Violets are one of the flowers beloved by all for keeping on the windowsill. They delight the eye not only with green or variegated foliage, but also with lush flowering for a long time. One of the most popular varieties is the Firebird. The photo and description of the violet, as well as the rules for caring for the plant, are discussed below.
Specifications
This kind of violet was obtained thanks to the efforts of breeder S. Repkina. Violet Firebird has varietal characteristics that distinguish it from the rest:
- Large-sized flowers. They differ in their original color - blue petals interspersed with yellow. The flower petals have uneven edges, which makes the violet look semi-double.
- The foliage is large, fleshy, fleecy, of standard size.
- The legs of the leaves are small, so that the outlet turns out to be tight.
The difficulty in growing the Firebird violet variety is that it is not easy to achieve lush flowering. The plant throws 3-4 peduncles, on each of which are located 1-3 flowers. At the first flowering, a blue tint prevails, yellow appears only in subsequent cases.
Lighting
Senpolia or violets are considered quite demanding plants, so it is very important to create comfortable conditions for them in order to achieve the most abundant flowering. Caring for them means providing quality lighting. Ideal option is the natural light which gets on window sills. However, if it is not enough, it is necessary to organize artificial lighting. To do this, fluorescent lamps are used, the rays of light of which are sent to plants. Often they are used in winter, when the natural parameters are not enough, because the daylight hours for violets should be about 13-14 hours.
Despite the fact that Saintpaulia is a light-loving plant, it does not tolerate direct sunlight. For this reason, it is recommended to slightly shade it from aggressive solar radiation. For shading window sills, short curtains made of translucent materials are best suited, which only slightly cover the flowers, passing a sufficient amount of daylight.
Soil selection
The violet of the Firebird variety is quite demanding on the substrate in which it should grow. Most often, this is a universal primer for Saintpoly. It must contain such components:
- sheet and turf soil;
- perlite as a baking powder;
- peat;
- forest litter of fallen needles.
The earth should be light and uniform. It is also very important to use drainage to prevent fluid stagnation. For this, expanded clay is used, which must be placed at the bottom of the container in which the flower will grow.
Violet pot
These plants prefer small containers. The most commonly used are:
- 9 x 9 cm for adult plants with large foliage.
- 7 x 7 cm for violets with medium outlet sizes.
- 5 x 5 cm for mini flowers, as well as for rooting processes.
Pots should be made of the following materials:
- Plastic. It is characterized by low cost, lightness and durability. However, despite the advantages, plastic does not allow air to pass through at all. This problem can be solved by making several punctures in the walls of the container or by placing the pot on a cross-shaped elevation so that the air passes through the lower holes.
- Ceramic containers can be glazed or not. The former have an attractive appearance, and are also quite durable in use, however, like plastic, they do not let air through at all. Violets feel best in ceramic pots without glaze, but such containers tend to crumble over time.
Different pots differ not only in external properties and cost, but also in weight, which should be considered when buying. For example, a thin shelf is unlikely to withstand the severity of a large number of ceramic pots filled with earth.
Features of watering and top dressing
Violet RS Firebird needs regular soil moisture. There are several ways to do this:
- Gently water with a thin-necked bottle. In this case, you must ensure that water does not get into the outlet.
- Use a wick. Its role is played by a strip of synthetic matter, one end of which needs to be placed in a pot when transplanting the plant, and the other is dipped in a container of water. Thus, the violet itself will take the right amount of water.
- You can also pour water not directly into the ground, but into the pan in which the pot stands. Using this method, make sure that there are holes in the bottom of the pot.
Fertilizing is recommended no more than 1 time in 2 weeks. It is important to use complex liquid top dressings designed specifically for violets. They must be dissolved in water according to the instructions and water the plant. It is also not recommended that the fertilizer fall on the foliage, as this can lead to burns.
Breeding
There are only two ways to increase the population of Firebird violets:
- Rooting a leaf in the ground.
- Growing roots on a leaf in water.
The first method is considered the simplest, since for it you only need to process a fresh cut with a rooting agent and place it in the ground. After this, periodically moisten the soil and wait for the leaves to appear.
The second method is more complicated, but much more effective. It involves the following steps:
- The pre-cut dist should be placed in a container of water to a depth of about 1 cm.
- After a few weeks of waiting, the roots will appear.
- After their length reaches 2 cm, you need to transplant the sheet into the ground.
- When planting, roots should not be deepened very much. It is enough to place them to a depth of about 2 cm.
- After that, you need to cover the pot with a sheet with a plastic bag to form a greenhouse.
- You can remove it a month after the appearance of the "children" of the flower.
Also, do not forget about watering the plants during rooting. He should not be too plentiful.
Photo violets Firebird shows all the splendor of this plant. Saintpaulia has an unusual bright and variegated color that can not leave anyone indifferent.