How to grow petunia seedlings at home?

Such incredibly beautiful flowers as petunias can become 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 only be purchased from a trusted manufacturer, otherwise you will have to wait a long time for seedlings to appear 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. The 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 using a pipette, which will allow the layer of substance covering the seed to be soaked. After a few minutes, use your fingers to 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?

Especially the question of buying ready-made petunia seedlings worries inexperienced 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 florist does not know at all how to grow seedlings 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, as 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 the liquid along the side of the container 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 into 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 stay outside for 10 to 15 minutes, and then every 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 and debris from the soil and dig it up; it is recommended to add humus or compost at the same time.

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 ampel 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 together 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.

Bright petunia is good for everyone: beautiful flowers of various shades, splendor, long flowering, unpretentiousness. However, not every gardener succeeds in decorating his plot with these popular flowers, the reason for this is the difficulty of growing seedlings.

Since the cost of the finished planting material is quite high, the device of a large flower bed will require considerable financial costs. It's better to learn how to get sprouts on your own, even if it takes some time. But, knowing from personal experience how to properly grow petunia seedlings, in the future it will be much easier for you to grow any other flowers.

If you want to get flowering plants earlier, start sowing seeds at the end of January.

It is best to plant petunias in open ground in mid-June, which means that you should start sowing seeds from mid-March. It takes about 12-13 weeks for the seedlings to get stronger, the root system becomes stronger, and the first flowers appear. If you want to get flowering plants earlier, start sowing seeds at the end of January.

Video about growing petunias

How to grow petunia seedlings at home: general recommendations

The choice of soil for seedlings

The correct soil is one of the keys to the success of growing seedlings. For petunias, it should be lightweight, breathable, moisture-absorbing and nutritious.

The easiest way is to purchase ready-made seedling soil in the store. The advantages of this solution are obvious. First of all, the prepared soil is sterile and does not contain pathogens.In addition, it is a clean soil, in which there are no foreign inclusions. For seeds as small as petunias, this point is especially important.

It should, of course, be borne in mind that not every ready-made soil mixture is suitable for growing petunia seedlings.

Did you know: Often petunias do not germinate well because of too acidic soil. The "culprit" of this situation is high-acidity high-moor peat.

First of all, you should pay attention to the type of peat used in the soil mixture. It can be riding (red) or lowland (black). The soil for growing petunias should not be too acidic, so you need to choose a soil based on lowland peat.

Did you know: You can lower the acidity of the soil by adding lime to it. A teaspoon of limestone or dolomite flour is added to one liter of soil.

The German soil of the Green World brand is well suited for growing petunias. It is also possible to use soil from the Russian manufacturer Pelgorskoye-M.

If you decide to prepare the soil yourself, you will need turf soil, peat and sand. In this case, the sand should be chosen not red, but river sand - white or grayish. Red sand contains too much iron oxide. Mix sand, peat and garden soil in a 1: 2: 2 ratio. All components of the soil mixture must be carefully sieved to remove debris, lumps and stones. After that, the soil should be spilled with boiling water or calcined in the oven to destroy all pathogens.

Sowing technique of petunias for seedlings

Petunia seedlings need good lighting. If you have the opportunity to provide the seedlings with additional daylight, you can sow as early as the end of February. Otherwise, it is better to wait until mid-March, otherwise the sprouts will be weak and elongated.

As containers for seedlings, you can use plastic containers (preferably with opaque walls), special seedling greenhouses with cassettes, or sow in peat tablets. Pour drainage on the bottom of the containers, on top - a soil mixture with a thickness of at least six centimeters.

On sale, petunia seeds can be found in two versions: in granules or in bulk.

In granular form, hybrid seeds are most often found. These are very beautiful ampelous, terry, multicolored and other interesting varieties. There is only one drawback of such seeds - high cost. In addition to the higher average price per bag itself, each such bag usually contains from three to seven seeds. However, it can be convenient for planting petunias in pots, balcony boxes and flowerpots. For a flower bed, you will need a lot of such bags.

There are many advantages to granulated seeds. First of all, petunia seeds themselves are extremely small, they are much smaller than a grain of sand, and it is difficult to sow them. But sowing granules is extremely simple. It is enough to put the granules on the prepared and moistened soil mixture and slightly press them in (you do not need to sprinkle it with earth, the petunia is sown superficially). The seeds are laid out a few centimeters apart. You can sow directly into pots or cups - two per cup. The seeded granules are covered with plastic wrap. By the way, granulated seeds give on average a higher germination rate than ordinary seeds.

But with seeds in bulk, everything is somewhat more complicated. Here, the inconvenience is offset by the lower cost. In addition, a loose sachet can contain up to several hundred seeds (this information is usually indicated on the package). In this situation, one of the following instructions will come in handy.

Option 1: Mix with sand

1. Prepare potting soil and sprinkle it with room temperature water.
2. In a flat bowl, combine the seeds with a little sand.
3. Spread the resulting mixture on the prepared soil in an even thin layer.
4. Spray the crops from above with water from a spray bottle.

Option 2: With tweezers or a toothpick

1. Prepare a container of soil. Pour the seeds from the bag onto a white sheet of paper, so you can clearly see them. Prepare two toothpicks and a glass of water.
2. Dip the tip of one of the toothpicks into water. Now it will be easy to pick up a petunia seed on it and transfer it to a container. Shake the seed onto the soil with a second (dry) toothpick.
3. Sprinkle the sown seeds on top with water from a spray bottle.

Likewise, you can carefully transfer the seeds to the soil with tweezers.

Option 3: Sowing in the snow

1. Prepare a container with soil, put a thin layer of snow (1-2 millimeters) on top of it.
2. Spread the seeds carefully over the snow. The point is that they are clearly visible in the snow, and if the seeds have fallen too thickly, you can redistribute them with tweezers or a toothpick. As it melts, the snow itself will pull the seeds into the soil to the desired depth. You don't need to water anything.

For all sowing options, the seeds are covered with plastic wrap from above.

Sowing seeds in prepared soil mixture or in peat tablets

The soil for sowing seeds should not be alkaline or strongly acidic. Loose, nutritious soil mixtures are used that are capable of retaining moisture, but not blocking at the same time, letting in excess water. A ready-made soil mixture is sold in stores, you can mix a suitable mixture yourself, taking two parts of well-decomposed peat, turf soil, rotted humus and one part of sand. Mix all the ingredients well, sift twice - through a very coarse sieve and through a smaller sieve.

Pour crushed expanded clay into boxes or pots as drainage, on top of expanded clay - large screening of soil mixture, fill the upper third of the container with fine screenings, leaving about 6 cm to the edge. Spread the seeds in even rows over the moistened soil and sprinkle lightly with water on top.

The soil for sowing petunia seeds should not be alkaline or strongly acidic

You do not need to sprinkle the seeds with earth, since they need light for germination. It is enough to lightly press each seed to ensure contact with the ground. If you are interested in how to grow petunia seedlings in the easiest way, use peat tablets instead of seedling containers. They must first be poured with boiled hot water, and then cooled. Small seeds are carefully placed with tweezers in special recesses.

How to properly care for seedlings

The air temperature in the room for growing seedlings should be 20-22 degrees. You need as much light as possible (ideally, backlighting during the day). The substrate should be constantly moist, but at the same time, stagnation of water should not be allowed. Condensation on the lid or foil should be wiped off daily. In addition, you need to take care of hardening the sprouts. To do this, after sprouting, remove the lid for 10 minutes every day. Airing time is gradually increased. You can completely remove the lid or film after all the sprouts acquire real leaves.

Top dressing at the first stages is not needed, but you can strengthen the immunity of seedlings by adding Epin to the spraying water (a few drops on a spray bottle).

It will be more convenient for the plant to develop in individual containers, it will grow healthier

Seedlings can be dived when their height reaches 4-5 centimeters. Using a narrow knife, remove each sprout, pinching the root at a depth of about three centimeters. After that, each sprout is planted in an individual container.

The main problem that can be encountered when growing petunia seedlings is excessive stretching of the sprouts due to lack of light. You can cope with this problem when picking, by deepening the seedlings into the soil to the cotyledon leaves.

Granulated seeds can be sown directly into peat tablets - then nothing will have to be dived.

It will be more convenient for the plant to develop in individual containers, it will grow healthier, and it will be easier for you to transplant seedlings into open ground. When picking, deepen the seedling to the first true leaves, so that a good root system is formed and the likelihood of damage to the shoots by the "black leg" is reduced.

Useful tips for growing seedlings

In order for a healthy, beautiful petunia to grow from seeds, the growth of sprouts must be accompanied by regular careful watering. When the soil dries up, the plants will die, and waterlogging will lead to the appearance of a "black leg", and as a result - to rotting and death of small seedlings. Fragile seedlings should be carefully watered at the root.

Top dressing is applied two weeks after plant picking

To harden a young plant from the second week, open the window for 10 minutes, thereby lowering the air temperature in the room. However, in this case, the sprouts must be protected from drafts and direct flow of cold air, the temperature of the seedlings themselves should not drop.

DIY video about growing petunia seedlings

Top dressing is applied two weeks after picking the plants. At first, apply only spraying with fertilizer leaves every two days, alternately changing growth stimulants and complex mineral fertilizers containing nitrogen. In the future, you can add root dressing. Important little things:

• sprouts need light almost around the clock, you will need to provide not only daytime supplementary lighting of seedlings in gloomy weather, but also leave a dim light for the night;
• do not allow a crust to appear on the ground, otherwise the seedlings will suffocate;
• when the roots of the plant fill the entire coma of earth, transplant the petunia into a larger container;
• if you notice that the seedlings are too elongated, add a little potting soil;
• for growing expensive and rare varieties, use peat tablets.

At first, petunia will grow rather slowly, do not worry - the plants will form a root system. In about 1.5 months, the aboveground part will develop no less actively.

How to plant petunia in open ground

At least a week before planting in open ground, seedlings must be taught to new conditions. To do this, the seedlings are taken out onto the balcony or veranda every day, increasing the time they spend in the open air every day. Three days before planting, the pots are left to spend the night outside.

It is better to plant seedlings in the evening or on a cloudy day (not in direct sun). For seedlings, holes are prepared at a distance of 18 to 35 centimeters (depending on the variety). Fill the wells with plenty of water. Remove the seedling as carefully as possible from the glass, along with the earthen clod. Dip an earthen ball into the hole, sprinkle with earth and tamp it tightly.

Immediately after planting, the seedlings of petunias must be thoroughly watered.

The article was updated on 29.01.2018 Rate the article:

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The beauty of petunia has long become one of the most beloved flowers of numerous gardeners. It is distinguished by the brightness of the petals, various colors, large flowers and a rather strong pleasant aroma that fills the entire space around the flowering bush.

Where is petunia planted?

Due to the combination of absolute unpretentiousness to growing conditions and numerous beautiful flowers, it is very often used in landscape design for landscaping settlements: decorating streets, squares, boulevards, squares, lawns, parks.

These vibrant flowers look great on median lawns and hanging planters along the streets. Even a few plants planted near a restaurant, beauty salon or shop located on the ground floor of the house delight visitors and passers-by with colorful delicate petals and cheer up with a sweet fragrance.

At the dacha, in the front gardens of country houses, on the balconies of city apartments throughout the summer, more and more flowers bloom on each of these seemingly simple plants.

How to choose the right varieties for your flower garden?

On the home site, petunia can be used everywhere, it is enough just to choose the correct length and height of the flowering plant, as well as to know about the presence of hanging lashes, the number, quality and arrangement of flowers.

So, for hanging pots and flowerpots located near the house, gazebos installed along the paths of the garden, low ampelous and cascading plant varieties are suitable. It is convenient to combine them with taller brothers of the same or contrasting color, creating a composition with a high middle and flowing lashes. And for decorating a flower bed and a flower pot, short and medium-length stems, abundantly strewn with fragrant flowers, are optimal.

In an urban setting, to decorate a blooming balcony of a petunia is just a treasure! Of these, even an inexperienced florist can create very beautiful compositions. At the same time, it is not so important whether in each box there will be single-color varieties or multi-colored - different options look spectacular. They not only delight the eye of passers-by, but also give their gentle scent to the owners of the apartment and people passing by.

In this article, you will find information on how to grow petunia seedlings at home without unnecessary hassle and worries.

Where to begin?

Anyone who starts a new business for the first time asks himself this question. How to grow petunia seedlings at home and avoid mistakes? Someone who has already had a bad experience in breeding petunias is thinking about this. Unfortunately, for all the unpretentiousness of an adult plant, small seedlings are susceptible to various misfortunes. How to plant petunia seedlings correctly, not all gardeners know.

We start by planning a flower garden. In late autumn and winter, orchards and vegetable gardens take a break from plants, and their owners from hard, but in most cases rewarding work. This is the right time to think about placing plants in your garden area, including flower gardens and flower beds. The choice of seeds for seedlings will depend on how we want to see every corner of the land.

Someone is satisfied with multi-flowered varieties with long stems and monochromatic flowers, and for someone, expensive varieties like terry carnations are not enough.

Having decided on the color and varietal solution, feel free to go to the store for seeds.

About the timing of planting flowers

In order for our petunia to please the owners with its beautiful flowers the maximum number of warm summer and autumn days, a few words should be said about when to plant petunia for seedlings. Usually grown and matured plants are planted in a permanent place in mid-June, when the threat of sudden cold weather has passed, and cold nights will give way to warm ones. Of course, in the Urals and in colder regions, snow falls in June, but this happens quite rarely. If you are not sure about the weather, do not rush to plant the plants in the ground, decide according to the circumstances when to plant petunias for seedlings.

The recommended time for sowing seeds is mid-February, that is, about 13-15 weeks before planting a flower in the ground. Anyone who wants flowering to begin as early as possible can plant a petunia in January. Timing does not really matter if you want her to grow and delight you in a flower pot on the windowsill or in a planter near the window. The same is true for growing petunias as decoration for an insulated, glazed balcony.

About the choice of seeds

By the way, a little more about them. Anyone who has ever seen the seeds of a petunia knows perfectly well all the difficulties of planting and growing them. Outwardly, they resemble small poppy seeds, or even generally look like small, dusty specks. How to sow petunias for seedlings with such seeds? There is a solution. There are two categories of seeds on sale:

• In kind.
• In the form of small granules, which are one seed, enclosed in a thick hard shell of nutrients and auxiliary substances that accelerate the awakening of the seed, its feeding, growth, more dynamic development and rooting in the ground, protection from diseases. As a rule, seeds of artificially bred varieties that do not have sufficient resistance to adverse environmental factors and diseases are packed in granules.

Granulated seeds, of course, are much more expensive than ordinary, cheap seeds, but they are much easier and more pleasant to work with than with small ones. It is more convenient to take them by hand and plant in one row, and they also allow you to use a special seeding machine for planting. Experienced gardeners say that the result of planting small and granular seeds is about the same, but when working with natural seed, labor costs are much higher.

About the choice of land

Whichever soil you choose: purchased or from the garden - know that it must be thoroughly steamed and, if possible, get rid of the spores of fungi and pests that infect small, weak shoots. Seedling petunia at home is not a myth, but a reality. It is important to simply follow the technology of growing fragile, thin, fearful of drafts and dry seedlings.

As a substrate for planting seeds, well-crushed surface layers of peat are used, mixed with sand that protects the soil from the growth of moss, algae and root rot ("black leg"), flavored with fertilizers and trace elements that provide a small plant with everything necessary for growth, development and further flowering.

The preservation of the optimal amount of moisture also depends on the quality of the soil, its composition. From its lack, the seedlings dry out quickly, and the excess contributes to the development of fungi and damage to the stem or root system of the plant.

Another important point: the level of acidity and salinity of the soil should be as low as possible.

There are several opinions of experienced gardeners on how to determine the required amount of land and how to grow petunia seedlings at home. Some suggest using plastic containers with a lid for food sold in the disposable tableware departments of stores, others are of the opinion that it is advisable to use containers made of natural materials (peat). How petunia seedlings are grown in peat tablets, we will find out a little later.

If the seedling container does not have drainage holes, it is imperative to make them before starting work.

We fill the container for sowing petunias with earth, not filling up to the top of 2 cm, the minimum distance from the ground to the edge of the container is 6 mm. This distance is necessary for the development of small seedlings in a space protected from all sides. If you plan to use a plastic container with a lid, be sure to make several small holes in it, through which the space of the "greenhouse" will be ventilated, and leave a distance from the ground to the top of about two centimeters.

How to plant petunias for seedlings

So we come to the most important thing. Let's talk how to sow petunia for seedlings. There are two planting methods, choose any.

In the first case, the soil is moistened with water in advance and slightly compacted. Seeds in granular form or natural seeds are placed on top of it.

You should resort to a little trick before sowing petunia for seedlings: if you decide to use small petunia seeds, then sprinkle them first on a sheet of white paper, arm yourself with a jar of water and a toothpick. After leveling the seeds on a leaf in one layer, choose the best ones, moisten the end of a toothpick with water, bring it to the selected seed. When it sticks to a wet toothpick, carefully transfer it to a container filled with earth. Using a wet toothpick, plant the correct amount of seeds on the ground.

In the second option, a layer of snow 3-4 mm thick is placed on slightly compacted soil, and petunia seeds are placed on top of it. This method does not require preliminary watering and is preferable for people with impaired vision, since it is more convenient to sow petunias for seedlings when a dark seed lies on a white background of snow.

In either case, it is desirable that the distance between shoots be at least 5 mm. In no case should it be possible to deepen the small seeds of petunia: the sprouts will not have enough strength to break through from the ground.If you really want to fix them in a specific place, you can lightly press down the sown surface of the earth with a flat board.

How can I help the seeds to sprout?

Some gardeners recommend watering the ground with a 0.1% solution of Previkur to accelerate growth. Only this must be done very carefully so as not to wash off the seeds in one direction. You can use a spray bottle or a very fine strainer.

After sowing, close the plastic container with a lid with holes, plastic wrap or non-woven material, put in a warm place. The first shoots will appear in 5-8 days.

Seedlings of petunia in peat tablets

This is another way of planting petunias for seedlings. The tablets are a ready-made substrate that only needs regular moisture as it dries.

A depression is made on top of the tablet, seeds are placed there, moistened and left warm. The tablets are placed on a pallet, plate or in a container with the expectation of a further increase in their volume by 4-5 times.

Seedlings of petunias at home with insufficient lighting are quickly pulled out. Sometimes a day is enough for this, so it is important to look at your seedlings several times every day, controlling their growth. In the event that you see that the seedlings have begun to stretch, it is worth putting an energy-saving fluorescent lamp on the side of the room, compensating for its lack from the outside.

When to plant petunias for seedlings?

As they grow, thin blades are freed from the seed coat. For this process, they need a sufficient amount of moisture in the soil. Only after the first leaves have been born can the film be removed.

Further, all attention is focused on maintaining an air temperature of about 20 degrees, ventilating the room and seedlings for 10-20 minutes daily and timely moistening the soil. Please note: it does not have to be constantly wet. Control of these parameters is mandatory, since it is not enough to plant petunia on seedlings, it is also necessary to grow it.

We wait until the first real two leaves appear and proceed to the next stage.

Picking and seating

How to properly plant petunia seedlings after picking? The main rule should be the observance of a distance between them of 5 cm or more. One of the ways to achieve the result can be planting the dived petunia in separate pots or plastic glasses, having previously made drainage holes in them, since it is otherwise impossible to grow petunia seedlings at home before flowering: the shoots grow quickly and actively take up space.

Conclusion

Having learned how to plant petunias for seedlings, you will achieve positive results without any problems. Your labor will be rewarded with delightful hats in bright, fragrant flowers. And it will cost you almost nothing, since it is very easy to grow petunia seedlings at home. The most beautiful flower beds to you!

Already in the middle of spring, the sale of flowering seedlings of petunias begins in markets and garden centers. The choice of varieties is usually small, so the search for some fancy hybrid usually ends in disappointment. To prevent this from happening, you need to learn how to grow petunia seedlings yourself at home. In fact, it's as easy as two and two. Do you want to learn? Then go ahead!

Stage 1. Determining the timing of sowing petunias for seedlings

Let's start by determining when to plant petunia seeds. Usually in the literature there are recommendations to date crops to the second half of March. During this period, daylight hours are already long enough to provide the sprouts with the necessary amount of light. However, these recommended times are not the ultimate truth, they can vary considerably. If:

• south-facing apartment windows - plant petunia in early March
• there is good lighting - sowing can start at the end of February
• windows face north - postpone the sowing season until late March - early April

Remember that if you plant seeds too early, the lack of light will definitely affect the health of young plants. Their development will be slowed down, they will grow frail, elongated, unable to fight disease. You are unlikely to get beautiful bushes of petunias from such seedlings. It is quite another matter if you tighten with landings. In this case, you will not have to worry about the sprouts, but the flowering will be postponed in time. Focus on the fact that, on average, petunia blooms 10-12 weeks after sowing.

Stage 2. Preparing the "place of residence" for seedlings

For sowing petunias for seedlings, use wide and not too deep containers: boxes, cassettes, plastic containers from mayonnaise or oil.

The prepared container is filled with earth to about 2/3 of the height

Fill the selected container with potting soil, pour boiling water over it. This execution is necessary in order to destroy possible pests. However, a high-quality store mixture, even during the production process, undergoes all sorts of treatments and checks for the presence of pests (a particularly important analysis is the check for nematodes). However, it is better to play it safe and treat the ground with boiling water (steamed in the oven or microwave). After 10-15 minutes, when the soil has cooled, you can start planting petunias with seeds.

Stage 3. Sowing petunia with seeds

Petunia seeds are sown on the surface of a wet substrate, do not sprinkle with soil on top.

Recently, the seeds of petunia of elite varieties to improve germination and easier sowing are treated with useful substances that form a shell around the seed - a granule. In this case, the seeds visually increase several times and it is easier to plant them, observing the distance between crops. However, in order for the sprout to have enough strength to break through the hard granule, it must be well moistened with water. Therefore, as soon as you spread the granules on the substrate, moisten them on top with water from a spray bottle. Sometimes this measure does not work and the pellet shell does not lend itself. Perhaps the processing technology was not followed or the storage rules were violated. Then you should pry each granule with a toothpick and try to crush it to release the seed.

Cover the planting container on top with a sheet of glass or transparent polyethylene so that the seeds, and then the sprouts, at the very beginning of their development, are in greenhouse conditions. A stable microclimate with high humidity inside such a homemade "greenhouse" will save you the trouble of watering newly hatched petunia shoots. This means that the survival rate of the younger generation in such conditions will tend to 100%. Seeds germinate only in the light, so immediately after sowing, place the container on a warm (23-26 ° C) and light windowsill.

Water droplets condense on the greenhouse shelter, so the film (glass) must be turned over to the other, dry side every day

Now nothing will prevent the seeds from sprouting after the due date - usually after 3-4 days (old seeds germinate longer - up to 10 days).

Stage 4. Refusal of greenhouse conditions - the first "walks" of young shoots

As soon as the first sprouts appear from the seeds, the temperature of their content can be reduced to 18-20 ° C. For example, move containers with seedlings closer to the window glass and away from the battery. This activity is desirable, but not required. With a decrease in temperature, young plants do not stretch, respectively, they grow more squat and stocky.

Petunia shoots are very small, so the first days need a very careful attitude.

In the very first days of its existence, petunia seedlings must get used to non-greenhouse conditions. The high humidity of the greenhouse is, of course, good, but it can play a cruel joke with the seedlings.The most common disadvantages of a long stay of the substrate with sprouts under a greenhouse "hood" is the formation of mold on the ground and the spread of the "black leg" disease. Therefore, every day the planting greenhouse must be ventilated by opening its lid (polyethylene, glass, cassette lid, etc.). For the first time, 2-3 minutes is enough, then, in each subsequent days, the time for "walking" the seedlings should be increased by several minutes and, finally, the greenhouse cover should be removed completely.

Stage 5. Diving of petunia seedlings

When a petunia sprout hatches from a seed, it already has a couple of cotyledon leaves. They are elongated and not at all like the so-called "real" leaves, which will appear a little later. The cotyledons must be handled very carefully - they contain the nutrients for the young plant. With the appearance of 2-3 pairs of true leaves (they already retain varietal characteristics, in contrast to the cotyledons), you can start picking. What it is? In the traditional sense, picking (diving) seedlings consists of two procedures:

1. Transplanting sprouts from common containers into separate ones.

Seedlings develop quickly and very soon, if the crops were made in one planting container, they begin to oppress each other. When a petunia dives, each sprout goes to its own territory - in a separate glass or pot.

2. Shortening of the central root.

When its "center" is damaged, the root system begins to expand in breadth and becomes more powerful. When diving seedlings of petunias, usually only procedure No. 1 is performed. Manipulations with the central root are gradually fading into oblivion: amateur flower growers rightly decide that when transplanting seedlings, the root system is still damaged, so there is no point in injuring it additionally.

It is convenient to dive petunia seedlings with a wooden stick or a small coffee spoon

Thus, as soon as you notice that the seedlings have become cramped, carefully transplant them, along with a lump of earth around the roots, into separate "apartments". At the same time, bury each sprout into the ground up to the cotyledon leaves. Additional roots will subsequently appear on the deeper part of the stem, which will form a more developed root system.

In ordinary plastic cups, petunia seedlings will develop before planting for permanent residence

Stage 6. "Hardening" - lowering the temperature

After the dive, the seedlings are already mature enough and they need to start "hardening". Among flower growers, this term means regular exposure of seedlings to low temperatures - 10-15 ° C. At first, a short-term, for 10-15 minutes, and then a longer "hardening", gradually turning into permanent conditions of detention, allows petunia bushes to grow more compact and strong. This can be achieved by taking out the seedlings every day to the glazed balcony, or by opening the window in the room where the plants are.

Stage 7. Pinching petunia seedlings

Pinching (pinching) petunia seedlings is another important procedure that determines the appearance of an already adult bush: how branched, lush it will be, how many flower buds it can form on it. The petunia sprout always forms a well-defined central shoot that extends upward. It must be pinched at the level of 4-5 of this sheet, that is, with nails or thin manicure scissors, carefully pinch off the growth point. After that, new shoots will begin to grow from the axils of the remaining leaves, the bushes become fluffy, compact, densely branched. Remember that the more branches a petunia has, the more flowers it will have in adulthood. Therefore, pinching of petunia seedlings can be carried out several times, the more - the thicker the flower "ball" will be.

In order for a young petunia to start branching, its stem is pruned - pinched

Stage 8.Planting seedlings in a permanent place

Ripe seedlings of petunias are planted for permanent residence in balcony boxes, flowerpots, flower beds in May - early June. At this time, the likelihood of night frosts is practically excluded, therefore, the seedlings, finding themselves in a large amount of land, will quickly grow and become an adult, blooming petunia.

Planting seedlings of petunias in pots