What are the best petunia seeds to buy for growing seedlings? What are petunias? Which petunia to choose? Petunia - planting and care, photos and growing secrets

Petunia - the queen of the flower bed!

Petunias are indispensable inhabitants of flower beds, flower beds, rabatok, borders, vases, balconies and windows. They give bright fragrant cascades of flowers in all shades of the rainbow from early summer to frost; sometimes the flowers completely cover the foliage and shoots.

Petunia or petunia. Latin - Petunia from fr. petun - tobacco.

Care

Lighting. Petunia is photophilous and thermophilic. Grows well in open sunny places. Large-flowered petunias are more thermophilic than small-flowered ones; they stop blooming in damp cold weather.

• In winter - preferably moderate,
• In summer - plentiful.

The soil. Prefers loamy or sandy soils, but can grow on any sufficiently fertile. It responds well to the introduction of humus or compost into the soil, but not fresh manure, as it contributes to the defeat of plants by fungal diseases. When preparing the soil for petunia in areas with acidic soils (pH less than 5.5), lime must be added. When digging the soil in spring, complex fertilizer is added to it.

• spring-summer - 1 time in 2 weeks with mineral and organic fertilizers;
• winter-autumn - without top dressing.

Pruning. Abundantly overgrown plants in half in the spring should be cut.

Petunia © Swami Stream

cultivation

It is drought-resistant, however, with a long absence of moisture, it requires watering. It tolerates strong soil moisture, but suffers from stagnant water. Large-flowered forms are more demanding on heat, moisture and nutritional conditions than small-flowered ones. Top dressing is the main condition for abundant and prolonged flowering of petunias, therefore, plants are fed regularly, starting a week after planting and until August with an interval of 7-10 days. Abundant flowering of petunias is provided by complete complex fertilizers, especially with a predominance of potassium. A very good result is obtained by fertilizing with organic fertilizers, including mullein infusion, as well as humic fertilizers. Regular top dressing continues until the end of flowering.

Diseases and pests

Blackleg

Pathogens. soil-dwelling fungi from the genera Olpidium, Pythium, Rhizoctonict, mainly Pythium debaryanum Hesse and Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn.

Symptoms. the basal part of the stem becomes watery, darkens and rots. The plant withers and dies. The mycelium of the fungus quickly spreads over the substrate in expanding, often even circles, affecting all new seedlings. Mushrooms infect seedlings from the first days of life. The disease is exceptional: in some cases, if you do not take any preventive and therapeutic measures, you can lose all the seedlings.

Conditions conducive to the spread of the disease. too dense crops, high soil and air humidity, high temperature (above 20 ° C), high soil acidity.

Persistence of pathogens (disease capacity). in soil and plant debris.

Control measures. the main attention should be paid to prevention: do not thicken crops, do not use too heavy or acidic substrate (optimal soil acidity for petunias pH 5.5-7), water moderately, avoid excess nitrogen fertilizers, remove diseased seedlings with part of the substrate surrounding them. When preparing the substrate for seedlings, it is undesirable to use land from the garden or from the greenhouse, but if there is no other land, then it must be steamed, and then biopreparations containing antagonist soil microorganisms that compete with pathogens (Agat-25 K, Fitosporin, Trichodermin and others). For preventive purposes, you can water the soil with sulfur preparations (colloidal sulfur, Cumulus, Thiovit Jet - 40 g / 10 l of water).

Gray rot

Pathogen. imperfect fungus Bothrytis cinerea Pers. affecting many agricultural crops.

Symptoms. light brown spots or a rash appear on leaves, stems and flowers, which are then covered with a gray fluffy coating of sporulation of the fungus. The affected parts of the plant first wither and then rot, turning into a brownish mass with a gray coating. Sometimes the fungus begins to develop in the internodes, which leads to the death of the part of the plant located above the site of the lesion. If the damage is severe, the plant may die. The fungus infects petunia in any phase - from cotyledon leaves to seed ripening.

Conditions conducive to the spread of the disease. too dense crops and plantings, high air humidity, low temperature (below 14 ° C), excess nitrogen fertilizers, lack of light. The fungus usually infects the tissues of the plant through wounds; it is able to penetrate the flower through the pistil.

preservation of the pathogen. in soil and plant debris. The fungus can also overwinter on the wooden structures of greenhouses.

Control measures. preventive - excessively dense sowing and planting, excessive watering, too low temperatures should be avoided. The development of the disease stops at high air temperature (25-27 ° C) and with a decrease in its humidity to 80% or lower. It is necessary to regularly remove the affected parts of the plant and plant residues that serve as an additional source of infection, as well as increase the proportion of phosphorus and potash fertilizers in top dressing.

white rot

Pathogen. marsupial Whetzelinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) D By. [synonym - Sderotinia sclerotiorum de Bary].

Symptoms. the appearance of weeping brown spots, covered with a white coating of mycelium in humid conditions, the affected tissues soften and turn white. A white mycelium is formed on the surface and inside the stem, on which black sclerotia are soon formed - the reproductive organs of the fungus. When the sclerotia mature, they form drops of a liquid that strongly refracts light. Shoots located above the affected part die off. The fungus can damage all parts of the plant.

Conditions conducive to the spread of the disease. low temperature and high humidity. Additionally, acidic soils, excessively dense plantings and untimely removal of the affected parts of plants contribute to this disease. Plants become infected through mechanical damage to tissues, but the fungus is able to penetrate inside and through stomata, so it easily spreads through the flower garden on the hands and clothes of a person when caring for plants.

preservation of the pathogen. in the soil and on plant residues in the form of sclerotia, which do not lose their viability for up to three years. The fungus may also persist.

Control measures. deep digging and liming of the soil, adherence to proper agricultural practices, timely removal of the affected parts of the plant. Good results are obtained by introducing into the wells when planting seedlings of the biological product Trichodermin (2 g per well). When the first signs of the disease appear, treatment with biological (Integral - 5 ml / 1 l of water, Fitosporin-M - 4-5 g / 1 l of water) or chemical (Maxim - 2 ml / 1 l of water) preparations is necessary.

wet rot

Pathogen. Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn.

Symptoms. in the phase of cotyledon leaves, the disease develops according to the "black leg" type (see above). From the stage of picking until the end of the growing season, the pathogen causes rotting of the root neck, while the leaves droop and wrinkle, acquiring a gray-green color with a lead tint. Oily light brown spots appear on the root neck, covered with a brown felt coating of the mycelium of the fungus. In the future, small black sclerotia appear on the mycelium. Diseased plants lag behind in growth, turn yellow and wither. The fungus can infect a plant at any age.

Conditions conducive to the spread of the disease. too deep planting, as well as acidic and waterlogged soils. The causative agent is not picky about environmental conditions and can develop in the temperature range of 3-25 ° C, with soil moisture of 40-100% and acidity pH 4.5-8.

preservation of the pathogen. in the form of sclerotia and mycelium in the soil (at a depth of up to 80 cm) up to 5-6 years. All this time he is capable of infection.

Control measures. preventive - high agricultural technology and timely removal of diseased plants; bacterial (Integral - 5 ml / 1 l of water, Fitosporin-M - 4-5 g / 1 l of water) and fungal (Trichodermin - 2 g of the drug per well when planting seedlings) preparations. Seedlings are watered with suspensions of biological preparations and sown seeds are sprayed. In this case, a capsule of beneficial microorganisms is formed around the roots.

brown spot

Pathogen. Phyllosticta petuniae Sp.

Symptoms. rusty-brown spots appear on the leaves, initially rounded, then oblong with concentric zones. On the light part of the spots, the fruiting of the fungus is formed. Affected leaves wither and dry up.

Conditions conducive to the spread of the disease. mechanical damage, high humidity

preservation of the pathogen. on fallen leaves.

Control measures. preventive - high agricultural technology. In order to prevent the disease, as well as when the disease appears, it is possible to spray with copper-containing preparations at intervals of 7-10 days (Kartocid - 50 g / 10 l of water, copper oxychloride - 40 g / 10 l of water, Oksihom - 20 g / 10 l water, etc.).

late blight

Pathogens. Phytophthora cryptogea Pethybr. a. Laff. and Phytophthora infestans de Vagu.

Symptoms. the base of the stem turns brown and rots. The plant wilts and subsequently dies. The defeat is possible at any age, however, more often the disease coincides in time with late blight of tomatoes and potatoes, which is associated with the characteristics of the biology of pathogens.

Conditions conducive to the spread of the disease. high humidity, cold nights with heavy dews.

preservation of the pathogen. in living wintering parts of plants - carriers of the disease (for example, diseased potato tubers planted in the garden). There is strong evidence that the infection does not persist in soil and plant debris.

Control measures. during the period of growing seedlings, it is necessary to ventilate the greenhouse well and not to thicken the crops. After planting the seedlings in the ground, preventive treatments with copper-containing preparations can be carried out (Kartotsid - 50 g / 10 l of water, copper oxychloride - 40 g / 10 l of water, Oksikhom - 20 g / 10 l of water, etc.), but flowers are often damaged , which leads to a loss of decorativeness for several days. Preparations based on mancozeb, metalaxyl or oxadixyl (Ridomil MC, Profit, Ridomil Gold MC, etc. - 20-25 g / 10 l of water) act much softer.

Homeland - South America. Petunia is a perennial herbaceous plant of the nightshade family, belongs to the same family as potatoes and tomatoes. In floriculture it is used as an annual. Petunia is not grown as an indoor flower, but the best plant for outdoor decoration of windows and balconies is hard to find.

The genus name comes from the Portuguese word petun, tobacco. Petunia and tobacco leaves are similar. They are whole, sessile or on short petioles, come in various sizes and shapes. The leaves are arranged alternately on the stems. The stems are green, branched, depending on the variety, they can be erect, creeping or hanging down.

Petunia flowers resemble a funnel. By size and shape, they are divided into small and large-colored, terry and simple. The range of colors is very wide - from pure white, light tones of yellow, pink to rich reds, blues and purples. Often there are varieties of petunias that combine different shades and have a colorful pattern of flowers. The edges of the petals can be smooth and fringed.

The fruit of a petunia is a box filled with very small seeds (up to 10,000 pieces can be in one gram). Germination of petunia seeds retain 2-3 years.

Petunia types

Types of petunia are as follows:

• bushy;
• cascading;
• falling.

bushy petunias

It will be interesting to look in tall flowerpots in the form of separate lush bushes, as well as in an ensemble with other plants. At home, it is absolutely easy to correct the shape of the bush, give it splendor and spreading, if you pinch young shoots and periodically cut off the tops above the internodes. Very beautiful varieties: Multiflora with bright small flowers on undersized bushes; Milliflora with delicate flowers on compact bushes; Grandiflora with bright and large flowers - gramophones with an exquisite fringed edge on the petals. These bright flowers will look interesting in a flower arrangement against the background of such decorative and deciduous plants as oxalis oxalis, potted thuja, etc.

cascading pitunias

Petunias are becoming more and more popular every year. Previously, bushes with pretty bright gramophones were grown mainly in parks and near public institutions. Recently, more and more often, a flowering plant adorns the facades of houses and cafe verandas, growing in hanging containers and multi-tiered flower beds. The thing is that the choice of varieties of flowers that can be purchased has significantly expanded: along with bush forms, cascading and ampelous petunias have appeared on sale.

A lot of discussion raises the question, what is the difference between ampelous and cascading petunias? Petunia creeping cascading - the middle between spray flowers and ampels. In fact, cascade varieties are a group of ampelous ones. They have flexible stems, but thicker and not as long as those of pure ampelous forms, and cascading petunias grow at first, stretching upwards, and then begin to hang under their own weight. Usually, varieties of cascading petunias have larger flowers than ampelous ones.

These include such varieties as "Silver", "Typhoon", "Tornado", "Cherry", "Ramblin", "Fortunia", "Easy Wave" and "Rose".

flowing petunias

A significant difference between this type of flowers is the peculiar arrangement of the stems: they reach 1 meter in length and spread along the ground or descend in vines. With the help of such petunias, you can decorate rock gardens, special designs in the form of nets and frames, hanging planters.

Today, the falling type of petunias has been replenished with flowers from the category of semi-ampelous, which do not have such long stems. They can grow a little up, and from there go down. Thus, a real waterfall is formed from the wattle. Decorating alpine slides with such plants, you can create a semblance of a river of flowers that descends and winds between the stones.

With their help, you can decorate trees, benches and other structures on the site. They should be planted with seedlings, because small shoots are quite fragile and need maintenance.

petunia care

Lighting for petunias

Petunias do well and bloom profusely in sun and shady areas. If the petunia is on a southern windowsill on hot summer days, it will bloom well, but the lower leaves will begin to dry, so it is better to rearrange the plant in a bright place without direct sunlight. Large-flowered petunias are more thermophilic than small-flowered ones; they stop blooming in damp cold weather.

Optimal temperature for petunias

The temperature regime required by the plant for rapid growth largely depends on the variety chosen. As a rule, in order to obtain friendly seedlings, the container with seedlings needs to be stored at a temperature of 20-25°C. Some hybrids are able to germinate at lower temperatures, which must be indicated on the seed packaging. In general, petunia is a heat-loving plant. In winter (during the dormant period), the optimum temperature can be called 10-18 ° C, and in summer - 25-30 ° C. Note that flowering will not begin until the average daily air temperature rises above 19°C.

Watering petunias

Petunia requires moderate watering in winter and more plentiful in summer. On hot summer days, it is advisable to water the plant twice a day: in the morning and in the evening. This will have a beneficial effect on luxurious flowering. Evening watering can be replaced with abundant spraying. Petunia normally tolerates abundant watering or its absence. But stagnant water or prolonged drought can have a detrimental effect. Soft settled water is suitable for irrigation.

Feeding petunia seedlings and flowering plants

Here are the basic conditions for long and abundant flowering. You need to “feed” the petunia regularly: already in the second week after planting, and then at intervals of 7-10 days - until the end of flowering.

In the spring, to accelerate the growth of petunias, they begin to feed them with nitrogen-containing fertilizers, for example, nitroammophoska, and complex fertilizers with a high content of phosphorus and potassium are recommended for planting buds.

An important component of nutrition is iron: with its deficiency, petunias develop chlorosis, which manifests itself in yellowing of the leaves. Iron chelate or liquid Ferovit, with which plants are treated 3-4 times in a few days, will help correct this syndrome.

A good result is given by humic and organic fertilizers, including mullein infusion. Adults are fed every 5 days, alternating root and foliar procedures. For the development and flowering of indoor crops grown in containers or pots, a large amount of nutrients is required, presented in complex fertilizers.

Petunia garden almost does not attract harmful insects. But it suffers from fungal and bacterial diseases quite often. When plants are damaged by a black leg, gray or white rot, diseased cultures are destroyed, and healthy ones growing nearby are sprayed with a one percent solution of Bordeaux mixture.

Petunia pruning

The key to lush and bright flowering is the regular removal of fading inflorescences. If this rule is neglected, then the plant will direct all its forces to the ripening of seeds, and subsequent flowers will be small and, perhaps, not so bright.

Sometimes a gardener may notice that in the middle of summer, petunia bushes began to lose their decorative effect, the flowers became smaller and rarer, and the stems were too long. In this case, it is recommended to carry out rejuvenating pruning, leaving stems no longer than 15 cm long in bush forms, and cutting off exactly half in ampelous forms. Young shoots will grow very quickly and the petunia will bloom again, delighting with its beauty until the first days of November.

In the fall, you can dig up bushes and arrange for planting and caring for petunias in an apartment. In this case, the plant is planted in a pot, and the stems are cut. Throughout the winter, the substrate is slightly moistened and new shoots may appear in February. Some flower growers cut them off and plant them in nutrient soil, caring for them like a cuttings of a houseplant. This method is suitable for those who find it too troublesome to grow seedlings from seeds.

Control of diseases and pests of petunias

Petunias have almost no pests, and plants are often affected by diseases and fungal diseases. Plants damaged by black leg, gray or white rot must be destroyed. Flower pots and the plants themselves are treated against fungal diseases with copper-containing preparations. Take care of your beautiful petunias correctly, and they will surely thank you with beautiful and long flowering!

Caring for which does not take much effort and time has recently gained particular popularity. Mainly due to compositions of various garden flowers decorating apartments, offices, cafes. Petunia occupies a central place in them, perfectly combined with other geraniums, lobelia). You can often see hanging compositions that are made up of the same petunias, but of various varieties. This is amazing beauty! Planting, growing and caring for petunias is a very simple matter, even a novice grower can do it.

Landing

This flower is planted in open ground (or a container, a pot) with seedlings, usually in the 2nd half of the month of May. Petunia seeds (care for them and their preparation for planting is required) in the 2nd half of the month of March are sown for seedlings. Petunia blooms, which is planted in this way, approximately by mid-June. And it blooms until October. This method is very good if you want to decorate a balcony, as well as for composing a composition. For a summer cottage, it is not necessary to grow seedlings; you can sow seeds directly in open ground (in the last decade of May). In good weather, the seeds will be accepted immediately and will grow quite rapidly. By the end of June it will be possible to observe already blooming petunias. You can even propagate these flowers with cuttings, then this should be done at the end of summer. But this procedure is a little more complicated than the previous ones.

Petunia - ground care

Petunia is a very light-loving flower. Therefore, for her it is necessary to allocate an open space in the garden. According to the growing conditions, ordinary petunias are similar to cloves. She is also unpretentious to the soil. But if possible, it is better to plant petunias on non-acid sandy soil, well-drained, not loamy. When planting it in a container or pot, the soil should be slightly different. It is better if it is moisture-intensive, well breathable, loose, very nutritious. Good drainage is a must. The following is recommended for petunia: turf land - two parts, leafy land - two parts, peat - one part, sand - one part. To give more friability, you can add perlite.

Petunia - care

Petunia is the most common plant, both in home gardens and on balconies. Abundant flowering begins in early May and pleases with its beauty until the first serious frosts.

Petunia flowers, planting and caring for them is considered an easy task, as the plants are not whimsical. But for its successful cultivation, you need to know certain rules:

• the plant loves sunlight;
• prefers sandy or loamy soils;
• does not tolerate prolonged stagnation of liquid;
• requires constant feeding (1 time in 12 - 15 days).

Planting petunia seeds for seedlings

Planting petunia seeds, for early flowering, should begin in mid-February. A prerequisite for growing seedlings is the presence of light. If this component is not enough in the room where it is planned to grow petunia, then it is advisable to use special lamps.

The plant begins to bloom 65 - 92 days after sowing the seeds. It depends on the variety of petunia. The larger the flowers of the plant, the longer it takes for it to bloom.

Before planting petunia seeds, prepare:

• planting containers with drainage holes;
• soil;
• expanded clay;
• sprayer with water;
• covering material (it is advisable to use non-woven material, for example, spunbond, which allows the plant to breathe);
• selected seeds.

At the first stage, we prepare containers for seedlings:

• at the bottom of the cup, with drainage holes prepared in advance, we pour a layer of expanded clay about 1 cm high;
• spread and lightly tamp the soil mixture. It is necessary to leave a distance of 3 - 3.5 cm to the edge of the container.
• we moisten the soil.

Let's start planting petunias. Since the seeds of the plant are quite small, when planting, you can use a mixture of seeds with sand. This will allow the most even distribution of the seeds in the pot. You can use coated petunia seeds, but their cost is much higher than that of ordinary ones. Sprinkling petunia seeds with soil is not recommended. It is best to lightly press them until they are in full contact with the soil.

After planting the petunias, the boxes should be covered with covering material. Instead of matter, you can use glass or polyethylene. In this case, the plants will have to be forced to ventilate.

Under favorable conditions (ambient temperature 24ºС and humidity 98%) the seeds germinate in 7-9 days.

There is a simpler, but more costly method of obtaining plant seedlings - planting petunias in peat tablets. For this:

• purchased peat tablets are poured with warm water and wait for it to swell and cool;
• with tweezers, place petunia seeds in the central hole;
• water moderately.

Plants dive into pots or into the ground along with tablets. Damage to the root system is completely excluded. For beginner flower growers, this method of growing flower seedlings is most preferable.

Planting an ampelous petunia is carried out in the same ways as a bush one.

Growing seedlings of petunias

When the seeds germinate and the first leaves appear, the covering material from the box must be removed. Water the plants gently and lower the ambient temperature to 18ºC.

At the first stage, petunia develops very slowly. Initially, the root system of plants is strengthened, and only after that the stems and leaves become stronger. This stage lasts about 4-5 weeks.

During this period, you need to monitor:

• soil moisture. It should not be dry or waterlogged.
• timely application of fertilizers. For petunias, complex fertilizers or preparations with a high content of potassium are suitable.
• sufficient lighting. In the daytime, the lamp should work at full power, and at night it is advisable to dim the light, but not turn it off completely.

For the development of strong and profusely flowering plants, after the appearance of several leaves, the top of the flower must be pinched. Strengthened plants are transplanted into separate, more spacious containers and continue to care for seedlings according to all of the above rules.

A month before planting petunias in the ground, the plants are hardened for 10 days. In the first half of the term, the daytime temperature near the seedlings should be 18ºС - 20ºС, and at night 16ºС. In the next five days, these figures are reduced by 2ºС - 3ºС. After carrying out such a procedure, the strengthened flowers will transfer the pick in the open ground the least painfully.

Video: how to plant petunia seedlings

Planting petunias in the ground

Let's move on to the question of how to properly plant a petunia in a permanent place:

• it is best to plant a plant in cloudy weather or after sunset;
• it is desirable to dive a seedling together with a clod of earth from a pot;
• the hole for the seedling must be at least 10 cm deep and wide;
• the distance between plantings depends on the variety of the flower. For large-flowered petunias, it is necessary to withstand 23 cm - 25 cm. For small-flowered petunias, 18 cm - 20 cm is enough. Ampelous petunia bushes are planted at a distance of 28 cm - 30 cm;
• after transplantation, the flowers are watered;
• for better rooting of petunia, the ground around the transplanted plant can be covered with humus or peat. Such a shelter for a longer period to retain moisture and protect the flower from possible frosts.

Petunia care consists in watering plants, timely and constant feeding, and removing wilted flowers.

Water the plant only in dry weather. It is advisable to carry out this procedure after sunset. When watering, the water should not stagnate. It is enough just to moisten the earth around the root system of the flower.

The first top dressing is carried out 9-11 days after transplanting the plant to a permanent place. It is best to start feeding plants with nitrogen-containing fertilizers. You can use nitroammofosk.

For abundant flowering, during the period of bud formation, it is preferable to use fertilizers containing a large amount of phosphorus and potassium, such as superphosphate and potassium salt.

Petunias can be fed with wood ash. This fertilizer contains all the components necessary for the plant. Moreover, you can use both purchased fertilizer and made yourself, after a fire or from a stove.

An important component for proper plant nutrition is iron. In the absence of sufficient iron, petunias can develop chlorosis. The first signs of the disease appear on the leaves: they begin to turn yellow and fall off. Ferovit will come to the rescue, with which the plants are sprayed 3-5 times with an interval between sprayings of 2-3 days.

Wilted flowers should be removed from the plant. This leads to the formation of new buds and a long duration of flowering. Petunia flowers, which are properly planted and cared for, will be even more delightful if a beautiful crown of the plant is formed in time. For this, young shoots striving for high growth are pinched. The procedure is considered correct if pinching is carried out after 4 - 5 leaves. After the operation, the plant produces abundant multidirectional shoots, which are necessary for the formation of a beautiful "hat".

Proper planting and care of a petunia will lead to long and rich flowering. Planting petunia seeds in the video will help novice gardeners become more familiar with the procedure.

Video: sowing and picking petunias

Planting petunias for seedlings: features of care, general information about the plant

Petunia is a beautiful bright flower with a pleasant smell that can be found in any city and suburb of our country. Gardeners simply adore petunias for their beauty and unpretentiousness. This spectacular flower is ideal for window sills and balconies, as well as for spacious open flower beds. Planting petunias for seedlings is quite simple, they begin to bloom quickly.

Petunias are both annuals and perennials. It is a plant in the Solanaceae family, making it a distant relative of the tomato, potato, and tobacco. The word "petun" means "tobacco" in Portuguese. Petunias can reach a height of up to 1 m depending on the variety.

The homeland of petunias is hot South America, which makes this plant so thermophilic.

This flower was discovered and described in his works by the famous botanist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck. Most varieties were found in Brazil, where they grew along river banks. Some species were discovered quite recently, at the end of the 20th century.

Petunia Description:

• Petunia flowers are usually solitary, bright, with five petals, can be of various colors: white, red, pink, purple, yellow, blue.
• The seeds are small.
• On closer inspection, you may notice that the petunia stems and leaves are covered with hairs.

Petunia blooms for a very long time. If you plant it in time, it will delight you with its bright flowers in early June and will not stop blooming until the first cold weather. There are many legends about this flower. According to one of them, a beautiful princess was imprisoned in a dark castle by a dragon. She was supposed to entertain him, sing and dance, but she herself was very sad in the castle. She loved to draw, but she had neither paints nor canvases.

One day she went out onto the balcony and sang. Birds flocked to her song. The princess was delighted and asked them to bring her various herbs, flowers and roots so that she could make paints out of them. When the paints were ready, it was necessary to find a canvas. The princess decided to paint on the walls that surrounded her. Gloomy stones quickly began to turn into an incredible beauty of the picture. When there was not a single empty place left, the walls collapsed, and the princess was freed, and in place of the ruins there was a carpet of beautiful bright flowers - petunias.

To grow seedlings, you need to stock up on additional light sources. Then it will be possible to plant seeds at the end of winter. However, the second half of March is considered the best time for planting.

There are several requirements for planting petunia seeds, following which you will provide yourself with excellent lush seedlings:

1. In early spring, daylight hours are still short, so not all seeds will sprout. For this reason, you need to pour more seeds.
2. The soil for planting should be light, enriched with humus, peat, well loosened and moistened. Moisten the soil the day before planting.
3. Seeds are placed on the ground, after mixing them with a small amount of dry sand. Then carefully level, but do not tamp.
4. When the seeds are already planted, the soil must be moistened with a sprayer and covered with a film or glass. The temperature should not be too high, a little more than 20 degrees.
5. Until the seedlings have the first leaves, do not remove the glass.
6. Humidity should be high enough, but excessive dampness should not be allowed so that the plant does not rot. Therefore, if you see drops of condensation on the glass or film, turn it over and wipe it thoroughly.
7. The first shoots should be carefully sprayed, periodically replacing the water with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
8. After you see the first leaves on the seedlings, feel free to remove the glass. Now you need to sprinkle them with a little sand and reduce watering.

When there are already several leaves, you can start planting seedlings. This is done simply. The soil must first be moistened so that it is easier to pull out the plant. It is necessary to pull the sprout carefully, by the leaf, without shaking the soil from the root system. Then simply plant the plant in a separate pot with the same mixture as when planting the seeds.

The transplanted petunia also needs to be covered with a film for several days.

Watering should be regular, providing moderate humidity. After a week, you can start feeding the plant with various fertilizers. You can buy them in specialized stores. Top dressing should take place once a week.

Caring for a petunia is simple and does not require special skills from you. However, some rules still need to be followed in order for the flower bed to please the eye. As mentioned above, petunia loves heat very much. Therefore, it is important to maintain the desired temperature, especially when growing seedlings. But this does not mean that a pot of seedlings should be placed near a scorching battery. The soil must not dry out. A dry crust on the ground can adversely affect the seedlings, they will simply suffocate.

Petunia should be planted in open ground only after all frosts have passed and there is no threat of their return.

The scorching sun is also not suitable for landing. If cloudy days are not expected, choose for this procedure the second half of the day, when the sun is no longer so bright.

Despite their love of warmth, petunias do not tolerate severe drought well. For the same reason, plants need to be watered regularly. This is done very carefully so as not to damage the fragile flowers. The larger the flower variety, the more demanding it is on the conditions of detention.

Flower nutrition:

• The fertilizer you feed the petunia should have enough potassium. This is important for the proper growth and flowering of the plant.
• And you need to feed weekly until the very end of summer.
• Fresh manure should not be added to the soil, as it can cause fungus.
• Various organic fertilizers such as humyl are very good.

The area where you plant the petunia should be open to the sun. Therefore, make sure that there are no tall trees, fences nearby, and most of the day the flower bed will be lit.

If you want your petunia to bloom until November, plant it already in bloom.

Cut off faded flowers. This will make the plant stronger and the flower bed more beautiful. If you notice that the stems and leaves have begun to darken, treat the petunia with a special rot solution. It can be purchased at a gardening store.

Aphids are especially dangerous for petunias, since in this case the plant dies quickly enough. Seeds can be collected after two months from the beginning of flowering. Choose large, healthy flowers that bloom before the rest.

Petunia has many species, subspecies and groups. Consider the most basic varieties:

• Bush petunia. Bush petunia has the largest number of species. These are quite large, bright flowers that require special care. However, despite the beauty of the flower, it has its drawbacks. These include a small number of buds, their fragility. Rain and wind can easily damage such a flower bed.
• Creeping petunia. This petunia is distinguished by the fact that there are a large number of buds on its long flexible stems, for this reason the stem does not stretch upwards, but spreads. Such flowers are good for balconies and flower beds, where there is enough horizontal space. The most flexible stem belongs to a variety called Surfinia. It also has many species, but all of them are united by resistance to adverse environmental conditions.
• Multicolored petunia. From the name it is clear that such a petunia has many small flowers. They do not look as impressive as large ones, but they are more tenacious in conditions of strong wind and rain. This petunia blooms for a long time and is unpretentious in care. Small, densely planted flowers will resemble a multi-colored bright carpet.
• Dwarf petunia. Dwarf petunia is small in stature, below 30 cm. This compact flower is perfect for small flower beds. He loves light and moisture, however, with excessive dampness, he quickly rots. Care must be taken with particular care.
• Terry petunia. This beautiful lush flower is hard to miss. To make the flower bed look beautiful, the flowers should not be planted too close to each other. One of the new varieties of double petunia is Angora, a lush flower with small leaves. It is unpretentious, blooms for a long time and is able to survive even a strong wind. The disease-resistant Sonata variety has light pink flowers and dense foliage.
• Cascading petunia. This type of petunia is perfect for hanging planters and drawers. The Double Cascade variety with beautiful two-color buds and a delicate aroma deserves special love from gardeners.

Whichever variety you prefer, the petunia will make a great garden decoration and will appeal to all flower lovers. Not too laborious care and a variety of varieties will allow you to create the most interesting and beautiful compositions.

More information can be found in the video.

Petunia - care from A to Z

The petunia flower, the care of which does not take much effort and time, has recently gained particular popularity. Mainly due to compositions of various garden flowers decorating apartments, offices, cafes. Petunia occupies a central place in them, perfectly combined with other flowers (begonia, geranium, lobelia). You can often see hanging compositions that are made up of the same petunias, but of various varieties. This is amazing beauty! Planting, growing and caring for petunias is a very simple matter, even a novice grower can do it.

Landing

This flower is planted in open ground (or a container, a pot) with seedlings, usually in the 2nd half of the month of May. Petunia seeds (care for them and their preparation for planting is required) in the 2nd half of the month of March are sown for seedlings. Petunia blooms, which is planted in this way, approximately by mid-June. And it blooms until October. This method is very good if you want to decorate a balcony, as well as for composing a composition. For a summer cottage, it is not necessary to grow seedlings; you can sow seeds directly in open ground (in the last decade of May). In good weather, the seeds will be accepted immediately and will grow quite rapidly. By the end of June it will be possible to observe already blooming petunias. You can even propagate these flowers with cuttings, then this should be done at the end of summer. But this procedure is a little more complicated than the previous ones.

Petunia - ground care

Petunia is a very light-loving flower. Therefore, for her it is necessary to take an open place in the garden. According to the growing conditions, ordinary petunias are similar to cloves. She is also unpretentious to the soil. But if possible, it is better to plant petunias on non-acid sandy soil, well-drained, not loamy. When planting it in a container or pot, the soil should be slightly different. It is better if it is moisture-intensive, well breathable, loose, very nutritious. Good drainage is a must. The following soil composition for petunia is recommended: turf land - two parts, leafy land - two parts, peat - one part, sand - one part. To give more friability, you can add perlite.

Petunia - care

When caring for petunias, it is important to remember that large-flowered varieties are more capricious than small-flowered ones. They require much more heat and light, they absolutely cannot stand even the slightest cool dampness. The main danger that awaits petunia in the open field is strong wind and rain. It is they who can cause significant damage to the flower. And this can provoke a complete cessation of its flowering. The advantages of growing these flowers in pots is that the pot can always be hidden from the weather.

To form beautiful bushes, the tops of petunias at the seedling stage need to be pinched at the level of the 5th internode (approximately). In adult plants, long shoots are pruned, this also contributes to good branching of the petunia. Faded flowers must be removed, this contributes to the formation of full new buds.

Feeding and watering the petunia flower

Caring for this flower is so simple - even overdrying and waterlogging are not terrible for him. Only the latter does not mean abundant watering from petunias with stagnation of water and the appearance of dampness! For a petunia, this is a death sentence. Do not forget about frequent spraying. Petunias love it. In hot weather, it is advisable to water them twice a day (minimum). With good moisture permeability of the soil and the same drainage, stagnant water and waterlogging are practically excluded. In order not to damage the flowers, it is better to water under the root.

Petunias do fine without fertilizer, but to maintain lush and long flowering, you still need to feed it. An ordinary mineral fertilizer is perfect for this. It is necessary to make it according to the usual scheme - 2 times a month.

Petunia: planting and care, types and varieties, photo.

The genus includes approximately 25 species, native to South America.

Petunia is a perennial semi-shrub or herbaceous plant used in horticultural culture as an annual. Stems creeping or erect, densely branched. The foliage is opposite or alternate, soft.

Petunia stems and leaves are pubescent with glandular and simple hairs. Flowers purple, reddish, white, solitary, axillary or terminal, on short peduncles, double or simple, regular or slightly irregular. The fruit is a capsule with small seeds.

Petunia seeds are small, dark brown. The fruit is a capsule, conical in shape, yellow-brown in color. As a rule, petunia seeds are sold individually in bags.

Terry forms, seeds cannot be tied, because the terryness of the petunia is determined by the transformation of the ovary of the plant into petals. At the same time, the stamens are developed normally, there are more of them than in a simple flower.

Petunia doubleness is transmitted by pollination of non-double pollen from terry plants. Petunia is a cross-pollinating plant, so the pistils mature before the stamens. But in some cases, self-pollination is possible.

Petunia buds develop for 7 days, each petunia flower is open for 5 days. Seeds ripen 1 month after pollination. Seeds remain viable for several years.

In culture, garden Petunia is used - hybrids, the initial for which were axillary and purple petunia.

Petunia location

The plant is photophilous and thermophilic. Grows well in open areas. Large-flowered heat-loving than small-flowered petunias, plants stop blooming in wet weather.

soil for petunias

Likes sandy or loamy soils, can grow on fertile. Petunia responds well to the introduction of compost or humus into the soil.

The plant is drought-resistant, but with a long lack of moisture, it needs watering. It tolerates strong soil moisture, but suffers from stagnation. Large-flowered forms are more demanding in terms of heat, nutritional conditions and moisture than small-flowered forms.

Top dressing is the main condition for the lush long flowering of petunias, so top dressing should be done regularly, starting one week after planting and until early September with an interval of 10 days.

The lush flowering of petunias is provided by complex fertilizers, with increased potassium. An excellent result is given by fertilizing with organic fertilizers. Constant top dressing lasts until the end of flowering.

Careful care must be taken of petunias that are planted in containers: containers, balcony boxes, planters. The soil they need is nutritious, consisting of peat, humus, leaf and sod land, sand.

Plant petunia seedlings in containers very tightly. Surfinias and ampelous petunias are planted in hanging baskets, tall vases and balcony boxes. To achieve lush growth and long flowering in these plants, they must be watered often, fed once a week. If growth and lush flowering is inhibited due to bad weather conditions, treatment with a growth stimulator (Zircon and Epin-Extra) gives excellent results.

Rains cause great harm to petunias. When it rains heavily, water droplets break the petals. Petunia flowers become ugly, and the plant itself becomes sloppy. With prolonged rains, petunias can completely lose their decorative effect and even stop blooming.

Therefore, try to move baskets with petunias under shelter before the rain. Flowering petunia should be watered carefully, at the very root, trying not to damage the beautiful flowers.

Ampelous petunias suffer greatly from the winds, so baskets with them must be placed in places protected from rain and wind.

In terry and large-flowered forms of petunias, faded flowers can spoil the appearance. They are practically invisible in large arrays, however, they are visible in flower pots and in small flower beds. To improve decorativeness, wilted flowers are removed.

Reproduction of petunias

Usually seeds. In room conditions, growing petunia seedlings is complicated by a lack of light, so it is necessary to take seeds with a margin for sowing. The sooner the seeds are sown, the sooner the plants will bloom. If you have the opportunity to give seedlings backlight, then you can sow in February.

In simple conditions, it is optimal to sow at the end of March. The second difficulty is the soil in which the seeds will be placed and maintaining optimal moisture. Petunia seeds need loose and nutritious soil. It is advisable to sift the top layer with a thickness so that the seeds evenly lie on the soil.

Then sprayed, covered with glass and left at a temperature of 23 ° C. On the 7th day, shoots will appear that need special attention. When the seedlings grow up and the first leaf appears, it will be possible to remove the glass. It is necessary to plant petunias in a permanent place after the end of frost.

Small-flowered petunia blooms 70 days after sowing, large-flowered petunia varieties bloom 15 days later. Varieties of petunias with double flowers during seed propagation give 40% of double plants, therefore, they are most often propagated by cuttings, which are kept in greenhouses at a temperature of 12 ° C in winter.

In Russia, in the middle lane, petunias are planted in May. The plant is very thermophilic, modern varieties of petunias tolerate cold snaps, and even short-term frosts. Flowering seedlings of petunias can be planted in flowerpots, on flower beds, on a balcony in early May.

It is best to plant seedlings in the evening or on cloudy days, having watered the pots with plants well in advance. The distance between petunias depends on the variety. For multi-flowered petunia, the distance between plants should be 15 cm, for large-flowered 20 cm, and for ampelous 30 cm. After planting the seedlings, it is watered, and the soil is mulched with humus or peat or.

The use of petunias in landscape design

The good adaptability of petunias to different growing conditions, climate and soils, the brightness and duration of flowering have made the plant one of the gardeners' favorite crops. Today, petunia ranks first among annuals, and with the advent of more and more new hybrids, interest in it is becoming more and more.

The popularity of petunia has caused great efforts of geneticists and breeders to create new varieties, hybrids of petunias.

Borders, flowerbeds and flower beds are made from petunias, planted on balconies. Terry hybrids and varieties are best planted in protected places: on balconies, loggias, open verandas, in containers. Fast-growing ampelous petunias can cover empty spaces in a flower bed.

petunia partners

All petunias are beautiful on their own, and with some plants. In carpet plantings, petunia is planted next to begonia, various decorative leaf crops: cineraria, coleus. In flowerbeds, they look good next to verbena, snapdragons, marigolds, ageratum, rudbeckia.

Petunia looks very beautiful next to primroses, pansies, and bulbous plants - hyacinths, tulips, hazel grouses. Near a pond and in the shade, petunias will create an excellent company for hostas, ornamental grasses and daylilies.

In flowerpots, petunias are combined with fuchsia, lobularia, chlorophytum, sweet pea, balsam. In hanging baskets, petunia can be planted with ampelous plants, for example, such as ivy, greenfinch, verbena, ivy-leaved pelargonium.

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Petunia or petunia, Latin - Petunia from fr. petun - tobacco.

A genus of herbaceous or semi-shrub perennial plants of the Solanaceae family, from 10 cm to 1 meter high. It comes from the tropical regions of South America, mainly Brazil, grows naturally in Paraguay, Bolivia, Argentina and Uruguay. One species of Petunia parviflora is found in North America.

Perennial herbaceous or semi-shrub plants used in cultivation as annuals. Stems erect or creeping, densely branched. The leaves are arranged in the next order or opposite (upper), soft, whole. Stems and leaves are pubescent with simple and glandular hairs. Flowers white, purple or reddish, solitary, terminal or axillary, on short peduncles, simple or double, regular or slightly irregular. The fruit is a bivalve capsule with very small seeds.

Petunia © Swami Stream

Care

Lighting: Petunia is photophilous and thermophilic. Grows well in open sunny places. Large-flowered petunias are more thermophilic than small-flowered ones; they stop blooming in damp cold weather.

Watering:

• In winter - preferably moderate,
• In summer it is plentiful.

The soil: Prefers loamy or sandy soils, but can grow on any sufficiently fertile. It responds well to the introduction of humus or compost into the soil, but not fresh manure, as it contributes to the defeat of plants by fungal diseases. When preparing the soil for petunia in areas with acidic soils (pH less than 5.5), lime must be added. When digging the soil in spring, complex fertilizer is added to it.

top dressing:

• spring-summer - 1 time in 2 weeks with mineral and organic fertilizers;
• winter-autumn - without top dressing.

pruning: Abundantly overgrown plants in half in the spring should be cut.

Petunia © Swami Stream

cultivation

It is drought-resistant, however, with a long absence of moisture, it requires watering. It tolerates strong soil moisture, but suffers from stagnant water. Large-flowered forms are more demanding on heat, moisture and nutritional conditions than small-flowered ones. Top dressing is the main condition for abundant and prolonged flowering of petunias, therefore, plants are fed regularly, starting a week after planting and until August with an interval of 7-10 days. Abundant flowering of petunias is provided by complete complex fertilizers, especially with a predominance of potassium. A very good result is obtained by fertilizing with organic fertilizers, including mullein infusion, as well as humic fertilizers. Regular top dressing continues until the end of flowering.

More carefully, you need to take care of petunia plants planted in small containers: containers, planters, balcony boxes, especially in hanging baskets. The soil for them must be prepared nutritious, consisting of humus, peat, turf or leaf soil and sand. The percentage composition of these components may be different; the main thing is that the mixture is loose and at the same time moisture-intensive. To optimize its parameters, it is desirable to add perlite and hydrogel to the mixture. Lime is added to the mixture with high acidity. In addition, slowly dissolving complex mineral fertilizers must be added to the soil mixture for small containers. When filling boxes and containers with a mixture, it is necessary to pour drainage (gravel, expanded clay, etc.) on the bottom with a layer of at least 5 cm.

Petunia seedlings are planted in pots and containers quite tightly - about 70 plants per 1 m². Surfinia and other groups of hanging (ie hanging, creeping) petunias, as well as calibrachoa, are usually cultivated in hanging baskets, balcony boxes and tall vases. In order to achieve lush growth and abundant flowering in these plants, they must be often watered and sprayed with water (in hot dry times - 2-3 times a day), fed at least once a week, alternating top dressing under the root with foliar (spraying by leaves). If growth and flowering is inhibited due to adverse weather conditions, treatment with growth stimulants (Epin-Extra or Zircon) gives good results.

The greatest harm to ornamental petunia species is rain. During heavy summer rains, water drops break the delicate petals, making the flowers ugly and the plants sloppy. With prolonged prolonged rains, plants can completely lose their decorative effect and stop blooming. Therefore, before the rain, planters and baskets with petunias should be moved under cover. Watering flowering petunia should also be done carefully, under the root, trying not to damage the flowers.

Ampelous petunias and calibrachoa can suffer greatly from the wind, so baskets and flowerpots with them should be placed in places protected from the wind.

In many varieties of petunias, especially in large-flowered and double forms, wilted flowers can spoil the appearance. They are almost invisible in large arrays, but are clearly visible in flowerpots, planters and small flower beds near the paths. To improve the decorativeness of plantings, such flowers are removed.

reproduction

Mainly seeds. At home, growing petunia seedlings is complicated by a lack of light, so you need to take seeds with a large margin for sowing. The sooner the seeds are sown, the sooner the plants will bloom. If it is possible to give the seedlings backlight, then you can sow as early as February. Under normal conditions, it is optimal to sow in the second half of March. Another complication associated with the size of the seeds is the soil they will be placed in and maintaining its optimal moisture content. For such seeds, loose, light and nutritious soil is needed. It is advisable to sift the top layer about 1 cm thick so that the seeds evenly lie on the soil. Seeds mixed with dry sand are poured onto well-spilled soil a day before sowing. Then sprayed, covered with glass and left at a temperature of 20 - 23 ° C. On the 5th - 7th day, tiny shoots will appear that require special attention. Now they need to be sprayed daily and at least twice a day (morning and evening) turned over to the light. At this point, seedlings need high humidity, but excess moisture in the soil causes them to die from the “black leg”. When the seedlings grow up and the first leaf appears, the glass can be removed. If the seedlings begin to die, they need to be sprinkled with dry sand, reduce watering and dive faster. In April, seedlings are transferred to greenhouses. Landing in the ground in a permanent place is carried out after the end of spring frosts. Plant transplants are well tolerated.

The flowering of varieties of small-flowered petunias occurs 70-75 days after sowing, large-flowered varieties bloom 10-15 days later. Varieties with double flowers, when propagated by seeds, give only 40-50% of double plants, so they are often propagated by cuttings cut from mother liquors, which are kept in bright greenhouses in winter at a temperature of 10-12 ° C, with moderate humidity and intensive ventilation. After rooting, the cuttings are transplanted into 9 cm pots.

Petunia is planted in open ground in central Russia in the second half of May. Despite the fact that this crop is very thermophilic, modern varieties and hybrids (especially from the multiflora group) can tolerate cold snaps to low positive temperatures and even small short-term frosts. In the conditions of large cities, flowering seedlings of petunias can be planted in flower beds, flowerpots and balconies in late April - early May.

It is better to plant seedlings on cloudy days or in the evening, after watering the pots with plants well with water. The distance between plants depends on the variety and type of planting. For multi-flowered petunia in flowerbed plantings, it is 15-20 cm, for large-flowered - 20-25 cm, for ampelous - 25-30 cm. In balcony boxes, containers, vases, the distance between plants can be reduced by one and a half times. After planting, the seedlings are watered (if the soil is not moist enough), and the soil around the plants is mulched with peat or humus. Mulching allows the soil to retain moisture longer and protects plants from returning frosts.

Petunia © SantaRosa

Usage

The unique adaptability of petunias to various cultivation conditions, soils and climates, the simplicity of agricultural technology, the duration and brightness of flowering have made it one of the favorite crops of flower growers and gardeners. Currently, petunia is one of the first places in popularity among flyers, and with the advent of new groups and hybrids, interest in it is increasing. The area of ​​​​its cultivation is huge - from the tropics to the Arctic and Alaska, its plantings can be found on all continents, except, perhaps, Antarctica.

Such popularity of petunia was the result and the reason that the significant efforts of geneticists, botanists and breeders around the world are aimed at creating more and more new varieties, hybrids and garden groups of petunias. Each of these groups is attractive in its own way and occupies a certain place in landscaping.

Traditionally, flower beds, borders and borders are made from petunias, planted on balconies. Modern hybrids, thanks to a powerful root system, grow well in vessels with a limited volume (containers, planters, hanging baskets and vases). Terry varieties and hybrids are best planted in places protected from wind and heavy rain: on balconies, open verandas, loggias, in containers and near the house. Fast-growing hybrids of ampelous petunias allow you to close empty places in a mixborder or after harvesting bulbs.

Petunia © Powi

Partners

All varieties of petunias are beautiful both on their own and in combination with other plants. In carpet plantings, they are planted next to the ever-flowering begonia, lobularia, various decorative leaf crops: coleus, cineraria, irezina, etc. In flower beds, they look great next to most annuals, such as verbena, snapdragons, helichrysum bracts, marigolds, celosia, ageratums, rudbeckia, levkoi and others suitable in color and height for this variety.

In late spring - early summer, petunias look very impressive next to pansies, primroses, as well as bulbs - tulips, hyacinths, hazel grouse, and later - with irises and lilies. Near a reservoir and in a shady area, they will make an excellent company for hostas, daylilies, Tradescantia virginiana and ornamental grasses.

In flowerpots and containers, petunias and calibrachoa will be combined with zonal pelargonium, fuchsia, lobularia, helichrysum petiolar, chlorophytum, balsam, sweet pea. In hanging baskets and window boxes, they can be planted with ampelous plants, such as lobelia, ivy, greenfinch, ivy-leaved boudra, verbena, ivy-leaved pelargonium, etc.

Diseases and pests

Blackleg

pathogens: soil-dwelling fungi from the genera Olpidium, Pythium, Rhizoctonict, mainly Pythium debaryanum Hesse and Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn.

Symptoms: the basal part of the stem becomes watery, darkens and rots. The plant withers and dies. The mycelium of the fungus quickly spreads over the substrate in expanding, often even circles, affecting all new seedlings. Mushrooms infect seedlings from the first days of life. The disease is exceptional: in some cases, if you do not take any preventive and therapeutic measures, you can lose all the seedlings.

: too dense crops, high soil and air humidity, high temperature (above 20 ° C), high soil acidity.

Persistence of pathogens (capacity for disease): in soil and on plant residues.

Control measures: the main attention should be paid to prevention: do not thicken crops, do not use too heavy or acidic substrate (optimal soil acidity for petunias pH 5.5-7), water moderately, avoid excess nitrogen fertilizers, remove diseased seedlings with part of the substrate surrounding them. When preparing the substrate for seedlings, it is undesirable to use land from the garden or from the greenhouse, but if there is no other land, then it must be steamed, and then biopreparations containing antagonist soil microorganisms that compete with pathogens (Agat-25 K, Fitosporin, Trichodermin and others). For preventive purposes, you can water the soil with sulfur preparations (colloidal sulfur, Cumulus, Thiovit Jet - 40 g / 10 l of water).

When a "black leg" appears, it is necessary to spray the plants and water the soil with a suspension of preparations containing mancozeb, metalaxyl or oxadixyl (Ridomil MC, Profit, Ridomil Gold MC, etc. - 20-25 g / 10 l of water).

Gray rot

Pathogen: imperfect fungus Bothrytis cinerea Pers.. affecting many crops.

Symptoms: light brown spots or rash appear on leaves, stems and flowers, which are then covered with a gray fluffy coating of sporulation of the fungus. The affected parts of the plant first wither and then rot, turning into a brownish mass with a gray coating. Sometimes the fungus begins to develop in the internodes, which leads to the death of the part of the plant located above the site of the lesion. If the damage is severe, the plant may die. The fungus infects petunia in any phase - from cotyledon leaves to seed ripening.

: too dense crops and plantings, high humidity, low temperature (below 14 ° C), excess nitrogen fertilizers, lack of light. The fungus usually infects the tissues of the plant through wounds; it is able to penetrate the flower through the pistil.

Pathogen Conservation: in soil and on plant residues. The fungus can overwinter in the wooden structures of greenhouses.

Control measures: preventive - excessively dense sowing and planting, excessive watering, too low temperatures should be avoided. The development of the disease stops at high air temperature (25-27 ° C) and with a decrease in its humidity to 80% or lower. It is necessary to regularly remove the affected parts of the plant and plant residues that serve as an additional source of infection, as well as increase the proportion of phosphorus and potash fertilizers in top dressing.

From the means of protection available to amateur flower growers, we can mention the biological product Integral (25 ml / 1 l of water), the chemical preparations Skor (2 ml / 10 l of water) and Maxim (2 ml / 1 l of water). However, all of these drugs are ineffective with a strong development of the disease.

white rot

Pathogen: marsupial Whetzelinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) D By. .

Symptoms: the appearance of weeping brown spots, covered with a white coating of mycelium in humid conditions, the affected tissues soften and turn white. A white mycelium is formed on the surface and inside the stem, on which black sclerotia are soon formed - the reproductive organs of the fungus. When the sclerotia mature, they form drops of a liquid that strongly refracts light. Shoots located above the affected part die off. The fungus can damage all parts of the plant.

Conditions conducive to the spread of the disease: low temperature and high humidity. Additionally, acidic soils, excessively dense plantings and untimely removal of the affected parts of plants contribute to this disease. Plants become infected through mechanical damage to tissues, but the fungus is able to penetrate inside and through stomata, so it easily spreads through the flower garden on the hands and clothes of a person when caring for plants.

Pathogen Conservation: in the soil and on plant residues in the form of sclerotia, which do not lose their viability for up to three years. The fungus may also persist.

Control measures: deep digging and liming of the soil, adherence to proper agricultural practices, timely removal of the affected parts of the plant. Good results are obtained by introducing into the wells when planting seedlings of the biological product Trichodermin (2 g per well). When the first signs of the disease appear, treatment with biological (Integral - 5 ml / 1 l of water, Fitosporin-M - 4-5 g / 1 l of water) or chemical (Maxim - 2 ml / 1 l of water) preparations is necessary.

On especially valuable specimens, during the initial infection, it is necessary to clean the affected areas, and then sprinkle them with fluff lime or charcoal. It is advisable to sprinkle the soil around the plants with ash or crushed charcoal. These activities contain the development of the disease, but do not replace the treatment with chemical or biological products.

wet rot

Pathogen: Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn.

Symptoms: in the phase of the cotyledon leaves, the disease develops according to the "black leg" type (see above). From the stage of picking until the end of the growing season, the pathogen causes rotting of the root neck, while the leaves droop and wrinkle, acquiring a gray-green color with a lead tint. Oily light brown spots appear on the root neck, covered with a brown felt coating of the mycelium of the fungus. In the future, small black sclerotia appear on the mycelium. Diseased plants lag behind in growth, turn yellow and wither. The fungus can infect a plant at any age.

Conditions conducive to the spread of the disease: too deep planting, as well as acidic and waterlogged soils. The causative agent is not picky about environmental conditions and can develop in the temperature range of 3-25 ° C, with soil moisture of 40-100% and acidity pH 4.5-8.

Pathogen Conservation: in the form of sclerotia and mycelium in the soil (at a depth of up to 80 cm) up to 5-6 years. All this time he is capable of infection.

Control measures: preventive - high agricultural technology and timely removal of diseased plants; bacterial (Integral - 5 ml / 1 l of water, Fitosporin-M - 4-5 g / 1 l of water) and fungal (Trichodermin - 2 g of the drug per well when planting seedlings) preparations. Seedlings are watered with suspensions of biological preparations and sown seeds are sprayed. In this case, a capsule of beneficial microorganisms is formed around the roots.

When a disease occurs, it is necessary to spray with chemicals (Ridomil MC, Profit, Ridomil Gold MC - 20-25 g / 10 l of water).

brown spot

Pathogen: Phyllosticta petuniae Sp.

Symptoms: rusty-brown spots appear on the leaves, at first rounded, then oblong with concentric zones. On the light part of the spots, the fruiting of the fungus is formed. Affected leaves wither and dry up.

Conditions conducive to the spread of the disease: mechanical damage, high air humidity.

Pathogen Conservation: on fallen leaves.

Control measures: preventive - high agricultural technology. In order to prevent the disease, as well as when the disease appears, it is possible to spray with copper-containing preparations at intervals of 7-10 days (Kartocid - 50 g / 10 l of water, copper oxychloride - 40 g / 10 l of water, Oksihom - 20 g / 10 l water, etc.).

late blight

pathogens: Phytophthora cryptogea Pethybr. a. Laff. and Phytophthora infestans de Vagu.

Symptoms: the base of the stem turns brown and rots. The plant wilts and subsequently dies. The defeat is possible at any age, however, more often the disease coincides in time with late blight of tomatoes and potatoes, which is associated with the characteristics of the biology of pathogens.

Conditions conducive to the spread of the disease: high air humidity, cold nights with heavy dews.

Pathogen Conservation: in living wintering parts of plants - carriers of the disease (for example, diseased potato tubers planted in the garden). There is strong evidence that the infection does not persist in soil and plant debris.

Control measures: during the period of growing seedlings, it is necessary to ventilate the greenhouse well and not to thicken the crops. After planting the seedlings in the ground, preventive treatments with copper-containing preparations can be carried out (Kartotsid - 50 g / 10 l of water, copper oxychloride - 40 g / 10 l of water, Oksikhom - 20 g / 10 l of water, etc.), but flowers are often damaged , which leads to a loss of decorativeness for several days. Preparations based on mancozeb, metalaxyl or oxadixyl (Ridomil MC, Profit, Ridomil Gold MC, etc. - 20-25 g / 10 l of water) act much softer.

In addition, they have not only a protective, but also a healing effect, so they can be used during the period when the signs of the disease have already appeared.

Petunia© daryl mitchell

The unique adaptability of petunias to various cultivation conditions, soils and climates, the simplicity of agricultural technology, the duration and brightness of flowering have made it one of the favorite crops of flower growers and gardeners. Currently, petunia occupies one of the first places in popularity among flyers, and with the advent of new groups and hybrids, interest in it is increasing. Looking forward to your advice!

Petunia - planting and care, photos and growing secrets.

Hello dear readers! Whoever wants to see their home, yard or balcony bloom with bright, cheerful palettes all summer long. But this is possible, easy and accessible, thanks to petunias. Here in this article "Petunia - planting and care, photos and growing secrets" I want to reveal the secrets of growing and caring, give out a formula for the rich flowering of petunias, and show photos of beautiful varieties.

How and when to sow petunias for seedlings?

Let's start with when to sow seeds for seedlings? Personally, I prefer to sow petunia in March, preferably in the second half. At this time, the day has already increased significantly, and I do not even use a lamp to highlight the seedlings, but in the cases when my plants are on the southern windowsill.

It is very important to use snow when sowing seeds. They can cover freshly sown seeds, or they can be sown directly on the snow in a container. This procedure is necessary for the stratification of seeds.

The temperature in the room is approximately + 17-19gC, I sow the seeds in prepared cassettes or cups with soil, without sprinkling, but only moisten the soil with seeds. Then I cover with glass (if there is no glass, you can use a transparent film). This will serve as a mini greenhouse for seedlings.

Shoots appear in 8-10 days. From time to time I air and water from a spray bottle. But in no case do not flood, but moisten so that the earth is moist, and not too wet. Otherwise, the seedlings will get sick with the "Black Leg" and die.

But if you want to get a flowering plant much earlier, for example, in April, then you need to sow petunia seeds in February. In this case, the seedlings must be illuminated with a fluorescent lamp, and do not forget about the temperature, which should be at least 15-22 degrees C during germination.

After the seedlings get stronger and grow the first pair of true leaves, you can dive into separate small containers (cups).

I suggest watching a useful video on the topic "how to dive seedlings correctly."

Petunia landing.

Although petunia is undemanding to soils, it is better to use light, fertile soil with the addition of humus, sand and leafy soil.

I plant my petunia seedlings in bowls (cut asbestos pipe) after May 10, when the threat of return frosts has passed. Sometimes it happens that I plant much earlier, in late April or early May (fortunately the climate allows). But in this case, I follow the weather forecast, and if something is coming, I just cover the seedlings with glass jars.

Growing petunias.

I mainly grow valuable varieties through seedlings, such as terry, ampelous, and large-flowered. And in the garden and outside the yard, this beauty reproduces by self-sowing, moreover, there are so many seedlings that you have to weed out so that it does not clog other plants.

Since the petunia is photophilous, it needs to allocate an open sunny place, although it is unpretentious to the ground, it is better for it to prepare fertile, sandy or loamy soil. We also remember that this plant loves and needs moisture very much, so watering should be deep and timely so that the soil of the plant is always moderately moist. And it is necessary to water preferably under the root.

But in pots, growing petunias is a little more difficult. The main thing is to have loose, nutritious, moisture-intensive soil. You can add perlite to it, and I still prefer a little hydrogel, since perlite loosens the soil, and hydrogel retains moisture. And in pots or containers in the air, moisture will quickly be used up. It is also important to fertilize the petunia with complex mineral fertilizer for flowering during the flowering period once every 10 days.

At the initial stage of growth, we form bushes by pinching, which means that at the level of 3-5 internodes in the center we remove the central shoot. And in the future, we also pinch the side shoots, so the bush will turn out to be a magnificent, beautiful shape.

Secrets of the rich flowering of petunias.

It is quite simple to achieve enchanting flowering of a petunia for a long period, the main thing is to know its preference. 1. Since the petunia's root system is quite powerful, it means that there should be a lot of soil. Meaning that only 2 plants are needed in a 10L container is no longer recommended.

2. It is known that petunia is a great glutton, so the first feeding should be carried out 2 weeks after picking. While the plant is in "childhood" it needs nitrogen fertilizers for growth. And when the buds begin to be laid - phosphorus and potassium.

3. Petunia often suffers from iron deficiency, which causes yellowed leaves. In this case, you need to feed the plant with iron chelate. It will be enough 3-4 dressings with an interval of 5 days, and it is necessary to alternate root dressings with foliar ones.

4. Adult petunia plants are very fond of watering, and it is advisable not to allow the soil to dry out.

5. Withered flowers must be removed, and this will provoke a new wave of flowering. And pinch the elongated stems to get a chic flowering bush.

6. In order for the petunia to show itself in all its glory inherent in this variety, it is necessary to feed the seedlings with a solution of the EM preparation at a dose of 1 tablespoon per 10 liters of water.

And finally, I propose to see a photo selection of how and where you can use petunias in garden design.

Although the petunia is not a classic houseplant, it will grow beautifully on the balcony and add life to it. Growing petunias from seeds is a laborious process, but nevertheless pleasant, because the appearance of a rapidly growing flower from a tiny seed is fraught with some kind of magic. Today we will focus on how to grow petunias from seeds.

How to choose petunia seeds

Before choosing seeds, you need to decide on the desired flower variety, in addition to the appearance, the choice will be influenced by the local climate and the place where you want to grow them. For hanging trays on the balcony, bush varieties are perfect: terry varieties, grandiflora, frillitunia and milliflora. And for hanging planters, ampelous and cascading varieties are better suited.

Seeds can be clean and in the shell. Clean seeds germinate much faster and more often, but coated seeds are easier to plant and are protected from disease and damage, germinate 2-3 days later than uncoated seeds and do not tolerate drying out.

Among seed producers, it is better to give preference to imported ones, because when choosing seeds from domestic producers, it happens that the seeds may not be of the variety that is stated on the package. But it is also fair to note that domestic seeds are much cheaper than imported ones.

Petunia seedling containers

There are no special requirements for a container for seedlings. It can be made of any material and must be at least 5 cm in height so that the filled soil does not reach the edges by 2 cm, the main thing is that there are drainage holes at the bottom. If the boxes have been previously used, then do not forget to disinfect them.

Planting petunias in the ground

The mixture needs to be nutritious, well retaining moisture, loose, but should not soak. For sowing petunias with seeds, peat with the addition of sand and garden soil (2: 1: 1), ready-made soil or peat tablets bought in a store is suitable.

When preparing the soil yourself, make sure that the peat is sufficiently rotted, otherwise the soil will turn out to be acidic, and petunias do not tolerate this. If you do not want to continue picking plants, we recommend that you opt for peat tablets. Before sowing the seeds, the soil should be well moistened, and the peat tablets should be immersed 1-2 cm in water so that the soil swells and drains the remaining water.

Planting time for seedlings

Based on the petunia variety, it will take 50-95 days to bloom. From this you need to calculate when to sow the seeds. As a rule, sowing is carried out in late February - early March. Long-growing varieties are sown even at the end of January.

To sow petunias with seeds in January-February, you will need illumination with special lamps, otherwise the seeds will not germinate or the seedlings will turn out to be fragile.

Sowing petunia seeds for seedlings

If sowing is carried out in the soil with ordinary seeds, then it is better to mix them with river sand. For 1 part of seeds, 10 parts of calcined sand are needed. This will keep the seeds from getting too close together. The resulting mixture is evenly poured onto the soil and moistened with a spray bottle.

The coated seeds are simply placed on the ground at a distance of 1-1.5 cm from each other and pressed lightly, after which they are thoroughly moistened with a spray gun so that the shell begins to collapse.

When sowing in peat tablets, simply place the pelleted seed in the center of the tablet, press lightly and soak the seed coat well with a spray bottle or pipette. In order for the seeds to germinate, they need light, so they are not sprinkled with soil when sowing.

There is also a method of sowing with the help of snow. In this case, a layer of snow of about 2 cm is laid on the ground, and petunia seeds are laid out on top with a wet stick. When the snow layer melts, the seeds themselves will press down as they need it, in addition, the top layer of soil will be moistened.

After sowing, the seedling container is covered with a transparent film or glass and placed in a warm, bright place or under special lamps. In order for petunia seeds to germinate, it is necessary to maintain a temperature of about 25 ° C for the first 5-7 days with sufficient light. At home, this place will be the window sill above the battery, but only on the condition that it is really warm there, and not siphon from all the cracks.

The soil must be kept moist by spraying the soil 1-2 times a day with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or adding water to the pan, but moisture stagnation should be avoided.

When sprouts appear, watering can be done less frequently, but more abundantly, and containers with seedlings should be placed in the brightest place. Lighting should last at least 12 hours a day. After unfolding the cotyledons, the film or glass needs to be slightly lifted or moved, and removed after 3-4 days. The optimum temperature for further growth will be 18-22°C.

petunia pick

It is recommended to loosen the upper part of the soil so that a crust does not form, which will interfere with the access of air and moisture. Now you need to wait until 2 true leaves appear and pick. If you used peat tablets, then they are simply completely transplanted into a large container and sprinkled with soil, while the mesh is removed from them.

You can dive into special containers for seedlings or into plastic cups, but you can skip this phase and dive directly into balcony boxes or planters. In this case, the substrate used is the same as for seedlings, only be sure to fill the bottom with drainage.

After diving, the temperature can be gradually lowered to 14-16 ° C, this will harden the seedlings a little and make them stronger.

The bait of seedlings is carried out 7 days after picking and then they are fed 1 time per week. As a rule, bait with a high nitrogen content is used.

Petunia transplant

Over the next 2 months, the development of sprouts will noticeably slow down due to the fact that their root system will develop at this time. When they become crowded in your containers, immediately transplant them into balcony boxes or planters. Petunias have a very developed root system, so expect that for one bush petunia 3 liters of substrate are required, and for ampelous 5.

Growing from seeds is not an easy task for a beginner, but it will help you gain the necessary experience and save money, in addition, an overgrown petunia will delight you until late autumn.

In our country, petunia is grown as an annual ornamental plant. While this representative of the nightshade belongs to perennials. But due to the harsh climate in most of our Fatherland, no one thinks about saving petunias for the winter. This is a troublesome and unpopular business with Russian flower growers. Meanwhile, breeders have long bred hybrid varieties of petunias that are able to bloom profusely several times a year.

Description of petunia flowers

The flower came to Europe from South America. At home, in Brazil and Paraguay, petunias grow up to a meter in height. Petunias used in cultural floriculture are plants that have small bush shape.

Its height depends on the type and variety. Low-growing petunias grow up to 20-30 cm, larger ones form a bush up to 60 cm. Petunias also differ in the location of the stem:

• upright;
• creeping.

Breeders are constantly expanding the range of these many-sided decorations of any garden or flower bed. Most often, petunia is divided into two large groups:

1. Bush.
2. Ampelous petunias.

Varieties of the latter type are well suited for planting in hanging planters, because due to flexible short shoots and a large number of small flowers, a bright “ball” is formed, noticeable from afar.

According to the size of the flower, petunias are divided into large-flowered and multi-flowered. The first group is distinguished by flowers larger than 10 cm. They are decorated with strong branches with single funnels. These petunias look very elegant.

In plants of the second group, the flowers are much smaller, a little more than a five-ruble coin, but there are a lot of them. The bushes look elegant and even fun.

Petunia is extremely popular with flower growers around the world for the variety of colors, long and abundant flowering with proper care. Many people try to grow petunia seedlings with their own hands at home.

How and when to start this responsible business? How to grow petunia seedlings at home? At the first stage, it is necessary to purchase high-quality seed material.

Rules for growing petunias from seeds

Sowing is carried out in late February, early March. Although you can start growing seedlings at a later date, but in this case you have the danger of not seeing flowering.

Keep in mind that it will be at least 10 weeks before this beauty delights you with her colorful outfits. Petunia produces very small, smaller than a poppy seed, seeds.

However, on the shelves of flower shops you can see them granular form. They are much larger and more expensive than usual. The whole focus is in a special nutrient-protective shell surrounding the plant seed.

Sometimes granules are sold by the piece. It is impossible to determine the appearance of the seeds in the package, because they are sold in opaque bags. It remains to trust the information on the package. Here, study it carefully. The label must indicate:

• Seed producer.
• Best before date.
• The name of the variety.
• Bloom time.
• The height of the bush in adulthood.

Keep in mind that seeds in paper packaging remain viable for up to a year. Packaging provides longer shelf life foil or polyethylene- up to two years. How to grow petunias from seeds?

How to choose containers for seedlings

For a home-made "greenhouse", in which seeds will germinate and young seedlings pick up the first leaves, containers for cookies, biscuits, ice cream will do. Can be purchased plastic containers at the hardware store.

A budget and convenient option is to use an empty five-liter bottle of water. With a sharp knife along the long side, make an incision on three sides and slightly bend the plastic up, you get a “greenhouse” with a lid, light and comfortable.

So that you do not choose to grow petunias from seeds at home, do not forget to do in the bottom of the container with a heated nail drainage holes. Then the water will not stagnate in the soil and the roots will not be affected by rot.

Soil preparation

You can buy a ready-made mixture at a flower shop. Such compositions are produced on the basis of peat. There are even special soil for petunias. A high-quality substrate is industrially disinfected from pests.

But you can prepare the necessary soil composition yourself if you have the necessary ingredients, time and desire for this.

Take in equal proportions (2 parts each):

• peat;
• garden land;
• humus;
• add 1 part sand to this set.

Mix everything, the necessary nutrient base for seed germination is ready. At the bottom of the tank, pour a layer of expanded clay or small river pebbles. On top of this drainage pad, place the soil, a layer thickness of about 3-5 cm.

Some flower growers advise adding potassium permanganate crystals to the water to get a solution saturated in color. In this case, hang a container with soil over a basin where water will drain. After the ground has cooled down after disinfection, moisturize it well with a sprayer and start sowing.

Sowing petunia seeds

Petunia is a plant that loves light and warmth very much. For successful germination (provided that you are lucky with the source material), you need to create these conditions. Therefore, the seeds spread on the surface moistened soil, but do not fall asleep with earth.

For the convenience of performing the operation, moisten a match or toothpick with water and pick up each seed with it. The intervals between them should be the same, at least 10-15 cm.

After you finish press the seeds to the ground to improve grip. Close the homemade greenhouse with a lid, glass, plastic wrap and put in a warm place, the simplest is to a room battery.

Additional illumination at this stage is not required, but heat for the appearance of sprouts is vital. Petunia seeds should germinate at a temperature of +25 degrees.

Open the lid of the air tank once a day. Shoots will appear on the third or fourth day. However, if the seeds are expired, then they will germinate longer, about ten days.

Seedling care: lighting and watering

To get healthy and strong seedlings at home, consider some features of the development of petunias. If the sprouts do not have enough light, they will reach for the sun, they will turn out to be tall, but weak.

Therefore, after the seeds germinate, move the boxes away from the battery, but closer to the window. At this stage, the main role is played by the second factor - light. Not relying on window lighting, resort to the help of additional lighting.

For these purposes, use fluorescent lamps or fixtures for seedlings. Turn on additional lighting as soon as the seeds hatch. Lamps should burn over seedlings for at least 12 hours. In the future, this will contribute to the formation of flower buds more quickly. The temperature in the place where you have boxes with sprouts should be + 18-20 degrees.

It is extremely important at this stage, when the seedlings are fragile and can easily die, conduct proper watering. Experienced flower growers advise doing this in the evening, when more intensive plant growth occurs.

The water must be soft, chlorine-free and warm. To do this, defend the water from the tap for at least a day on the windowsill or in another warm place. Before watering, squeeze a few drops of lemon juice into it.

From the very first day, as sprouts appear, ventilate the greenhouse by sliding the lid. Start with two to three minutes, increasing the aeration time from time to time. Such a simple method will help maintain humidity in the right amount and protect seedlings from the disease, which is called the "black leg".

Dive - how to do it correctly

There comes a time when the seedlings become cramped in the box and each sprout already needs a separate space. For this purpose, a transplant is performed. So that you do not get confused, let's figure out what leaves are on plants.

As the seed germinates, it releases two cotyledons. They have an elongated shape and are much larger than the leaves that appear later. Cotyledons are a kind of bottle of milk from which the sprout feeds. But now he and his brothers in the box grew up, and like kids in kindergarten, they began to push and interfere with each other.

So it's time for a dive. This operation includes grafting and root pinching. Each sprout is placed in a separate transparent cup. We deepen the sprout in the soil to the cotyledon leaves.

While the plants are very fragile, the root system has not formed and consists of only one root as thick as a hair. In order not to damage, the sprout is taken along with a clod of earth and placed in a new place of residence. The soil is sterilized, as before sowing the seeds - with boiling water or calcining in the oven.

After the first transplant of petunia seedlings, if you did everything right, the plant begins to develop more actively, building up the root system. Approximately one and a half months after sowing, need a second transplant, in larger pots. Here, the petunia is left until it is planted in open ground in the garden or outdoor planters.

Strictly speaking, the shortening of the root is also included in the dive procedure. They do this so that the lateral roots begin to develop and the whole system is formed more powerful, branched. Then the plant will receive more nutrients from the soil.

But recently flower growers have moved away from this practice, considering it too risky. Some masters in growing seedlings at home do not do a second transplant.

They choose a container for diving with a margin, "for growth." Explaining this by the fact that there is nothing to injure the plants once again. You can choose the best way from your own experience.

Temperature regime and top dressing

Having received a separate living space after a dive, the seedlings begin to grow vigorously. Now, for their own benefit, start accustoming young petunias to low temperatures, up to + 10 °. Flower growers use the term "hardening" in this case.

Seedling pots take out to the glazed balcony or open a window in the room. Start with 15 minutes and gradually increase the time.

After a couple of weeks of such repetitions, and provided that the air temperature outside does not fall below normal, the seedlings can be completely left in a cool place until they are transplanted to a permanent place.

It is impossible to grow good seedlings without care, as well as timely and regular feeding. Start fertilizing two weeks after the first transplant of seedlings. In the future, do this for adult plants, once every two weeks.

Specialized stores offer flower growers complex fertilizers containing a lot of potassium. Liquid concentrated nutrient mixtures are also good, which at home must be diluted with water.

After the second transplant and in the future, do not forget about loosening the soil. Roots need oxygen. Petunias will respond to such care with prolonged flowering until late autumn.

pinching seedlings

From a glance at the bright dense "ball" of multi-colored petunias, the heart rejoices. How to achieve the perfect shape at home? The secret is simple. It's all about pinching the top of the plant.

Start this procedure as soon as four or five leaves appear on the sprout, not counting the two that grow from the hatched seed (cotyledon). It turns out that you will do the first pinching when there are seven leaves on the petunia.

By limiting upward growth, you will force side shoots to develop. This is how it will form round shape of the bush. But keep in mind that pinching delays the start of flowering. Therefore, a couple of weeks before that, leave the plant alone.

Growing seedlings in peat tablets

In addition to the method of growing seedlings described above, there is another, more economical in time. Industry releases peat tablets, which are great for getting strong seedlings at home.

They are placed in a plastic bowl and fill with water. Within 10 minutes, swelling, the tablets increase in volume several times. Drain excess water and make a small notch in the top of the peat column with a match or toothpick.

Place a petunia seed there. Sowing completed. In the future, take care of the seedlings, as described above. The convenience is that in the case of peat tablets no diving is required.

The grown seedlings are planted immediately in open ground, along with a tablet. In the ground, it will disintegrate without your intervention. It's good that peat gives necessary nutritional supplement emerging petunia roots.

From all of the above, we can conclude that even a beginner can grow petunia seedlings at home.