Viola, Wittrock's violet, bratki, pansies - these are the most common names of modest, but so bright and lovely flowers, covered with many mysterious legends, which are frequent inhabitants of gardens. This herbaceous plant from the violet family. Viola bushes can reach 15-30 cm in height, and the diameter of the inflorescences is different varieties varies from 4 to 8 cm. Thanks to selection, today you can find violas of various colors and color combinations with a constant yellow eye in the middle.
Traditionally, in the middle latitudes of our country, viola is grown as a biennial, but with the right agricultural technology it is possible perennial cultivation. In addition, early sowing of pansies for seedlings will allow you to achieve flowering in the first year of cultivation, which is especially important for the northern regions. However, planting pansies on seedlings has its own nuances that must be remembered in order to get healthy plants.
When to plant viola for seedlings
In order for violets to bloom in the summer, they are often grown seedling method in closed ground. This raises a logical question: when to sow viola for seedlings? Optimal time Viola sowing is considered February - early March. Sometimes, wanting to get even more early flowering"pansies", some gardeners sow them earlier - in December or January. But the Wittrock violet is a light-loving plant and for full development at the seedling stage, it critically needs bright lighting with a daylength of about 14-16 hours. IN winter time A sufficient amount of light can only be provided by using powerful backlight lamps, which is often problematic and uneconomical. If the plant does not have enough light, then the seedlings stretch out, develop worse and grow weak. Therefore, it is not recommended to rush into sowing viola seeds for seedlings.
Viola from seedlings: which soil to choose
Viola seedlings are sown in loose, well-drained soil with a pH level close to 5.5-5.8. In this case, you can use a ready-made soil mixture for violets or make it yourself. The best option peat-based mixtures are considered. In addition, a mixture of garden soil, sand, peat and humus (2:1:2:2), a composition of humus, river sand and turf soil (2:1:2), or loamy light soil with the addition of humus is used as a substrate and mineral fertilizers (superphosphate or ammonium nitrate). If viola seeds are planted for seedlings in peat or a mixture based on it, it is not necessary to add fertilizer to such a substrate. In this case, fertilizing with liquid fertilizer at the root after emergence is considered more effective.
Practical and in an efficient way growing seedlings is sowing viola in peat tablets. To do this, the tablets are soaked in water until they swell, then seeds are placed on them and lightly covered with soil. This method of cultivation ensures a high degree of seedling survival, due to the presence of nutrients, good drainage and the ability to create optimal conditions for seed germination.
Viola seeds: preparation for sowing
Before sowing viola for seedlings, it is advisable to do a little seed preparation. For sowing, you can use seed purchased in a store or collected by yourself. In the second case, the seeds are collected in August. After flowering, violets form small boxes that dry out as the seeds ripen. As soon as the boxes turn upward - and this is a sign that the seeds are ripe - they need to be collected before they crack and self-sowing occurs. After collection, the seeds are cleaned, dried and stored in the refrigerator.
How to plant viola seedlings
Planting pansies on seedlings is carried out superficially. The seeds are laid out on a moistened and slightly compacted substrate and sprinkled with a small layer of earth or vermiculite (0.5-0.7 cm). The top layer is moistened again using a sprayer. To make it easier to evenly distribute the seeds, they can be sown on a small layer of snow, which is placed on top of the substrate.
To germinate viola seeds, it is necessary to create a favorable microclimate. Therefore, the container with crops is covered with glass or film. It is important that at this time there are no significant temperature fluctuations below 15 and above 22 degrees, as this will delay the process of seed germination. In addition, you need to monitor the level of humidity so that the soil does not dry out and there is no stagnation of water. Another secret of quick and effective seed germination, which you need to remember when sowing viola seedlings, is that seedlings appear better in the dark. If all requirements for growing conditions are met, it takes 7-14 days for sprouts to appear.
As soon as friendly shoots appear, the container is placed in a bright place, sheltered from the sun, and gradually accustomed to being kept without film or glass. It is advisable to reduce the air temperature to 12-15 degrees.
Viola flower: growing seedlings
We figured out how to sow viola for seedlings, and now thick growth has formed in the container where the crops were. The basic elements of caring for viola seedlings are the same as for many other plants: moderate regular watering, but without excess water, as this can cause “black leg,” and light loosening of the soil, which is done if necessary.
To prevent seedlings from stretching, you need to provide them with sufficient lighting and not too high an air temperature. Also, if necessary, you can carry out 1-2 treatments of seedlings with a growth regulator (for example, Alar).
Fertilizing is carried out by applying liquid fertilizers under the roots, excluding them from getting on the leaves. The first fertilizing with nitrogen and potassium fertilizers (11.5 g/l) is done a week after emergence. Next, complex mineral fertilizers with an approximate NPK content (nitrogen + phosphorus + potassium) of 20:10:20 are used weekly. This feeding scheme, but with the addition of microelements, is maintained even after picking Wittrock violet seedlings. The frequency of fertilizing largely depends on the quality of the substrate used: if it was initially filled with fertilizers, then fertilizing is carried out less frequently, approximately once every 3-4 weeks.
The most important procedure in growing pansy seedlings is picking. It is carried out in one or two stages. So, with the appearance of the first leaves, the plants are picked into containers according to a 6x6 cm pattern. The second picking is carried out 5 weeks later, when individual specimens are planted in pots with a diameter of no more than 10 cm. After picking, the same temperature regime and fertilizing. Starting from mid-April, if possible weather conditions, the seedlings begin to gradually harden by taking them outside and daily increasing the period of exposure to the air.
When a stable temperature has established and the likelihood of night frosts has passed, the young plants are planted in a flowerbed.
Flowers most often receive popular names; their origin is associated with beautiful romantic legends. In this sense, the tricolor violet was no exception. The appearance and shape of the flower really evokes an association, as if someone’s gaze is closely following the path and joyfully greets visitors to the garden. This is probably how the legends about the girl Anyuta are born, faithfully waiting for her lover along the road.
There are many signs associated with these flowers. In Rus', it has long been believed that picking flowers means rain. Pansies were depicted on the coat of arms of the historical region, Izhora - near Karelia, which existed at the beginning of the seventeenth century. The tricolor violet has other names: Ivan da Marya, also associated with a beautiful legend about true love, and the name “moths” says that the bright petals really resemble the fluttering of carefree butterflies.
Pansies popular rumor attributes magical love spell properties. But it is known for sure that all parts of the plant are absolutely recognized by official medicine as a valuable medicinal raw material for the production of insulin and other glycosides that normalize the functioning of the endocrine system. IN folk medicine The plant is used to prepare cough infusions and diuretics. In this article we will tell you when to plant pansy seedlings, how to care for them, what varieties there are, and how to prevent flower diseases.
The botanical description of the violet is less poetic and is of interest to gardeners who are interested in breeding it and growing it in the garden as an early perennial plant.
Viola is a biennial plant. In nature, distributed throughout the European part of the continent, as well as in the regions of the Urals, Siberia and Far East. In the south it is found all the way to the southernmost borders of Russia, in Ukraine and Moldova. In the wild, viola grows like a weed and is hardy even in harsh subarctic conditions. Cultivated hybrids require care and replanting, since at the age of two the plant’s flowers become small and inconspicuous.
But natural properties - endurance and undemandingness - allow you to grow interesting hybrids and use all possible ways propagation of pansies in open ground and as an annual balcony decoration at home. Pansies, subject to simple care rules, transform garden plots in areas with cold climates.
Pansies: agricultural technology for growing from seeds
It would seem that there is nothing complicated or impossible in growing agricultural technology. But on garden beds, alpine roller coaster I want to see something that's not small wild flowers, but beautiful cultivated varieties with large inflorescences and the rarest colors.
Fans of pansies are not averse to admiring the delicate flowers growing in flowerpots, boxes and simply in pots on the balcony. Thanks to the efforts of modern breeders, such an opportunity exists - to do this, just familiarize yourself with the simple agricultural techniques for growing tricolor violets, choose the variety you like and the method of cultivation.
Structure
The stem of the plant reaches a height of 10-15 cm to 30 cm, less often, in giant hybrids - up to 45 cm. Usually, several straight or curly stems extend from the root, depending on the care of the plants and their variety. The stems are bare or slightly pubescent with small fibers, ribbed triangular in shape.
The root system is fibrous: numerous lateral roots quite tightly surround the taproot.
The lower leaves are large, ovoid with long petioles, and the upper ones are oblong, sessile. Just like the stems of a plant, the leaves may be covered with hairs, depending on the type of flower. Between the upper leaves and the stem there are long stipules from which flower stalks appear.
The flower consists of a raceme on which there are 3-4 paired bracts. The flower calyxes do not fall off after flowering - the seeds ripen in them, which you can then collect yourself.
The corolla consists of 5 petals, where, as a rule, the lower, unpaired petal differs in shape and color. The two pairs of upper paired leaves are larger. In the center of the corolla there is a pistil and five stamens with anthers, tightly pressed to it. When the fruit ripens, the “pod with seeds”, it is tightly held by the sepals.
Reproduction
The unpretentiousness of pansies growing in the “wild” nature has allowed breeders to develop hybrids that are propagated by cuttings, planted by seedlings, and also by seeds.
Pansies: growing from seeds in open ground
Sowing seeds can be done in different times, depending on the desired flowering time.
IN Middle lane and in the south, growing “pansies” from seeds in open ground begins in the middle or second half of September, when the weather is still warm, so that the seedlings have time to germinate and get stronger before the onset of cold weather. At winter crops It is advisable to cover them if winters with little snow cover prevail in the region and severe frosts. In more early dates It is not advisable to sow in these areas, since the seedlings may overgrow, and this will delay their flowering in the spring, and the flowers will be smaller.
In the northern regions, pansies should be sown in early August or no later than early September. Here, natural snow cover will serve as shelter for young seedlings, but early spring, in case of severe frosts, it is necessary to carry out snow retention so that before the onset of stable positive temperature the flowers did not die during the night frosts.
Sowing seeds in open ground in May-June will allow you to decorate the garden with flowering plants in August-September.
Pansies: growing flowers in seedlings
For growing hybrids that are more demanding on weather conditions, in regions with a cold climate, where spring does not begin until mid-May, and the summer heat leaves already in early or mid-August, it is possible to admire pansies grown at home, using seedlings . In the spring, when the snow melts, warm weather sets in and the earth warms up, all that remains is to plant the seedlings in open ground. Alternatively, you can grow pansies in flowerpots so that summer period move them to the garden. This method of growing will not cause any particular problems for gardeners.
Pansy flower seedlings can be grown in two ways: in peat pots or in boxes.
Sowing in peat pots
Small pots are filled with soil mixture to one third of the volume.
Seeds are sown, 3-5 pieces each, sprinkled with soil on top, no more than 1 cm.
Next, the pots are transferred to a container (tray), covered with film and placed in a warm place until the first pair of true leaves appear. Shoots appear within 10-14 days.
Every day, seedlings must be opened and left for ventilation, and the soil moisture must be monitored.
Seedlings are planted twice in seedling containers, with an interval of 5-7 days.
It is recommended to plant seedlings in the ground at night temperatures of at least 18 ºС.
Sowing in seedling boxes
- The prepared boxes are filled with soil mixture.
- Furrows are made at a distance of 2 cm, 0.5-1.0 cm deep. Seeds are sown and sprinkled with soil.
- The soil is moistened regularly, before the first picking, by irrigation, as needed.
- After picking, the grown plants are transplanted into larger containers or separate pots, choosing the strongest seedlings. Watering and loosening is carried out as necessary.
- As in the first case, the boxes are stored at room temperature, under the film, ventilating and moistening the soil daily if necessary.
When forcing seedlings, you need to ensure sufficient and uniform lighting after germination. In addition, during the forcing period, it is advisable to feed pansies with complex mixtures. It is advisable to carry out fertilizing and preventive treatment with fungicides at least once every two weeks.
Attention!
When planting flowers of different varieties in open ground, to preserve the variety, be sure to follow the zoning rules, since as a result of cross-pollination, you may not see your favorite type of pansy in your garden next year.
Pansies: growing by cuttings
Pansy flowers in the second year of life, if they remain in the same place in the garden, become smaller. Such plantings need updating: in order for the flowering to be abundant next year, the plantings are thinned out, leaving one main stem with unblown ovaries, and the bushes cut in May with two or three nodes are planted in the ground. The cuttings are watered abundantly using biostimulants, which will accelerate the development of roots. In dry summers, it is better to carry out cuttings under a film, since during this period it is important to maintain moisture in the top layer of soil. The seedlings will bloom in early autumn. In addition, this method of planting rejuvenates the flowers.
Features of care
Compliance with the rules of agricultural technology will make flowering regular, long and abundant. Typically, all flowers prefer the conditions in which they grow in nature. Pansies are naturally found at the edge of the forest, in lean but fertile soil with a neutral acidity level. Sandy soils lead to crushing of flowers with insufficient feeding.
Pansies require moderate and regular watering, which is best done in the evening. After watering, it is necessary to loosen the soil to improve aeration. Excess moisture is detrimental to the roots of the tricolor violet. Lack of moisture leads to the fact that the stems begin to creep along the ground, stretching out and turning into creeping plants with small flowers. At insufficient watering flowering also stops.
To stimulate the growth of vegetative mass, it is necessary to add nitrogen to the soil before planting, and to form buds and lush flowering - phosphorus and potassium. Mineral supplements should be applied strictly according to the norm, remembering that their excess is just as destructive for flowers as a deficiency.
Attention!
It is strictly forbidden to plant viola in soil fertilized with fresh manure. This is not only a source of nitrogen and organic matter, but also a breeding ground for infections.
Pests and diseases
There are quite a lot of bacteria, viruses and pathogenic fungi that affect pansies in the soil, water and air. Diseases to which all garden plants are susceptible:
- Powdery mildew
- Downy mildew
- Fusarium root and leaf blight
- Bronzing of leaves
- spotting
In addition to infectious diseases, violets suffer from aphids, root-knot nematodes, spider mite. Don't mind eating the tender leaves of the slug. But the worst thing is that insects are the main distributors of infectious diseases. Therefore, to protect flowers it is often necessary to simultaneously use both fungicidal and insecticides to solve the problem comprehensively.
It's important to understand one thing golden rule which will help protect garden plants from many troubles: unfortunately, gardeners themselves are to blame for many diseases of their favorite flowers, because any violations of agrotechnical requirements lead to weakening of plants, and they become defenseless in the environment of bacteria, viruses, and insect pests.
The best treatment for a disease is proper care. For example:
Watering cold water causes stress in the plant, leading to mechanical damage roots, which shrink due to sudden changes in soil and water temperatures. Further, microcracks form in the roots into which viruses and bacteria living in the upper layers of the soil can easily penetrate. Gradually, harmful microorganisms increase their numbers, feeding on the intercellular juices of the flower, and when one plant dies, the harmful and invisible inhabitants of gardens and vegetable gardens spread to everything that grows and blooms nearby.
Pansies: choosing the best varieties for the flowerbed
Diversity color range the flower stuns with a riot of colors, and, of course, gives scope for creating landscape compositions: ridges, borders, alpine slides. But that's not all! Small and medium-sized, large and giant-sized flowers are additional touches for decorating a flower bed, allowing you to play with shapes and sizes, creating volume and wavy lines.
Low-growing tricolor viola with large flowers (5-8 cm) suitable for framing garden paths. Viola Wittrock with giant flowers reaching 10 centimeters in diameter can become the center of a composition of violets. All together, flowers different sizes can form the basis for a flowerbed of continuous flowering, from early spring to late autumn, if you follow the calendar, plant seedlings first, then sow seeds, and in mid-summer update the flowerbed with seedlings from cut cuttings.
Advice!
Whatever type of tricolor violet is chosen to decorate the garden, do not forget to pay attention to cultivating a living flower carpet. If you loosen the soil in a timely manner, water the flowerbed and cut off fading plants, the flowerbed will always be renewed, look fresh and delight you with an abundance of flowers.
Finally, before you buy pansy seeds, draw a landscape plan, indicating step by step what variety and color you need to place. The drawing needs to be transferred to the site, calculated required quantity seeds, and only after that go shopping.
Of the four hundred species of viola bred by breeders, at least ten are sure to attract your attention. This will be enough to implement the idea.
Pansy Victorian Blend
Belongs to the Rococo variety. The bush grows 18-25 cm in length, the diameter of the flowers reaches 5.5 cm. The variety is distinguished by dense and abundant flowering. The flowers are characterized by variegated, bright shades and strongly wavy petals. The flowering period begins at the end of April and ends in August. They are usually used to decorate flower beds or borders, and are also used for planting in groups in flower beds.
The plant is highly frost-resistant. It grows well in loose, fertile soils and loves sun, but can also grow in partial shade. The seeds are sown in June, and at the end of August - beginning of September, the seedlings are planted in the ground at a distance of 15-20 cm.
Pansy Dynamite
The large-flowered, frost-resistant variety of pansies begins to bloom one of the first among other varieties. Features a compact appearance. It has bright one-color petals and comes in different shades. The biennial plant blooms both in spring and autumn, and the diameter of the flowers reaches 8 cm. It is not whimsical and blooms in the year of sowing when planted early. Flowers of this variety are often found in gardens, flowerpots and pots.
Seeds for seedlings are sown from February to August. The first shoots appear after 7-10 days, provided they are stored under transparent film or glass and the temperature is maintained at 18-20 degrees. When the seeds germinate, the glass is removed from them and grown in bright places, protected from direct sunlight. sun rays. Planting seedlings in the ground is carried out at a distance of 20-25 cm.
Seeds are sown in open ground from mid-spring to late summer. The plant should grow in a cool place.
Freedom
The flowers of this series reach 5 cm in diameter and grow close to each other, growing well. They are undemanding, frost-resistant and very hardy. They tolerate rain better than others and often harmoniously complement other spring plants. Blooms more effectively when grown in cool places.
It is planted in open ground until mid-summer. Harvesting of seedlings begins from January to February. The plant grows best in sunny areas and loves moisture. To ensure stronger flowering, fading flowers are removed.
Blueberries with cream
The plants reach a height of 15 cm. Abundant flowering and compactness along with the original color of a predominantly dark purple hue with edging white make the series especially effective. Often seen in borders and flower beds, as well as in flower beds. The variety begins to bloom in mid-spring, and the last period falls at the end of autumn. The variety is resistant to frost and unpretentious in cultivation. Grows in fertile, loose soils. Loves the sun, but can also grow in partial shade.
Viola Aurora
The variety has branched, compact bushes that grow up to 20-25 cm. The average size of flowers (5-7 cm) with abundant flowering complements the beautiful coloring. Along the edge of the corrugated petals, the main background is complemented by an original edging, the width of which varies depending on temperature conditions. Coloring can change intensity, creating a lively play of colors. The variety series is used for border and group plantings in open ground or for decorating garden vases or balconies.
When sown for seedlings in early March, flowering begins in the same year. Planting in the ground is carried out before the end of frost. For flowering next year, planting in a permanent place is carried out in the first two months of summer. Grows well in moderately moist, fertile, well-drained soils. Loves sunny places or partial shade.
Viola ampelous Waterfall
Flowers golden color reach 5 cm in diameter, forming a ball with dense continuous flowering. The hanging shoots of the cascade variety grow up to 30 cm. The plant loves moisture and sun. Tolerates frosts well. The first flowers bloom in May. The flowering period ends in September. When sown from February to March, it begins to bloom in the same year. Landing at a permanent place is carried out in last days April or early May, maintaining a distance of 20 cm. Looks great on balconies in hanging pots.
Viola Williams Velor
Flowers with a diameter of 3-4 cm grow tightly adjacent to each other, creating a lush ball. Compact bushes grow up to 20 cm in height and up to 30 cm in diameter. Perennial profusely flowering plant bright colors differs favorably from other varieties in its cultivation characteristics. It is unpretentious and tolerates bad weather conditions well. It is grown in groups on borders or alpine hills, as well as in balcony flowerpots.
Grows in sunny or partial shade in well-drained soil. Sowing of seedlings begins in February and ends in April, and at the end of May the seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place. When planted, seedlings bloom from mid-summer until the first frost. When planted by sowing seeds, flowering begins next year. Flowering period: beginning of March - end of November. The variety should be fertilized only with complex mineral fertilizers and cover for the winter. To extend the flowering period, you need to remove faded flowers.
Viola Wittrock Alpensee
The bushes of this variety grow up to 15 cm, and the diameter of the flowers is approximately 5.5-6.5 cm. The plant is unpretentious in cultivation, loves sun and moisture. Has good frost resistance. When planted by seedlings, it begins to bloom in the same year. Seeds for seedlings are sown in February and March. Sowing in a permanent place is carried out in the first two months of summer, with flowering occurring the following year. The flowering period is from late spring to early autumn. Planted in garden vases, balcony boxes or in flower beds and ridges.
Empire style
Very large flowers reach 10 cm in diameter. Ornamental plant is exceptionally effective. It has a bright, eye-catching color. Grows in sun or semi-dark areas. Loves moist, drained and fertile soils. Requires moderate watering during dry times to maintain flower size. The most large flowers grow when maintaining a temperature of 15 degrees.
Seeds are sown from January to February, and in May they are transplanted to open ground. For flowering next year, sowing is carried out at the beginning of summer, and planting in a permanent place at the end.
Russian beauty
Sowing seeds for seedlings in early March, seedlings appear within a week. Picking in the phase of two true leaves. Seedlings are planted in open ground in April-May. When sown in open ground in June-July, it blooms the following year.
The variety has large flowers with a diameter of 7-9 cm. Low, compact bushes grow up to 15 cm. The plant belongs to the early flowering varieties. Can be grown in sunny or partial shade. Unpretentious to grow. It grows well in small volumes of soil and has high frost resistance. Suitable for decorating borders and flower beds, as well as for planting in balcony boxes and garden containers.
Childhood memories - my grandmother's flower garden, in which I loved to play and its brightest flowers, pansies, the planting and care of which were always entrusted to me, because they are within the power of a child. Afterwards, of course, many new varieties appeared, but I always planted the same ones, my grandmother’s favorite ones, with yellow-brown leaves.
Viola, or as these violets are also called, Pansy, also known as tricolor, always decorates many front gardens with multi-colored spots. Easy to care for, but beautiful and not picky, she is one of the many permanent pets in my garden. 
Pansies planting at home
We described planting pansy seeds in open ground above. Pansy seedlings are planted in a flowerbed at a distance of 20-30 cm. This distance is enough for the full growth and development of plants.
Violets grow well in soil that consists of turf soil, manure, peat and sand in proportions where sand is half as much as the other components.
Pansies are a very unpretentious plant, but they also require care. It is necessary to systematically loosen the soil, remove wilted flowers, fertilize the plant with mineral fertilizers and water frequently.
But first, it is important to choose the right place for the plant on the site. Viola may die under the bright scorching rays of the sun, but in the shade its flowers will be small and faded, so choose a place with diffused light.
When leaving the viola in the garden for the winter, do not forget to cover the plant with spruce branches, and open it in the spring to avoid damping off.
The same rules for caring for the plant will apply if you decide to grow viola on the balcony at home. If you have a southern balcony, then in order to avoid the flowers fading in the bright sun, try to slightly shade the place where the container with pansies will be located. 
Choosing a place for pansies
In nature, violas live in the subtropical and tropical regions of South Africa, Brazil, Australia and New Zealand, so it is necessary to choose warm, warm conditions in the garden for pansies. sunny place. The best soil for culture – turf land, filled with humus, peat and sand in a ratio of 2:2:2:1. When choosing a planting site, avoid swampy lowlands, since the dear shy one cannot stand stagnant moisture at the roots.
The soil on the site is dug up and leveled garden rake. Seeds are sown in furrows to a depth of 1–1.5 cm, sprinkled with soil and watered. 
Seedlings with seeds should be prepared in March. Seeds are sown in containers with good drainage. Before placing the seeds in the soil, it must be watered with water with potassium permanganate diluted in it and allowed to stand for a day. After planting, you should moisten the seeds in the soil, cover with glass or a plastic bag and hide in a warm place out of light.
After the first shoots appear, they are transferred to the windowsill and the film or glass is removed so that they do not die. After some time, each sprout is transplanted into different containers. In April, you should take the seedlings out onto the balcony more often so that each bush of the future viola hardens and becomes more hardy. And in May you can transplant them into open ground in the garden. With this growing method, the plant will begin to please bright flowers a month after planting.
Preparing the soil for planting pansies
Viola grows well in loose, well-drained soils rich in organic matter. The distance between seedlings should be within 15 - 20 cm for compact and 25 - 30 cm for other varieties. When placed in containers and hanging baskets, any ready-made pansies will do. garden soil with a small pinch of long-acting complex fertilizer. When planting seedlings, make sure that the upper level of the earthen ball of each plant coincides with the ground level at the planting site.
Sowing pansy seeds
The seeds are sown in early March in small containers with a drainage hole. The soil for seedlings is shed with potassium permanganate a day before.
The seeds are laid out, moistened from the sprayer, covered with glass or the boxes with seedlings are placed in a plastic bag and placed in a warm, dark place. When the sprouts appear, transfer them to the windowsill, being careful not to overcook them under film or glass. 
Next, we proceed in the same way as with sprouts in open ground - we pick them up and then transplant them into separate cups. At the end of April, you need to harden off - take the seedlings outside or onto the balcony. Depending on the weather, seedlings are planted in open ground in April - early May, and in a month the viola will delight you with abundant flowering.
Pansy care
Viola at home develops best on open, sunny balconies. It’s worse on glazed balconies and loggias. Some gardeners manage to grow violas even on window sills, but in this case the window must be constantly open. Availability large quantity light and fresh air– a mandatory component for growing any garden plant. 
Maintain a distance of 10-15 cm between the violas, otherwise strong specimens will oppress the weak and push them out of the composition
Viola seedlings are planted at a distance of 10-15 cm from each other, and at least 1-2 liters of soil must be allocated for each plant specimen.
When growing violas indoors, you need to ensure regular watering. Hot summer days Watering should be done 2 times a day - morning and evening.
The first fertilizing is applied 2 weeks after transplanting into the ground. Next, you need to fertilize the violas at home every week. Any mineral complex fertilizers for flowering plants are suitable for fertilization.
During hot days, a viola in a pot may lose its decorative look. Most often, the stems turn yellow and dry, the bush falls apart, flowering becomes less abundant, the flowers fade and decrease in size. Then the viola needs to be pruned. Usually it is shortened by half the length of the stems. But if the bush has already lost all decorative value pruning can be done radically, leaving 5-6 cm from the branches (there must be leaves on them!). In just 2-2.5 weeks, the viola bush will grow with young shoots and bloom.
Caring for pansies during the flowering period
After replanting, caring for flowers consists of periodically loosening the soil, systemic moistening and fighting harmful insects, if necessary.
Pansies will actively develop and bloom if they are fed periodically. Complex mineral fertilizers are used to nourish these flowers. Fertilizing these flowers with organic components is strictly prohibited. During the period of abundant flowering, in summer, it is necessary to promptly remove faded buds from the bushes to allow new ones to bloom. In addition, this procedure will prevent the plants from bearing fruit, after which the pansies stop blooming.
To successfully grow them, seedlings are planted at home in nutritious soil. On poor and sandy soil, plants will become smaller, losing their decorative effect. The composition of such soil can be improved using vegetable compost. Five kilograms of the substance are added per 1 m2. Pansies love the sun very much, so they can only be grown in a well-lit place. Under this condition, the plants will bloom long and profusely. In a shaded place, due to lack of light, the bushes become pale and the flowers on them become small. After the end of the flowering period, spring varieties are dug up, and summer varieties are planted in their place.
To obtain seeds at home, healthy and compact spring bushes are selected. They are planted in a seed bed and watered periodically. Since pansies are cross-pollinating plants, when planting different varieties a certain amount of space must be maintained. This allows you to obtain seeds with all the characteristics of the mother bush.
After the seed pod turns yellow, the seeds are collected. It is very important not to be late here, because after ripening the box cracks and the seeds fall into the ground.
Feeding pansies
Fertilizer for pansies must be applied regularly, namely, at least twice a season. The main feeding is carried out when the plant is gaining buds, with fertilizers such as nitrophoska and Agricolka. Subsequent feeding is done during vigorous flowering plants using a fertilizer called Agricolka-7. 
To feed pansies, you need mineral fertilizers containing potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus and other microelements. After planting, the seedlings need to be fertilized with superphosphate and saltpeter. It is prohibited to introduce fresh manure into the soil where pansies live.
From the moment temperatures drop, the volume of fertilizing is reduced and, preparing the plant for wintering, the flowerbed is covered with sawdust, peat or other insulation.
Pansy propagation
Vegetative method of propagation hybrid varieties taking green cuttings directly into open ground is very simple, and also makes it possible to leave a pure variety and get more in just one summer planting material. Cuttings should be taken in 2-3 doses from May to July. You should choose finite shoots that are still green and have 2-3 nodes. Especially for this, you should choose a shaded, slightly damp place, preferably under trees, and make low beds there. They need to be compacted tightly and watered well.
Cuttings should be planted to a depth of 0.5 cm; all cuttings should be planted tightly in relation to each other, so that their leaves touch. In total, up to 400 pieces can be planted per 1 square meter. After planting the cuttings is completed, they must be sprayed with water. 
To speed up the rooting process and prevent the cuttings from withering, in the first days after planting they should be covered with paper well moistened with water. General care care for cuttings consists of regular watering, spraying and weeding. At proper care Almost 100% rooting of cuttings will occur 3-4 weeks after planting.
If the cuttings were made in May or June, their flowering will occur in the summer or autumn of the same year, if the cuttings were taken later, flowering will occur the next year in the spring. After the cuttings have taken root, in the fall they can be transplanted into a garden bed or flower garden, where they will continue to grow. If the cuttings took place in the month of August, it is better to leave the plants for the winter in the same place until next year, covering them with a leaf for the winter. And in the spring of next year, these cuttings can be transplanted into a flower garden.
A plant with the boring correct name Vitrocca violet is affectionately called “pansy”. An ancient legend is associated with his name, which has survived to this day. Once upon a time, a beautiful and faithful girl Anyuta accompanied her fiancé to defend her native land. The brave guy left and disappeared. And faithful Anyuta could not stand the grief and turned into beautiful flower. And now, as before, pansies stand along the road and look into the distance, waiting for the good guy to return... This is such a sad story.
According to legend, the pansy plant has the ability to bewitch love. It is enough just to sprinkle the juice of the flower on your eyelids and wait until he wakes up - and that’s it, he will love you forever. When parting, the Poles and French give a flower, and in England an indecisive young man can simply send a girl a viola flower and write his name on a piece of paper - and that’s it, the declaration of love is ready.
This is such an interesting flower - pansy. Growing seedlings allows you to get abundant flowering already in the first year, although by nature the viola is a biennial. Usually, if you sow pansy seeds in the garden, they grow into small bushes, which are transplanted to a permanent place in the fall, and in the spring, after wintering, the plants begin to bloom profusely.
In order for pansies to bloom early in the spring, growing seedlings should begin in February or at the very beginning of March. It is better to sow pansy seeds in a greenhouse or in a room in flat boxes with loose, moist soil. fertile soil. The crops need to be covered with a little soil and a layer of snow on top. At room temperature and with sufficient humidity, seedlings usually appear within one to two weeks. Do not forget that at air temperatures above 25 degrees and in conditions of insufficient humidity, seedlings may not appear at all.
As soon as the first shoots appear, the air temperature in the room with the violas needs to be lowered somewhat, and the trays with seedlings need to be exposed to bright light - this is especially important. A spacious veranda is good for these purposes, but at night the trays need to be moved indoors to avoid freezing. In April, seedlings are plucked, and a pansy plant can be planted in a permanent place in May, so that the cute flowers will delight us with their gentle smiles.
They say that with this method of cultivating violas, although the plants bloom longer, the flowers become smaller and the color is not as abundant as in a two-year culture. This statement is controversial, and only personal experience can confirm or refute it.
When cultivating pansy flowers, growing seedlings is not the only way to obtain flowering plants. Many flower growers personal plots They practice regular self-seeding, which, as a rule, is quite abundant from year to year. But at the same time, the flowers are not as large as when growing seedlings.
Although, if we compare the self-seeding of pansy flowers, the targeted cultivation of seedlings has similar features. To obtain larger ones obtained by self-sowing, which is similar to the seedling method, you just need to plant them more freely, so that the distance between them is from 15 to 30 centimeters, depending on the variety and the specific size of the bushes. Then individual plants will not interfere with each other and will develop well. The varietal characteristics of violas are completely preserved when self-sowing.
Of course, to obtain beautiful large flowers, violas need to be provided with proper care during the summer, which includes watering, fertilizing, morning spraying, removing fading flowers and pruning overgrown shoots.
Pansies are used for flower decoration as a border plant, planted in boxes on balconies and in outdoor vases and on alpine slides - it is simply impossible to list all the options for their use. The popularity of violas is explained by their extreme unpretentiousness - they can be replanted even during flowering! And violas can be planted in open ground even immediately after the snow melts, which will prolong the flowering of the garden plot...
Viola is not only a very beautiful flower, but also a universal decoration, because with its help you can decorate not only the balcony, but also garden plot. Aesthetic value is not the only advantage of the plant. Another obvious advantage is the low cost of viola seeds. Combining all of the above, we get the following result: a beautiful, well-groomed and bright balcony (site) for almost nothing.
Viola belongs to the Violet family, the main habitats of which are concentrated in mountainous regions, as well as in those places characterized by a temperate climate.
Today, experts identify from 400 to 700 species of the Violet family. If you think that you don’t know a plant called “viola,” then you are very mistaken, because each of us, if not grown this flower at home, then, in any case, saw and smelled it. And all because the second, common name for viola sounds like a pansy.
Wittrock violas - garden pansies
The charming simplicity and discreet attractiveness of the flower have attracted connoisseurs of beauty for a long time - two and a half thousand years ago, ancient European peoples used the plant to weave festive garlands and wreaths, as well as to decorate rooms where celebrations were traditionally held. The categorical popularity of the viola has survived to this day: now the garden viola is one of the most sought-after plants among lovers of green “decorations”. The variety of varieties allows you not to limit your imagination.
Viola is a plant whose “life” ranges from one year to many years of prosperity. Viola has a fibrous root system and erect shoots. The leaves of the plant are equipped with stipules and can either be collected in a basal rosette or grow alternately along the stem. Viola flowers are amazing, striking in their diversity: they can be single-colored, two-colored, tricolored, double, wavy. The diameter of single flowers reaches 7 centimeters.
Viola Vitrocca "ROCOCO"
Growing conditions
Gardeners and summer residents love viola for its abundant and frequent flowering. If a person’s choice falls on a plant hybrid, then it will delight the eye with bright colors for three summer months or twice a season. The flowering time depends on when the viola was planted: either from March to the last month of spring, or from August until the first frost.
A characteristic feature of the viola is its resistance to cold, as well as shade tolerance, that is, the conditions in which it can exist can be quite harsh. The only thing that viola lovers need to remember is that in the shade the plant will not produce as many flowers as when exposed to direct sunlight. Loamy, moist soil is ideal for viola growth. Dry sandy soil is also suitable, but in such conditions the size of the flowers will decrease.
Viola Vitrocca "Inspire White Visa Red Block"
By and large, this is all the information that anyone who is going to plant viola should arm themselves with. Since ready-made seedlings can empty your wallet, it makes sense to grow them yourself, especially since it is not at all difficult.
Preparing seedlings
So, you bought several packets of pansy seeds. The most common mistake made by inexperienced gardeners is sowing viola in spring time with the expectation that in the summer the plant will please the eye lush flowering. But it’s not like that, because it’s a two-year-old flower. In fact, pansy seedlings should be planted in the summer, in July.
First, you should treat the seeds with fertilizer that accelerates growth. The finished seeds are placed in a half-centimeter groove and sprinkled with earth. The next step is to water the seedlings. The soil must be poured completely, but very carefully to prevent the soil from being washed away.
Experts advise mulching the planting with small sawdust to maintain soil moisture.
Ten to fifteen days will pass, and small sprouts will appear, which should be slightly hidden from the sun's rays using a dark film, and after fifteen days, remove it. Around August, pansies will be ready to be planted for their “permanent place of residence.”
If you do everything according to this scheme, bushes with lush, rich and long-lasting flowering will sprout. This cannot be achieved with pansies planted using the simple seedling method, because this is how we give the sprouts a strong and confident start.
Viola planted in the ground needs to be covered for the winter with straw or spruce branches. Such an air cushion will keep your plant safe and sound during the winter and save the roots from freezing. When spring comes, the flowers need to be fed with complex fertilizer twice - even before the formation of buds and at the very start of flowering.
Growing viola from seeds
In regions with cold climates, growing pansies is quite possible, but only in one way - seedlings in containers at home. In this case, grow beautiful plant It won’t be very difficult, but there are three factors that directly affect the successful emergence of a flower: lighting, temperature and soil. And in this situation it will be necessary to take this quite seriously.
To get seedlings, you need to sow viola in February-March at home, in small cups. To begin with, the seeds should be soaked in a growth-accelerating solution. It could be Epin, Zircon or EM-1. You can buy these substances at any specialized store. This fertilizer will greatly simplify cultivation: the germination process will speed up and resistance to diseases and fungi will increase.
It is advisable to select the soil for seedlings very carefully. The best option would be peat with an approximate acidity of 5.5. It is too early to apply fertilizer; fertilizing will be done just during the phase of formation of full-fledged leaves. Fertilizers are applied for the first time at approximately three weeks of age.
The main thing is to prevent stagnation of water in containers. This can cause various diseases, the plant will begin to rot and die. To avoid this, you need to buy cups with holes in the bottom, or install drainage. As a last resort, you can make holes in the bottom with your own hands.
When the soil is ready and the seeds are saturated with a growth accelerator, you can begin to sow. To do this, viola seeds are laid on top of the soil, sprinkled with a thin layer of vermiculite. Before the sprouts emerge, the container with planting must be covered with polyethylene, glass or any transparent material. Such a “greenhouse” will give our seeds an impetus to grow. But we must not forget to periodically remove the “cape” to ventilate the soil. This will prevent the formation of fungi and prevent the soil from withering away.
For best results, several seeds should be planted in each glass. When they sprout, you can remove excess sprouts, except for the “healthiest” ones.
With this method of breeding viola, you need to pick the plants twice. Based on the formation of two full-fledged leaves, pansies are sorted and planted for the first time. The next picking will occur only at five weeks of age, already in enlarged containers, with a diameter of no more than ten centimeters.
If you decide to plant viola in large boxes, you must comply minimum distance between plants - five centimeters. At this age, pansies will grow quietly in a greenhouse on your summer cottage, even in an unheated one.
For good growth in a greenhouse, it is necessary to water the plants with mineral fertilizers, right at the root. Feeding should be repeated approximately once a month. During the flowering period - twice a month. When watering pansies, you should be very careful and direct the stream of water under the stem, without getting on the leaves. In the first months of spring, there is a real danger of return frosts, so there is no need to experiment with planting. You can plant seedlings in open ground only in mid-May.
The soil should first be drained - pour a handful of sand into a hole, the depth of which should be about five centimeters. In order for the viola to take root, you need to plant a plant with a lump of earth in the hole. The optimal distance between planted flowers is ten to fifteen centimeters; if the plants are large, then it should be increased to twenty centimeters.
At the time of planting, the seedlings are watered generously - thanks to the sand, the water will quickly go into the soil without stagnating in it. This simple method will help prevent the development of blackleg, a common disease among plants. The plant also needs to be shaded for several days.
The nuances of growing viola in containers
The first thing that novice gardeners should remember is the need to supplement the seedlings with phytolamps or regular fluorescent lamps, which are sold in any store. Pansies are very light-loving: ideally, the daylight hours for a flower should be from fourteen to sixteen hours.
To prevent seedlings from stretching in a container to unimaginable proportions, it is necessary to use a growth regulator Alar.
Temperature
It is very important to choose the right temperature for seed germination. Ideally, it will be from 18 to 30 degrees. Even minor deviations from the norm can cause seeds to germinate much more slowly. However, already at the moment the sprouts appear above the soil, you can reduce the temperature to 15 degrees, since the grown seedlings can easily tolerate cold (but not frost). If you do everything correctly, you will soon be pleased with tender, beautiful bloom pansies.
Video - How to grow viola from seeds