Petunia growing conditions. Petunias planting and care. Petunia in winter as a uterine and flowering houseplant. Cuttings of petunias

This is the plant loves loamy soil, but also takes root well in ordinary garden soil, a individual 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 noted 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. Seeds before it is better to mix 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 good lighting. As soon as small bushes appear and the roots get stronger, you can either continue growing in a 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. The seeds are sown in peat, the layer of peat in the 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

Behind the petunia will not require you special efforts. 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 viral diseases. There is no cure for them - your plant will die. Of the pests are dangerous spider mite, aphids, slugs and thrips.

Follow the simple rules for caring 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.

Question: Do petunias need pinching?

Answer: Petunia seedlings are very tender and fragile. It requires compliance with various agrotechnical rules. One of them is pinching a petunia. Many fans of this amazing plant handle pinching easily. They put a lot of effort and patience in order to grow a petunia and make it a decoration of a balcony, flower garden, house.

First of all, because the variety of colors and sizes of flowers, as well as their shape, distinguish this plant from all the others. The one who started growing one type of petunia, after a while, gets acquainted with its new and amazing varieties, giving them his heart.

Secondly, plentifully flowering plant feels great both in limbo and in pots, in flowerbeds, rabatka and in boxes filled with earthen substrate. And one more plus in her favor: she is not capricious in leaving.

pinching petunias It is one of the most important agricultural practices aimed at correct formation bush by increasing the number of side shoots. If this operation is neglected, then the plant may turn out to be elongated and look miserable.

Petunia pinching done for the first time, as soon as its tip grows eight centimeters long. Planting seedlings on permanent place, you need to feed and water the plant in a timely manner.

When the side shoots grow ten centimeters, it is recommended re-pinching petunias.

Although it is not necessary if, for example, a flower grows in limbo, and you want its shoots to be as long as possible. During the growing season, the subsequent pinching of the petunia is also done in cases where it is necessary to form a uniformly developing bush. In such cases, only shoots that are very elongated compared to other shoots need to be cut. However, the distance between plants also plays an important role in the formation of the bush. Densely planted seedlings will not be able to give good lateral shoots, even if the pinching of the petunia was carried out in a timely and correct manner. Choose the distance between plants according to the variety of petunia, following the recommendations on the seed package.

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YELLOWING OF LEAVES, CHLOROSIS:

Question: Why did the first pair of leaves turn yellow?

Answer: In our case there is a few reasons chlorous yellowing:

1. temperature violation:
in this case, a purple tan appears on the leaves and stems, and then yellowing.
Can be sprayed with any ammonium fertilizer in the appropriate dose. Just spray. If you are not a resident of the capital and you have problems with soluble ammonium fertilizers, take ammonia. 1 ml per 5 liters of water and per sheet. Well, eliminate the cause.

2. spider mite:
Oddly enough, even experienced gardeners forget that the tick easily settles on petunias and seedlings are massively damaged, which looks like chlorosis. If you are growing seedlings at home where there are flowers, the chances of a mite infestation are high. As a rule, such chlorosis is poorly treated with iron preparations.

3. iron deficiency or true chlorosis:
Remember that petunias (especially surfinias) and caliberhoa are sensitive to iron deficiency. Especially when growing them in pots!!! And the lack of iron does not mean that it is not enough in the soil, just the petunia is unable to absorb it from the soil. This happens in alkaline soil. Once again, I draw your attention to the fact that it is because of the alkalization of the soil that true chlorosis appears. I don't know where the myth about chlorosis and acidic soil comes from on the forums - obviously not from textbooks of botany.
Here it is necessary A complex approach. Tap water never has an acidic reaction (we also have hard water - increased chlorosis), which means you either plant the plant in acidic soil, or regularly acidify the water for irrigation. I try to choose fertilizers that are acidic. Your fertilizers should either include iron, or water with a specialized fertilizer for preventive purposes. At the slightest sign of iron deficiency - watering with special fertilizers.

Chlorosis in petunias appears due to a lack of iron, which ceases to be absorbed with an increase in pH above 6.3, that is, in the alkaline direction (we will not go into the difference between hardness and alkalinity). But by adding dolomite, you still increase the pH, thereby contributing to the appearance of chlorosis.

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PRESERVATION OF QUEEN BOARDS, CUTTINGS:

We start preparing queen cells from July.

We select healthy, well-formed plants and transfer them to 11 or 13 * cm pots, depending on the development of the root system.
Most comfortable spot for winter conservation petunia - the top well-lit and open on the south side of the rack, where you can provide good ventilation and maintain the temperature within 10-12 degrees Celsius.
In September, we pour a mixture of turf and humus earth (1: 2) onto the rack. We knock out mother liquors from pots and plant them in the soil of the rack, 12 pcs per 1 sq.m. Pre-cut off the upper parts of the shoots. In mid-December, the axillary buds of the queen cells begin to grow and by February they are overgrown with new shoots. We start the first cuttings on February 15th.
When calculating the number of plants left on the mother liquors, it is necessary to provide 10% for lunge during winter maintenance.
*/ - 11 cm pot - V - 0.5 l, diameter 11 cm, height 9 cm
- 13 cm pot - V - 0.9 l, diameter 13 cm, height 10 cm.

In January and February, the bushes are overgrown with new shoots; we begin the first removal of cuttings on February 15. Remember that from mid-February to May, no more than 25 cuttings can be cut from one mother plant. For March cuttings, we also use the tops of the shoots (5-6 cm long with 2-3 internodes), which we remove during molding pruning of rooted cuttings - one from each bush.

Before planting the cuttings, we disinfect the rooting rack, pour a 3 cm layer of high-moor peat, washed river sand on top of 2 cm. After abundant moistening, we compact the sand.
We do not clean the cuts of the cuttings, we do not cut the leaves, as usual when cutting, by half. We plant the cuttings on March 15 under the marker to a depth of 1.5 cm. The first batch of cuttings takes root in a month, and the next in 20 days. We pinch the rooted cuttings over the 3rd internode.

For planting rooted cuttings, we use an earthen mixture enriched with organic matter and minerals.
A month after cuttings (for the first batch on March 15), we plant the plants in pots (9 cm) without drainage, set them close to each other (100 pieces per 1 sq.m.), and a month later we arrange them (50 pieces per 1 sq.m.). 4 weeks after placement, petunias reach standard conditions and are ready for sale. We do not shade from direct sunlight and they form a compact bush with shortened internodes.

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FERTILIZERS, STIMULANTS:

Question: How to breed "Epin" to spray seedlings, and how do you store the solution?

Answer: 4 drops in a glass of water (250 ml).

If a large volume is not needed, 1 ml is “sucked” with an insulin syringe (it is 1 ml), I squeeze out 4 drops per glass, I store the rest in the syringe, removing air as much as possible, in the dark and in the refrigerator.
More: epin is destroyed in an alkaline environment, and tap water- all neutral. Either acidify (ascorbic acid, lemon), or melt the snow.

* * *

Question: What should prevail in fertilizers during the period:

a) growing seedlings
b) before flowering
c) during flowering.

Answer: 1) When the root and cotyledons appear and before the first pick, we need calcium nitrate - it is responsible for the skeleton of the plant.

At this point, exclude phosphorus - because phosphorus and ammonium nitrogen contribute to the stretching and lodging of seedlings.
That is, we get watering every other time with "Calcium nitrate" and "Fertilizer with trace elements" where nitrogen: phosphorus: potassium are contained in a ratio of 20:10:20. Of the fertilizers you suggested, this is the Flower fertilizer N-18%, P2O5 - 6%, K2O -18%.

2) After the first pick (transplantation, transshipment), i.e. damage to the root, it is necessary to give phosphorus so that the roots develop well.
You can "Monophosphate", or you can "Aquarin "Super" N-18%, P2O5 - 18%, K2O - 18%, MgO - 2%, S - 1.5% + a complex of trace elements in chelated form

4) Before planting, to accelerate flowering, you can give foliar top dressing with 1% boron.

5) After disembarkation - see point 2.

6) During flowering - an increased dose of potassium is needed
from what you suggested - this corresponds to the fertilizer
"Flower" N-13%, P2O5 - 5%, K2O - 25%, MgO - 2% + a complex of trace elements in a chelated form. Ideally, of course, 15:5:30, I would add Potassium nitrate to this fertilizer for myself, but nothing.

About dosages - I wrote about doses in phases 2-3 in previous series, and starting from 5-6 sheets - the dosage is the same as in adults.

* * *

Question: For some reason, petunias from one bag develop differently. Two out of 5 are ok. 2 froze and do not grow. 1 did not germinate.

Those that do not grow are already far behind. Perhaps they are overboard? Since they are so weak and do not grow, then there will be no sense from them.

Answer: Try to "disperse" the lagging behind.

I do like this: I dilute 1 ml of cyanocobolamin (vit B 12) in a glass of water and drop 1 drop on the seedlings with a pipette, such as top dressing on the leaves.

You just need to do it carefully, the seedlings are scanty, they are easy to turn out or nail to the ground. As a rule, such stimulation helps those who are lagging behind to recover.

If you need carpet then choose ground cover plants:

Ramblin or Tidal Wave can occupy an area of ​​1 sq. m. Planting distance 70-80 cm. A pot for growing seedlings is at least 2 liters!!! Otherwise, they will recover for half a month and still will not show their full power.

Petunias are nightshade, but in their characteristics are closer to peppers than to tomatoes and they, like peppers, to get good harvest, you need to provide a decent childhood.

* * *

Question: How to dilute calcium nitrate for plants?

In stage 2-3, i.e. the cotyledons are the first leaf. I start feeding at the same time with fertilizer for seedlings "Aquarin" or calcium nitrate in a very low concentration - 25 ppm. How to breed - Aquarin - 20 g package, I breed 20 g in a 2 liter bottle - this uterine solution(1000 ppm), then I dilute the mother liquor with water in a ratio of 1:39. Technically, if you don’t have tools, this can be done like this: measure out 1 cap of stock solution and 39 caps of water, when 1-2 real leaves appear, the concentration can be increased to 75 ppm, this is about 1:14. When 3-4 true leaves appear and the root is outside the tablet (first transplant), they can be fed simply with mother liquor.

In fact, breeding and fertilizing petunias is very simple:

For bush - 0.2% - 2-3 times a week,

Ampelous - 0.1% with each watering.

For seedlings - 2-3 phase - 0.02% - 1 time per week and from 4 phases (3-4 real leaves) also 0.2%. And 0.2% is 2 g per 1 liter of water.

Problems begin when you do not have instruments, even the simplest scales. Then in a volumetric ratio, as I wrote above. With liquid fertilizers - it's even easier.

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 reduce 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. She's different 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 look at the most interesting varieties mint, and also talk about the features of growing this plant in the open field.

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 in next year. Crocuses are one of the most early 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.

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Salmon backbone baked in Provence herbs - "supplier" delicious pieces 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 the flesh of salmon and pieces of mushrooms.

Conifer tree or a shrub on the site is always great, and a lot of conifers is 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 Country 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!

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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 growing conditions. Characteristics of eggplant varieties "Diamond", "Black Handsome" and "Valentina". All eggplants have pulp medium density. In "Almaz" it is greenish, and in the other two it is yellowish-white. They are united by good germination and excellent yield, but in different time. Everyone's skin color and shape is different.

Self-growing petunias from seeds at home is difficult for many summer residents. Lack of knowledge and fear of experimenting make you spend family budget for the purchase of finished 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. Then start collecting seed material located in 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 seed boxes to appear. To harvest planting material, leave the ovaries on lower tiers plants. 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 during the whole 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-collecting seed collected from bushes of hybrid varieties and growing it will not allow you to save 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 features plants.

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 disease.

Varietal characteristics of a flower culture should also be considered when trying to grow from seeds. If you pay attention to bags with seed sold in garden centers, then you can pay attention that petunias of 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 at different times. 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 south side, 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 early growing light-loving petunia, without additional illumination, will not allow you to get a 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 petunias for garden cultivation, you can only get 50% of seedlings. In order for the seeds to germinate and give life to beautiful flowers, they must 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 must be dark pink shade. Then at 0.5 liter jar pour water and gradually add the contents of the glass 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. Insofar as flower culture 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 nutrient soil it will be fluffy 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 from the edges free space. 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.

In the second stage of growing seedlings, fold White list 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 the 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 warmth, so the air 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. Just young plants develop for a very long time root system. 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'll tell you about common mistakes beginner 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 "A profusely flowering mixture of colors" and "Multi-flowered white icing» series «Leader» from «Aelita», photo in the beginning of 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, as well as 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 - high-quality. 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 light up with a regular lamp daylight. 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 microelement to use in which period of growth - phosphorus, boron or other elements of the periodic table, then at least use Fertika 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 sunny balcony. If the petunia began to lie down from black leg- Treat her with Fitosporin.
4. Any foliar top dressing do it in cloudy weather, do not put the plants directly 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 return frosts- and wait ... But still they don’t give petunias 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 organic matter, 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 a maximum 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 "favorite" mistake of mine is to set the petunias in the flowerpot so that they are too low from mounting hole, and new lateral shoots stuck under it, not climbing up into the light.