Violets are considered moody plants, and not every amateur grower can find a common language with them the first time. It is difficult enough to find such a place on the windowsill so that the delicate leaves of these flowers do not burn from the summer heat. The eastern and northern windows are considered the ideal location for them, but it often happens that even under ideal conditions the violet refuses to bloom and its leaves fade. It is even more difficult to propagate the plant, especially if it is a rare variety. Cuttings rot in water or dry, without giving offspring.
But this does not apply to the antique violet Paul Banyan. This variety may have stood on the windowsills of our grandmothers, delighting them with its flowering. The flower is very unpretentious, it is able to grow in almost any conditions: in the bright sun or in almost complete darkness. Of course, it is difficult for his small terry inflorescences to compete with chic modern hybrids, but with his vitality he is gaining more and more fans. The flowers of the violet Paul Banyan come in several shades: from lilac-violet to almost blue. This classic coloring looks equally good in any interior.
Grade Features
Even a beginner florist, previously not familiar with the agrotechnics of violets, will be able to grow the Saint Pauli variety Paul Banyan and bring it to bloom. Incorrect watering, drying, insufficient lighting - it suffers any adversity. Of course, in this variety you will not train to look after other, more capricious violets. But you need to decorate your windowsill with an abundantly flowering large plant.
Saintpaulia Paul Bunyan (Storytella) has small, about 2.5 cm in diameter, lilac flowers with a slight sheen, star-shaped. In addition, venous veins adorn them. The leaves are rather large, light green in color, on long stalks, very pubescent. A standard-sized rosette grows very quickly: often a flower is divided into several rosettes. Because of this, the plant has to be transplanted often to separate the children. Peduncles are high, but in low light they hide under the leaves. It blooms for a long time, throughout the season, sometimes even in winter.
Reproduction of the Saintpaulia Paul Banyan in a jar of water
Propagate the violet by dividing the bush or leafy cuttings at any time of the year, but it is best in the spring. They take root easily even in water, and often give babies along the stalk. The sheet needs to be cut with a sharp knife at an angle of 45 degrees, but the cuttings take root well, even if they are simply broken off from the bush and stuck in the ground. It is advisable not to cut off a too long shoot, 4 cm will be enough. When using the water method, the first roots appear after 3 weeks. If there are not too many leaves for propagating violets, it is advisable to play it safe and make a special “holder” for the leaf, which will not allow the lower part to touch the bottom of the can. To do this, take a regular sheet of paper, make an incision in the center and put it on top of the container, wrapping it with twine.
Cuttings in the soil
You can do otherwise by planting the cuttings immediately in the ground or in a peat tablet. Typically, such leaves are covered with a package, creating greenhouse conditions, but for violet Paul Bunyan this is not necessary. It is enough to spill the ground or peat tablet with boiling water for disinfection, cool and place the cut stalk there. Sometimes, in order not to transplant the baby then, gardeners plant the leaf immediately in the pot, but then you will have to wait a long time for the first flowering, because the young plant will spend its energy on growing the roots until it fills the entire soil volume. That is why for planting young violets they try to take small containers, for example ordinary transparent plastic cups. The roots and the amount of moisture that remains in the soil are visible in them, so it will immediately be clear when to water the flower. If the fear of losing the stalk of the plant is too great, you can cover it with a jar on top or put in a greenhouse. But then the plant will need to be gradually accustomed to dry air, removing the jar for a while and increasing the interval.
Reproduction by dividing the bush
One of the features of the blooming violet Paul Bunyan is the constant education of children on the uterine bush. Because of this, the plant is deformed and loses its attractive appearance, therefore, it requires regular transplantation with separation of the shoots. Cut babies are often without roots, but they can be turned into full-fledged violets if the trunk is cleaned, dipped in a root formation enhancer and placed in a bottle of water. It is important that the growth point is not flooded, otherwise the plant will rot. Due to the limited access of air, the water in the tank must be changed regularly. When the roots appear, the violet is transplanted into the ground. Children with roots are already young plants: they simply need to be separated from the mother liquor and transplanted into another container. The plant is placed on a light window sill and watered in a pan with settled water at room temperature. Feeding can be a month later.
Soil for violets
A special earthen mixture for the senpolia can be purchased at a flower shop or prepared on your own by mixing one part of sand, peat and 4 parts of leafy soil. Sometimes coniferous soil and baking powder are added: perlite, vermiculite. Perlite is better suited because it does not trap excess moisture inside. The soil must be nutritious so that the violet has the strength to bloom. Some gardeners, to facilitate the care of a large collection, use "wick watering." It allows you to protect plants from waterlogging or overdrying earthen coma.
Wick watering
You can make a wick when planting a plant using a special cord. On it, as much moisture as necessary for normal growth and development will rise to the roots of the plant. The main condition: to make a special soil without adding land, otherwise the violets may die. For wick watering use a mixture of peat, vermiculite and perlite. Coconut substrate is sometimes added . At the bottom of the pot is placed a cord folded into a ring, and its tip is brought out through the hole. Then the soil is poured on top and a flower is planted in it. You need to put the plant in a pan with water so that the soil is nourished, and then in a container with water, where the other end of the cord will be. It remains only to regularly add liquid and nutrient solutions, because in perlite and moss there are no trace elements necessary for violet. The disadvantage of this method is that in winter such plants will need additional heating: water in the tanks will greatly cool the root system, and this can cause decay of the roots and rosettes.
Selection of a pot for violets
The pots for violets are chosen small in size, its diameter should correspond to about 2/3 of the outlet. In too large pots, the plant will increase its root mass and green for a long time, and not bloom. In addition, too much soil can lead to overfilling of the plant if the roots of the flower do not have time to absorb water. But for growing violets, Paul Banyan is better to take containers a little more than for other violets, because this variety grows very quickly and can form many children.
Senpolias do not like clay pots, because they get very wet, and high humidity increases the risk of infection with fungal diseases. It is better to take a light plastic container that does not heat up in the sun and is not saturated with moisture. Violets are not planted in glazed heavy pots because they do not “breathe”.
Senpolia Care Paul Banyan
Violet of this variety is extremely undemanding to the conditions of detention, but for abundant flowering it is advisable to provide it with a light windowsill, without access to direct sunlight, and enough space. Comfortable temperature for violet Paul Banyan is 20 degrees Celsius. Water the plant moderately, with warm water into the pan, but it will survive the surface watering, although other varieties often rot from this. The main thing is that the liquid does not get into the center of the outlet. It is impossible to spray the plant because of the pubescent leaves - then spots appear on them. In summer, violets are fed complex fertilizer or organic. Transplanted as needed when the flower grows. Sick and damaged leaves are removed, leaving a small stump, slices can be treated with activated charcoal. Caring for the varieties of Saint Paulia Paul Banyan is quite simple and does not cause difficulties even for beginner gardeners. The plant is rarely damaged by pests and practically does not get sick.
Violet Paul Banyan: description, features of cultivation and reviews
In winter, this variety can withstand some shading, but it is better to substitute it under the lamps, if possible. Then the violet will delight the hosts with new buds for most of the year. Although, by modern standards, flowering is considered inconspicuous, but few varieties can boast so plentiful and long flowering. Judging by the descriptions and reviews of the violet Paul Banyan on the forums of plant lovers, this variety is unpretentious and plentifully blooming, but he does not like close proximity to other plants. When the leaves come in contact with the barrier, they can rot. It is advisable to place the flower in a place where there is no drafts, and the distance to neighboring pots or other objects is at least 3 cm. This variety does not require any special growing conditions, even with minimal care, the Saint-Paulis variety Paul Banyan will delight the owner with abundant flowering and beautiful smooth a nice green rosette.