In solving the problem, how to grow a petunia, a person has to face a variety of problems, from studying the technology of seeding and picking seedlings , to protecting green plantations from harmful factors. All the efforts expended pay off a hundredfold, because in terms of decorativeness this culture occupies a leading position in the world.
How to grow petunias in the garden?
If you are interested in the question of how to grow petunia, it is advisable to get acquainted with the origin of the flower and its popular varieties. This decorative shrub refers to the family of Solanaceae, European researchers first discovered it in Brazil. The nearest relatives of modern petunia are tobacco and tomatoes with potatoes, in warm regions it is cultivated as perennial. We have this culture grown as an annual to decorate the backyard, loggias or balconies.
By breeding from wild plants for many years, many hybrid species have been identified that are famous for their decorative features. In the question of how to grow petunia correctly, you first need to determine which form of bush suits you best to choose when buying the seeds of the most optimal variety. There are up to three dozen species of petunias and many original subspecies:
- Cascade petunia - forms giant bushes, capable of giving long lateral branches. If you do not have experience, how to grow a cascade petunia, then do not plant more than three plants in one pot. Popular varieties - Cherry, Typhoon, Duble Cascade, Silver, Gioconda, Ramblin.
- Ampelia petunia is a powerful shrub with long-spaced lianate shoots, covered from summer to frost with buds of 50-10 cm in diameter. Waterfall, Lilac surf, White, Royal Magenta, Mystic Pink, White, Pink, Lavender, Blue, Wave, Typhoon Wave.
- Shrub petunia - low-growing forms with a height of the bush to 30 cm. Great for people who solve the problem, how to grow petunia in pots in a limited space. Recommended varieties are Artist, Sonata, Valentine, Duo F1, Double Cascade Plum Wayne.
- Petunia floribunda - in the catalogs it is located on the intermediate place between large-flowered and multiflorous varieties. The flowers form in diameter up to 10 cm, it looks great when decorating vast arrays. For cultivation in cottages, experts recommend the following series of varieties of petunia floribunda - Sonya F1 Series, Celebrity rong F1 Series, Madness F1 Series.
Petunia - growing from seeds
Solve the problem of how to grow lush petunia from seeds at home, you can simply and without much expense. The fresh seeds that are acquired are mixed with river sand and sown in a light, moistened soil in a superficial way. Spray a little water on top and cover the container with sheet glass, at a temperature of 23 ° C petunia will rise in a week. Humidity maintains a moderate, so as not to provoke the development of a black leg . Picks in the greenhouse we produce since April, in open ground petunia is grown with the arrival of stable heat.
How to grow petunia from cuttings?
With seed breeding, half of the seedlings grow with simple petunia flowers, so the cuttings grow most of the terry forms to preserve varietal qualities. Uterine bushes in the winter months are kept in greenhouses at a temperature of 12 ° C. In March, cut the cuttings with 4-5 leaves. After removing the two lower leaves, the shoots are treated with "Kornevin". Then they are placed in the ground from sand, turf and compost. We deepen the seedlings in cups one and a half centimeter above the knot. Sprinkle petunia under glass at a temperature of up to 25 ° C, creating a light day up to 16 hours.
How to grow beautiful petunia from seedlings?
If planting seedlings are thickened, then the plant is sick and stretched, with the appearance of 2-3 leaves it is possible to transfer the shoots to an individual cup. In the case, how to take care of home petunia after picking, the main thing is to provide them with good lighting and keep at a temperature of 22 ° C. We feed the cuttings with liquid complex fertilizers for flowers every 10 days. If the sprouts are rooted, petunia has grown, growing seedlings can continue in the open. Seasoned seedlings are transferred to the garden or to the balcony from the beginning of May, choosing for planting evening hours and cloudy days.
Where to grow petunia?
The problem of how to grow petunia, it is better to solve with the help of specially made or purchased in-store seedlings. Cover them with glass or transparent plastic covers, creating an optimal microclimate inside. Another effective method for obtaining a petunia flower seedlings is to grow seeds in peat tablets. With this method, you can do without picks, without traumatizing tender shoots, and transplant them directly into the ground or a large pot.
How to care for petunia in the garden?
If you set a goal, how to grow a beautiful petunia, throughout the season abundantly strewn with delicate flowers, then pick up for planting a bright open lawn with a light moisture-absorbing ground. Best of all, it grows on neutral soil, dressed with humus. When the land is prepared and we managed to get a powerful and healthy seedling of petunia flowers, how to care for it in the open ground?
Petunia landing rules:
- seedlings of small-flowered varieties are located after 15-20 cm,
- Large-flowered petunias are grown through 25-30 cm,
- bushes of ampel forms are best planted at a distance of 35 cm to 50 cm,
- bush varieties are planted in pots with a volume of 5 liters,
- for the ampel forms, you need to purchase pots with a size of 10 liters,
- vigorous petunias for cultivation require a container with a volume of 30 liters.
How to care for petunia in the summer?
The most whimsical are plant varieties with large flowers, when grown in wet weather or lack of lighting on them, often develop diseases that cause the cessation of growth. Danger presents for decorative plantations thunderstorms with strong squalls and hail, which often destroy a large percentage of seedlings. It is desirable to plant cheap varieties on a bed, and to put expensive and rare hybrids in a portable pot. Cultivation of petunia in the ground by the pottery method is more advantageous in that the owners can easily remove the containers in case of danger under a canopy.
How to care for petunia, so that it blooms abundantly?
In the question of how to care for the petunia so that it blossoms elegantly and abundantly throughout the warm season, the villager can use one cunning, which always gives an excellent effect - prischipku shoots. This method causes branching of the bush and stimulates the growth of green mass. On a young plant, a pinch is performed on the fifth internode, with the growth of the pruning is performed on all adult long shoots.
How to water petunia?
When planning how often to water petunia, try not to fill the soil. Constant dampness and stagnant water lead to decay of the roots. Good drainage solves most problems and helps to save the situation. In hot weather, you can make up to two petunias watering per day. Although this hardy culture is famous for its drought resistance, the situation can not be brought to a complete drying of the soil. If the tap water is hard, then it is slightly acidified before watering.
Petunia feeding
In the first phase of growth, the plant is fed with liquid fertilizers for flowers with the formula NPK 10-10-10. Further increase the content of phosphorus and potassium, preferring preparations with a proportion of useful substances NPK 10-15-20 or NPK 10-15-15. Good reviews are famous fertilizer "Kemira", "Master" or "Agricola" . Successfully used for petunia top dressing folk remedies - a nettle infusion of home production. Cut plants are laid in a barrel and filled with water, after 3 days of fermentation, the liquid is decanted and diluted in a proportion of 1:20.
How to care for flowering petunia?
Prischipku shoots continue the whole warm season. Cropping the length of the whip to a third, helping the plant to relax, stimulating a new wave of active flowering. Cropped stems are discarded or used to propagate seedlings, rooting them in water. In the case, how to care for petunia in the open field, a large role is played by regular inspection of beds with flowering bushes. Loosen the soil, remove the weeds, be sure to cut off the badly damaged or wilted buds. Grateful plant during cultivation will begin to expend strength not on the maturation of seeds, but on flowering and the growth of new shoots.
The main mistakes in growing petunia
This plant is well tolerated weather surprises, but often the flower growers themselves ruin the petunia, creating conditions for growing incompatible with its existence. The first setbacks lie in wait for the summer resident at the seeding stage. If you do not know some basic rules, you can get rare seedlings or weak and sick seedlings, unable to form into a strong bush.
Common mistakes in growing petunia:
- instead of superficial sowing inexperienced amateurs use the sowing of petunia in the ground to the depth,
- germination of seeds in the spring in a dark place without illumination,
- the death of petunia from stagnation of water,
- without preventive treatments, petunia perishes from diseases and pests,
- thickened plantings of petunia lead to inhibition of growth,
- the volume of pots or pots does not correspond to the root system.
Petunia - pests and diseases
The villager needs to prepare well for the summer season, there are diseases and pests of petunia, prevention and struggle with which takes a lot of effort. Petunia belongs to the family of Solanaceae, and therefore suffers from growing from common for this group of plants fungal infections and harmful insects. Huge funds for the war with pests will not have to be spent, but with poor care they are able to mess up a lot of trouble on the flowerbeds.
The main diseases and pests of petunia:
- blackleg,
- gray rot,
- white rot,
- brown spot,
- late blight,
- whitefly.
Rot is defeated by Skorom, Maxim, and biopreparations. Against late blight and spotting in the cultivation of petunias are well assisted processing "Oxihom", "Ridomil Gold", copper oxychloride. The insects are destroyed by chemical means "Karate", "Decis", "Aktara", biological products. You can use soap infusions with tobacco, decoctions of hot pepper or dandelion, other folk recipes.