks, the cuttings will root, with seedlings appearing in 2-3 months, and can then be transplanted to pots. During the cutting process, to speed up root growth and increase the number of roots, the cuttings can be treated with plant growth hormones, which have a significant effect on promoting root growth. Common growth hormones include indole butyric acid, indole acetic acid, naphthylacetic acid, 2,4-D, and rooting powder, all of which have a good effect on promoting root growth.
Viola can also root in water. The method of water cutting involves selecting mature, robust, disease-free branches or leaves from the current year, cutting branches 8-12 cm long, retaining the top 3-4 leaves, cutting the mouth flat, and preferably at the bottom of the lowest node. Before inserting, soak in a 0.1% potassium permanganate solution for 2-3 minutes. Fill a glass bottle with water and insert the viola cuttings. Change the water every 1-2 days, keep the water temperature at 20-30°C, and after about 30 days, the cuttings will root. Once the roots are fully developed, they can be transplanted to pots. It takes 4-6 months from cutting to flowering.
2. Seed propagation: After the fruit matures, cut the flower branch base, dry and de-husk the seeds, and store them. The sowing time is usually from mid-August to early October, and can be adjusted according to the time of use. Sowing in a greenhouse in February can result in flowering in May, sowing in March can result in flowering in June, but if sown in July, it will flower in the greenhouse from February to March of the following year. The seeds should not be too dense, as this can lead to damping off in seedlings. For biennial cultivation, pot sowing can be done in September. The optimal sowing temperature is 16-18°C. When sowing, water the pot soil thoroughly, and avoid direct watering after sowing. If the soil becomes dry and white, spray with a spray bottle or use the "pot immersion method" to keep the soil moist. Generally, germination occurs about 2 weeks after sowing.
II. Preparation of potting soil: For home cultivation, viola is usually grown in pots. The first step in potting is to prepare the cultivation soil, which is quite important. A pot is a special small environment, and using any single type of soil cannot meet all the needs of viola. Therefore, pot-grown viola must be artificially prepared with potting soil to replace the soil and keep the flowers fixed in the pot, with certain water retention, drainage, looseness, fertility, and good aeration. Viola prefers fertile, well-drained sandy loam soil. Generally, the potting soil for viola can be prepared with 30% decomposed leaf mold, 50% garden soil, and 20% sand. It is best to sterilize the prepared potting soil with high heat (by frying in a wok or steaming) before use, or it can also be sun-dried to kill bacteria.
III. Potting: When potting viola, choose a pot with good drainage and aeration. First, soak the new pot in water for a day, then place some broken tiles at the bottom of the pot, followed by some decomposed cake fertilizer, crushed bones, fish bones, chicken feathers, etc. as base fertilizer, then fill with potting soil. When planting, trim the injured and excessive fibrous roots of the viola plant, and make sure the roots are spread out. Fill the soil to half the pot, gently lift and shake the plant to compact the soil, and do not plant too deep. Keeping the rootstock level with the pot opening is sufficient. If it's too shallow, it will affect survival, and if it's too deep, it will affect the growth of the viola after transplanting. Water the plant thoroughly after planting. Initially, the plant should be protected from prolonged exposure to strong sunlight because the roots are not fully developed. After potting, place it in a shaded environment for about a week, then move it to a sunny area for maintenance.
IV. Daily management
1. Light: Viola needs a certain amount of light for growth but not too intense. Excessive sunlight in summer can affect growth. Light must be moderate, and proper shading is required during the intense sunlight hours of summer.
2. Watering management: Viola prefers moist soil but dislikes waterlogging. Therefore, it is important to water appropriately. Excessive watering can cause root rot. Viola enjoys fertilizer, water, and sufficient sunlight. During the growing season, water when the potting soil is dry. In high temperatures of spring and summer, water can be increased appropriately, while in autumn and winter, when temperatures are lower, watering should be reduced, and the amount of water should not be too much or too little.
3. Fertilization management: Apply a thin fertilizer 2-3 times during the growing season, with an interval of about 10 days for a compound fertilizer. The amount of fertilizer should not be too much or too little. Improper fertilization can significantly affect normal growth. Generally, no fertilization is done in winter. After pruning the withered flowers of viola, fertilization should be done appropriately.
4. Pruning: After the viola flowers wither, pruning should be done promptly.
The above introduction on how to cultivate and propagate viola and the specific introduction of viola cultivation and management, I hope everyone will like it!