Viola Wittrock: features and garden classifications

Gentle, subtle viola related tothe famous Fialkov family is so well known to everyone that it is impossible to find someone who is not familiar with the plant, which in Russia is also called “pansies”. Anyone can grow such a flower.

Wild representatives of this genus -The most ancient plants, common, as a rule, in the mountainous regions of the temperate climatic zones of the Northern Hemisphere, existed more than two thousand years ago. They number up to seven hundred species and some of them are endemics of certain areas, for example, there are species found exclusively in the South American Andes, Brazilian subtropics, forests of Australia or New Zealand.

In the 16th century, fragrant violet was cultivated,then mountain. The Europeans became acquainted with the species, called Viola Vittrok and a hybrid of three plants - viola yellow, tricolor and Altai, in the 19th century. Today, this garden species has become a popular culture, numbering several hundred varieties and varieties and decorating gardens and parks of all European countries. Let's talk about this culture, its preferences, cultivation and features of care.

Viola Wittrock: description of the form

This famous violet is a perennial, biennial or annual herb that reaches 15–30 cm in height, with a fibrous root system and a direct main shoot.

Different varieties have different leaflets,simple or pinnate: with stipules, they either develop from a rosette or are alternately arranged on stalks. Viola single flowers growing from the sinuses on thin peduncles and reaching very large sizes (5-7 cm in diameter), given the overall miniature bush. In form, they are simple, terry with wavy, corrugated or fringed edges. Upper petals of flowers with peculiar marigolds, lower ones with a small spur. The colors of cultivated varieties are the most diverse: single and multi-colored, spotted, striped. A special love of gardeners is caused by the fact that the Viola Wittrock blooms generously, dissolving 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 coldest. There are hybrids that can bloom throughout the summer season. Ripe small brown seeds are collected in a fruit box. Germination they have saved more than 2 years.

Garden classification

Perennial grown in gardens as a biennialThe plant and the most common type of violets in the culture, called the Wittrock Viola, combines varieties of garden pansies, classifying them into different categories: timing and duration of flowering, shape, size, color of flowers, degree of cold resistance.

So, if the basis is taken the size of the flowers andtheir number, simultaneously blooming on a bush, the viola varieties are divided into large-flowered varieties, called grandiflora and many-flowered, multiflora. When choosing as a criterion for coloring, varieties are conditionally classified as one-, two-, multi-colored or spotty. A clear classification that defines the boundaries of varieties does not exist, since it is simply impossible to determine, because the same variety can be defined simultaneously in the group of spotted, two-colored or multi-colored.

Popular varieties

We will not dwell on listing allvarieties and varieties, but let's talk about the most popular varieties today. For example, the recognition and love of gardeners received Viola Vittrok "Baroque" - a spectacular, unpretentious culture, growing up to 30 cm and pleasing with abundant blooms of large bordering maroon-terracotta flowers throughout the summer season. Planted in a rassadny way, this violet blooms in the year of planting. The Baroque Viola Vittrock charms with beauty and bright colors. Photos of this variety are presented in the article. Flowers reach a very significant size - 5-7 cm in diameter.

Even more decorative viola Vittrok "Terrylace ”, from the name of which it becomes clear that this violet is the owner of large (6-8 cm) flowers of amazing beauty with a relief corrugated edge. This variety is remarkable for its high degree of winter hardiness, unpretentiousness, the ability to grow superbly on soils of any composition and maintain continuous flowering throughout the season.

Viola Wittrock: cultivation

The viola is hardy and frost resistantgrows excellently in the shade, although it blooms more abundantly in the sun and has larger flowers. Therefore, the site is chosen as sunny as possible, located on a certain elevation, without close approach of groundwater. It is noticed that the violet can successfully grow on any, even the heaviest soils, but prefers moist fertile loams. Before planting a plant, the ground on the site should be prepared by digging shovels on a bayonet and adding 10 kg of humus and peat and 5 kg of sand per square meter.

Sowing on seedlings

Оптимальным способом в выращивании виолы считают rassadny. This makes it possible to get a blooming flower bed in the summer, while seeds sown in June in open ground will pass a two-year development circle and flowers will appear by the beginning of next summer.

These are the botanical features of such a plant,like Viola Wittrock. Growing from seeds begins in February-March with soaking for a day in a solution of a biostimulator, for example, “Epin”, “Zircon” or “Heteroauxin”, the concentration of which corresponds to the recommendations in the instructions for the preparation. Seedling containers are filled with a special substrate for violets purchased in the store, mark the grooves, sow the prepared seeds and pour over the settled water. Having powdered 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 ° C.

Seedling and picking

Shoots appear after 10-15 days.As soon as germination begins, the film cover is removed, and the boxes with the seedlings are placed in a bright, cool place (+ 10˚С). Care for seedlings in this period consists of 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. This usually occurs about a month and a half after germination.

With intensive growth of seedlingsdive viola again, but usually there is one picking operation. In addition, the amazing endurance of violet allows her to take root well in the flowerbed, even after planting flowering plants.

Terms of planting on a bed

Planted viola seedlings 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 recurrent frosts has passed, because the fragile and unrooted violets will not tolerate sudden cold snaps. Planting technology is simple: seedlings are placed in prepared holes with an interval of 10-15 cm, sprinkled the roots with soil, compacted the soil around the plants and generously watered. Perennial varieties of Viola greatly expand and eventually lose their decorative effect. Their best varieties are easily propagated by cutting.

Outdoor Viola Care

The complex of caring activities is simple and traditional for planting crops such as Viola Vittrock.

Уход заключается в периодических рыхлениях грунта and removal of germinating weeds. Taking into account the peculiarities of the development of the root system of a plant, while it is superficial and located no deeper than 15–20 cm, it is necessary to control the level of humidity and to keep the soil moist during hot periods. To prolong flowering, it is necessary to cut off the flowering buds, since the aging of seeds pulls down the strength of the plant, significantly reducing the intensity of flowering.

In addition, quality flowering is impossible withoutgood dressings. Viola Vittrock responds with luxurious flowering to the monthly introduction of ammonium nitrate or superphosphate in the amount of 25-30 grams per 1 square meter.

Перечисленные этапы ухода приемлемы для всех varieties of garden violets, including such as the Viola Vittrok "Baroque". Growing seedlings from seeds and subsequent planting in open ground is the most reliable way to get a bright rainbow colored with all colors.

Viola diseases and pests

The cultivation of violets is simple, butfailure to follow these simple rules leads to problems. Attacks of pests or the occurrence of diseases are often the result of non-compliance with the above steps. Often viola Wittrock suffers from powdery mildew, white scurf, appearing on leaves, stems and flowers.

Это случается при перекорме азотными удобрениями and lack of phosphorus-potassium or adverse weather conditions, when hot dry days are interspersed with cold matinees with abundant dew. Excessive 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 plants.

Of insect pests special dangerrepresent the caterpillars of the clover scoop and violet pearl, swiftly and quickly eating the leaves of the viola. They are destroyed by spraying a solution of chlorophos, karbofos or tobacco infusion.

Seed collection

Оставленные на цветоносах семена вызревают в 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. Willingness of seeds for harvesting is manifested by turning the seed pods upwards. They are carefully cut, seeds are removed and laid out for drying, and then placed in storage in a basement or refrigerator, as they need stratification.

Если коробочки с семенами не убирают специально, the seeds are sown independently, and similar natural shoots can be seen in the fall or next spring. In this case, the seedlings are seated on the prepared places, bypassing the seedling period and the accompanying procedures, time and effort.

Winter chores

The derived varieties of perennial violets, to whichthe Viola Wittrock also belongs (photos are presented in the publication) can withstand even very severe frosts (up to -30 ºC), if with the onset of this cold weather, planting should be covered with spruce tree branches or mixed with dry plant debris.

These are the features of care for sweet andunpretentious violets, decorating garden and park interiors, pleasing life-affirming paints and amazing duration of flowering and amateur gardeners and professional growers.