Violets have gained such popularity among flower growers due to the fact that they require a very simple personal care. They generously “thank” their owners for their magnificent flowers. Rosettes of these plants grow quite quickly, violets can be easily propagated, and so that buds are tied to the culture, no special efforts are required. The main task when caring for violets is to ensure continuous flowering. For this, special dressings are used. But how to feed violets? This is what will be discussed in this article.
How to fertilize
Before answering the question of how to feed violets, you should pay attention to the cases in which this procedure should not be performed:
- Within one month after the transplant.
- At an air temperature that is not normal.
- Under the influence of direct sunlight.
- With existing diseases or under the influence of various pests on the plant.
Speaking about how to feed violets, there is a double opinion. Some gardeners say that these plants do not need to be fertilized at all, while others say that top dressing is essential for violets. In this case, you need to take a closer look at your green pet. If the violet was transplanted, it took root, began to actively develop, released a flower stalk and began to delight with its first gorgeous flowers, but after a while the inflorescences began to wither, and nothing changed in the care, then the culture needs additional feeding.
If the flower is sick or damaged by some pests, then before applying fertilizers, the violet must first be cured. Before answering the question of how to feed violets, you should pay attention to the fact that top dressing is not applied to dry soil. First, the soil mixture must be slightly moistened, and then only pour the solution with fertilizers.
What should be fertilizer
How to feed home violets? First of all, in feeding, which is intended for a young culture, should contain a large amount of nitrogen, since this element contributes to the growth of green mass.
And how to feed a violet for flowering? In order for the senpolia to please the owner with its gorgeous colors, it should be fertilized with products that contain potassium and phosphorus. In this case, complex fertilizers are used, designed specifically for flowering indoor plants. Also, talking about how to feed the violet for abundant flowering, it should be borne in mind that fertilizers should contain 2 times more phosphorus and potassium than nitrogen.
Fertilizer Name
Those people who have been cultivating violets for a long time know that ordinary soil from the garden is not intended for growing these crops. In order for the plant to feel good, it is necessary to purchase special soil, which is sold in specialized flower shops. As a rule, the cost of such a mixture is low. In order for the violet to please with its abundant flowering, its root system must be free.
As a rule, chernozem, which is taken from the garden, is sticky, dense, which is why the roots of the plant cannot develop normally. In the end, there can be no talk of any colors. But even if the soil was purchased in a store, the violet should be fed periodically so that it blooms and successfully develops. How to feed violet at home? This plant needs the elements described below:
- Nitrogen. Fertilizers with this substance are necessary so that the violet grows actively, and its leaves are saturated green.
- Phosphorus. This element activates the development of the root system, and also helps buds to be laid.
- Potassium promotes flowering, and also increases resistance to various pathogens.
- Magnesium and sulfur. These elements activate plant growth, as well as the formation of chlorophyll.
- Calcium. Fertilizers, which contain this mineral, strengthen the tissue of culture, making the stalks the most durable.
- Iron, as well as a complex of trace elements, which includes silicon, manganese, zinc cobalt, boron, copper.
To provide the plant with chic leaves, the culture is fed exclusively with special compounds. As a rule, such products contain nitrogen. But here you should not overdo it, otherwise, the violet will devote all its forces to the formation of leaf plates. If the soil contains a large amount of potassium, then the leaf plates may turn yellow and fall. If such a problem arose, then the green pet should be transplanted immediately into new soil.
Varieties of Feeding
How to feed blooming violets? To answer this question, you should pay attention to the fact that all fertilizers are divided into several groups. You should read them in more detail separately.
Simple mineral
This type of top dressing includes superphosphate, which balances the acidity of the soil, and also stimulates flowering. This substance is sold in the form of granules, which are very poorly soluble in water. For this reason, they are recommended to be used as an additive to the soil during transplantation. To do this, 1 teaspoon of superphosphate is taken on 1 liter of soil mixture.
Complex mineral
Considering how to feed violets to bloom, you should pay attention to the fact that for these purposes you can use complex mineral fertilizers. They come in universal or specialized applications. When choosing top dressing, first of all, you should pay attention to the composition that is indicated on the label. There must be listed the main nutrients. The best fertilizers are: "Forte", "Uniflor", "Master", "Etisso", "Pokon".
Organic
How can I feed the violet yet? This crop should also be fueled with organic fertilizers. This should include manure, humus, as well as humic preparations. At home, humic fertilizers are often used, for example, "Rainbow", "Gummy", "Ideal".
If inexperienced gardeners do not know how to feed the children violets, then in order to fully provide the necessary elements, they should be fertilized in turn with organic and mineral compounds.
Manganese Solution
As for home dressing, for the preparation of fertilizer, you can use a pale pink solution based on potassium permanganate. This violet is watered no more than once a month. This procedure is able to saturate the culture with the necessary potassium, manganese, while slightly increasing the acidity of the soil. In parallel with this, a manganese solution leaches all excess salts from the soil. After watering the plant, all leaked water must be drained from the drainage holes.
Feeding Technique
It is very important to know how to properly feed violets at home. The development of the plant will depend on this. It is also worth paying attention to the fact that the technique is absolutely the same for all varieties of senpolia. There are foliar and root dressings.
Root dressing
For fertilizing by the root method, the water should be boiled, filtered or settled for a day. The temperature of the liquid should be slightly higher than room temperature. The drug is dissolved in water according to the instructions that are attached to it. This applies to those cases when a special fertilizer is used, intended for feeding violets.
If universal fertilizer is used, then the concentration is 2 times less than indicated on the package.
Topping up miniature varieties of violets is carried out with a concentration of the solution, which is half less than for normal use. Top dressing is applied no more than once a month. Crops are poured with a ready-made solution in the usual way: fertilizers are poured under the sheets so as not to affect the central part of the outlet.
If a large number of violets are planted in the pot, then it is best to fertilize from a pallet. To do this, in a container of sufficient depth, pour nutrient fertilizer, put a pot of violets in it. Plants should stand in this pan for 15-30 minutes. An earthen lump should be completely saturated with fertilizer during this time. After that, the pots are removed, and all excess liquid flows out.
Root dressing
Violets are very responsive to foliar application. Nutrients in this case get much faster inside the plant. This should be done very carefully, following all the rules. Delayed drops of fertilizer can cause leaf decay or sunburn. Foliar top dressing is carried out on clean leaf plates in the evening when the sun has set. It can also be done on a cloudy day. The concentration of the solution should be half as much as for root dressing. Spraying is recommended on the back of the leaves.
Homemade dressing
Few people know, but at home, you can independently prepare solutions for fertilizing violets. For this, substances that a person uses in everyday life are used.
For example, violets are fed with tea. For this, dry tea leaves are mixed with the ground in a ratio of 1: 3. This method is ideal for the earth to become loose and light. The structure of the soil mixture is improving, and the culture begins to grow much faster and takes on an attractive and healthy appearance. Fertilizers based on black tea can reliably protect the soil from drying out. This is an undoubted plus, since violets are hygrophilous plants and very easily lose their tone with the slightest lack of moisture. That is why feeding violets with black tea gives the plant protection against drying out.
Another very effective tool is coffee grounds, which is used as top dressing. It can also be used to give the soil greater friability. To prepare the fertilizer, you need to mix the coffee grounds with soil, after which the resulting mixture is poured into a pot with violet. In summer, it is worth paying attention to the fact that after applying fertilizer, the plants do not water for some time. This will be appropriate in cases where the culture lacks acidity in the soil.
Senpolias are wonderful plants that, when properly maintained, will delight their master with flowering almost throughout the year. To achieve this, you must periodically apply fertilizer.