How to grow petunias at home?

Any garden will be decorated with petunia, abundantly blooming in various colors all summer and autumn. In addition, petunia is unpretentious, not demanding in care.
Therefore, many are interested in how to grow petunia from seeds - planting features, caring for seedlings and an adult flower.

Methods for growing petunias from seeds

To get seedlings of petunias, you need to sow seeds in February or early March. To do this, you can use seedling containers, or apply the technology of growing petunias using peat tablets.

• Most often, seedling boxes are used for this purpose. The seeds of the flower are light-like, that is, they need light for germination. Therefore, the sowing is done superficially, it is impossible to sprinkle them with earth, and for better contact with the soil, it is enough just to press.
• Seeds germinate at a sufficiently high temperature, about +25 ° C and an air humidity of 98%.
  Such conditions can be ensured by placing the seedling boxes in a lighted warm place, covered with a light non-woven cloth. You can use glass or transparent film for this purpose, however, the nonwoven fabric provides the seeds with a more favorable growth environment, since moisture is better retained and the seedlings can breathe air.
  The non-woven fabric is removed when the seedlings grow a little.
• Sowing grains into peat tablets is much more efficient. Practice has shown that growing plants in peat tablets does not require subsequent diving, and grown seedlings can be planted directly into the ground.

The advantage of the tablets is the natural properties of peat, its water and air permeability, besides, they contain enough nutrients necessary for the development and growth of seedlings.

It is very convenient to use these tablets for growing petunias from seeds. They are placed in a container - a plastic container with a lid, and filled with water.
Within 10 minutes, the tablets will swell, increasing in height, but maintaining the diameter.After waiting another 5 minutes, drain the excess water and, using tweezers or a toothpick, place one seed in the depression that is in the upper part of the tablet. Then the container is closed with a lid and placed on the windowsill.
Further growing and caring for petunia consists in maintaining the temperature and humidity necessary for seed germination and growth.
To prevent condensation from dripping onto the sprouts, you need to periodically ventilate the container and remove excess moisture from its walls and lid.

Not everyone has the conditions to grow petunia seedlings in an apartment. It is quite possible to breed petunias in a greenhouse, however, the seedlings for planting in the ground will be ready a little later than home ones.

The main thing is to prepare the greenhouse in such a way as to provide the plant with the desired temperature and humidity conditions.

Features of growing petunias

Growing petunias indoors is troublesome, but very exciting.
The main thing is to ensure the light regime and maintain the required temperature.
Seedlings appear after about two weeks after sowing the seeds. This is a signal that it is necessary to reduce the temperature of the seedlings: during the day it should not exceed 20 ° C, and at night 16 ° C.
So that the sprouts that appear do not stretch out and grow well, they do additional lighting using a variety of phytolamps.

Additional lighting should be started as soon as the sprouts hatch. It is desirable that the plantings are illuminated for approximately 16 hours a day. This helps the seedlings grow strong and healthy, and further accelerates the formation of flower buds.

Diving and caring for petunia seedlings

Seedlings dive when the first full-fledged leaves appear.
In the agrotechnology of growing petunias, this is perhaps the most crucial moment. The sprouts are very delicate and fragile, for planting them you will need maximum patience and accuracy so as not to injure them.

For transplantation, cups made of transparent material filled with sterilized soil are used. In them sprouts are transplanted, dug out together with a lump of soil near the root.

Seedlings at the germination stage are quite capricious.
For about a month after the emergence of the shoots, their development proceeds very slowly, since at this stage they build up the root system. More active growth begins when the seedlings are one and a half months old.
When the soil in a transparent cup is strongly intertwined with roots, the sprouts are transplanted into larger pots (up to 2 liters) and left there until planting in a permanent place.

The cultivation of ampelous petunias from grains, as well as the cultivation of cascading flowers, is carried out using the same technology as for other varieties.
Ampel petunia is the best option for hanging planters.

The ampelous group also includes cascading varieties. They have flexible, but thicker and shorter stems than ideal ampelous forms.

Growing terry petunia, surfinia petunia has its own characteristics. The fact is that they do not give seeds, therefore they propagate by cuttings of shoots.

To do this, a shoot with two internodes is cut off from a flowering bush. Flowers and buds are removed. The tip of the cutting is "powdered" with root and planted in a glass, which is set in the shade. After 3 weeks, roots appear. Plants overwinter in the house, at a temperature of 16 ° C.

How and with what water to water petunia seedlings

It is very important to learn how to water the petunia seedlings. This should be done in moderation and on time, observing some rules:

• Watering with a watering can is absolutely excluded. A fine spray gun is best suited to moisten the substrate. Waterlogging of the soil is dangerous by the appearance of a "black leg" - a disease in which the sprouts rot from below and die. Drying out is also detrimental to tiny seedlings.
• The most reliable way to maintain the correct soil moisture is to water the seedlings from the bottom of the pallet, not from the top.
• Use soft, chlorine-free water for irrigation.Therefore, be sure to defend tap water for at least a day, and add a little lemon juice just before watering.
• Water and substrate must be at the same temperature.

Important! In sunny weather, seedlings should be watered in the evening, since it is during the night that their growth is most intense and the consumption of water is greater, while during the day the water evaporates strongly.

Fulfilling these little secrets of breeding petunias, we get a full-fledged seedlings

What soil is needed for petunias?

For sowing seeds, it is allowed to use various soil mixtures based on peat, with the exception of alkaline and strongly acidic ones.

Self-preparation of the potting mix requires certain skills, and the constituent components need to be sought somewhere, so the best option is to purchase a substrate in a flower shop.
It contains in an optimal ratio all the necessary substances for plant nutrition and growth.

To protect the plant from diseases, the acquired mixture must be spilled with a fungicide before planting.

Fertilizers for petunias

A plant cannot grow full-fledged without the use of fertilizers throughout its development. Petunia is incredibly responsive to fertilization, and has a high need for them. Only when it receives the necessary fertilizing in abundance, it will bloom profusely until the coldest days.

Try to use only specialized fertilizers, otherwise it is very difficult to maintain the concentration. Complex fertilizers with a high potassium content are also excellent for fertilizing.

At home, the easiest way is to use liquid fertilizers, which are diluted with water before watering. Their choice is wide enough.
Feeding should start a couple of weeks after transshipment. Throughout the season, you need to continue to fertilize at intervals of two weeks.

In addition to feeding, caring for petunia involves periodically loosening the soil to ensure oxygen supply to the roots and watering.
Caring for adult petunias, many do not know that in order to form lush bushes, it is necessary to pinch, that is, remove, the tops of regrown shoots. This should be done in the phase of active growth, when 4-5 leaves are formed.

Petunias bloom profusely and for a long time. They are planted in flower beds, in vases and containers, used to decorate flower beds. With a little effort and time to grow seedlings, you can plant the beauty of this delightful flower all season.

Article when to plant petunias for seedlings!

Growing and caring for petunias - video

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 preserving petunias for the winter. This business is troublesome and unpopular with Russian flower growers. Meanwhile, breeders have long bred hybrid varieties of petunias that are capable of blooming 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 cultivated floriculture are plants that have the shape of a small bush.

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 are also distinguished by the location of the stem:

• upright;
• creeping.

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

1. Shrub.
2. Ampel petunias.

The varieties of the latter type are well suited for planting in hanging pots, because due to the flexible short shoots and a large number of small flowers, a bright "ball" is formed, visible from afar.

By the size of the flower, petunias are subdivided into large-flowered and multi-flowered... The first group is distinguished by flowers more than 10 cm in size. They decorate strong branches with single funnels. Such 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 many of them. The bushes look elegant and even fun.

Petunia is extremely popular with flower growers all over the world for its variety of colors, long and abundant flowering with proper care. Many are trying to grow petunia seedlings with their own hands at home.

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

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 a danger of not seeing flowering.

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

However, you can see them on the shelves of flower shops. granular form... They are much larger and more expensive than conventional ones. The whole focus is in a special nutritionally protective shell that surrounds the seed of the plant.

Sometimes the pellets 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. Study it carefully. The label should state:

• Seed producer.
• Shelf life.
• The name of the variety.
• Flowering time.
• Adult height of the bush.

Keep in mind that paper-wrapped seeds remain viable for up to a year. Longer shelf life is provided by packaging foil or polyethylene - up to two years. How to grow petunia from seeds?

How to choose containers for seedlings

For a homemade "greenhouse" in which seeds will germinate and young seedlings will pick up the first leaves, a container for cookies, biscuits, ice cream will do. You can purchase plastic containers at the hardware store.

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

Whatever you 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 is even special soils 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. Pour a layer of expanded clay or small river pebbles on the bottom of the container. On top of this drainage pad, place a layer of soil about 3 to 5 cm thick.

But before you do this, please accept parasite precautions... Heat the purchased or homemade composition in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or spill it with boiling water.

Some growers advise adding potassium permanganate crystals to the water to get a solution saturated in color. In this case, hang the container with the soil above the basin, where the 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 is very fond of light and warmth.For successful germination (assuming you are lucky with the starting material), you need to create these conditions. Therefore, the seeds are only lay out on the surface moistened soil, but we 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 must be the same, at least 10-15 cm.

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

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

Open the ventilation container lid once a day. Seedlings 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

For healthy and strong seedlings at home, consider some of the developmental features 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 sprout, move the boxes away from the battery, but closer to the window. At this stage, the second factor plays the main role - light. Without relying on window lighting, resort to the help of additional lighting.

For these purposes use fluorescent lamps or lamps for seedlings. Turn on the additional lighting as soon as the seeds hatch. The lamps should burn over the 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, carry out competent watering... Experienced growers advise doing this in the evening, when more intensive plant growth occurs.

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

From the very first day, as the sprouts appear, ventilate the greenhouse”By sliding the cover. Start with two to three minutes, increasing the aeration time from time to time. Such a simple method will help maintain the right amount of moisture and protect the seedlings from the disease called "black leg".

Diving - how to do it correctly

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

Germinating, the seed releases two cotyledons. They are elongated and much larger than the leaves that appear later. The cotyledons are a kind of bottle of milk from which the sprout feeds. But now he and his brothers on TV grew up, and like kids in kindergarten, they began to push and interfere with each other.

So it's time to dive. This operation includes transplanting and pinching the root... Each sprout is placed in a separate transparent cup. We deepen the sprout in the soil until 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 together with a lump of earth and placed in a new place of residence. The soil is sterilized, as before sowing seeds - with boiling water or calcining in the oven.

After the first transplant of petunia seedlings, if you did everything correctly, the plant begins to develop more actively, increasing the root system. About a month and a half after sowing, a second transplant will be required, into larger pots.Here, petunia is left before it is planted in open ground in the garden or outdoor pots.

Strictly speaking, root shortening is included in the diving procedure. They do this so that 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 the second transplant.

They choose containers 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 feeding

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

Seedling cups taken out to the glassed-in balcony or open a window in the room. Start with 15 minutes, gradually increasing the time.

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

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

Specialized shops offer florists complex fertilizerscontaining a lot of potassium. Concentrated liquid formulas are also good and must be diluted with water at home.

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

Pinching seedlings

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

Begin this procedure as soon as four to five leaves appear on the sprout, not counting the two that grow from the hatching 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 force lateral shoots to develop. So it will be formed round bush... But keep in mind that pinching postpones the beginning of flowering in time. Therefore, leave the plant alone a couple of weeks before.

Growing seedlings in peat tablets

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

They are placed in a plastic deep dish and fill it with water. Within 10 minutes, swelling, the tablets increase in volume several times. Drain off the excess water and make a small indentation in the upper part of the peat column with a match or toothpick.

Place the seed of the petunia there. Sowing is complete. In the future, take care of the seedlings as described above. Convenience is that in the case of peat pellets, a dive is not required.

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

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

Rate the article:

(9 votes, average: 3.8 out of 5)

Such incredibly beautiful flowers as petunias can be a wonderful decoration not only for a garden, but also for a house, as well as a terrace, a balcony, etc. This plant is one of the longest and most lush-flowering plants, and it is also distinguished by a variety of varieties, colors and shapes. ... Petunia is usually grown as an annual. However, there are some difficulties in growing petunia seedlings. So, in order for this event to be successful, it is necessary to sow such a plant at a certain time.

How to grow petunia seedlings from seeds

Seedling mix suitable for seedlings

A slightly acidic or neutral soil mixture is suitable for growing seedlings. It should be loose, rich in nutrients, able to retain water without getting too wet. You can buy a similar soil mixture, or rather, the universal Stender soil, in a specialized store. However, you will need to add additives to this soil. So, for 5 liters of soil, a five hundred gram jar of wood ash, 250 grams of perlite, and another 1 large spoon of Kemira or potassium sulfate are taken. The soil mixture can be prepared with your own hands. To do this, it is necessary to combine humus, sod soil, sand, as well as well-decomposed peat, which must be taken in a ratio of 2: 2: 1: 2. You can prepare a suitable mixture of sand, garden soil and peat, which are taken in a 1: 1: 2 ratio. The finished soil mixture must be sieved 2 times with a sieve. So, the first time you need to use a coarse sieve, and the second time - a finer sieve. Then the ground must be watered with a solution of Previkur (cook according to the instructions) or manganese potassium (strong).

Sowing petunias for seedlings

Seeds should be purchased only those that are made by a trusted manufacturer, otherwise you will have to wait a long time for seedlings if they appear at all. If you use pelleted seeds for planting, then somehow you should not particularly prepare them for planting. But it is worth remembering that in dry soil they grow extremely poorly, since the layer covering them cannot dissolve. When buying simple seeds, you need to ask the seller how to store them correctly and for how long it is possible. It is recommended to use fresh seeds for planting, since it is the low germination rate that is the main difficulty in growing such plants.

For planting, it is recommended to use a box made of wood or plastic, the height of which should be about 10 centimeters. In this case, special holes for drainage must be made at the bottom of the container. Treat the bottom of the box with a potassium manganese solution, and then rinse it with clean water. Lay a layer of small expanded clay at the bottom, and on top of it pour the prepared earth mixture. In this case, it is necessary that the earth does not reach the upper edge of the container by 2 centimeters. These seeds do best when sown on snow, so if there is snow outside, place it on top of the soil and compact slightly. Seeds are sown directly into the snow. Then the box is covered with glass or foil. After the snow layer has melted, the seeds will be sucked into the substrate. In the absence of snow, sowing is carried out on the surface of a wet substrate, and then the seeds are sprayed on top with a fine spray gun. After that, the box also needs to be covered with glass or film. Seeds should not be buried in the soil or sprinkled with even a thin layer of earth, because they germinate only in the presence of light. For more even sowing, it is recommended to mix small seeds with a small amount of dry sand. Place the container in a well-lit and warm (about 25 degrees) place.

Growing seedlings in tablets

If you purchased pelleted seeds, then it is best to use special peat tablets for sowing them. For this purpose, medium-sized tablets (diameter 3.5 or 4.5 centimeters) are suitable.To begin with, a peat tablet must be immersed in water in order for it to become soaked. After that, the excess liquid is removed, and the prepared tablets must be placed in a tray with high edges. Then, using a toothpick or an ordinary match, 1 seed is placed in each tablet. Then watering is carried out with a pipette, which will allow the layer of substance covering the seed to be soaked. After a few minutes, using your fingers, smear the shells, which should be limp by that time. This will allow the seeds to germinate faster. Then the container on top should be covered with a film or glass and placed in a well-lit, warm (about 25 degrees) place.

This method of growing helps to increase the germination of petunias. And also flower growers note that it is much easier to care for such seedlings, because they do not need to be planted, and it is also easy to understand when the plant needs watering.

Growing seedlings of petunias in cassettes

Growing in cassettes, according to most growers, is a very convenient and also relatively economical way. So, a cassette with cells is designed for repeated use, and the plants planted in it do not need further picking. If desired, you can purchase cassettes with a different number of cells. However, it should be taken into account that the more cells are in the cassette, the smaller they are. For sowing petunias, experts advise those cassettes whose cells are large enough, while their height should not be less than 10 centimeters. The cells can be filled with the soil mixture mentioned above, but if desired, peat tablets are also placed in them. You need to care for such seedlings in the same way as for those grown in simple boxes.

Should you buy ready-made seedlings?

The question of buying ready-made petunia seedlings is of particular concern to inexperienced flower growers, since not every one of them is able to grow it on their own. If you want to grow petunia yourself, you just need to buy high-quality seeds and adhere to the above sowing rules. However, if the grower does not know how to grow seedlings at all and it scares him, then it is quite possible to purchase ready-made petunia seedlings, only this must be done in such a flower shop that inspires confidence. By the way, in spring it is very easy to do this, since this seedling is not a deficit.

However, before you go for petunia seedlings, you need to remember a few rules that will help you choose high-quality and healthy plants:

• the substrate in which the petunia grows should in no case be wet;
• seedlings with dried tops and yellowish leaves are most likely sick with chlorosis and the plants are already dying of the root system;
• do not take an overgrown petunia, since these plants in open soil can either begin to stretch out or stop growing altogether (depending on how badly the roots have suffered);
• inspect the seamy side of the foliage, as there may be pests.

Petunia seedling care

Optimal growing conditions

Best of all, the seeds of these flowers germinate at a temperature of 24 or 25 degrees. Hybrids are especially demanding on temperature. So, if it is colder, then they will not sprout, and in warmer conditions, the plants begin to hurt, and their stems become elongated. In that case, if the required temperature and good lighting are provided, then the first shoots can be seen already 5-7 days after sowing. When this happens, the seedlings will need to be ventilated a couple of times a day. To do this, you need to remove the shelter, while removing water droplets from it. The first time you need to open it for 20 minutes, then for 40 minutes, etc. At the same time, you need to lower the air temperature. So, during the day it should be about 20 degrees, and at night - up to 16 degrees.At first, the plants are characterized by extremely slow growth. The fact is that at this time their roots are actively growing and developing. It should also be remembered that seedlings in the last days of February and in the month of March require illumination. In cases where the petunias grow very thickly, thinning will be required, which can be done with tweezers.

The cover is removed for good only after the plants begin to touch it. However, it is important at this time to maintain the moisture content of the substrate at the same level.

Illumination of petunia seedlings

In order for newly emerged petunias to develop and grow normally, they need almost round-the-clock lighting. If the plants are provided with good lighting, then this will accelerate their growth, as well as significantly bring the beginning of flowering closer. Then such flowers need to provide daylight hours, the duration of which should be equal to 11-12 hours. In this case, the maximum illumination should be equal to 50 thousand lux. To do this, additional lighting must be switched on early in the morning (7-8 hours), and switched off late in the evening (21-22 hours). When the pick is made, the illumination level should be slightly increased to 55 thousand lux.

For illumination, LED, fluorescent, gas-discharge lamps, as well as special phytolamps are suitable. They must be installed above the seedlings at a height of about 20 centimeters.

How to water properly

For petunia seedlings, proper watering is very important. The fact is that such a plant needs moderate moisture. So, if the soil is too damp, this will lead to the appearance of rot and fungal diseases, and drying out the substrate can be fatal for young plants. Drip irrigation is recommended for such seedlings. So, using a syringe, water must be dripped directly under the root of the plant, while trying to ensure that the liquid does not fall on the surface of the foliage in any case. You can also pour liquid along the side of the tank while watering. And such a plant can also be watered through the pallet.

Only soft and well-settled water should be used for irrigation (it should not contain chlorine). You can use both lukewarm water and room temperature. A couple of minutes before watering, a little freshly squeezed lemon juice should be poured into a container of water.

If the day is sunny, then watering must be arranged in the evening. And if the sky is clouded with clouds, then you need to water the plant in the morning.

Fertilizer

Young plants need a lot of nutrients, so they need to systematically fertilize the substrate. In the first 14 days after the emergence of shoots, it is necessary to spray the petunia with a weak solution of potassium manganese or Pervikur as the upper layer of the substrate dries out. When the plants begin to grow 3 and 4 real leaves, then a solution of yellow Kristalon must be added to the ground (for 5 liters of water ½ part of a large spoon). Top dressing is carried out both on foliage (especially if there are a large number of seedlings), and directly into the soil. Fertilizers such as Uniflora micro or Kristalon are excellent for leaf feeding. The grown seedlings need to be fed 3 times every 7 days, while it is recommended to use the foliar and root methods alternately.

After a couple of weeks, as the pick will be made, the plant should be sprayed with a solution of a product that stimulates root growth. For this purpose, it is recommended to use a remedy such as: Solution, Plantafol, Kemira lux, as well as Aquarin. In this case, the solution should be prepared exactly following the attached instructions.

It should be taken into account that in the case when an earth mixture enriched with nutrients was used for sowing, then it will be possible to do without additional fertilizing. However, when using poor soil, they are required.

Picking seedlings of petunia

In the event that the seedlings were sown in a common box, they will need a pick as they grow.And that's all, because such a petunia is grown in the house for 8-12 weeks, and at the same time the plants have developed and sufficiently voluminous roots. For picking, it is recommended to use containers (cups), the volume of which is 200-250 mg, while at the bottom they must have holes for drainage. You need to dive petunia after it has 2-3 pairs of true leaves. The plant is captured together with an earthen lump, trying not to disturb the roots, and transferred to an individual container. Then so much earth mixture is poured so that there are no voids left in the glass. The transplanted plants are watered. After the soil has settled, the earth is poured into the container. In order to avoid pulling out the seedlings, 7 days after the pick, the temperature should be kept 3-4 degrees lower than usual. Also, seedlings must be protected at this time from direct sunlight. It happens that the plant has to dive 2 times.

When grown in tablets, if necessary, the plant can be planted in an individual container right with it.

The first feeding after the pick is recommended to be carried out no earlier than 1–1.5 weeks after it was carried out.

Pinching petunia seedlings

For the best branching of the petunia, you need a pinch. Strongly growing and hybrid varieties are pinched over 4 or 5 leaves, while breaking out the upper part of the stem along with the growing point. As a result, a young shoot will appear from each leaf sinus, and such a plant will bloom more abundantly. After half a month, the 2nd pinching is carried out, while it should be borne in mind that in order to obtain a very lush bush, it is necessary to perform this procedure several times.

Seedlings of ampelous varieties are not pinched, because this will have little effect on its branching. Such a plant is weakly branching.

Diseases and pests

Most often, black leg disease develops, and excessive moisture can be the cause. At the very beginning, a dark spot appears at the base of the shoot, while the plant tissue becomes soft and rots. Then a constriction is formed in this place, and the shoot lays down under its own weight. Diseased plants should be destroyed. The place where they grew is spilled with a strong solution of potassium manganese, Maxim or Formalin (40%).

Also, such a plant often suffers from chlorosis (lack of iron). This can be due to alkalization of the soil as a result of overflows. In this case, a special iron chelate must be added to the soil, which is part of the Ferovit product.

A spider mite can also settle on the leaves, which really likes high dryness. It sucks out plant juice, and can also become a carrier of a dangerous viral disease. To combat it, it is recommended to use acaricidal drugs, for example: Neoron, Aktellik, Fitoverm, etc.

Rules for preparing seedlings for transplanting into open soil

When the pick is left behind, the mature seedlings can be prepared for planting in open soil. Hardening is carried out throughout the crescent, while the plant should be accustomed to the street gradually. The first time the plants should be outside for 10 to 15 minutes, and then each day the duration of their stay should be increased. Immediately before planting, the seedlings should be outside around the clock. Petunia should be planted in the second half of May and the first - June.

For planting, you can choose any area of ​​the soil. However, petunia will grow best in a well-lit area that has loamy, nutrient-rich soil. Remove weeds, debris from the soil and dig it up, it is recommended to add humus or compost.

Disembarkation is carried out in the evening at sunset or in cloudy weather. A hole of ten centimeters depth is made, while the distance between the plants directly depends on their variety.So, between the plants of ampelous varieties, a distance of about 28-30 centimeters is left, between small-flowered varieties - 18–20 centimeters, and between large-flowered varieties - 23–25 centimeters. Water the seedlings well, and then transfer them with the soil into the holes.

The planted plants should be watered, and the surface of the soil should be sprinkled with mulch (humus or peat). The first day after disembarkation, petunia should be shaded from the direct rays of the sun using cardboard boxes or a special canopy.

The beauty of petunia does not need constant care. This plant is unpretentious, and therefore, when the basic rules of care are followed, it is easy to grow a real blooming miracle from ordinary seeds. A planter with flowers will decorate a terrace, balcony or garden.

Petunia: species, varieties and description

In nature, there are about 20 species of petunias, on the basis of which breeders have created many varieties. For growing at home, use a hybrid or garden variety. The varieties of the latter differ in the shape of the bush and the color of the flowers.

According to the shape of a bush, petunias are:

• bush - Fantasy, Dream (undersized series), Ultra, Titan, Polaris, Storm (weather resistant), Hit parade;
• cascading - Silver, Cherry, Rose, Ramblin, Typhoon;
• ampelous - Surfinia, Lilac surf, Waterfall, Pearl surf, Wave of luck.

By the shape of the flower, the plant is represented by double, semi-double and simple varieties. By the type of flowering, large-flowered, floribunda (intermediate varieties between large-flowered and multi-flowered), multi-flowered, small-flowered and mini-flowered petunias are distinguished.

Popular varieties:

• large-flowered simple - Daddy, Picotee, Prism, Sophistica, Storm;
• large-flowered terry - Double Cascade, Pirouette, Sonata;
• floribunda - Sonya, Celebrity, Madnes;
• multi-flowered - Carpet, Celebrity, Mirage;
• small-flowered - Bonanza, Duo;
• miniflower - Fantasy.

Petunia cultivars are often represented by a series of similar plants with different flower colors.

Growing petunias from seeds at home

Growing petunias begins with the selection of quality seeds. If on a bag with seeds next to the name of the variety is the designation F1, then this is a hybrid variety obtained by artificial pollination.

Hybrids are slightly more expensive than conventional varietal plants, but have a number of advantages over them:

• resistant to diseases and pests;
• more decorative;
• better tolerate the vagaries of nature.

Adult plants obtained from hybrid seeds can only be propagated vegetatively.

When to sow petunias for seedlings

From sowing to disembarkation, it takes 3 - 3.5 months. Sowing seeds for seedlings in mid-January will allow you to get flowering plants by the end of April.

If it is not possible to highlight the seedlings, the seeds are sown in mid or late February.

It is advisable to sow terry varieties of petunias 1 - 2 weeks earlier than the rest, since such plants are characterized by slow growth, they need more time to form.

Ideal composition for soil

Sowing seeds is carried out in light soil, permeable to moisture and air. A store-bought universal primer mixed in equal proportions with coarse sand is suitable.

Petunia prefers to grow in acidified soils. Growing in acidic soil, it better absorbs nutrients introduced with top dressing. In ordinary alkaline soil, the root system absorbs fertilizers poorly, the plant develops and blooms worse. This is important to consider when planting petunia seedlings in a permanent place.

Sowing seeds for seedlings

Petunia is a small seeded plant and can be sown in two ways. The first consists in superficial spreading of seeds over the soil. In the second method of planting, the seeds are lightly sprinkled with fine river sand.

Embedding the seeds deeply will prevent successful germination.

1. Seeds are sown in rows. The distance between seeds is up to 1 cm, between rows - 4 or 5 cm.The seeding system in rows is favorable for good ventilation of the seedlings.
2. After sowing, watering is done using a spray bottle.
3. The box with seeds is covered with foil or glass so that they do not dry out.

It is convenient to sow rare varieties of petunias in peat tablets. 2 seeds are placed in each large tablet.

1. Before sowing, peat tablets are soaked in melt or spring water with the addition of the growth stimulator HB-101 (dosage is 2 drops per 1 liter of liquid).
2. The seeds are spread with a toothpick on the surface of the tablets and sprayed with a spray bottle.
3. The tray, which contains peat tablets with sown seeds, is covered with a transparent lid or foil.

Seedling care

During seed germination, it is important to constantly moisten the soil so that the seedlings do not die. After planting in the soil, the seedlings hatch for 5-10 days.

The box with seedlings is immediately placed on a well-lit rack or a warm window sill, the air temperature should be +20 or + 25 ° C. The film or glass is removed.

It is necessary to highlight the emerging sprouts with a special lamp for seedlings so that the plants do not stretch out and grow healthy. It is advisable to lower the air temperature to +18 or + 20 ° C.

Artificial highlighting of seedlings is carried out around the clock during the first two weeks. Lamps use fluorescent lamps, at the rate of 2 lamps of 30 watts per 1 m2 of area.

Watering should be moderate, the plants are not flooded or overdried. It is useful to loosen the soil between the rows.

Seedling picking

1. The first pick into boxes is carried out when the plants begin to shade each other. If the seeding was done in cassettes, one procedure can be dispensed with. The distance between the seedlings in the box after the first pick should be about 5 cm in a row and the same distance between rows. After all the manipulations, petunia is watered with a complex mineral fertilizer. Phosphorus should prevail in the top dressing for good root development of seedlings. Other trace elements must also be present.
2. When the seedlings become cramped, a second pick is carried out into the seedling glasses. In this case, the seedling can be buried up to the cotyledon leaves. After picking, top dressing is carried out using a growth stimulator or mineral fertilizer.

Humidity should be moderate, watering should be regular, but not excessive. After watering, the water should not pour out abundantly through the drainage holes - the leaves may turn yellow from the overflow.

From time to time, in glasses with seedlings, the surface layer of the soil is loosened so that the root system is better formed. Additional lighting of grown seedlings is not carried out. The air temperature should be around + 20 ° C, and at least + 16 ° C.

How to pinch a petunia

To form a beautiful bush, petunia must be pinched. Thanks to this technique, a lush plant with a lot of flowers is obtained.

When and how to pinch petunia? They begin to do this when the seedlings have 6 - 8 leaves and lateral shoots are formed. Pinch the central shoot (the main point of growth) by a few millimeters. After that, the side shoots will begin to grow more intensively, forming a beautiful, lush bush.

Top dressing of seedlings

The first feeding of seedlings is done with Teraflex or Kemira fertilizer. The ratio of the main components is N11: P40: K11. Dilute 25 g of the drug into 10 liters of water. In time, they begin to feed the seedlings when the first true leaves appear.

As the plants grow and develop, they are fertilized with complex mineral fertilizers. You can use nitroammophoska (20 g per 10 liters of water).

Top dressing is done no more often than once every 2 weeks, in the morning. Root dressing can be combined with leaf dressing. The foliage is sprayed with preparations with trace elements, for example, "Brexil".

If the soil and water are alkaline, once every 14 days it is necessary to irrigate with the addition of phosphoric acid at the rate of 3-5 cm3 per 10 liters of water.

Transplanting a flower to a permanent place

Healthy seedlings bloom even in the planting pots. Planting petunias in open ground is carried out when the threat of severe frosts blowjob. The seedlings will be able to withstand a nighttime cold snap to 0 ° C.

The soil on the flowerbed is prepared in advance - they pull out the weeds, dig up. The plant loves acidified soil, the best will be a mixture of fertile sod land, peat and sand.

Nuances of further care for petunia

The beauty of petunia pleases with bright colors all summer long until the very cold with proper care. It is important to take into account the characteristics of the plant, observe the watering schedule, do top dressing and pruning.

Watering schedule

Petunia does not like a lot of moisture evaporation from the soil, it does not need to be watered often. Drip irrigation is the best option, but you can use a regular watering can as well.

In hot weather, it is enough to water the flower bed with petunias once a week.

If the plants are planted in flower pots, they will need more frequent watering. Water is poured under the plants, avoiding sprinkling over leaves and flowers.

Useful fertilizers for indoor flowers

In order for the ampelous and bushy petunia to grow better and bloom magnificently, it is important to fertilize it. Potash and phosphorus fertilizers should prevail in feeding adult plants. You can use "Potassium Phosphate" or "Pekacid" (20 g per 10 L). Potassium-phosphorus fertilizing stimulates the growth of lateral shoots and flowering.

Plant pruning

Petunia care sometimes involves pruning adult plants.

1. If the bush begins to decay, loses its beautiful shape and compactness, pruning is necessary. Shoots are not cut off completely, but only the tops. The length of the cut will depend on the desired shape for the plant.
2. There are cascading varieties with lush shrubs and lots of flowers that don't need shaping. In such plants, only dried and thinned shoots are cut off.
3. Anti-aging pruning is helpful for petunias. Soon, new shoots with flower buds appear on green, pruned branches. It is advisable to prune the petunia when its flowers become smaller or signs of disease appear.

Disease and pest control

Most often, petunia suffers from chlorosis. Leaves turn yellow if the soil is not acidic enough or in the absence of essential trace elements (mainly iron). To treat chlorosis, plants are sprayed with iron chelate.

At an older age, petunias are susceptible to powdery mildew disease. This fungal disease occurs due to waterlogging. It can be recognized by the white bloom on the back of the leaves. For treatment, the plants are sprayed with drugs: "Chistotsvet", "Ordak", "Tiovit Jet", "Protan". It is advisable to carry out treatment for prophylaxis in wet, rainy weather.

Timely feeding contributes to the fact that plants grow stronger and get sick less.

Reproduction of petunia by cuttings

Beautiful hybrid varieties of petunias, reproduced only by cuttings. To propagate a plant you like, it is important to know the rules for growing seedlings from cuttings.

1. In March or April, when it is best to carry out cuttings, the ends of young shoots with 2 or 3 internodes are cut off. The stalk should be 5 or 6 cm long.
2. At the cut off shoot, remove the lower leaves and plant, deepening 2 or 3 cm into a box with prepared soil.
3. The land should be light - 50% peat, 25% sand and 25% fertile sod land. It is advisable to pour 1 cm of dry sand on top. The end of the cuttings is dipped into Kornevin before planting.
4. Water the cuttings with clean water with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
5. After 2 weeks, the cuttings will take root and then they need to be planted in separate containers.

Petunia flowers will decorate the front garden, loggia or flower bed with abundant flowering. Many varieties bloom all summer long and smell pleasantly. You can choose any color of flowers to create a beautiful garden or room decor.