In what soil does violet grow. What kind of soil do violets need? Fertilizers for Saintpaulia

Who, after all, is closest to the truth? Let's dig!

Pros and cons of natural land

Even in the most provincial city, there is at least one outlet related to the flower theme. Actually, there you can buy ready-made soil. Of course, the assortment in the "outback" differs significantly from that in the metropolis. The fact is that the highest quality, almost ready-to-use, soils (for example, GREENWORLD brands) are more expensive, and you are unlikely to find them in small shops. The owners of such stores simply do not want to import expensive "land" for fear of not finding buyers for it.

More budget options are not always of the proper quality. Yes, and the information indicated on the package sometimes does not correspond to what is inside it. Here, in most cases, the “dog is buried” in the unwillingness to use purchased soils. And, as you know, bad news spreads much faster than good news, and is remembered longer. Because of such individual cases, in a certain circle of amateur flower growers, there was an opinion that it is better not to get involved in trade, but to go into the field and dig up as much as you need. And you don’t have to pay money at all - sheer savings!

Indeed, there are cases when such a position is justified. Well, there are no factory soils in rural stores - and that's it! In fact, do not write them out by mail? Although, some advanced violet growers from the “outback” do this, but this is rather an exception.

In general, let's put a "plus" to the natural soil for free. This is where the pros end and the cons begin.

The first, most important, fattest minus - pests and diseases .

What can you not drag with gratuitous land! This is especially true for flower growers "gardeners" - owners summer cottages. It is with garden soil that phytophthora is brought in, various rots, . And do not think that you will avoid this by taking land in an "environmentally friendly" forest. ON THE PICTURE: The nematode brought with garden soil strikes root system violets

You can, of course, do steaming / frying garden soil. Well, if you have the opportunity to carry out this procedure on the street. But if you start “cooking” at home in the kitchen, then it is unlikely that the aromas exuded by the prepared “dish” will please both your household and yourself. Yes and bad smell it fades away for a very long time.

It is naive to think that by steaming or roasting the soil brought from the fields, you got rid of its unwanted inhabitants. Of course, moving creatures will be destroyed by high temperatures, but pest eggs, pathogenic fungal spores, and weed seeds will most likely survive.

After heat treatment for quite a long time, such land cannot be used for planting and transplanting. It is “dead”, in it, along with pathogenic flora and pests, beneficial microorganisms are also destroyed.

Why processing natural land does not solve problems?

Nature, as you know, does not tolerate emptiness, and the most adapted and resilient "enemies" will become the first inhabitants of such soil. Under normal conditions, their activity was suppressed due to the opposition of antagonist bacteria, i.e. a certain balance of "the forces of good and evil" was observed. But, after such an intervention, the pathogens that occupied the territory first, in the absence of competitors, begin to actively multiply, practically giving no chance for the development of “good” bacteria. A plant planted in such soil is doomed to death in advance.

Therefore, the land subjected to heat treatment, are forcibly populated with beneficial bacteria, treated with drugs such as Fitosporin and Baikal EM-1. "Fitosporin" will suppress the vital activity of pathogenic microflora, and "Baikal EM-1", containing several cultures of beneficial microorganisms, will restore the microflora in the soil.

The soil prepared in this way "stands" for at least a month - and only then is it ready for use.

It is wrong to believe that deep freezing can solve all problems with the pathogenic environment. After defrosting, even earthworms that have fallen into this earth return to life, and not just spores and pests.

ON THE PICTURE: earthworms easily tolerate freezing soil

What is pH and why is it important to know it?

natural land in different regions our country is different: one contains more sand, the other is loamy. As a rule, it is always quite "heavy" for violets and requires the introduction of additional components in significant quantities.

Saintpaulia is also important for normal growth and flowering. soil pH. This is an indicator of the concentration of hydrogen ions (H +) in the soil, i.e. its acidity. The lower its value, the more acidic it is.

Saintpaulias prefer slightly acidic soil (6.3–6.8), close to neutral. And how sure can you be that the earth you have mined has the necessary acidity? This means that you need to get a special device for measuring pH, or at least indicator strips (although they only show approximate values).
ON THE PICTURE: An electronic pH meter will accurately determine the acidity of the soil, but not everyone can afford it. A budget option- indicator strips - will not give the desired measurement accuracy

Well, then decide: do you need this hassle with natural land?

Pros and cons of factory soils

Ready soil in a specialized point of sale It has, perhaps, one minus - you have to pay money for it. And then we will note the pluses. There are quite a few of them:

Purchased soil is treated for pests and diseases, it does not contain weed seeds.
It's ready to use as soon as you bring it from the store.
It contains the necessary trace elements and fertilizers.
known pH.
All information about the composition of the soil, additives - if any (perlite, expanded clay), mineral fertilizers added to it is displayed on the package.
No need to deal with the preparation of soil in the warm season, suffer with its processing and subsequent storage.

ON THE PICTURE: The packaging contains complete information about the soil: its structure, chemical composition; introduced mineral or organic fertilizers, baking powder additives

Of course, purchased soils are most often just the basis for preparing an earthen mixture for saintpaulias - with the exception, perhaps, of not the cheapest trademarks type "Vermion" or GREENWORL. They can be used immediately as soon as you decide to start a transplant. Most soils, when it comes to uzambar violets, require some “finishing”.

Almost all the soils offered by trade are made on the basis of riding (red peat). The exception is special nutrient soils type of biohumus - they are good to use as an additive to "peat" soils.

Tip: when choosing a soil, carefully study the information on its composition indicated on the package. Take the one where it is clearly indicated, based on which one peat made up this soil.

High and lowland peat: is there a fundamental difference?

The fact is that peat can be both riding (red) and lowland (black). Lowland peat has a higher pH (5.5–7.0) than more acidic highland peat. It would seem that with such an indicator it is ideal for saintpaulias, but ...

Soil acidity is not the most important factor for plants! Watering tap water will still change it closer to neutral. But the structure of the soil is extremely important! Lowland peat consists of small particles resembling black sand. It is free-flowing, prone to caking, there is little air in it. Due to this, water will stagnate in the soil based on this peat, which will entail the risk of rotting of the root system.

High-moor peat is fundamentally different from it in structure. The plant fibers from which it is formed have not yet been fully processed, giving it a reddish color. In comparison with the lowland, it is more loose and fibrous, has a relatively large particle size. Thanks to these fibers, red peat is more breathable - "airy". In such soil, the roots have the least risk of rotting from waterlogging.
ON THE PICTURE: Low-moor and high-moor peat visually differ from each other in color and structure.

Therefore, if possible, we choose soil based on high-moor peat (well, or with a small admixture of lowland peat - if there is no particular choice) and proceed to the sacrament of preparing an earthen mixture for Saintpaulia.

We compose the earth mixture

Depending on the qualitative composition of the purchased soil, the amount of baking powder used will vary: more of them need to be added to denser soil. But the principle is still the same. Approximate the composition for transplanting adult Saintpaulias will be as follows:

purchased soil - 5 liters;
perlite - 1 cup;
vermiculite - 1 glass;
finely chopped sphagnum moss - 0.5 liters (approximately two handfuls);
charcoal- half a glass.

ON THE PICTURE: Components for compiling an earth mixture in which saintpaulias will grow

If one of the components is missing from you, you can compensate for it by increasing the amount of the other. For example, replace perlite with vermiculite, and vice versa.

Different varieties of Saintpaulia prefer different acidity. Some grow well and bloom in almost neutral soil; others will perform best in a more acidic one. But this is a topic for a separate discussion.

It should be noted that for the rooting of leaf cuttings, more baking powder should be added to the soil - up to 50%.

Don't be afraid to experiment with your "magic" earthy mix, but don't overdo it either. If your violets are growing and blooming well, then everything is in order. Remember that the best is the enemy of the good.
ON THE PICTURE: Are you still digging? ;)

Give preference to purchased soils - do not chase "freebies".
Carefully read the information on the package with soil, try to choose soil based on high-moor peat.
Remember that the preparation of the earth mixture requires individual approach depending on what "age" category of saintpaulias you are preparing it for.

Uzambara (Uzumbarskaya) violet- a plant of the Gesneriev family, grows in natural environment tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, Africa, Eastern Australia, South America and islands of the Indian Ocean.

Saintpaulia- a plant named after the father and son of Saint-Paul, who brought a plant unknown to Europeans from the Uzambara district (modern Tanzania) in the 19th century, presented for the first time at the international flower exhibition in Ghent in 1893.

Violet room one of the most popular in indoor floriculture plants since 1927. Already by 1949, more than 100 varieties were bred, and today their number exceeds several thousand.

rooting- possibly in water, in the substrate, moss.

Priming- purchased soil or a mixture of leafy, coniferous, soddy and peat soil in a ratio of 3: 1: 2: 1 with the addition of baking powder (perlite, vermiculite, river sand, crushed sphagnum moss.

Lighting- it is best to put flower pots on the western or eastern windows. In order for the plant to be evenly lit from all sides, the pots are periodically rotated. In winter, when daylight hours decrease, you can use artificial lighting - fluorescent lamps.

Care- real art and serious painstaking work at the same time, including watering, fertilizing, creating a favorable humid climate. Water Saintpaulia as the soil dries. The soil must be regularly moistened, but excess moisture should not stagnate in the roots. When watering, it is necessary to ensure that water does not fall on the leaves. Do not water the uzambar violet cold water. Top dressing is carried out with a complex mineral fertilizer once in two weeks. Saintpaulia reacts negatively to a lack of nitrogen in the soil. The optimum air humidity is approximately 50%, the temperature is 20-22 ° C, without sharp fluctuations and drafts. The leaves of the plant must not touch window glass. Removal of faded flowers and damaged leaves is carried out regularly.

reproduction- landing leaf cutting, part of a leaf, child outlet. The most popular method is rooting a leaf cutting. The formation of roots and the development of children lasts 4-8 weeks.

Pests- this is one of the problems of the grower. There are many various kinds pests, it is very difficult to classify them. Among the pests of Saintpaulia, several groups can be distinguished: mites (spider, flat, transparent, etc.), insects (aphids, thrips, springtails, podura, mealybugs, whiteflies, scale insects, etc.), worms (nematode).

Diseases- distinguish between infectious gray rot, powdery mildew) and non-infectious diseases (rotting of the stem and root, wilting of the lower leaves, yellowing, leaf spotting, incomplete opening and premature drying, falling flowers) of plants. The causative agents of infectious diseases are bacteria, fungi, viruses. To prevent infectious disease it is necessary to strictly observe the modes of watering, temperature, humidity, illumination. Non-communicable diseases usually occur due to violations of agricultural practices. They may appear on one instance and not spread to others.

One of critical factors success in growing saintpaulias - a properly composed earthen mixture. What should it be so that adult plants bloom luxuriantly and do not get sick, cuttings take root safely, and young rosettes grow quickly? As you know, each collector has his own, proven by many years of experience, the composition of the earth mixture.

as show laboratory research, soils that are sold in stores have a number of disadvantages: firstly, too high acidity; secondly, an excess or lack of macro- and microelements; thirdly, the soil is too heavy, which is quickly compacted. What to do if it is not possible to collect various components in the forest yourself? Many years of experience of violet growers proves that the use of " ready soils"possible. Plants are presented at exhibitions in the House of Violets, most of which are grown on purchased soils.

In order for plants to develop and bloom well, the soil must be loose, moisture-absorbing, breathable, contain required amount nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, have a slightly acidic environment - pH 5.5-6.5.

There are various components that are recommended to be added to the purchased soil so that it meets the above requirements.

	Perlite - rock volcanic origin. It is added to the soil up to 30% of the volume, making the mixture lighter, breathable, loose, which prevents caking, clumping, compaction. Thanks to these properties, the roots develop well in the plant, air exchange is not disturbed.
	Vermiculite - natural material from the hydromica group. It is added to the soil in the same way as perlite, up to 30% of the volume. The main difference between perlite and vermiculite is that vermiculite retains water longer, while perlite releases it faster, providing air exchange and oxygen delivery to the roots.
	Sphagnum moss is hydroscopic, makes the substrate breathable. And thanks to the antiseptic substance sphagnum has antibacterial, disinfectant and antifungal properties. It is also added to the soil (approximately 20-30%).
	Charcoal - good antiseptic, it prevents rotting and acidification of the soil, and also absorbs salts and improves soil structure.

We offer an approximate soil recipe based on purchased:

6 parts of purchased soil;
1 part perlite;
1 part vermiculite;
1 part sphagnum moss;
1 part coal.

It is important not to forget about drainage. Fine expanded clay or perlite can be used as drainage.

When compiling the soil, each grower uses his own recipe. You can add more or less of each baking powder, use additional components (sand, pine bark, needles, etc.). The main thing is that the result is a loose, not very heavy, homogeneous substrate that can provide air and water access to the roots.

Such soil can also be used for violet relatives from the Gesneriaceae family - gloxinia, synningia, streptocarpus, khirit, etc.

We wish you success in growing plants!

Galina Lunyakova

Violet (saintpaulia) is not an unpretentious plant to care for. One of the main conditions that must be met for the normal life of Saintpaulia is the right soil. It must be balanced, contain nutrients, have the right structure and acidity. Flower care is equally important.

Modern flower growers often use ready-made soil that meets all the necessary parameters. But it does not always turn out to be of high quality, so you need to know what kind of land is needed and is the most suitable for violets.

You can prepare it yourself, knowing which components must be included in its composition.

soil for the plant

The soil must have certain characteristics so that violets can bloom normally in it.

In this regard, the land taken in the park is not suitable for growing Saintpaulia, adjoining territory etc.:

Acidity. The soil should be neutral, and its optimal acidity should be from 6.5 to 6.8 Ph. If this indicator is lower, the plant will not receive all the necessary nutrients which could lead to his death. With increased acidity, violets do not receive the right amount phosphorus, because of which they become oppressed, lethargic;
Breathability. The plant must be planted in loose soil that is well breathable.

Composition

It directly depends on how well the flower will take root, whether it will be healthy.

As a rule, the soil purchased in ready-made, contains peat. After a few months, it hardens, air does not penetrate well through it, so the plant will not be able to stay in it for a long time.

In this case, you will need to transplant the flower.

Therefore, it is better to prepare the soil with your own hands by adding the following components:

Leaf humus (usually used birch);
Perlite. This substance is a small balls of white color. They have a shiny surface, and are added to the soil for loosening. You can buy perlite in the store;
Vermiculite. It is often used in conjunction with perlite, but only this baking powder can be used. The substance has the ability to retain moisture, which the plant needs so much, and passes air well;
Turf. For him it is better to go to the grove;
Moss-sphagnum (they are often replaced with vermiculite). It can be found near water bodies, in humid forests, in swampy areas. Not only fresh moss is used, but also dried. Some flower growers harvest sphagnum for the future, simply by freezing it in freezer in order to, if necessary, prepare the soil for the plant with your own hands;
River sand. Its main task is to protect the soil from dehydration. For the mixture, ordinary sand taken from the river bank is suitable.

In small quantities, peat is added to the mixture, which gives the flower the necessary amount of organic substances and minerals. If all the components of the soil are correctly selected, it will not dry out.

It is better to prepare all the components in advance if you are going to transplant the plant.

If you still decide to purchase ready-made land for growing saintpaulias, its composition can be enriched with perlite, coconut substrate, sphagnum. Such mixtures have their own advantages. They consist primarily in the fact that they are biologically sterile, therefore, violets will not be threatened by various harmful microorganisms, bacteria.

Experienced flower growers know that the plant requires good drainage. Therefore, in their practice, such a recipe for preparing the land for growing violets is often used: expanded clay is placed in the pot almost halfway, then charcoal is added, and soil purchased ready-made or prepared independently is poured on top.

For some of those who have recently decided to start breeding saintpaulias, the fact that in their natural environment this flower grows in rather poor soil is misleading.

From this it is concluded that violets bloom in almost any soil. In fact, the land in which the plant lives is rich necessary elements. Without them, it can not do either at home or in the natural environment.

The ratio of the components

Flower growers with experience usually "by eye"Determine how many components to use for the soil. As a rule, vermiculite and perlite are combined in a ratio of 1:1.5 and a glass of the mixture is added to 1 bucket of earth with the rest of the ingredients.

Why is it so desirable that the land for violets be prepared with your own hands? For mixtures collected independently, natural components are usually taken. This is important for the health of the plant, which will receive the full range of necessary substances.

In addition, this approach significantly reduces the risk of damage to flowers. various insects and harmful microorganisms. An important advantage of natural ingredients lies in the fact that they do not contain chemical elements, so it is safe for humans and flowers.

fertilizers

Having learned what kind of soil the Saintpaulias need, it is worth learning about what kind of fertilizer they need. Only after adding this component will the soil be ready for violets to be planted in it. But this only applies to the case when you prepare the mixture yourself.

As a fertilizer, you can use ash or charcoal rich in minerals. Saturated with useful microelements and cow cakes (popularly they are called " mullein"). Before adding to the soil, they must be crushed. This type of fertilizer allows the root system to develop properly, so indoor flowers, thanks to it, will be healthy and have a beautiful appearance.

One more good view fertilizers - eggshells, which reduce the acidity of the soil, enrich it with calcium, potassium.

Ready-made mixtures purchased at the store do not need to add fertilizers. An excess of these substances also adversely affects Saintpaulias.

Landing

When you have decided what soil you will plant violets in, prepared it (or bought it), it is advisable to let the soil settle for several weeks. If this is not possible, plant flowers in fresh soil.

Many flower growers know that violet is a very whimsical plant. It is afraid of drafts and, if not properly cared for, dies very quickly. Therefore, when choosing soil for planting violets, you need to know some of the nuances. Which soil is better to choose you can read in this article.

Flower soil must always be mixed with different ingredients, whether it be fertilizer or soil additives, some standards must always be adhered to. Firstly, the soil must be light, it must not be compacted, it must contain air. It must be rich in trace elements to nourish the plant. Therefore, when choosing it, take the land on which nothing has grown for at least a year. Accordingly, before planting, the soil must be fed, as well as from time to time to use top dressing. Phosphorus and potassium are an integral part of any earth, thanks to these substances, your plant will always be healthy, it will bloom and delight the eye. Remember, also, that nitrogen must necessarily be part of the soil, but do not overdo it, stick to the proportions, otherwise you will destroy your plants due to excess nitrogen in the soil.

Thirdly, in any pot there must be drainage - this is necessary so that the moisture in the ground does not stagnate, and the roots of the flower do not rot. Drainage can be bought at a special flower growing store or you can make it yourself from broken brick. The main thing is to make drainage with a diameter of at least 1 cm, so that there is space between the pebbles, and water seeps through it. If you make a very shallow drainage, it will not bring any benefit, its presence will be useless, the water will stagnate and the flower will die.

In any case, when preparing a flower for planting, remember that the soil for the flower must be made by adding impurities to it, in ordinary soil the plant will die. If you do not want to make it yourself, you can purchase it at the store. Usually it is called "violet soil".

What you need to know in order to make the soil at home yourself? What impurities should be added and how not to harm the plant due to improperly selected components or their quantity.

There are many tips on how to create soil for violets, for example, you can get great soil if you mix it with peat and sand. Remember peat and sand should be 4 times less than the earth, that is, the proportions can be as follows (4: 1: 1). It is recommended to dig the earth better under deciduous trees; such earth is ideal for violets. But don't worry if you've been digging under coniferous trees, such land is also not bad and flowers will grow on it. Some people often add sphagnum moss, or fine charcoal, to the ground. This can be said to be a kind of subcortex for a flower. Moss must be poured with boiling water, then dried and ground, very finely. Then lay it neatly around the plant on the soil. Such moss will protect the plant from diseases, it performs a disinfecting effect. Coal fine helps to remove excess moisture. It can be used in the same way as conventional drainage. Just put the larger charcoal in the bottom of the pot and mix the smaller charcoal with the soil.

For best quality, often mix several types of land, the first is leafy, that is, the one that is collected in the forest where they grow deciduous trees. And the second, collected in the field, in the meadow, it is also called sod. It contains decayed plant roots.

The soil should be slightly acidic, and best of all slightly acidic, normal acidic soil is also suitable. If, however, the soil in your area is too acidic, you can solve this problem with dolomite flour. This is ordinary limestone, which is crushed to a state of flour. It is added to the soil in small quantities, it all depends on the level of acidity of the earth.

Not unimportant for violets and the size of the pot. Remember too large a pot, just as too small will not favorably affect the plant. Choose it by size, it is better to plant small cuttings in small pots with ready-made soil. When they grow up, they need to be transplanted and at the same time change the land. You can also use the old soil, just adding a new one, similar in composition, to it. Don't forget to feed the flower.

Very often in stores there is not high-quality soil, or the composition of the soil does not suit you. It doesn't matter, you can fix everything yourself, just add to the soil exactly those components that the plant needs most in your opinion. Suppose, if the violet is weak, and you decide to transplant it, then you need to add top dressing, naturally observing the dosage. Do not overfeed violets or they will stop blooming.

A great addition to your soil is coconut fiber. Although there are no nutrients in it, it perfectly absorbs excess moisture, and also makes it breathable. Finely chop the dry fiber and mix with the earth in a ratio of 1: 8. The earth should be at least 8 times more than this component.

If the buds of your violet fall off before they open, and the lower leaves deteriorate, turn yellow and fall off, this is the first sign that the soil is not acidic enough. Although you are feeding the soil, due to the low acidity, the plant will still lack nitrogen and phosphorus. In order to get rid of this problem, take the usual eggshell, dry it, then grind it into powder with a mortar or rocking chair and add this powder to the soil.

The second method will also save you from this problem, you will need the usual wood ash. Take two liters of settled water and add 1 tbsp. a spoonful of ash, mix well and pour your violets with such water.

If you want to know what is the acidity of the soil of your houseplants, you can buy in a special flower shop acidity indicator. Such a device will help you detect a decrease or increase in soil acidity, and you can always fix this problem in time.

If your violet leaves have changed color, turned purple, or have a bluish, purple, or red hue, this is a sign that the soil is deficient in phosphorus. The only exception is certain varieties of violets, which have this leaf color by nature. If this happened to your violet, feed it or adjust the acidity of the soil in a way familiar to you. Sometimes it happens that there is too much phosphorus, this also negatively affects the colors. In this case, the violet rosette gets old very quickly.

In any case, which fillers you would not choose for the soil, always remember a simple circuit. Drainage must necessarily beat in the soil, it must be fed, it must have an element that will absorb excess moisture. And the earth itself is best to take several types, then it will contain all the necessary trace elements that are needed for violets.

If you do everything right, the violet will not keep you waiting long. Soon you will be able to admire the beauty of its flowering. After all, green plants at home are not only aesthetic beauty, but also a guarantee of comfort and health, since houseplants purify the air in your home.