The Right Light
I'm trying to learn from all my past mistakes with violets. I've tried to grow them several times in my life and was always disappointed when they didn't thrive. The ones that didn't make it last time I attempted to grow violets were all in a north window. I've learned that violets need lots of light. Not direct sunlight unless it's in an east window. They like filtered morning sun especially in the winter. I have had much success with them in a south window BUT my south windows are filtered thru trees during part of the day and I have a plastic film on them that makes them appear frosted so the light gets "illuminated" like a greenhouse instead of hitting them directly. I actually get more sun in the winter through my south windows after the leaves fall off the trees.
I also have pink and blue led grow lights on them for about 2 hours a day in the evening to help them bloom better. I have to say that even though the leds are affordable - I do not like them. They hurt my eyes so I make little "shields" out of cardboard to put on each length side of them so the light goes down instead of outward. Still the windows look all bright pink lit up at night.
I do not currently have supplemental lighting on my east windows yet. The direct morning sun filtered through mini-blinds seems to be enough for them for now. My east windows are mostly where I put my babies, plant starts and leaf cuttings to grow. Violets love sunlight. But, direct sun will burn your violets. It must be filtered somehow either through trees, curtains, blinds or plastic film.
I move my violets around. As soon as the babies bloom I move them to a south window. If I notice a plant whose leaves are really down-turned, I move it to an east window with a little less light. If the leaves are stretching upward, it needs more light. If any plant looks sick or takes a sudden downturn, I move it to another room and spray the shelf and surrounding plants with Gardensafe fungicide 3 with neem oil as a precaution.
Violets love sun, as long as it's filtered. If you want your plants to bloom and stay in constant bloom you must give them enough light.
This is my first green violet and the one that got me wanting to grow them again. The first time I saw them was at my local Lowes store. They got about a dozen in and I could still kick myself for not buying one then, but I had not decided yet to grow violets again so when I went back a week later - they were ALL gone! Not even one left! I had to order mine online and pay for postage. It cost me about four times as much! I could still kick myself... except for the fact that it has bloomed NON-STOP since I got it over two months ago and I hardly ever have to pick a faded bloom off!
When I took it out of the box, it had a zillion blooms on it but some of them had a grey fuzz on the little yellow pistils - I panicked and immediately thought it had mold from being wrapped in bubble wrap for three days in the mail. So I took it outside and sprayed it all over - flowers, leaves up and under, soil, pot, everything with Gardensafe fungicide 3 (my favorite all round problem solver) for violets. It was dripping wet! I picked off about a third of the blooms that looked affected and set it on the shelf to dry. I thought, "Oh no, what if I've killed it?" But, it has bloomed more flowers and continuously ever since and I have its leaves propagating. It's a keeper. It's my best and longest bloomer and my favorite plant now.
It's like the super plant sent straight from plant heaven. It got me hooked on growing violets again. This time I'm researching online and asking questions.
I also have pink and blue led grow lights on them for about 2 hours a day in the evening to help them bloom better. I have to say that even though the leds are affordable - I do not like them. They hurt my eyes so I make little "shields" out of cardboard to put on each length side of them so the light goes down instead of outward. Still the windows look all bright pink lit up at night.
I do not currently have supplemental lighting on my east windows yet. The direct morning sun filtered through mini-blinds seems to be enough for them for now. My east windows are mostly where I put my babies, plant starts and leaf cuttings to grow. Violets love sunlight. But, direct sun will burn your violets. It must be filtered somehow either through trees, curtains, blinds or plastic film.
I move my violets around. As soon as the babies bloom I move them to a south window. If I notice a plant whose leaves are really down-turned, I move it to an east window with a little less light. If the leaves are stretching upward, it needs more light. If any plant looks sick or takes a sudden downturn, I move it to another room and spray the shelf and surrounding plants with Gardensafe fungicide 3 with neem oil as a precaution.
Violets love sun, as long as it's filtered. If you want your plants to bloom and stay in constant bloom you must give them enough light.
This is my first green violet and the one that got me wanting to grow them again. The first time I saw them was at my local Lowes store. They got about a dozen in and I could still kick myself for not buying one then, but I had not decided yet to grow violets again so when I went back a week later - they were ALL gone! Not even one left! I had to order mine online and pay for postage. It cost me about four times as much! I could still kick myself... except for the fact that it has bloomed NON-STOP since I got it over two months ago and I hardly ever have to pick a faded bloom off!
When I took it out of the box, it had a zillion blooms on it but some of them had a grey fuzz on the little yellow pistils - I panicked and immediately thought it had mold from being wrapped in bubble wrap for three days in the mail. So I took it outside and sprayed it all over - flowers, leaves up and under, soil, pot, everything with Gardensafe fungicide 3 (my favorite all round problem solver) for violets. It was dripping wet! I picked off about a third of the blooms that looked affected and set it on the shelf to dry. I thought, "Oh no, what if I've killed it?" But, it has bloomed more flowers and continuously ever since and I have its leaves propagating. It's a keeper. It's my best and longest bloomer and my favorite plant now.
It's like the super plant sent straight from plant heaven. It got me hooked on growing violets again. This time I'm researching online and asking questions.
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