Description
There are about 30 species in the genus. In culture, petunias have been grown for more than 250 years, mainly interspecific hybrids and plant varieties. In a frosty winter, petunia is grown in the garden as an annual. It is popular as a houseplant.
The plant is a branched herbaceous bush covered with a small downy. In the axils of rounded or ovoid leaves, stepchildren are formed, which are removed or left to give the bush splendor.
The flowers are large, funnel-shaped (simple or double, corrugated). The diameter of the corolla is 4 - 7 cm, in some varieties - up to 15 cm. The color of modern varieties is striking in its variety, the whole palette of colors from dazzling white to black-violet is presented. There are two-color varieties, with stripes, strokes, spots on the petals. Flowering is profuse and long lasting.
Appearance
After flowering, a seed box is formed on the bush, resembling an onion in shape. Seeds are brown, small, viable for several years.
Agrotechnical recommendations
According to the opinions of experts and flower growers, the variety is unpretentious in care and responds well to standard agricultural techniques. When planting in pots or other containers, a soil consisting of humus, peat and river sand in a ratio of 2: 2: 1 is ideal for a plant. For the comfortable development of the root system when grown in individual containers, a volume of at least 8 liters is required per plant of the substrate. In open ground conditions, petunia loves areas with fertile, moist, well-drained soil that has neutral acidity.
When leaving, the most important are timely, sufficient watering - daily, and in the heat - twice a day (morning and evening) and top dressing with complex water-soluble organic and mineral fertilizers. For abundant and long-term flowering, fertilizers must be applied regularly throughout the entire growing season of the plant, especially when cultivated in a low-volume container (pots, flowerpots, flowerpots, balcony boxes, etc.). Many gardeners carry out pruning to create a beautiful appearance. More information about pruning petunias can be found in the following video:
Reproduction is carried out generatively (by seeds) or vegetatively (by cuttings). Petunia seeds are very small and it is almost impossible to collect them from most varieties, and it makes no sense. Even with seeds from first generation (F1) hybrids, the grown flowers will not inherit exceptional parental qualities. Their combination is manifested only when using purchased seed material or vegetative methods.
According to experienced flower growers, "Opera" at the level of standard varieties is affected by late blight and powdery mildew, and is moderately prone to diseases with various types of rot of fungal and bacterial origin. You can learn in detail about the nature of these ailments and various ways of dealing with them from the article "Diseases of petunias and crop pests".
Breeding features
Seeds
The seeds must be fresh and of high quality. Don't collect them yourself.
- Purchased seeds are planted in well-moistened nutrient soil. Seeds are not sprinkled on top.
- Cover with glass or foil and place in sufficient light. Temperature 22-24 ° C. Air humidity 95-98%.
- Remove the shelter with the first sprout.
- Spray every day and lower the temperature during the day to 18-20 ° C, at night - 14-16 ° C.
- After a month, dive into the ground.
Don't forget about watering your seedlings. Before planting in open ground, it is necessary to harden the plant (lower the temperature to 10 ° C).
Cuttings
Additional lighting and a temperature of 15-22 ° C are required.
- The cuttings are planted in peat tablets or containers with a suitable soil mixture.
- Cuttings are cut at an angle so that there are 4-6 leaves on the planting material, the length is not more than 10 cm.The distance between the cuttings when planting is not less than 1.5 cm.
- Cover the seedlings with glass or foil, the temperature is not lower than 21 ° C and abundant light.
- After 5-10 days, the roots will appear on the cuttings.
- Care for them in the same way as for seedlings.
Further, a video with an illustrative example of how the cuttings of ampelous petunias are carried out:
More information about growing a plant from seeds and cuttings, as well as the subsequent care of it, can be found here.
Reproduction
For reproduction of the Opera variety, seeds and cuttings are used. Sow seeds in boxes at the end of February. To do this, use light and loose soil, which includes peat and sand. Sow seeds over the ground without sprinkling. Then cover the container with foil. Daylight hours should be 18 hours. After a week, the grown sprouts dive into separate containers
Carry out this procedure with extreme caution, since the stems are very thin and easily damaged.
Opera petunia cuttings are best propagated in spring. This will require cutting off a few shoots from a healthy plant. Their length should be at least 5 cm. Then plant the cuttings in cups filled with peat soil. Place the container in a bag or cover with a transparent glass. When using this method, the plant will quickly take root and will give new flowers in 3-4 weeks.
Petunia Opera and Petunia Opera supreme: agricultural technology
petunia opera supreme
As you remember, this variety is completely unpretentious, however, it is still necessary to provide a certain minimum of favorable conditions. If we talk about the composition of the soil, then it is best to add humus, peat, sand to the soil so that the earth becomes loose and airy, it allows air and moisture to pass through better.
Keep this in mind when planting plants in containers or pots. If you plan to use a hanging planter, box, then consider the following factor: to grow one such petunia, the container must be at least 8 liters in volume. Otherwise, the plants will feel cramped, and the root system will develop poorly.
If we talk about open ground, then fertile, well-drained soil should be preferred. If the level of acidity in the soil is increased, then be sure to add lime to the soil. It should be emphasized that these petunias are not demanding on the length of daylight hours. But other varieties of this culture, on the contrary, love the sun.
Do not forget to water the plants on time, it is better to do this once or twice a day. Preferably either early in the morning or late in the evening. If we talk about dressing, then it should be noted that it is best to apply mineral fertilizers to the soil, as well as complex water-soluble organic fertilizers.
In order for the flowering period to last longer, it is better to feed the plant during the entire growing season. Plants are often pruned to form a beautiful appearance. This also applies to petunias that grow in pots.
If we talk about reproduction, then, as we mentioned above, this happens either through vegetation or by planting seeds. Usually, petunias are planted with seeds, but since they are very small, it is impossible to collect them from plants, so it is easiest to buy them in a store.
But even if you manage to collect planting material, it is not a fact that the flowers will grow. The fact is that most varieties are actually hybrids, so the plant does not inherit the parental properties. Petunia Opera also belongs to hybrids.
You can try propagating plants by cuttings.It is believed that petunia has a fairly high immunity. However, sometimes plants get sick with powdery mildew and late blight. Often rot, fungal and bacterial diseases spread on the site.
But the pests hardly touch petunia. However, if necessary, you should still process the flowers, adjust the watering regime.
Care
Petunia needs careful care, only then will she show herself in all her glory. The soil in the flower garden is kept in a weed-free state, it is regularly loosened shallowly.
Water the petunia only with water heated in the sun, strictly at the root, twice a week. In hot weather, flowering plants require daily evening watering.
Flower dressing is applied twice a month, in the form of liquid solutions. Immediately after planting the seedlings, the main element in the fertilizer composition is nitrogen. He is responsible for the active growth of green mass.
During budding and flowering, petunias are fed with a predominance of phosphorus and potassium. It is convenient to use ready-made complexes for petunias or universal flower fertilizers (Pokon, Kemira Lux, Rainbow, Fertika).
Popular varieties
Today, many interesting varieties are known that differ in color. This allows flower growers to make more and more new compositions.
Raspberry Ice
In translation, the name of this variety means "crimson ice". The culture has light pink buds with a raspberry center.
This type of petunia is considered one of the most attractive. Its flowers are distinguished by a rich blue tint.
Coral
This is a delicate shade that is actively used to create flower arrangements. Petunia of this variety has coral flowers.
Lavender
Such a plant looks very delicate and is very popular with flower growers. It has a delicate lavender hue.
Description of the variety
Ramblin is a cascading variety. Bright color, wide range of colors, high density of flowering and uneven development of shoots made it one of the most popular plants. Flowers will be a wonderful decoration for balconies, vases, gardens and flower beds. The palette of shades consists of about ten options: from white to hot pink or purple. One of the most characteristic features of this series is the same flowering time of all petunias. Petunias grown in pots or pots look like a flower ball from the side, which is covered with buds close to each other.
This variety is quite capricious in care and cultivation. The breeders tried their best to breed a breed with high resistance to adverse conditions, diseases and pests, however, in this case they did not succeed. Ramblin needs careful attention during every growth period.
The variety of colors will allow every gardener to choose a shade to taste. There are ten of them:
"Ramblin Salmon Capri" is a discreet salmon shade that, in certain light, resembles coral;
Whichever of the above shades you choose, you can be sure that it will decorate any place. "Ramblin" goes well with other varieties, it will be especially good side by side with another breed of petunias - "Hulahoop", which has a similar color of buds with a white border around the edge.
Diseases and pests
The plant is susceptible to various diseases. It also often encounters attacks from harmful insects. The use of special means will help to cope with the problem.
Blackleg
This disease is quite common. With its development, the stem becomes dark and soft. The provoking factors are a dense planting of a plant or high humidity.
It is not possible to cure the black leg. Therefore, the affected bush should be thrown away. At the initial stage, you can try to eliminate the disease with drugs that contain mancozeb or oxadixil.
Gray rot
Pathology is caused by a deficiency or excess of nitrogen in the soil.High humidity may also be the cause. The provoking factor of the disease is the fungus. It enters the root system and affects the entire flower. As a result, spots appear on the branches and leaves. Then they dry out and a gray coating forms.
White rot
Weeping brown spots help to identify white rot. In conditions of high humidity, they become covered with a white bloom. The damaged fragments become soft and white. The stem affects the white mycelium, which eventually becomes covered with dark spots. To cope with the problem, it is recommended to remove damaged plant fragments in time. Treatment with such means as Fitosporin-M, Maxim, Integral is also required.
Wet rot
This disease is also called rhizoctonia. This violation is a consequence of high humidity. It is difficult to cope with it. In this case, sprouts and adult plants may suffer. At the initial stage, remedies based on mancozeb or oxadixil help to eliminate the disease.
Brown spot
In high humidity, there is a risk of brown spotting. Brown spots on the leaves help to identify the disease. To cope with the problem, you can use copper-based products. It is recommended to process plants 2-3 times with an interval of 7-10 days.
Late blight
With the appearance of pathology, the base of the stem acquires a brown tint and begins to rot. Culture withers and dies. The cause of problems is the increased humidity of the earth and air.
To avoid problems, it is important to exclude excessive crop density. After planting, the culture should be treated with products based on metalaxyl and mancoceb
Viruses
Petunia is susceptible to various viral infections. Florists advise burning infected bushes, since it is impossible to eliminate the disease.
With the development of pathology, small flowers appear in the plant, which are covered with dirty yellow spots.
Y and X potatoes
Infection with this virus manifests itself in the form of a wrinkled mosaic. Also, the leaves can become covered with necrotic spots.
Aphid
These tiny insects settle on the underside of leaves and cause them to deform. To cope with the problem, you can put an onion or garlic near the pot. In advanced cases, it will not be possible to do without chemicals.
Whitefly
This is the most dangerous pest that feeds on plant sap. Insecticides help to cope with whitefly. For this purpose, Actellik can be used. Verticillin J. is also suitable.
Thrips
Pollen, which spills out from the stamens onto the petals, helps to identify the anomaly. To cope with thrips, it is worth removing weeds in time. If there are a lot of pests, it is recommended to cut the plants.
Spider mites
Identifying these insects is very problematic. When they are active, red, yellow or silvery spots appear on the leaves. It is impossible to cope with the problem with the help of insecticides. To eliminate ticks, only acaricides and insectoacaricides are suitable. The best remedy is Actellic.
Slugs
To cope with slugs, it is worth applying superphosphate to the surface of the soil and treating the culture with chemicals.
Possible problems
Sometimes it happens that the petunia does not have flowering, or it is, but rather scarce. This problem occurs for the following reasons:
- Cramped pot. If the capacity is small, then the development of the petunia stops.
- Lack of side shoots. If there is a lack of branching, you can pinch the top. This will allow new buds to develop.
- Lack of light.
- Lack of dressing.
- Overwhelmed earthen room.
- Viral diseases.
Important! Correction of all care errors guarantees full flowering. When a plant is sick, then it must be isolated from everyone else.
Petunias - beautiful flowers
They are divided into the main types - ampelous, large-flowered, cascading, minipetunia, terry, undersized, hybrid, vegetative and multi-flowered.And at the same time, it is impossible to answer the question which variety is better. They are all beautiful and each grower chooses a plant to his liking.
Petunia Opera is an ampelous bush that captivates with the beauty of its flowering and not picky care. Even a beginner can cope with all agrotechnical techniques. The main thing is to closely monitor the growth and development of the flower, as well as regularly examine it for damage by diseases or pests.
