Why do violet leaves become smaller?

Often, violet lovers are faced with the fact that the leaves of the plant begin to shrink. Previously, the violet developed well, but suddenly it began to produce small leaves and lost its former attractiveness.

If this happens to a violet in winter, then the reason is almost certainly a lack of light. Illumination in the autumn-winter period is insufficient for all flowers, and especially for the light-loving violet. Therefore, almost all connoisseurs of this plant use additional lighting in winter - fluorescent lamps.

Shredding of leaves can sometimes occur after replanting. This is a stressful period for the plant; the plant spends energy on adaptation, on rooting, and therefore produces smaller leaves.

The reason your violet has smaller leaves may also be because it is infested with spider mites. It is necessary to carefully examine the plant and, if necessary, take measures to combat the mite.

Also, small leaves can be a sign that the roots of the violet are rotting. You may have filled it up. Remove the plant from the pot and inspect the roots. If there are spoiled roots, cut them down to healthy tissue, sprinkle them with crushed coal and replant them in fresh soil.

There is nothing more beautiful and sweeter than the large, dark green and slightly fluffy leaves of Saintpaulia, framing a small bouquet of bright flower heads on your windowsill. How much they lose their attractiveness if the leaves begin to become smaller over time. This becomes a serious problem, which, if desired, can be solved by analyzing the conditions in which the flower is kept and whether all conditions for caring for it are correctly observed.

Possible reasons

Any flower needs its personal characteristics to be taken into account. Violet is no exception: if you violate the basic requirements for its care, its appearance will suffer first of all. Therefore, in the struggle for the beauty of your pet, you should pay attention to the following points:

Soil quality. Saintpaulia, like any other indoor plant, loves soil enriched with minerals and nutrients. If you do not change it for a long time, the result may be small leaves. It is best to add humus to the soil and replant every year.
Lack of space. The roots can grow so large that the flower becomes very cramped in a small pot.
Excess space. A similar problem will occur if the volume of land is too large. If your beauty is planted in a large pot, its root system simply will not be able to cope with such a scale. The container should be selected taking into account not the leaves, but the size of the roots.
Low light. Violet loves sunlight (not direct rays), it’s not for nothing that all amateurs and experienced gardeners display it on a lit windowsill. Therefore, if due to circumstances it is in a dark place, provide it with additional lighting, otherwise it will not only change the size of the leaves, but also change color.
Consequences of transplantation. In this case, Saintpaulia disease is a temporary condition. She is experiencing her stress and will recover very soon.
Pests. The most common of all is the spider mite, which is invisible at first glance. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully examine each leaf from all sides and urgently take measures to eliminate this pest.
Excess moisture. Due to excessive watering, the roots of Saintpaulia may rot. You should inspect the root system, cut off the affected matter, sprinkle it with coal and be sure to replant it in new soil.
Low air humidity. No amount of spraying will help, since they evaporate very quickly and the air becomes dry again. The best option is expanded clay - a specially fired, porous clay that absorbs water well and releases it quite slowly. Flower pots are placed on a pallet into which wet expanded clay filled with water is placed.

Causes of diseases in violets

Experienced gardeners know that it is possible to protect a plant from diseases by providing it with optimal conditions that are close to natural. It is necessary to organize proper care at home.

Violets are heat-loving plants, they feel good at temperatures of +20...+25°C, and do not tolerate drafts and temperature changes. In a cold room, violets stop growing, and frequent watering under such conditions leads to rotting of the stem and roots. Heat also has a bad effect on the flower, weakening it, which leads to illness in indoor violets.

When exposed to direct sunlight, the tender leaves of the plant get burned, wither and turn yellow. Therefore, the light in the room should be diffused and dim.

The soil must be free from pathogenic microbes and pests, so you should not take soil for violets from the garden. The soil for violets should be nutritious and light, providing air access to the roots and the drainage of excess moisture. Heavy, dense soil mixtures are not suitable for the Saintpaulia root system, causing it to rot.

Violet likes moderate moisture rather than heavy watering; it should not be moistened with cold water. To provide the guest from the tropics with optimal air humidity, the pot with the plant is placed in trays with moistened gravel or moss, or the air is freshened with a sprayer.

Dangerous pests

Diseases and pests of violets cause great damage to flower growers:

mealybug;
mites;
scale insects;
nematodes;
thrips;
aphid.

Insects can be brought in with garden soil, purchased plants, and cut flowers. Therefore, plants need to be inspected regularly, and if questions arise about why spots and other symptoms of the disease appear on violet leaves, treatment should be started immediately.

Ticks feed on the juice of violet leaves; their presence is indicated by the following signs:

thin cobwebs on flowers or leaves that turn brown over time, dry out and fall off (spider mites);
young leaves in the center of the rosette turn yellow and thicken (cyclamen mite);
the leaves of the plant curl inward, subsequently they wither and fall off, the plant may die (plate mite).

To combat ticks, acaricides are used - Apollo, Neoron, Fitoverm.

Scale insects and false scale insects look like tubercles on the underside of the leaf, having a brown, green or yellow color. Attaching to the leaf along its veins, insects suck out the juices from the plant and produce a sticky secretion on which the sooty fungus multiplies well.

Adults must be removed from plants mechanically by soaking a swab in a soap solution, since they are not susceptible to chemicals. After removing them, the violet bush must be treated with solutions of Aktara, Bankol, Mospilan or other insecticides. The window sill, shelf, and window glass, which may contain scale insect larvae, should be treated with insecticides.

Thrips are small insects that look like elongated flies. They infect plants not only by feeding on their sap, but also by transmitting various flower diseases. Thrips are black, brown or gray in color and settle on the lower part of the leaves. After a while, you can see light dots and stripes on the top, then the leaves become deformed and fall off, the flowers crumble.

In the fight against thrips, insecticides such as Fitoverm, Actellik, Confidor are used, which are applied at the root and used for spraying. Violet leaves should be washed thoroughly before processing. If thrips were noticed on one plant, then you need to treat all the specimens in the house, because thrips migrate quickly and infect flowers.

Nematodes are small, up to 2 mm, worms that live in the ground and feed on plant roots. Signs of root infection by nematodes:

roots are brown, black;
the stem of the plant is elongated and thickened;
the petioles of the lower leaves are short, the upper leaves have none;
the leaves are compacted and dark green, curling inward;
roots are brown, dark in color with thickenings (galls).

There are no effective means of destroying worms, so to prevent infection, peat or crushed dried marigold flowers are added to the soil. You can use an infusion of marigolds or peat to water violets.

The mealybug, or hairy louse, is visible on the plant with the naked eye. By sucking juice from shoots, leaves, and buds, parasites slow down the development and growth of the plant. The insect can be distinguished by its characteristic whitish waxy coating. A white coating similar to cotton wool is visible on the plants, on which sooty fungus multiplies.

If the plant is only slightly affected, then use a cotton swab soaked in soapy water to clean it from insects and their sticky secretions. You need to prepare a solution of green soap (15 g per 1 liter of water), spray the violets, then re-treat them 2 more times after 7-14 days.

Aphids suck sap from plant leaves, slowing their growth and inhibiting flowering. Aphid colonies are clearly visible; they prefer to settle on the underside of leaves. The danger of aphids is that they carry viral diseases, further infecting a weakened plant. To combat aphids at the very beginning of infection, it is enough to remove the damaged parts of the violet and wash it with warm soapy water.

Why do violets have small leaves?

The formation of small leaf plates or grinding of existing ones is mainly associated with :

Improper care;
Or inappropriate growing conditions.

Violet leaves become smaller due to improper care.

Any plant requires knowledge of its biological or physiological characteristics and Saintpaulia is no exception . Violating the basic requirements for agricultural technology for growing these delicate but capricious plants, first of all, the appearance suffers, the bulk of which is occupied by green mass.

The fight for the appearance and health of indoor violets does not require much time or money. But, the necessary attention and care must be performed regularly .

Lack of daylight in winter

Light-loving violets can not only change the size of the leaf blades, but also change color due to insufficient light , especially in winter. Even on a lit windowsill during this period there will be insufficient daylight.

Experienced gardeners recommend using additional lighting for plants - phytolamps.

Light is the basis of life not only for violets, but for all plants. The green color of the leaves catches only a certain spectrum of rays , providing the synthesis of organic substances with its energy.

Varieties of indoor violet with dark green, variegated or fairly dense foliage require more daylight hours , and those with light green, wavy or pubescent foliage require less.

general information

There are three main groups of violets:

collectible;
industrial;
variegated.

The majority of the owners of large double inflorescences are the collection species of Saintpaulia , they are quite demanding in care, they require more frequent and active watering, fertilizer, as well as a special light regime.

Most often, such specific species are found at exhibitions or in private collections. The sizes of the inflorescences of collection plants vary from 5 to 7 centimeters. The most popular varieties with large flowering are Lemon Snow, Gift for a Loved One , and some others.

Violet “Gift for a loved one.”

At the same time, small inflorescences are natural for industrial varieties. The rosette of such a plant specimen should not reach more than 15 centimeters. The advantage of industrial varieties is that they are available to everyone, that is, they decorate the window sills of almost every gardener.

Owners can be pleased with small flowering:

The declared sizes of large-flowered violets can reach from 5 to 7 centimeters in volume, while they have soft velvety petals with wavy edges.

These varieties bloom almost all year round , with a break in flowering of no more than 1-2 weeks. In order for a flower to develop safely, it needs:

diffused light (or partial shade);
moderate watering;
fertilizing and fertilizers.

For small-flowered violets, flowers no more than 5 centimeters in volume are natural. Their flowering time is the same as that of large-leaved ones. On average, the flowering period is at least 10 months.

No flowering when shredding leaf blades

Why does the violet become smaller: many leaves and few flowers? All problems regarding changes in the size of leaf blades to small ones and a delay or lack of flowering are associated with :

Pests;
Or a violation of the rules of agricultural technology.

, spider mites lead to such a sad state .

Violet may stop blooming due to violation of maintenance conditions.

Among the mistakes of agricultural cultivation technology it is worth highlighting :

"Fattening";
Excessive lighting;
The pot is too big for the root system;
Insufficient air humidity (dry air);
Lack of phosphorus and potassium for nutrition;
Overwatering;
Lack of lighting;
Viral disease - rosette infection;
Deep landing;
Ignorance of the variety is a mini-violet.

Ways to solve the problem

Identifying the cause

Identification of the causes of multiple reductions in leaf size should be sought in :

Violations of growing conditions;
And mistakes in care.

The loss of appearance, which differs from the characteristics of the variety, always lies in the agricultural technology of cultivation . Let's find out:

Suitability and quality composition of the soil

If not properly cared for, violet leaves begin to shrink.

Treatment methods

The main and most important method of solving the problem is to study the biological and physiological characteristics of the type of Saintpaulia purchased. Differences in agricultural practices between species can vary significantly.

The second important method, the most effective in combating the crushing of leaf plates, is to find out the cause and resolve it as quickly as possible .

Usually the problem is solved by transplanting into high-quality soil and, no less important, a container carefully selected in size.

How to solve a problem?

In order for violets to bloom and delight the owner, it is necessary to properly care for them, create all the necessary conditions, and also eliminate shortcomings in care and development. If the violet flowers have become small, you should pay close attention to this.

Identifying the cause

First of all, violet leaves react to any discrepancy in conditions . They stretch upward if there is not enough light for them, and fall down if there is too much light. They disappear if the flower does not have enough vitamins, or vice versa - they grow with redoubled force and become covered with spots or cobwebs.

It is worth observing the violet leaves very carefully.

In this case, flower growers should be more attentive to their pets and identify the cause of the illness in time. Otherwise, you may lose the flower.

If you become infected with a fungal disease, then by missing the onset of the disease you can lose your entire collection , since the spread of the fungus occurs very quickly.

Adjustment of conditions of detention

As soon as the cause of the green pet’s illness has become clear, it must be eliminated as soon as possible:

increase air humidity;
normalize watering and temperature;
transplant;
carry out the prevention or treatment of infectious diseases and the like.

Pest treatment

Plants can be treated against pests using preventive methods, the use of biological or chemical preparations, such as Fitoverm, Aktara , and others.

Replanting with complete soil replacement

Transplantation is an emergency method of saving a flower from waterlogging of the soil, rotting of the roots , as well as other parts of the exotic plant. In addition, a transplant can be an excellent annual prevention of infectious and other diseases.

How to preserve a violet if the root system is damaged?

75% of violet diseases are associated with root rot . The result of resuscitation measures depends on the degree of damage. Experienced gardeners can easily revive Saintpaulia with minor to moderate damage. More complex actions, when the stem is completely rotten, it is easier to destroy the violet than to treat it.

Resuscitation consists of removing damaged areas and lower leaves of the plant, with:

Subsequent treatment with drugs and antiseptics;
By transplanting into high-quality soil.

Damaged violet roots can be cured by transplanting.

The most dangerous disease for Saintpaulias is rotting of the root collar . Treatment is difficult and dangerous for nearby plants. Few gardeners decide to revive such a plant. Usually it is simply destroyed.