How to pinch petunia: tips for novice growers

Throughout the ages, man has striven to create a favorable environment for himself in his home, to make his home not only reliable, safe and warm, but also cozy, beautiful, and elegant. No luxury items are able to maintain a pleasant atmosphere of peace and satisfaction. Only living organisms can do this. But not everyone can afford to stay in the house of our smaller brothers, because an animal is essentially an equal member of our family, who needs to be given maximum love, care and attention. But flowers with lower costs for their maintenance perfectly fulfill their functions.

Content:

• Jolly petunia
• Well-groomed appearance of the plant
• Why pinch a petunia?
• Some helpful tips
• Associated propagation by cuttings

Jolly petunia

Popularity petunias is no longer in doubt - this plant has become a welcome guest in gardens and parks, streets and squares, country estates and modest country houses, and also confidently settled on balconies and loggias, window sills and at the entrances of houses. Petunia bushes delight the eye with the splendor of colors and shades, from white, lilac, blue, pink and red, to multi-colored and striped. There are hundreds of varieties to choose from.

This perennial plant came to us from distant Montevideo, taking into account our climatic conditions, it is grown here as an annual. Loves sunlight very much, takes heat well, provided regular glaze... Cooling slows down flowering, but with an increase in ambient temperature, budding resumes.

Well-groomed appearance of the plant

So that petunia does not cease to delight its owners throughout the summer, in addition to fulfilling the basic conditions for keeping plants, attention should be paid the formation her bushes, keeping them compact, lush and luxurious. For this, the pinching method is used.

For those who have never pinched anything, it will be useful to find out what it is and why it is needed. Each plant strives to grow, first of all, upward. Someone does not succeed very well, but some grows in height so quickly that the stem does not stand up and collapses. The picture is depressing.

To prevent this from happening for some flowers, especially home ones, pinching is used - removing the upper overgrown shoots. In particular, this is done with petunias. It's a simple and useful matter. Someone comes to this after their conclusions, someone does not hesitate to ask professionals how to pinch a petunia correctly. But the result is always positive.

Why pinch petunia?

As a result of pinching, petunia begins to actively release side shoots. The bush from this looks more lush, strong and healthy. More new branches guarantee more buds and flowers. At the same time, the quality of flowering also increases: it becomes long-lasting and abundant.

In addition, pinching the petunia is one of the ways of its reproduction. The resulting cuttings are placed in water or in damp earth under a jar. They quickly give roots, after which they are ready for planting.

A novice florist just needs to know how to pinch a petunia. Nothing complicated, but there are several important points.

1. Do not tighten with a pinch, it is better to do it earlier than to be late.
2. Do not pinch too much, leave 5-6 sheets and remove the shoot above them.
3. Perform the procedure a couple of times a month.

Some more helpful tips

And do not forget about the general rules: remove everything that has faded and wilted, feed plant, spray in the heat several times a day. High-quality care will provide you with long and bright flowering.

Carry out the first pinching procedure after the plant, planted for permanent residence, gets stronger and acclimatized. At the same time, there should be at least five leaves on the upper shoot.

Do not be upset when, as a result of the next pinching, the flowering of the petunia slows down for a while, but the side shoots will vigorously grow, on which new, larger buds will appear.

Associated propagation by cuttings

The tops of petunia shoots plucked or neatly cut with manicure scissors are used as cuttings for further propagation of the plant. The roots that appear on green cuttings placed in water serve as a signal that they can already be planted in the ground by clearing the lower part of the stem from leaves, leaving a couple of leaves at the top. Young plants can be planted quite densely, often watering and spraying them, feeding them, and also using a growth stimulator as needed.

Petunia grown from seed at home, as well as seedlings of inexpensive varieties purchased in retail chains, must be subjected to regular pinching of shoots protruding from a common bush. Elite varieties grown in special nurseries can develop well without pinching, but they are more capricious, sensitive to sudden changes in humidity and temperature, and suffer from the effects of rain and wind.

In general, petunia is not capricious, it is not difficult to take care of it, but you still have to observe the main condition: you need to look and touch with love all living things on the planet, then life will reciprocate with us.