Delicate refined viola, belonging to the famous Violet family, is so well known to everyone that it is impossible to find a person who is not familiar with the plant, which in Russia is also called "pansies". Anyone can grow such a flower.
Wild-growing representatives of this genus - the oldest plants, common, as a rule, in the mountainous regions of the temperate climatic zones of the Northern Hemisphere, existed more than two millennia ago. There are up to seven hundred varieties of them, and some of them are endemic to certain areas, for example, there are species found exclusively in the South American Andes, the Brazilian subtropics, the forests of Australia or New Zealand.
In the 16th century fragrant violet was cultivated, then mountain violet. Europeans got acquainted with the species, called Wittrock's viola, which is a hybrid of three plants - viola yellow, tricolor and Altai, in the 19th century. Today, this garden species has become the most popular culture, numbering several hundred varieties and varieties and decorating the gardens and parks of all European countries. Let's talk aboutthis culture, its passions, cultivation and care.
Viola Wittrock: species description
This famous violet is a perennial, biennial or annual herbaceous plant, reaching 15-30 cm in height, with a fibrous root system and a straight main shoot.
Different varieties have differently arranged leaves, simple or pinnate: equipped with stipules, they either develop from a basal rosette, or are alternately arranged on the stems. Viola flowers are solitary, growing from axils on thin peduncles and reaching very large sizes (5-7 cm in diameter), given the overall diminutiveness of the bush. In shape, they are simple, terry with wavy, corrugated or fringed edges. The upper petals of the flowers have peculiar marigolds, the lower ones with a small spur. The colors of the flowers of cultivated varieties are the most diverse: one- and multi-color, spotted, striped. Gardeners are especially fond of the fact that Wittrock's viola blooms generously, blooming up to 25 buds at the same time. The flowering period depends on the time of planting: from April to June or from August to the very cold. There are hybrids that can bloom all summer season. Ripened small brown seeds are collected in a fruit box. They remain viable for more than 2 years.
Garden classification
A perennial grown in gardens as a biennial plant and the most common type of violet in cultivation, called Wittrock's Viola, combines varieties of garden pansies, classifying them bydifferent categories: the timing and duration of flowering, the shape, size, color of flowers, the degree of their cold resistance.
So, if the basis is the size of the flowers and their number, simultaneously blooming on a bush, then the viola varieties are divided into large-flowered varieties, called grandiflora and multi-flowered varieties - multiflora. When selected as a criterion for coloring, varieties are conditionally classified into one-, two-, multi-color or spotted. There is no clear classification that defines the boundaries of varieties, since it is simply impossible to determine, because the same variety can be defined simultaneously in the group of spotted, two-color or multi-color.
Popular varieties
We will not dwell on listing all varieties and varieties, but let's talk about the most popular varieties today. For example, Wittrock's "Baroque" viola received recognition and love from gardeners - a spectacular, unpretentious culture that grows up to 30 cm and delights with abundant flowering of large bordered burgundy-terracotta flowers throughout the summer season. Planted in seedlings, this violet blooms in the year of planting. Wittrock's Baroque Viola captivates with its beauty and bright colors. Photos of this variety are presented in the article. The flowers reach a very large size - 5-7 cm in diameter.
Wittrock's Viola "Terry Lace" is even more decorative, from the name of which it becomes clear that this violet is the owner of large (6-8 cm) flowersamazing beauty with a relief corrugated edge. This variety is remarkable for its high degree of winter hardiness, unpretentiousness, the ability to develop excellently on soils of any composition and maintain continuous flowering throughout the season.
Viola Wittrock: cultivation
Viola is hardy and frost-resistant, it grows excellently in the shade, although it blooms more abundantly in the sun and its flowers are larger. Therefore, the site is chosen as sunny as possible, located at some elevation, without a close approach to groundwater. It has been noticed that violet can successfully grow on any, even the heaviest soils, but prefers moist, fertile loams. Before planting a plant, the soil on the site should be prepared by digging a shovel onto a bayonet and adding 10 kg of humus and peat and 5 kg of sand per 1 square meter.
Sowing seedlings
Seedlings are considered the best way to grow viola. This makes it possible to get a blooming flower bed already in the summer, while the seeds sown in June in open ground will go through a two-year cycle of development and flowers will appear by the beginning of next summer.
Such are the botanical characteristics of a plant such as Wittrock's Viola. Growing from seeds begins in February-March with soaking for a day in a biostimulant solution, for example, Epin, Zircon or Heteroauxin, the concentration of which corresponds to the recommendations in the instructions for the drug. Seedling containers are filled with a special substrate for violets purchased at the store, grooves are marked, sownprepared seeds and watered with settled water. After sprinkling the seeds with soil, the containers are covered with a transparent film or glass and placed in a room with an air temperature of 15-17˚С.
Seedlings and picks
Shoots appear after 10-15 days. As soon as germination begins, the film cover is removed, and seedling boxes are placed in a bright, cool place (+10˚С). Seedling care during this period consists in regular watering with warm water and applying a solution of complex fertilizer for seedlings every two weeks. With the advent of several true leaves, the grown seedlings are seated in separate pots. As a rule, this happens about a month and a half after germination.
With intensive growth of seedlings, you have to dive the viola again, but usually one dive operation is enough. In addition, the amazing endurance of the violet allows it to take root well in the flower bed even after planting flowering plants.
Terms for planting in a flower bed
Viola seedlings are planted in open ground, focusing on the climatic features of the area. This usually happens at the end of April or May. The main thing is to plant the plant after the threat of return frosts has passed, since the fragile and unrooted violets will not endure sharp cold snaps. The planting technology is simple: the seedlings are placed in prepared holes with an interval of 10-15 cm, the roots are sprinkled with earth, the soil is compacted around the plants and watered generously. Perennial varieties of viola grow strongly and over timelose their decorativeness. Their best varieties are easily propagated by cuttings.
Caring for viola outdoors
The complex of caring activities is simple and traditional for planting crops such as Wittrock's Viola.
Care consists in periodic loosening of the soil and removal of germinating weeds. Given the peculiarities of the development of the root system of the plant, and it is superficial and located no deeper than 15-20 cm, the level of humidity should be controlled and the soil should be kept moist during hot periods. To prolong flowering, it is necessary to cut off faded buds, since the ripening of seeds draws the plant's strength, significantly reducing the intensity of flowering.
In addition, high-quality flowering is impossible without good top dressing. Viola Wittrock responds with luxurious flowering to the monthly application of ammonium nitrate or superphosphate in the amount of 25-30 grams per 1 square meter.
The listed care steps are acceptable for all varieties of garden violets, including Viola Wittrock "Baroque". Growing from seeds seedlings and subsequent planting in open ground is the most reliable way to get a bright, rainbow-colored flower bed.
Viola diseases and pests
Agricultural cultivation of violets is simple, but failure to follow these simple rules leads to problems. Pest attacks or diseases are often the result of not following these steps. Often Wittrock's viola suffers from powdery mildew, white bloom,appearing on leaves, stems and flowers.
This happens when overfeeding with nitrogen fertilizers and lack of phosphorus-potassium or adverse weather conditions, when hot dry days alternate with cold matinees with abundant dew. Too much moisture can cause gray mold and blackleg. Eliminate such diseases by spraying with a solution of "Fundazol", caustic soda or infusion of ground sulfur with the removal of the affected parts of the plants.
Of insect pests, caterpillars of clover scoop and violet mother-of-pearl, rapidly and quickly eating viola leaves, are of particular danger. They are destroyed by spraying a solution of chlorophos, karbofos or tobacco infusion.
Collecting seeds
Seeds left on peduncles ripen in mid-August - September. After the flowers wither, small boxes with small brown seeds are formed. It is important not to miss the moment of their ripening, as the boxes open and scatter the seeds. The readiness of seeds for collection is manifested by turning the seed pods up. They are carefully cut, the seeds are removed and laid out to dry, and then stored in the basement or refrigerator, as they need stratification.
If the seed boxes are not specially removed, then the seeds are sown on their own, and such spontaneous seedlings can be seen in the fall or next spring. In this case, the seedlings are planted in prepared places, bypassing the seedling period and the accompanyinghim procedures, time and effort.
Winter chores
The bred varieties of perennial violets, to which Wittrock's Viola belongs, (the photo is presented in the publication) can withstand even very severe frosts (up to -30 ºC), if, with the onset of real cold weather, the plantings are covered with spruce branches or mulched with dry plant residues.
These are the features of caring for cute and unpretentious violets that adorn garden and park interiors, pleasing life-affirming colors and amazing flowering time for both amateur and professional gardeners.
