Secrets of growing petunia from "A" to "Z". Growing Petunias: Tips from Experienced Gardeners

This the plant loves loamy soil, but also takes root well in ordinary garden soil, and some varieties even in simple ground. But it is best to grow a beauty in a fertile one, which consists of peat, turf, river sand, and leafy soil. Another great option for cultivation is the addition of nitrophoska to the earthen substrate.

In garden soil, the greenery of the plant becomes juicier and its growth accelerates, because. they are very fond of a slightly acidic environment.

Growing petunias requires special light conditions. It prefers well-lit areas for growing, however, blooms can fade in the scorching sun. It also needs a little shading.

Lighting is one of the main conditions for growing petunias. Therefore, well-lit areas with blackouts are an ideal place.

The soil in which the petunia grows should be moist, but not flooded. An excess of moisture will stop its growth. It is also important to ventilate the soil in which the plant grows. Growing these flowers is not difficult if you simply follow the conditions of lighting, watering and soil composition.

Is it possible to grow a plant at home?

Can this plant be grown in room conditions? Yes, but it's more complicated than .

Note! Most importantly, the soil in the growing container should be light and absorbent.

Therefore, great attention must be paid to the soil. To do this, it will be enough to mix simple garden soil with purchased soil on a peat base. You can also plant in purchased soil, but after adding a hydrogel to it. The hydrogel must be prepared in advance. It should also be taken into account that such a substrate retains moisture for quite a long time and you need to be extremely careful with watering the plant. Water only when dry, especially a newly planted plant.

Growing petunias in a pot or container also implies correct selection the growing container itself. Bush and terry petunias need 3 liters of land per plant. This means that 3 plants can be planted in a ten-liter container. Large containers retain moisture longer, so it's best to plant several plants in one large container. But ampelous, cascading petunias and sufinias need 5 liters per plant.

The container must have holes to drain excess moisture. If you choose the wrong container, then you can achieve beauty, but not for long. Petunias will flourish first, and then they will survive in such conditions. And they will not please you with long and magnificent lashes and abundant flowering. What other reasons can lead to the absence of flowers and how to eliminate them, we discussed.

It is important to pick off faded flowers from the plant. Secrets of growing petunias:

1. Location selection- it should be a well-lit place with slight blackouts.
2. The soil- both ordinary garden and specially prepared using purchased peat-based soil, with the addition of hydrogel, turf, coarse sand.
3. And- water every day, especially if you see that the top ball is dry. It is best to water in the morning and evening. The petunia does not like stagnant moisture, so take care of good drainage. Feed regularly with mineral fertilizers. The main thing is that it contains potassium and phosphorus - they are responsible for the development of flower buds.

Reproduction methods

There are two ways to propagate: grow seedlings from seeds and cuttings.

This is the most common way to breed a plant, including at home. Buy seeds in a shell - they are easier to plant and they are much larger. To begin with, we prepare the soil and maintain the desired temperature at 22-25 ° C. We plant it in a container in which there must be drainage. Before planting, disinfect the drainage with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Carry out the same procedure with the soil, use special preparations to disinfect it.

Sow the seeds in slightly damp but not soggy soil. Before this, it is better to mix the seeds with river sand. Then we close the container with seeds with glass or film. We grow seedlings at a temperature of 22 ° C. To prevent the soil from becoming damp, constantly remove condensate from the glass or change the film.

On a note. Don't forget about good lighting. As soon as small bushes appear and the roots get stronger, you can either continue growing in the greenhouse.

Watch a video about growing petunias. Sowing seeds for seedlings:

cuttings

It allows you to grow the plant much faster. It assumes the presence of an already adult plant. To do this, cut side shoots petunias. Then cuttings are disinfected and planted in small cups with light soil. We put in a shady place. Do not forget about moistening the soil and fertilizing with mineral fertilizers. Thus, the plant is prepared for wintering. In the spring we plant in open ground.

Watch a video about propagating petunias with cuttings:

Landing kit

• Priming.
• Planting container.
• Means for disinfection.
• Seedling for planting.
• Drainage.
• mineral fertilizers.

cultivation

in greenhouses

• Sowing seeds- We buy seeds in a special store. We purchase or prepare the substrate ourselves. It consists of peat, sand, earth. Wipe everything well and pour with a solution of potassium permanganate. The wet mixture sits in boxes for several days. We sterilize the boxes before stuffing with peroxide or potassium permanganate, peat is shed with fungicides before sowing. Seeds are sown in peat, the layer of peat in a box is 2-3 cm and consists of small particles, well sifted and even.

  Important! Seeds are not covered with soil so that light falls on them. We also provide additional lighting.

  We germinate at a temperature of 22-25 ° C. The required air humidity is 95-98%, to maintain it, we cover the crops with glass or polyethylene. The substrate should not dry out, so we often water it from a sprayer. Water should be settled a little warmer than the substrate. After germination, reduce the temperature to 18-20 ° C.

• picking- move the plants into cups. They are in them until the roots take up the whole place. At first, the cups stand side by side, but as the seedlings grow, they are placed apart from each other.
• Watering and feeding- when the seedlings are dived, you need to make sure that upper layer the substrate dried up for the next watering. Therefore, water the cups once a day or less. It is best to water in the morning and evening. We combine fertilizing with watering.

Care rules

Petunia does not require much effort from you. It is enough just to control the watering and feeding of the plant. You need to water under the root of the plant, so as not to damage the delicate flowers. The next day after watering, you need to loosen the soil so that a crust does not form. Remove weeds. Feed a week after planting in the ground. We combine watering and fertilizing. We feed with fertilizers with potassium.

Problems, diseases and pests

Sometimes you may encounter such a problem as yellowing or drying of petunias. If you do not follow the rules of care, the plant can get sick:

• late blight;
• chlorosis;
• black leg;
• gray rot.

They need to fight with special drugs. But it's easier to avoid them. proper care. If these rules are not followed, then in addition to these diseases, petunia can be affected by viral diseases. There is no cure for them - your plant will die. Of the pests are dangerous spider mite, aphids, slugs and thrips.

Fulfill simple rules care for petunias, then you do not have to worry about the health and beauty of your plant. It will always delight you with beautiful flowering.

Self-growing petunias from seeds at home is difficult for many summer residents. Lack of knowledge and fear of experimenting make the family budget spend on buying ready-made planting material. Having familiarized yourself with the basic rules and agricultural practices, you will gain invaluable experience in obtaining strong seedlings. And bright flower beds with multi-colored petunias will decorate garden plot and home area.

When and how to collect seeds?

Experienced gardeners start harvesting petunia seeds for the subsequent cultivation of seedlings during the period of active flowering of the plant. Before this, strong plants are selected and marked with beautiful flowers the desired color and wait for the appearance of fruit boxes in their place. Let them mature. After that, they begin to collect the seed material in the boxes. The whole cycle, from the formation of buds to the ripening of seeds, takes about 2 months.

Traditionally, to prolong the flowering period of petunias, wilted buds with ovaries are cut off without waiting for the appearance of seed boxes. To harvest planting material, leave the ovaries on the lower tiers of the plant. Here they mature faster.

The formation of flowers in the plant occurs within a week. A week after pollination, ovaries appear. Over the next 30 days, boxes with seeds are formed on petunias, which, after ripening, are collected for further cultivation at home. The total waiting time is approximately 45…60 days. You can collect seed material throughout the summer period and early autumn.

A sure sign that the time has come to collect the seeds is the drying of the boxes and their cracking. Each such container contains up to 100 glossy black grains, 0.5 mm in size.

Before collecting petunia seeds for growing, prepare envelopes or paper bags. Wait for stable clear weather. After you make sure that the fruit boxes are dry, proceed to the collection. Spread the prepared material on paper and place in a dry place for ripening. For storage, the seeds are removed and laid out in bags or envelopes. Be sure to label the petunia variety.

On one's own harvested seeds retain their viability for 4 years. When growing hybrid varieties petunias, remember that seeds collected at home partially do not retain maternal characteristics. As a result of pollination, new interesting colors can be obtained. Re-collection seed collected from bushes of hybrid varieties and its cultivation will not allow to preserve the color and structure of the flower.

Sowing dates

The timing of sowing petunia seeds when growing seedlings at home is largely determined by the combination of two factors:

1. daylight hours;
2. Species and varietal characteristics of the plant.

Too much early dates, as well as the wrong choice of variety, are fraught with the fact that the lack of lighting will contribute to the elongation of seedlings. Elongated seedlings develop slowly, become frail and susceptible to diseases.

Varietal characteristics of a flower culture should also be considered when trying to grow from seeds. If you pay attention to bags of seed sold in garden centers, you can see that petunias different varieties and species have their own sowing dates. This is due to the growing season of a particular group:

• Cascading;
• Ampel small-flowered;
• Bush;
• Large-flowered.

As a rule, manufacturers indicate information on when to plant a petunia for seedlings. reverse side packaging.

Depending on the specified group, seeds are planted for home growing petunias in different dates. Ampelous petunias should build up a large vegetative mass, so they are planted the earliest - in early January. Bush varieties should be planted in late February, early March.

The timing of planting seed material of all types of petunias must be correlated with lighting conditions.

• With the possibility of additional lighting, sowing is carried out during February.
• If the windows of the apartment are directed to the south, you can sow in the first decade of March.
• With a northerly orientation of the windows, sowing is best postponed until the third decade of March or early April.

Attempts to grow light-loving petunias early, without additional illumination, will not allow you to get strong, beautiful planting material.

Seed preparation

The germination of seeds of a given flower crop depends on factors such as humidity, heat and lighting. Even taking the most popular varieties of petunias for cottage cultivation, you can only get 50% germination. For the grains to germinate and give life beautiful flowers, they need to be prepared before planting. Seed preparation consists of several stages:

1. Stratification;
2. Disinfection;
3. Seedling stimulation.

The stratification of petunia seeds begins long before the start of growing seedlings. Usually, 7-8 weeks before sowing, the grains are mixed with fine river sand. Then the mixture is poured into shallow containers and placed in a refrigerator for 2 months. In order to further separate the seeds, take sand in small quantities and the smallest fraction. Spread the mixture into the trays in a thin layer.

For grown flower seedling, petunia seeds are disinfected. The procedure is carried out in a light pink solution of potassium permanganate. To prepare the solution you will need:

• Boiled water;
• 200 gram glass;
• 0.5 liter jar;
• Potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate);
• Clean rag.

A stock solution is prepared in a beaker of water. It should be dark pink. Then water is poured into a 0.5 liter jar and the contents of the glass are gradually added until a light pink hue is obtained. After that, the seeds collected from the petunias grown on the site are wrapped in rags and dipped for 20 minutes in the prepared solution.

The next stage of preparation increases the germination of seed and the survival rate of seedlings grown seedlings. The day before planting, the seeds are soaked in water with the addition of a few drops of a growth stimulator. Experienced flower growers use "Epin" for stimulation. 0.5 liters will require 3-4 drops of the drug.

How to prepare the soil?

The success of growing petunias at home depends not only on the preparation of the seeds, but also on the preparation of the soil. Since the flower culture is capricious, sowing will require fertile loose soil that can retain moisture. The soil can be purchased at specialized garden centers or prepared independently. Experienced flower growers most often choose the second option.

The nutrient soil in which it is planned to grow petunia seedlings is prepared from the following components:

• Lowland peat - 1 part;
• Sod land - 1 part;
• Humus - 1 part;
• River sand - 1/2 part.

Combine all components and mix until a homogeneous mass is obtained. Sift the resulting composition through a sieve with a large mesh, and then with a small cell. As a result, the nutrient soil will be loose and airy.

If the process of preparing the soil is difficult for you, then you can grow petunias from seeds on purchased soil. To improve the properties of the purchased substrate, add the following components, based on 10 kg:

• 500 grams wood ash for fertilizer;
• 500 grams of perlite;
• A tablespoon of potassium fertilizer.

These elements will improve the composition of the purchased soil.

So that the seedlings do not get sick, spill the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate before sowing.

3 ways to sow seeds

After preparatory work you can start sowing seeds for seedlings. Experienced flower growers in their practice use 3 main methods of sowing seeds:

1. In trays with nutrient substrate;
2. Planting a petunia in the snow.
3. In peat tablets;

The methods are good for uniform distribution of grains collected by hand or purchased coated material. Since the seeds are small, it is not worth burying them in nutrient soil. The best option- sprinkle with a layer of substrate in 1 ... 2 mm.

Seeding in trays

The prepared substrate is filled into trays or containers with the addition of hydrogel. Then the soil is abundantly moistened. Subsequently, the hydrogel will retain moisture in the soil, which is necessary for the successful germination of petunia seeds. Growing a crop is best done not in rows, but in squares. In the future, this method will simplify the process of picking grown plants.

Divide the soil in the container into squares and distribute the grains in the center of these zones. For convenience, use toothpicks. With a tip dipped in water, it is convenient to cling and carry grains. After distribution, the seed material is lightly sprinkled with finely sifted soil (no more than 2 mm). Spray plantings with water from a spray bottle.

When seeding is complete, place containers in plastic bags or cover them with transparent lids. Petunia trays are best placed in a warm place with diffused lighting. After an ode ... two weeks shoots will appear.

Snow Landing

The method allows in the process of growing petunia flowers to combine the stage of seed stratification. To implement it, you will need:

• suitable container;
• Priming;
• seed material;
• Snow;
• Trowel;
• glass or plastic bag.

At the first stage, fill the container with soil, leaving 2-3 cm of free space from the edges. For prevention various diseases spill the substrate with the fungicide solution. A day after the disinfection treatment, lay a small layer (1 ... 1.5 cm) of snow on top and compact it a little.

At the second stage of growing seedlings, fold a white sheet of paper in half. A groove should form in the center of the unfolded parchment. Throw in the petunia seeds. Then, gently shaking off, distribute them over the snow. Evenly distribute places with dense crops with a match or toothpick.

On final stage cover the container with glass, a lid, or a plastic bag and place in a warm, well-lit place. After the snow melts and moisture is absorbed into the soil, the grains will slightly go into the soil. With the emergence of seedlings (after 1 ... 1.5 weeks), air the mini greenhouse with petunias twice a day for 15 ... 20 minutes. Remove condensation from the tray cover.

Growing in peat tablets

It will allow to reduce the loss of seedlings and protect seedlings from various diseases. Very often, flower growers use this method when sowing expensive varietal hybrids. It is best to sow petunias in tablets with a diameter of 2.5 ... 3 cm. It does not make sense to use large cylinders, since when in large numbers plants will need a lot of space.

It is easy to prepare a pressed nutrient substrate from peat:

1. Take a tall container that will hold all the tablets;
2. Lay the discs carefully with the holes up;
3. Pour warm water along the top edge and cover the container with a lid;
4. Wait for the peat tablets to take their shape;

ATTENTION! Keep the cylinders moist during the swelling process. If necessary, add a little more water so that the substrate is saturated with moisture.

After preparing the tablets, drain the excess water and place them in containers. Lay out the petunia seeds on a white sheet of paper and with a carefully moistened toothpick or match, place the seeds in the holes of the peat cylinders. If you sow coated seeds, to speed up germination, drop a few drops of warm water from a pipette onto the balls and after a few minutes smear the shell in the recess of the tablet.

After sowing the petunias into peat tablets, cover the container and place it in a warm place. Provide temperature regime within 24…25°С. At lower temperatures, petunias grown from seed may not sprout. During the germination process, make sure that the substrate is kept moist.

seedling care

In the first period after planting seeds, petunia requires special care. These flowers love heat, so the temperature in the room should not be below 24 ° C. When the temperature drops by 3-5°C, the growth of seedlings slows down, or stops altogether. It is best to spray the plants with a spray bottle so as not to bury the seeds.

As soon as the first shoots begin to hatch, the growing method needs to be slightly changed. Take the lid off the containers for a few minutes every day. After a week, the trays can be slightly opened for a longer period. So, after a while, the seedlings will get used to room conditions.

With the advent of the first true leaves on the seedlings, proceed to picking. For petunias grown in peat tablets, picking is not required. But if you used nutrient soil, this procedure is necessary. It is advisable, after picking, to plant the sprouts in separate pots, deepening them along the first leaves.

The peculiarity of petunias is that their cultivation from seeds is very slow. Do not think that you did something wrong, did not water or feed the seedlings. It's just that young plants develop a root system for a very long time. Be patient, and after 2-3 months you will get beautiful bright bushes.

I asked myself this question for two summers in a row. I managed to grow petunias only in the third year. I honestly read the whole topic about petunias, but nothing worked for me. I will tell you about the typical mistakes of a novice petunia breeder.

How to choose seeds for a beginner?

The most important thing is to buy a package of fresh packaging. In the third year, the seeds may not sprout at all. Expired, and these are most often on sale - even more so.
It is also important to choose a product from a trusted manufacturer. On the forum, Biotekhnika is most praised, for me it gave 90% germination. A little less, 80% was the germination rate of "Aelita" and "Prestige", 55-75% I had "Gavrish" and "Euro-seeds".
It is necessary to tell in more detail about which varieties and species are best to buy for growing for the first time.

Varietal or hybrid seeds?

Buying exclusively varietal or only hybrid (F1) seeds is a master's business. Equally well sprout and grow both of them. Varietal ones are cheaper, a lot of seeds are poured into a pack, which, in general, is very profitable. Hybrid ones are many times more expensive, they are packaged in only 5-10 seeds, enclosed in granules. But hybrid ones are easier to sow, and they give the most unusual and varied colors.

Rice. 1. Modest varietal petunias "Profusely flowering mixture of colors" and "Multi-flowered white glaze" of the "Leader" series from "Aelita", photo in early July.

Rice. 2. Hybrid petunias come in all colors of the rainbow. Photo taken in early August.

Which petunias are easier to grow - compact bushes or spreading ampels?

It is equally easy to grow both. But for the first experiment, I would rather choose those that recover better after heavy rains, do not suffer from winds and do not require plucking flowers after flowering. This is a series giants Typhoon and Tornado, and ampel Velvets.
Sometimes on packs with other varieties they also write about the unpretentiousness of plants, but I would not say that about other varieties. The most important thing is that for all the rest, except for the above species, it is necessary to remove faded inflorescences, and this is labor-intensive. In order not to be disappointed in petunias and fall in love with them at first sight, or rather, from the first season, I advise you to choose powerful Tornadoes, Typhoons or Velvets.

What are petunias according to the length of the branches?

Bush petunias are classified as low (25-40 cm). They will look good in small pots of 2-3 liters, both in the country house and on the southern or eastern windowsill. Bush varieties or not - usually indicated on the pack.

Rice. 3. "Pepermint F1 terry" in mid-July.

Rice. 4. "Dolce trio F1" at the end of June.

Sprawling types of petunias, for example, ampelous ones, look more spectacular, especially if you have something to attach to the site hanging planters. On the packaging, they are indicated by the word Pendula.
Of the voluminous long-braided varieties, there are also cascading ones (lashes are more durable than those of ampels), including ramblines and opera.

Rice. 5. Ampel "Velvet F1" in mid-July. Velvets are best grown in a volume of about 10 liters.

Rice. 7. "Ramblin Peach Glo F1" in early August. For ramblins, you need to find a volume of at least 8-10 liters.

Rice. 8. Ramblins of two types look good in one box (15 l).

Rice. 9. Operas bloom more magnificently than ramblins. In the photo, "Supreme White F1" in early July in a 10-liter tank.

Separately, I would single out ampelous avalanches - the bushes are even more upright than those of the cascading ones.

Rice. 10. "Avalanche Yellow Star F1" and "Ramblin Nu Blue F1", early September, for an avalanche you need 15 liters. per 2-3 plants.

But the most luxurious look surfinias, tornadoes, typhoons and explorers. True, for them it is necessary to have containers of at least 15 - 20 liters, except for surfinia - 5-8 liters are enough for them. Of the voluminous ones, there are also Shock Waves, Fresh Waves and Easy Waves, fortunes and tumbelins, but I have not grown such ones yet, this year there will be a debut.

Rice. 11. "Typhoon F1 Silver": two pieces in a barrel of about 30-40 liters, late July.

Rice. 12. Surfinia "Parple Velvet F1", grown from seeds, in the same barrel in July (also 2 pieces).

What are petunias in terms of size and number of flowers?

To get acquainted with petunias, I would advise you to choose any of Grandiflora or Multiflora, but not terry, although they look more attractive on packs. Multifloras have smaller flowers, but there are many of them, and grandifloras give little flowering, but the inflorescences are large, expressive and no less beautiful than terry ones.

Rice. 13. A trio of lobelias and bush petunias: multiflora "Merlin Red Picoti F1" and grandiflora "Prisma mix F1", "Falcon F1" and "Sophistika Shining Sapphire F1". End of June.

Terry varieties are more capricious, although they look impressive. They need to be protected from the rain, and if the summer is too rainy, the pots will definitely have to be taken under a canopy. These petunias will not "tolerate" dampness, like the two previous species, and will only submit experienced flower growers which I am still far away from.

Rice. 14. Makhrushki "Pikoti Pirouette F1", "Valentina F1" and the most beautiful of all white petunias "Sonata F1". July.

floribundas- this is a variety between grandiflora and multiflora, but I have never seen them for sale.

My mistakes when sowing seeds

In the first year, my seeds did not sprout at all, and in the second, out of six dozen seeds, only 4 sprouts grew, which gave weak flowering. Here's what I was doing wrong:

1. In the first year, I pressed the seeds into the ground so that they almost went underground. And you just need to spread the seeds superficially.
2. Sowed in the "tight" dense earth. And the earth should be loose, breathable. It is better to sow in general in tablets, you can 2-3 seeds in one.

Rice. 15. In tablets with toothpick flags - hybrid petunias, with a flag in a glass - varietal. In the rest of the tablets -.

1. Did not destroy the shell of the granule. It must be gently touched with a toothpick, and it will fall apart if the tablet is moistened enough.
2. I put the crops in loosely closed containers, where there was a draft. Sometimes the tablets dried up, and this should not be allowed, tender shoots quickly die.

Rice. 16. Even special greenhouses must be wrapped with a film so that there are no gaps, and ideal wet conditions are maintained inside.

1. I didn’t ventilate every day, and the shoots began to rot.

Rice. 17. In order not to suffer with winding and unwinding the film with each airing, I came up with this one.

Rice. 18. Or you can put the tablets in an Ikea container and cover with glass.

1. Even before the appearance of sprouts, it is necessary to illuminate the petunias! I somehow thought of putting petunias in the country on the northwestern windowsill without a single sunbeam. Of course, they didn’t bloom well there, although the bush was very lush and green. If you sow ampels in early to mid-February, you need to highlight at least from 7 am to 10 pm. Bush should be sown in March and illuminated in the same mode at least until May.

Rice. 19. I illuminate with an ordinary fluorescent lamp. Under the light they usually germinate in 5-7 days. Without light, they may not ascend at all.

Mistakes when growing seedlings of petunias

1. As soon as the shoots have appeared, we put them in a cooler place so that it is about 20 degrees. Airing should be more frequent. But do not repeat my mistake, do not remove petunias from the "greenhouse" until the first true leaves appear! After 2-3 days, you can reduce the daytime temperature to 15-18 degrees, and make the night temperature even less. Petunias need those temperature drops!
2. Be sure to add vermiculite to the soil or ready-made purchased soil and mix well.

Rice. 20. This is how the pickled seedlings of ampels in the soil with vermiculite look like at the end of February.

Rice. 21. And so - in the 20th of March. Large ones are ampels, smaller ones are bush ones.

1. From the beginning of April, as soon as it becomes about 10-15 degrees on a closed loggia or balcony, it is necessary to take out the seedlings for hardening. It is necessary to accustom to the bright sun gradually.

1. Be sure to sign! I also note bush petunia or not. Because there is no way to grow lush bushes without pinching. They will be like a single flowering stick. As soon as the second pair of leaves has grown at the bush, we pinch or cut off the very tip of the trunk with nail scissors. And we repeat this procedure once or twice a month, until mid-May.

Rice. 23. On the left - ampels that we do not pinch. On the right - pinched at one time bush. They will bloom later, but a bush will form.

1. The first buds take away the strength of the plant, it is better to pluck them.

1. Be sure to feed the petunias. If you cannot remember the recommendations of professionals, which trace element to use in which period of growth - phosphorus, boron or other elements of the periodic table, then at least use Fertik once a week. I alternate it with another mineral fertilizer, for example, with Biomaster - Seedlings. I start feeding 10-14 days after picking, combining it with preliminary weak watering. That is, it is impossible to pour fertilizer on very dry soil - neither in the seedling stage, nor in an adult plant.
2. Don't get carried away with acidifying the soil. I managed to avoid this mistake, despite the fact that many advise watering with acidified water or planting in special soil with an acidic environment, for example, as for begonias. Therefore, my petunias have never had such a common disease as chlorosis. It is easy to recognize chlorosis - the leaves begin to turn white, and dry out along the edge with a thin border. Then they start to fall off. The top is twisted. To get rid of chlorosis, you can spray the leaves with chelated iron, for example, Ferovit or Antichlorosis.
3. Don't flood seedlings! Petunias, like tomatoes, love the alternation of drought (but not critical) and complete soaking of the soil. Every day we will water petunias only when they grow in the country or on a sunny balcony. If the petunia began to lie down from the black leg, treat it with Fitosporin.
4. Do any foliar top dressing in cloudy weather, do not put the plants immediately under the lamp, let the spray soak into the leaves. I once almost burned all the seedlings with vitamin B6, all the foliage went stained from burns.

Mistakes in garden care

It would seem that they grew seedlings, brought them on time, transplanted them to the required volume after 100% cancellation of the threat of return frosts - and wait ... But still, petunias are not given lush flowering. I had this because I neglected the following rules:

1. I forgot to feed on time. Petunias are very "gluttonous"! The most important thing is regularity! Weekly "Fertika" or "Akverin" for flowers, but at least "Ideal". Nothing without this. Petunias do not like organics, only mineral fertilizers. Therefore, the soil for flowerpots should be mixed with ready-made humus or sand for better breathability, but not with immature compost.
2. I put the pots in partial shade or in the shade. Petunias will only bloom in full sun!
3. No need to tie branches. I don’t know why, but my petunias then simply stopped growing.

Rice. 26. Even if it seems that the petunias are about to break, do not pick them up with a garter. The wind will whip and break.

1. Insufficient height of the flowerpot. Petunia builds up a large mass of roots pointing down. In a container with a height of less than 20 cm, the petunia will develop until the end of June, and then it will wither.

Rice. 27. There is no way to buy flowerpots - plant petunias in homemade boxes, even a 10-year-old boy can put them together. This box is made from an old picket fence.

1. Another of my "favorite" mistakes is to set the petunias in the flowerpot so that they are too low from the planting hole, and the new lateral shoots stick under it without getting out into the light.

Our grandmothers, growing strawberries, or strawberries, as we used to call them, were not particularly worried about mulching. But today this agricultural practice has become fundamental in achieving high quality berries and reducing crop losses. Some might say it's troublesome. But practice shows that labor costs in this case pay off handsomely. In this article, we invite you to get acquainted with the nine the best materials for mulching garden strawberries.

Succulents are very versatile. Despite the fact that “kids” have always been considered more fashionable, the assortment of succulents with which you can decorate modern interior, it is worth taking a closer look. After all, colors, sizes, patterns, degree of pricklyness, influence on the interior are just a few of the parameters by which you can choose them. In this article, we will talk about the five most fashionable succulents that surprisingly transform modern interiors.

Mint was used by the Egyptians as far back as 1.5 thousand years BC. It has a strong aroma due to the high content of various essential oils with high volatility. Today, mint is used in medicine, perfumery, cosmetology, winemaking, cooking, ornamental gardening, and the confectionery industry. In this article, we will consider the most interesting varieties of mint, and also talk about the features of growing this plant in open ground.

People began to grow crocuses 500 years before the advent of our era. Although the presence of these flowers in the garden is fleeting, we always look forward to the return of the heralds of spring next year. Crocuses - one of the earliest primroses, whose flowering begins as soon as the snow melts. However, the timing of flowering may vary depending on the species and varieties. This article focuses on the earliest varieties of crocuses that bloom in late March and early April.

Shchi from early young cabbage in beef broth is hearty, fragrant and easy to prepare. In this recipe, you will learn how to cook delicious beef broth and cook light cabbage soup with this broth. early cabbage it cooks quickly, so it is placed in the pan at the same time as the rest of the vegetables, unlike autumn cabbage, which takes a little longer to cook. Ready cabbage soup can be stored in the refrigerator for several days. Real cabbage soup is tastier than freshly cooked.

Looking at the variety of varieties of tomatoes, it is difficult not to get confused - the choice is very wide today. Even experienced gardeners he is annoying sometimes! However, it is not so difficult to understand the basics of selecting varieties “for yourself”. The main thing is to understand the peculiarities of culture and start experimenting. One of the easiest tomato groups to grow are varieties and hybrids with limited growth. They have always been appreciated by those gardeners who do not have much time and energy to care for the beds.

Once very popular under the name of indoor nettles, and then forgotten by everyone, coleuses today are one of the most striking garden and indoor plants. They are not in vain considered stars of the first magnitude for those who are looking primarily for non-standard colors. Easy to grow, but not so undemanding as to suit everyone, coleus require constant supervision. But if you take care of them, bushes of velvety unique leaves will easily outshine any competitor.

Salmon backbone baked in Provence herbs is a “supplier” of delicious pieces of fish pulp for a light salad with fresh wild garlic leaves. The mushrooms are lightly fried olive oil and then watered apple cider vinegar. Such mushrooms are tastier than ordinary pickled ones, and they are better suited for baked fish. Ramson and fresh dill coexist perfectly in one salad, emphasizing the flavor of each other. Garlic sharpness of wild garlic will saturate both salmon flesh and mushroom pieces.

A coniferous tree or shrub on the site is always great, and many conifers are even better. Emerald needles of various shades decorate the garden at any time of the year, and phytoncides and essential oils, secreted by plants, not only flavor, but also make the air cleaner. Generally, most zoned adults coniferous plants, are considered very unpretentious trees and shrubs. But young seedlings are much more capricious and require competent care and attention.

Sakura is most often associated with Japan and its culture. Picnics in the shade flowering trees have long been an integral attribute of the meeting of spring in the Land of the Rising Sun. Financial and academic year here begins on April 1, when the magnificent sakura blossoms. Therefore, many significant moments in the life of the Japanese pass under the sign of their flowering. But sakura also grows well in cooler regions - certain types can be successfully grown even in Siberia.

It is very interesting for me to analyze how people's tastes and preferences for certain foods have changed over the centuries. What was once considered tasty and traded lost its value over time and, conversely, new fruit crops conquered their markets. Quince has been cultivated for more than 4 thousand years! And even in the 1st century BC. e. about 6 varieties of quince were known and even then the methods of its reproduction and cultivation were described.

Make your family happy and make themed Easter egg-shaped cottage cheese cookies! Your children will be happy to take part in the process - they will sift the flour, combine all the necessary ingredients, knead the dough and cut out intricate figures. Then they will watch with admiration how the pieces of dough turn into real Easter eggs, and then with the same enthusiasm they will eat them with milk or tea. How to make such original cookies for Easter, read in our step by step recipe!

There are not so many decorative and deciduous favorites among tuberous crops. And the caladium is a true star among the variegated inhabitants of the interiors. Not everyone can decide to start a Caladium. This plant is demanding, and first of all - to care. But still, the rumors about the unusual capriciousness of the Caladium never justify. Attention and care allow you to avoid any difficulties when growing caladiums. And a plant can almost always forgive small mistakes.

We have prepared a hearty, incredibly appetizing and simply elementary dish for you today. This gravy is one hundred percent universal, as it will suit every side dish: vegetables, pasta, and anything. Gravy with chicken and mushrooms will save you in moments when there is no time or you don’t want to think too much about what to cook. Grab your favorite side dish (you can make this ahead of time to keep it hot), add gravy and dinner is ready! A real lifesaver.

Among the many different varieties of these most popular vegetables, we will talk about three that are distinguished by excellent taste and relatively unpretentious conditions cultivation. Characteristics of eggplant varieties "Diamond", "Black Handsome" and "Valentina". All eggplants have a medium density pulp. In "Almaz" it is greenish, and in the other two it is yellowish-white. They are united good germination and excellent yield, but different time. Everyone's skin color and shape is different.

(Petunia) is one of the most common flowers that decorate flowerpots, flower beds and hanging baskets. This plant was first found in Uruguay near Montevideo in 1793. A little later, dozens of other petunia species were discovered in South America. This flower became a godsend for breeders, and in 1834 the first hybrid petunia blossomed. To date, there are several dozen species and many varieties and hybrids of petunias, so it is easy to get confused in the complex taxonomy of this plant.

Petunia is a perennial. However, in culture it is more often grown as annual plant. Every year, seeds are sown in the spring, and in the fall, the flowering petunia is sent to a humus heap or thrown into the trash. Many amateur flower growers believe that under conditions middle lane this is the simplest solution. In the southern regions, petunia gives self-sowing.

At the beginning of autumn, I look with regret at the petunias that continue to bloom, which will soon be destined to be in a humus heap. They are poorly adapted to autumn colds and frosts, so their lifespan is predetermined. beautiful plants over the summer they do not have time to fully develop their potential. Even in the autumn they have a lot life force. Petunias can become a mother plant from which you can cut strong stem cuttings. Or blooming houseplant competing with exotic flowers.

We move the petunia into the house

In nature, petunia is perennial plant that can be used in its cultivation and reproduction. To do this, in the fall, before cold snaps and frosts have yet begun (petunias that fall under them often die), we select several specimens, free them from long shoots and cut off all spoiled leaves. The remaining bush should be compact and low. Not more than 15 cm tall. Better below. Before you bring a petunia into the room, you need to carefully examine its leaves (especially their underside) so that the whitefly and the testicles laid by it do not get into the house. The end of summer and the beginning of autumn are the time of the mass presence of this pest on cultivated and weed plants, however, we often do not pay attention to the inconspicuous small whitefly. Until it ends up on our houseplants.

If a whitefly or its eggs are found on the leaves of a petunia, then urgent measures must be taken before bringing the plant pot into the house. The best place for him is a cold, bright window sill, a veranda, a glazed loggia (balcony), a bright basement, etc. We are not talking about specially equipped places and greenhouses, in which, with additional illumination and the required humidity, mother liquors are grown.

It seems that the petunia is at first thinking about how she will behave further. Sometimes it suddenly wakes up, gives new shoots and even blooms. Or stops growth, falling into hibernation until the end of winter. It is important to create conditions for petunias so that young shoots do not weaken the plant. No growth stimulants and fertilizers are used during this period. The exceptions are Zircon and Epin (only if necessary).

In March (sometimes from the end of February), the petunia container must be moved to the brightest place. It should be cool (not lower than +6°C). Set up watering and fertilizing. This mode allows the mother plant to grow so that in April it was possible to cut off full-fledged stem cuttings.

In winter, the condition of petunias sometimes deteriorates sharply. There are several reasons: either it is powdery mildew and its consequences, whitefly, etc. Often the plant loses strength in an insufficiently bright and warm room. Many troubles are associated with waterlogging of the soil. If the leaves dry up and fall off, and the stems turn black or dry out, then this clear sign: petunia feels very bad. Normally, only partial yellowing of the leaves.

Cuttings as a simple option for propagating petunias

The petunia is beautifully cut. Many times in the summer I stuck a broken flowering shoot into the soil, and it continued to live. This property is used by professionals and flower lovers, collecting "tribute" from mother liquors, in order to then propagate the variety they like. The cuttings are cut with and without a heel. Minimum size cuttings - 2 - 3 pairs of leaves.

There are no special tricks when rooting cuttings. They are planted to a depth of about 1.5 - 2 cm in a container filled with loose fertile soil, covered with a jar and kept in the light. In order for the cuttings to lose less moisture, it is enough to leave just a couple of leaves. The lower pair of leaves should be completely removed, it is better to shorten the upper leaves by ½.

Care is reduced to watering and airing. Condensation must not be allowed to form. A convenient mini-greenhouse is obtained from the upper part of the transparent plastic bottle, in the lid of which holes are made with a red-hot nail or drill. High transparent plastic cups with holes at the bottom can also be used as caps. But spraying cuttings with water should be treated with caution. Often, excessive dampness, rot and mold appear from this procedure. Some amateur flower growers root cuttings of petunias in jars of water.

The temperature at which rooting occurs is about 22 - 23 ° C. Well, if there is a bottom heating. For example, a battery located close to the windowsill. The first leaves of young shoots appear very quickly. No additional lighting or sunlight they grow weak. Rooted cuttings are pinched, which causes further tillering. During the winter, the stalk, which began to root in August - September, turns into a beautiful flowering bush. It is looked after as a light-loving houseplant.

You can try another way to keep petunias in winter. I picked it up quite by accident. It so happened that by August my petunia had grown into such huge bushes that they covered other flowers and took up too much space in the flower garden. I shortened them, and a bouquet of tops "thrust" in flower pot with garden soil. I put the pot near the house and from time to time watered the “bouquet” from the watering can. Petunia quickly rose, began to grow and continued to bloom. In September, I put the pot on the glazed loggia. In winter, I sprayed the petunia several times with a highly diluted solution of cheap (!) Washing powder. It can be replaced soda ash. I didn't want to use chemicals. This preventive measure avoided powdery mildew, the raid of which often appears in the autumn-winter period and destroys petunias. Most I cut off the buds so as not to weaken the plant. Separate flowers remained "for beauty". It would be possible to leave all the flowers and buds, but for this it would be necessary to organize a stronger backlight.

In May, I shortened some of the extended shoots of the "bouquet", having received many fresh cuttings. The overgrown petunia (the former "bouquet") was divided into several parts and transplanted into a flower garden. Petunia grows quickly and does not like crowding, so it is better to plant its rooted cuttings "for growth".

Conclusion

IN winter time petunia can be saved as mother plant for further rooting of her cuttings. Grown from rooted cuttings (cuttings are carried out in August - September), petunia becomes an elegant, beautifully flowering indoor plant, which can later be transplanted into a flower garden, flowerpot or hanging basket and cuttings from its shoots. The main problem associated with the health of petunias in the winter, I think. But this is already a consequence of some oversights in agricultural technology.

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