Unpretentious garden balsam tom tamb

The best varieties of petunias

Petunias can be used to decorate private plots, gazebos, pots and other details in landscape design. There are a number of colors that will suit a wide variety of situations. Choose interesting views for yourself and arrange a piece of paradise for yourself.

Bush petunias photos

This includes many types of plants that differ in both shape and color of flowers. Let us consider the most popular types of petunias of this variety in more detail. Multiflora is a petunia variety that has a compact shape and small flowers, the largest flowers have a diameter of about 4 centimeters.

It is convenient to decorate pots, arches or borders on the site with such flowers. The Grandiflora variety has several subspecies. Their common feature is that they have rather large flowers with a diameter of 16 centimeters.

There is also a perennial petunia, it has the shape of a ball or a hat and looks great in containers, on flower beds, frames, and is used to decorate borders. There are also compact varieties of these plants that can be used for various purposes related to decorating the space of a suburban area and premises. These include Fantasy, Polaris, Dream, Storm, Hit Parade and other plant species.

They perfectly tolerate changes in weather, are resistant to diseases and do not require serious maintenance. Shrub petunias form their own shape. But, if this is not enough for you, you can always form a more compact form.

To do this, you need to cut off the top of the plant, but not lower than the third row of leaves. In this case, the bush will start up young shoots and grow in width. Depending on your goals, you can form almost any shape of these plants.

Variety of Petunia Floribunda photo

This variety of flowers has several subspecies that share common features. They all have large flowers of different shades, the only difference in the texture of the flowers and the shape of the bushes. Moreover, all species of this variety tolerate weather changes and some frosts well.

We can say that Floribunda is something between Grandiflora and Multiflora. Flowers are actively used in landscape design. There are both regular and terry types of this variety.

The most commonly grown plant species are Sonya Orchid and Celebrity. They, in turn, are divided into more than 11 types. In general, the variety is excellent for private decoration of plots and cultivation for the purpose of sale.

Cascading varieties of petunias photo

Cascading plant varieties are perfect for decorating loggias, balconies, and growing in tubs. All flowers of these species form a large crown and long shoots. Decorating with petunias in multi-colored shades looks especially bright on the terrace of a country house.

Cascading varieties of petunias perfectly tolerate temperature drops, the first frost. They can be used to decorate private real estate or be used commercially.

Ampel petunia photo

Ampel varieties of petunias are somewhat similar to cascading species, but differ in that the shoots generally grow downward. Such flowers look interesting in hanging pots, in tubs on the balcony, when decorating loggias.

Ampel varieties of petunias are considered frost-resistant, not afraid of heat and increased moisture. Surfinia, Lilac surf, Wave of Fortune, Waterfall and others are considered interesting species of this variety. Petunias of this variety look good in flower beds. When there is no support, they spread along the ground.

Variety of Petunia Calibrachoa photo

Calibrachoa plants were classified as petunias due to the fact that they have similar morphological features and the same flowers. The difference is that Calibrachoa have shoots more than 2 meters long and stiff shoots.

The flowers of the plant are ordinary, up to 5 centimeters in diameter. Growing this type of petunias is no more difficult than all other species. If you love interesting plant species and a diverse garden, then Calibrachoa is perfect for growing.

Calibrachoa

This species is very interesting in its appearance, the fact is that it differs in many ways from the usual petunia, therefore it was even singled out as a separate genus, but many continue to consider it just a separate type of petunia. Calibrachoa in appearance still resembles an ordinary petunia, it differs only if the stem, which is woody at the base, shoots also curl like other species of climbing petunias, and can reach two meters, the leaves are small and neat, as well as flowers, which reach three centimeters in diameter.

Among the new hybrids that have appeared recently, but are already loved by many, Superbells and Million Bells are distinguished.

Balsam Care Tom Tamb

Balsam is an unpretentious plant that does not require close attention to its person.

Watering

Balsam loves moisture, but an excessive amount of water will cause illness and death of the bush. Therefore, the flower bed is watered often, but in moderation.

It is important to organize the outflow of excess liquid so that moisture does not stagnate in the root zone and does not provoke the development of root rot

Lighting

Tom Tumb is shade-tolerant and prefers partial shade to an open, brightly lit area. Direct sunlight can cause burns on leaves and wilting of flowers. The flower bed should be in the shade for at least half a day.

Top dressing

You need to be careful with fertilizing. Excessive amounts of trace elements will lead to shedding of buds and the development of diseases. But it is also impossible to deprive balsam of support for the flowering period.

Top dressing is applied together with watering in the period before the pasture of peduncles, nitrogen complexes are used. When the balsam is forming buds and getting ready to release corollas, the nitrogen-containing fertilizer can be replaced with a complex fertilizer for flowering plants.

Pros of growing ampelous balsams

Impatiens is the common scientific name for balsams. Translated - "touchy". Indeed, many who raised these beauties noticed that with the slightest swaying of the plant, the boxes with ripe seeds immediately crumble. Therefore, the ampelous variety of balsam in this regard is more convenient than the bush, which is planted in a permanent place. A pot with graceful flowering lashes of ampel impatiens can be placed in a windproof place - near the wall of the house, on a closed porch, in a gazebo entwined with vines, and finally, just on the balcony.
Ampel balsams are in no way inferior to our favorite petunias. The flowering is just as bright, abundant and long lasting. Unless in the variety of colors, impatiens are still lagging behind, but this is only because these flowers have entered the seed market quite recently. But, unlike petunias, balsams are not at all afraid of waterlogging.

Ampel petunia

The varieties of this group are the most popular. They can be found more often than others when decorating tall flowerpots and balcony boxes. However, if you plant this petunia on an ordinary flower bed, you can achieve a completely enchanting spectacle: if the roots of the plant are not limited by the volume of the planting container, the plants form a lush carpet and bloom until frost.

Petunia from the ampelous group is distinguished by earlier flowering and active growth of shoots.

• At the time of growing seedlings, you can manage to cut it 1-2 times, thereby doubling, or even tripling the planting material.
• Pinching is carried out when the shoots grow up to 3-4 cm, not earlier, then full cuttings are obtained.
• With a sufficient volume of planting capacity, ampelous petunia forms shoots from 50 cm to 1 m long.
• In open ground conditions, some varieties are capable of producing whips up to 1.5 m.

The Explorer variety is distinguished by the longest shoots. It is presented in a variety of colors. The variety is distinguished by the most plant-resistant flowers: thanks to the wax bloom, they do not deteriorate with short-term rains.

Lovers of yellow petunias will like Table Yellow, it has medium-sized flowers, creamy with a yellowish center, the flowering is very abundant.

Surfinia

The surfinii group also belongs to the varieties of ampel petunias. Their shoots grow vertically downward. At the seedling stage, plants need to be pinched.

Minitunia

Among the ampelous petunias and minitunias. They are distinguished by medium-sized flowers and shorter shoots, as a result of which the bush looks more compact, and the leaves are almost invisible.

Photo: petunia in balcony boxes

Terry petunias

Plants of this group are the most luxurious, you want to admire them again and again. Contrary to the assertion that terry petunia varieties are supposedly more capricious to grow than others. In my opinion, this is a myth.

Terry petunia has a slightly longer growing season: from germination to flowering, it needs two weeks more time than, say, a bush or fringed petunia. Compared to fringed petunia, terry petunia resists precipitation better and is quite suitable for planting in pots.

The discovery of the past year for me was the planting of a double-colored terry petunia in hanging pots, it looked unusual and luxurious.

Terry petunia varieties can be one-color, two-color, and even fringed at the edges.

So, the Valentine variety with carmine red flowers is the most unusual among terry petunia varieties. It is distinguished by compact bushes and abundant flowering: its densely packed flowers have a noticeable fringe along the edge of each petal. During flowering, Valentine makes a splash and becomes the center of attraction for the eyes.

Among the terry petunias, there are also varieties with blue flowers - some of my favorites: they perfectly resist rain and demonstrate a blue-violet tone so rare for petunias. In addition, they are the most unpretentious in care.

The two-color terry petunia also looks elegant: varieties with red-white and crimson flowers with a wide white border.

Photo: petunia terry group

Fringed Petunia (Frillitunia)

A group of fringed petunias appeared not so long ago, but they have already won the hearts of gardeners. The flowers of this petunia are large. They can be either one-color or two-color with a spectacular fringe along the edge of the flower. The form of plants is erect, in flowerpots in the wind they may need support in the form of decorative lattices along the edge.

Fringed petunias in the Moscow region are best planted in places protected from wind and rain, it is good to arrange flowerpots with petunias under a canopy, or on the porch. Their delicate flowers do not recover even after light rainfall. In addition, fringed petunia does not bloom too much, and does not form the desired hats.

Rather, this petunia is for gourmets, lovers of enjoying a single flower, rather than the general appearance of a plant.

Photo: fringed petunia, Frillitunia burgundy (photo from the Internet)

Reproduction

Balsam is propagated vegetatively - by cuttings and seeds, which can be collected from faded bushes.

Cuttings

Vegetative propagation is considered to be an easier way to get a new plant than germinating seeds, since it does not require special skills.

It is enough to cut off the top of the head of an adult balsam, forming a stalk 7-9 cm long, and put it in water. After about a week, the cutting will develop a root and can be planted in an individual pot.

Seeds

Growing from seeds is used when growing balsam for seedlings. It is easy to grow a flower from seeds - many varieties are presented in garden stores, and if you have your own flower bed, seed material can be collected from it. Seeds remain viable for up to 5 years.

The timing of when to plant seedlings ranges from early February to late March. It all depends on the climatic conditions of the region and the time when flowering is planned.

It is not recommended to immerse seeds in the substrate to a depth of more than a centimeter.

It is important to periodically moisten the soil with warm, settled water. Seedlings appear in a week, and after 1.5-2 months, the seedlings can be transferred to open ground

Ampel Impatiens Seed Producers

On the eve of the next summer season and the start of joint purchases of fresh seeds, it is quite possible to start choosing what you want to try to grow.
Everyone's favorite Biotekhnika offers about 10 colors of ampelous balsam of the hybrid series "Acrobat" and "Highlight", as well as a variation with double flowers - the "Atena" series. I personally checked the germination rate - about 80-90%, which is not bad. I grew three types of ampelous balsam.

"Poisk" makes it possible to profitably purchase the "Tumbler" series, in a package of professional varietal seeds - about 100 pieces. They are more expensive, but in terms of one root it is quite cheap. In addition, this series has a large-flowered terry variation - hybrids (F1) "Flash", "Strawberry with Cream", "Mix", "Orange", "Apple Blossom". The same names of hybrids can be found at Plazmas.

Other, less well-known manufacturers are also not lagging behind: "Seeds of Profi" sell ampelous balsams of Dutch selection, "Seeds of Altai" - a series of "Super Elfin", "Prestige" - semi-double "Victorian".

Bush

This group includes a large number of very different varieties, from those with compact and small bushes and flowers, for example, the Multiflora subgroup, in which flowers reach only 4 centimeters.

There are also quite large hybrids, such as Grandiflora, with beautiful volumetric flowers reaching 16 centimeters in the inflorescence.

Such varieties are undersized and if they are planted in large quantities, then they will look great in the form of a flower bed, or if they are planted from along the curbs, they will also become an interesting decoration of the windowsill when they are planted at home.

This group has the most popular varieties, which are usually most often purchased by gardeners:

• Hybrid series Fantasy
• Dream series - these varieties are undersized, of the most varied colors
• For those who want to see flowers on their site as early as possible, a series such as Ultra is suitable.
• Series of nine titan hybrids
• Also early series Polaris
• For those who have a rather unstable climate, strong gusts of wind and rains, such a series as Storm is suitable.

Basically, of course, petunias form their own shape, most often into compact bushes, but if desired, they can be adjusted and if you study the correct pruning, when you cut off the crown above the third internode, then the plant begins to form new shoots and such a bush will already be much more magnificent.