Most commercially available horned violets are not good perennials. With luck they will last three years. So that you don't have to constantly buy new plants, sowing seeds from your own harvest is a good idea.
How do I grow horned violets from seeds?
To grow horned violets from seeds, start the pre-culture between January and March, sow the seeds in a seed tray or pots and press them lightly to the surface of the soil. Keep the soil moist and the germination temperature between 15 and 18°C. The plants can be planted out from May.
Don't miss: The best sowing time
If you decide to propagate horned violets in your own four walls, you should start pre-culture between January and March. The young horned violets are planted out from May. Direct sowing can be done all year round. But the period between April and July has proven to be best for this.
Harvest the seeds yourself or buy them
You can get the seeds in stores everywhere. But if you already have horned violets, it's worth harvesting the seeds yourself. To do this, you should not cut off the stems after flowering. Harvest the seed capsules and store them in an airy place. When they are dry, you can open them with your fingers and the seeds will fall out.
Sowing step by step
Self-harvested horned violet seeds are only germinable if they have been stratified before sowing. It is best to sow them outdoors in summer. Then they receive their cold exposure in winter and germinate in spring.
The following should be noted when sowing (after stratification) at home:
- Choose seed tray or pots
- fill with conventional sowing soil
- Sow seeds, do not cover them with soil, just press them down (light germinator)
- Moisten the soil and keep the moist environment
- Germination time: 8 days to 4 weeks
- best germination temperature: 15 to 18 °C
It is ideal if the sown seeds are placed in a shady place. This prevents the soil from drying out too quickly. If the cotyledons are visible, the plants need to be moved to a bright place. If necessary, they can be separated if necessary.
Characteristics of the sown Horned Violets
As a result, you do not get pure horned violets that are identical to the mother plant. But they impress with their abundance of flowers and their endurance. Unfortunately, they are not as long-lived as horned violets propagated from cuttings
Tips & Tricks
In their location, horned violets like to sow themselves and go wild. So you don't necessarily have to take the sowing into your own hands.
