Cultivation and Management of cut Violet

Violet MatthiolaincanaR.Br also known as grass violet, grass osmanthus, cruciferous violet genus, perennial or biennial plants. Violet originated in the Mediterranean coast, has been found in ancient Greece, 1542 has been red, purple, white three colors, 1568 for the first time there are double species of records. The rate of double petals of varieties bred before 1900 was more than 50%. After the 20th century, very effective variety improvement work was done. Some cut flower varieties have flower stems as high as 80 cm, and the double petal rate reaches 95%. It is now widely cultivated in gardens all over China. Violet flowering longer, abundant flowers, large inflorescences, rich colors, fragrance, can be used as flower beds, flower border layout materials and potted beautification room, but also a good cut flowers.

Ecological Habits of Violet

Violet likes warm and humid winter, cool and dry summer climate environment. The seedling stage is slightly shade tolerant, bud formation and flowering stage like sufficient sunlight. It is relatively cold and cold, and can withstand short-term low temperatures of about 0 ° C, but it is not resistant to frost. Avoid hot and humid climate, plum rain weather prone to disease. It is generally planted in winter and blooms mainly in spring. Because the whole body has pilose hair, the water in the body evaporates less, the growth period generally can be watered less, the flowering period needs appropriate watering. Root system is extremely developed, requiring fertile loose soil, deep soil layer. It is difficult to grow on heavy clay and poorly drained soil.

Type and variety

Horticultural varieties are many, there are two strains of single and double petals. The double petalous strain has high ornamental value; the single petalous strain can bear seeds, but the double petalous strain cannot. Plants grown from generally flat seeds usually produce a large number of double flowers, while plump seeds mostly produce single flowers. The colors are pink, crimson, light purple, deep purple, pure white, yellowish, bright yellow, blue purple and so on. White flowers, pink flowers and purple flowers are generally used in the production of cut flowers.

The main cultivars are white 'Aida'(Aida), yellow 'Carmen'(Carmen), red 'Francesca'(Francesca), purple 'Arabella'(Arabella) and light purple 'Incana'(Incana). According to the high score of plants, there are three types: tall, medium and short; according to the different flowering period, there are summer violet, autumn violet and winter violet; according to the different cultivation habits, there are annual and biennial types.

propagation method

Sowing propagation mainly, but also cuttage propagation. It is usually cultivated as a biennial variety. in Yunnan Province, sow in November, germinating in 7-10 day at 15 - 22 deg. C, and planting in 30-40 days when 6-7 true leaves are obtain. They can flower in March. When sowing, the pot soil should be watered enough. After sowing, it is not suitable to water directly. If the soil becomes dry and white, spray it with a watering can or use the "dipping pot method" to keep the soil moist. The seedling tray is placed in shade and covered with shade. After emergence, the shade should be gradually removed to make it see light.

Pay attention to autumn sowing time can not be too late, otherwise it will affect the growth of plants, winter, flowering quantity and quality.

cultivation and management techniques

Sandy loam rich in humus was selected as cultivation substrate. Cut flowers are cultivated in greenhouses, and ponding is avoided in planting places. The seedlings can be planted when they are 8-10cm high. The planting density is 30-40 plants per square meter, and the holes are planted at equal intervals. Violet is a taproot plant and is resistant to transplantation. Therefore, in order to ensure survival, transplant with more soil, try not to hurt the root system. After planting, pour water thoroughly. In the early stage of growth, water should be controlled to squat seedlings, keep the soil in a slightly dry state, and generally irrigate once every 3-4 days. The lower the temperature, the less watering. When the ambient temperature rises, increase the amount of watering, otherwise the plant grows shorter, which will affect the quality of cut flowers. When planting should apply enough base fertilizer, early growth according to plant growth appropriate fertilization. Don't fertilize too much at one time, apply thin fertilizer frequently, otherwise it is easy to cause excessive growth of plants. When the plants are pregnant, apply 0.1%-0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution once a week. [Pagination]

Violets love light and need full sunlight. The temperature is regulated by plastic greenhouse, which is controlled between 10℃ and 30 ℃, and the temperature should not be lower than 5℃ during winter. In Yunnan, the temperature is protected by closing the plastic film in winter, and in summer, the plastic film is opened to reduce the ambient temperature by ventilation, which is beneficial to the production of cut flowers with low cost, high yield and high quality.

During plant growth, plant weight increased with inflorescence growth, plant lodging was easy, which affected cut flower quality and caused difficulty in fertilization and watering, and affected ventilation, and was easy to be infected. Therefore, nets should be set up in bud stage. In addition, attention should be paid to intertillage and weeding in the appropriate period to facilitate the reproduction and activity of beneficial microorganisms in the soil, thus promoting the decomposition of organic matter in the soil and creating good conditions for the growth of flower roots and nutrient absorption. Summer high temperature, high humidity should pay attention to the prevention and control of diseases and insect pests.

pest control

The main pests of violets are:

(1) Leaf spot disease: It is caused by continuous cropping, poor ventilation, high humidity and other reasons.

Control method: ① Remove diseased plant residue, reduce infection source;② Select disease-resistant varieties, properly increase phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, improve plant disease resistance;③ Implement rotation;④ Irrigation along the soil surface, avoid spraying water on plants; Fifthly Spray 1% Bordeaux mixture or 25% carbendazim wettable powder 300-600 times solution, or 50% thiophanate-methyl 1000 times solution, or 80% mancozeb 400-600 times solution.

(2) Damping-off disease: It is mainly transmitted through soil and fertilizer, and it is easy to occur when humidity is too high, soil temperature is too high, sowing is too dense, seedling growth is thin, etc.

Control methods: ① timely pull out the diseased plants;② disinfect the soil;③ control watering properly in the early stage of seedling emergence;④ irrigate with 50% ammonium bromide aqueous solution 300-400 times or 70% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder 1000 times in the early stage of disease.

(3) Rot disease: mainly caused by high humidity, insufficient light and poor ventilation.

Prevention and control methods: proper control of moisture, light ventilation.

(4) Root-knot nematode disease: it is mainly transmitted by irrigation and agricultural operation. Infected soil and residual plants are the main sources of infection.

Control methods: ① soil disinfection;② chemical treatment.

(5) pests: mainly aphids, accumulated in leaves, buds and buds, piercing into the plant tissue to absorb juice, so that the affected parts appear yellow spots or black spots, the affected leaves shrink, fall off, bud atrophy or abnormal growth, serious cases can make the plant die. Aphids can secrete honeydew, causing bacteria to grow and induce diseases such as soot disease.

Control methods: ① eliminate weeds nearby;② spray 40% dimethoate or omethoate 1000-1500 times solution, or fenvalerate 2000-3000 times solution or 80% dichlorvos 1000 times solution, etc.

Cut flower harvesting and storage

Harvest when 1/2-2/3 floret on flowering branch opens. Harvest time in the morning or evening is better. At this time, the water content of the cells in the plant body is more, which can prolong the preservation time of flowers. Cut from the base of the stem to make the flowers longer. Each bundle of 10-20 pieces, after binding, put the base into a container to fully absorb water, and then wrapped with wrapping paper or plastic film, refrigerated or boxed for marketing. Cut flowers can be kept at 4℃ for 3-4 days, and should be returned to room temperature after 3-4 days.