Petunia planting and care in open ground. Decorating flower beds of petunias in the garden: photos and examples

Petunia is a flowering flora belonging to the large family of nightshade plants. The plant has 35 species of petunias, which originate from South America. Petunia was introduced to Europe in the 19th century, where it instantly gained popularity as a low-maintenance ornamental garden plant.

Petunia shows the best results when planted in well-drained fertile soil. soil, in areas, which provide a minimum of 5-6 hours of sun per day. The flower does not tolerate cold weather.

However, many varieties are so unpretentious that if you plant petunia in open ground with the first rays of sun in early April, the plant will germinate and delight you with magnificent flowers.

Petunia is stunning in its variety of colors and blends harmoniously with all the summer flowers on the site. Petunias are grown for their decorative flowers, which are available in various colors and shapes. Petunia will add color to a flower bed, decorate balconies, fill with color summer cottages. Abundant flowering bright inflorescences delight throughout the summer season.

The name "petunia" comes from the word "petun", which means "tobacco" in the Brazilian Tupi-Guarani language. These two types of plants are genetically related and can be crossed. Giving petunia plants as a gift sends the message: "I'm furious." Petunia flowers are edible. Their flowers have a sweet and spicy taste.

Although the plants are technically perennials, in general garden petunias are more often grown as annuals; its flowers bloom profusely from early spring until the first frost. The plant grows in temperate climates and does not tolerate shade. The flowers range from pure white to deep crimson or purple and are often dyed or dried in contrasting colors. There are one- and two-color varieties. Garden Petunia are annuals, which means they complete their life cycle already in a year.

The size of petunia depends on the diversity of the variety group and grows from 10 to 15 centimeters in height. The main two varieties of petunia are bush and ampelous. Bush varieties are excellent in flower bed decoration. The hanging variety resembles a “waterfall” of flowers, which looks great suspended and participates in the formation of summer cottage compositions.

In gardening, petunia is divided into two general types: the compact, bushy type and the cascading, vertical type. bush flower suitable for summer garden beds, and stretches well over a long balcony with a variety of ampelous petunia, which grows to about 46 cm in length and is often tucked into hanging baskets and window boxes in street cafes.

The stem of Petunia is strewn with green leaves covered with small “hairs”. The leaves may be heart-shaped or ovate and alternately arranged on the stem. Some types of petunias produce a sticky sap that coats the leaves and creates a "sticky feel." The sticky substance protects the plant from insects and other pests that could harm it.

Petunia (petunia) can produce single or double flowers, depending on the variety. The flowers are tubular and are available in almost all colors (except blue). The most popular types of petunias are white, yellow, red, pink or purple. Petunia flowers can also be multi-colored, variegated and striped.

Types of Petunias Plants

There are four main types of petunia plants: Grandiflora, Multiflora, Milliflora and Spreading (Wave Hedgiflora). All four of these are readily available in series, which are groups of plants of similar size and flowering ability. The only one hallmark is the range of flower sizes and the different palette of petunia colors in each series.

Petunia blooms in early spring and does not lose color until late autumn. Insects happily participate in the pollination process of petunias, enjoying the sweet nectar. Reproduction of most petunia species is spread through seeds. All petunia species can be divided into 4 main groups: grandiflora, hedgiflora, multiflora and milliflora.

Grandiflora is the most popular and most commonly cultivated type of petunia. This type of petunias produces large flowers in a variety of colors and shapes. Despite their large size, these plants are delicate and sensitive to heavy rainfall.
Hedgiflora is a type of spreading petunia that grows quickly and covers large areas of soil in a short period of time. This type of petunia produces many flowers that can completely cover the foliage underneath.
The multiflora type includes compact petunias that are usually half the size of the grandiflora type. The plants are hardy and capable of producing flowers in both hot dry and rainy wet seasons. The flowers are usually white, yellow, pink, dark red and purple.
Petunias (Petunias) phylum milliflora produce the smallest flowers. Small-flowered variety. Petunia milliflora- queen of fragrance. Typically only 2.5 centimeters wide, they are brightly colored and grow in abundance. This type of petunias blooms even without pruning.

Petunia care and cultivation

The art and skill of how to grow petunias can provide your garden with vibrant, continually blooming flowers from early spring until the first frost. Bush petunias grow in a variety of colors; the palette completely covers the requests of designers for cultivating them in flower beds, front gardens, window boxes and other containers. Cascade (ampeled) varieties are in an advantageous light and look great in hanging baskets.

1. Choose your favorite petunia flower.

There are at least a hundred names of varieties of petunias, but all plants are easily divided into four main categories, which differ in the size of the inflorescence and the intensity of growth. Some types of petunias grow better in pots, others do well in containers, and others are better suited for the garden. The main varieties of petunia: Grandiflora, Multiflora, Milliflora, Ground cover petunia.

Grandiflora unpretentious variety with the most big flowers, is the most favorite type of petunia among gardeners. Grandiflora can bloom with either single or double flowers. Available in both vertical and cascade versions.
Multiflora petunias has smaller but masses of flowers and the clusters provide the lawn with incredible bursts of color.
Milliflora - flowers will fly along the ground, have small in size. The plant's growth direction is very easy to control, making them great for edging borders.
Ground cover petunia. Ground cover petunias spread and stretch along the ground, from window boxes and quickly cover large spaces. A developed root system requires abundant and frequent watering.

2. Choose a specific petunia variety.

Having decided on the type, we begin to choose a variety of petunia; you need to choose a variety of petunia that grows well in your area. To do this, it is better to consult with sellers at local garden centers.

Select seedlings with healthy leaves and visible fresh growth. Contrary to popular belief, plants with the most big amount the colors on them are not the ones you should choose. Instead, choose plants that have multiple flowers and a lot of shrubby growth potential.
Choose petunia plants for replanting that are young and compact (not tall and long), they will develop better.

3. Select an appropriate planting location.

All types of petunias require at least five to six hours of direct sunlight per day; for the remaining time, petunias grow quietly in shaded areas. The soil needs to be well drained, and the soil should not be particularly rich in nutrients. Petunias do well in containers and open ground garden

If you plan to grow petunias in containers, it is better to use a soilless mixture. It is enough to pour peat bog, compost fertilizers, sawdust into the pot and add inorganic components: sand and expanded clay.

4. Prepare the soil for planting.

It is necessary to dig up the soil so that it becomes soft and loose (allowing for better drainage). For petunias, it is important that the soil can be conditioned and fertilized. Before planting in open ground, level the soil with organic matter, for example, greasy peat moss, leaf compost or well-rotted manure. You want to spread the organic matter evenly to a thickness of about 5-7cm.

Fill the soil with organic matter using a garden fork to a depth of about 20 centimeters. This will contribute to the destruction of heavy clay soils, which will improve drainage. In sandy soils this will increase the potential for moisture and nutrient retention.
Modern, balanced fertilizers will also help improve the soil in your garden. From the beginning of spring until mid-July, you can use a pre-diluted fertilizer in liquid designed specifically for flowering plants. It should be applied approximately every three weeks (weekly watering is acceptable to help petunias spread as quickly as possible).
If you are using a windowsill box or container, you will need to mix the fertilizer with a soilless compound.

5. Maintain spacing between petunia seedlings

Petunia seedlings are planted at a distance of 30 cm from each other, provided they are placed on the sunny side. If the shaded side of the garden is prepared for planting, then plant the petunias closer to each other - a sufficient interval of 25 cm. Some exceptions to this rule:

The petunia variety Milliflora can be located closer to each other than other types - 10-15 cm between flowers is enough.
On the other hand, ground cover “wave” petunias should be spaced up to 0.45 m apart.

6. Plant petunias at the right time of year.

Planting should be done with the arrival of early spring, this will make it easier for them to acclimatize to outdoors. If you are planting your petunia seedlings in open ground, you must be sure they are not frost-free (otherwise, you will need to cover them at night to protect them from freezing temperatures).

It is better to wait until the soil temperature is 15 degrees Celsius. Planting in soil at a lower temperature may result in petunia not blooming.
If it’s hot outside, be sure to prepare shaded areas for planting petunias. Although flowers love and thrive in plenty of sun, too much sun has a negative effect on flowering.

Growing petunias from seed

1. Buy petunia seeds.

Petunias are not easy to grow from seed, but it can definitely be done. Of course, the decision to plant seeds will result in you being able to grow more petunia seedlings at an incredibly low cost! To get cheaper seedlings, start 10-12 weeks before you plan to plant your petunias (early spring, usually March, is best for planting seeds).

Try to get granular seeds from the store because they are easier to handle, especially for inexperienced gardeners. Petunia seeds are incredible small size, they are difficult to manage, be patient.

2. Prepare the seeds for germination.

Petunia seeds require special conditions for germination. As long as the plants are indoors, they need warm and bright conditions of 21 to 29 degrees.

Spread the tiny seeds on top of fresh, moist soil or use a special type of bog, peat soil sphagnum moss. Make sure you spread the seeds sparingly so they don't intrude on each other as they try to grow.
Press down on the seeds with a damp cloth and gently moisten them with a fine spray from a spray bottle, without pushing them deeper into the soil.
Cover the seedlings with plastic wrap and store in a bright, warm place, but avoid contact with direct sun rays until the seeds begin to germinate (sprouts appear from the ground approximately seven to ten days after planting).

3. Take care of the sprouted petunia.

When the seedlings begin to sprout, the transparent plastic film should be removed. Once germinated, move the seedlings to a cooler area with bright light. Petunia germinates, as we noticed, approximately seven to ten days after planting the seeds.

Move the sprouts to a brighter but cooler location once they have sprouted. The best daytime growing temperature is 17.8 degrees C, night temperatures can drop to 12 – 14 degrees C.
It is better to water petunia sprouts with a spray bottle, gently once every few days.

4. Place the germinated petunia seeds under fluorescent lights.

The distance from the lamp to the green leaves of the petunia should be in the range of 10 to 15 cm. The timer should be set to turn on the light so that the lamp burns from 16 to 18 hours a day.

As the petunia grows, raise the light fixture; there should always be a distance of 10 to 15 cm between the sprouts and the lamp.
You should not purchase an expensive lighting device, especially for growing plants. Regular fluorescent lamps will do the job well.
Make sure the plants are directly under the light from the lamps (as opposed to when they were germinating and you were hiding the seeds from direct sunlight)

5. Transplanting seedlings.

You will know it is time to transplant the seedlings when they have three true green leaves. It's time to put each one on its own peat pot or package.

Treat the flowers with diluted liquid fertilizer until the danger of frost has passed and you can plant your petunia outdoors.
Do not forget that plants need to be planted in moderately fertile, well-drained soil.

6. Young plants need hardening.

Place young petunias outside on sunny and warm days. When the sun goes down and the temperature starts to drop, bring them back inside to keep the sprouts warm.

With the arrival of constant warmth, you can plant petunias outdoors. It is best to repot plants on cloudy days because the hot sun can shock the young shoots.

Caring for blooming petunias

1. It is necessary to encourage the growth of the flower. Depending on the type of petunia, you may need to periodically remove fading buds and pinch them a little. Thus, new shoots stimulate the growth of side shoots with further flowering. Pinching also helps increase the number of flowers.

In varieties grandifloras and multifloras, as they reach a height of 15 cm, shoots should be pinched off, encouraging more fast maturation flowering shoots.
Unlike "grandiflora" and "multiflora", avoid pinching milliflora or "wave groundcover" petunias.
Support the continuous flowering of petunias throughout the summer by removing faded flowers (dead inflorescences). The entire structural part of the flower must be removed, including the stem, up to the next “node” (or relief) of the leaves.
Multifloras do not need to remove wilted buds. Simply trim the plant back by a third if it becomes too sickly and not blooming, this will stimulate new growth and give the plant some vigor.

2. Give petunias fertilizer in the required amount. To keep your petunia healthy, do not overload it with fertilizers. If your petunia's foliage looks healthy and vigorous, but your petunia is not blooming or blooming profusely, you simply need to reduce the amount of fertilizer.

A great idea is to add a little fertilizer to the soil every month, this will ensure good growth without excessive one-time application of fertilizers.
Advice - for multi-colored varieties, the dose of fertilizer is doubled.

3. Organize proper watering petunias. Most types of petunias tolerate water quite easily. A thorough watering about once a week should be good enough, unless the weather is incredibly dry. The soil after watering should be moist at a depth of 15 to 20 cm.

Ground cover petunia is watered more often (more than once a week).
Petunias in containers also require more watering depending on their size and the volume of soil the beds contain. Petunias in containers often need to be watered daily.
A good watering rule is to allow the soil to dry out at the top an inch or two before watering them again.

Problems with petunia and their elimination

1. Take control of garden pests. As soon as you notice signs of aphids and caterpillars, other pests that can destroy your petunias, you need to get rid of them immediately so that the petunias continue to bloom.

If you see that you have aphids, be sure to get rid of them by spraying a strong stream of water directly on the petunias. Continue doing this until the aphids are gone.
Monitor plants for black droppings. Watch for the formation of holes in the leaves and buds. The discovery of such evidence indicates that the caterpillars have chosen garden petunias. An environmentally friendly insecticide can save the situation; immediately treat the affected areas with it.

2. Organize uniform watering. Sometimes new flowers begin to wither before they actually bloom. This happens because you are not watering your petunias evenly. It is necessary to allow the soil to dry and begin to water thoroughly.

Make sure you water the soil at the base of the plant and the leaves of the plant.

3. Avoid petunia diseases. There is only so much you can do about diseases like soft rot and mold. However, if you live in a rainy area, you can experiment and plant a wet-tolerant multiflora, or one of the other types of petunias.

It is very important that you do not overwater your petunias. This can lead to problems with soft rot and mold.

Tip: If you want to add variety to your petunias' color scheme, note that varieties with purple flowers tend to be more rapid growth, and for example yellow flowers– less energetic, difficulties in their joint growth are possible.

Petunia is perennial Solanaceae family. Often grown as an annual. There are many varieties of petunias, which differ from each other in color and shape of flowers. It can have the following colors: red, yellow, white, cream, blue, cyan, purple and many other shades.

The shape of petunia is:

ampelous;
bush;
cascading

Bushes can be miniature (up to 30 cm), or they can reach 70 cm.

REFERENCE! Petunia is a “relative” of tobacco. Her homeland is South America. It was brought to Europe in the 18th century.

Features of growing outdoors

Petunia is a fairly heat-loving plant. However, some varieties and hybrids can tolerate cold weather. As a rule, in central Russia it is planted in open ground in the second half of May. Flowering seedlings can be planted earlier - at the end of April or the first half of May. Open ground petunia pleases with its flowering from mid-summer to late autumn.

Petunia can be planted in the ground with seeds and seedlings. The second option is most often used. In the initial stages, it is easier for a novice gardener to purchase ready-made seedlings.

To plant petunias, you must choose a bright, windless area. It tolerates partial shade well. A few days before planting the seedlings, you need to fertilize the soil with humus, and 3 to 4 days before, it is recommended to take them outside. Planting is carried out in the evening or on a warm cloudy day.

The distance between the holes depends on the plant variety. Optimal distance between them:

18 – 20 cm – small varieties;
20 – 25 cm – large varieties;
25 – 35 cm – bush varieties.

Before removing the seedlings from the container, you must first water it well. They are planted in the hole together with a lump of earth. The soil around the seedling is compacted and watered abundantly with warm water, and peat or humus is sprinkled on top. The first couple of days after planting, petunia should be protected from direct sunlight.

ATTENTION! You should not fertilize the beds with fresh manure before planting petunias, as it can provoke fungal diseases.

How to care for a flower?

The right one includes the following key aspects:

Loosening.
Formation of a bush (and).

The above aspects of caring for petunia are relevant at any time of the year, however, each period has its own characteristics.

We talked in detail about caring for a flowering plant, and from here you will learn what to do if petunia does not bloom.

In August

An important element of caring for petunia is, which is produced in August. During this period, the plant spends a lot of energy on producing seeds. It is necessary to remove all faded flowers from the bush. If the petunia shoots have grown greatly and become heavy, they also need to be pruned. This will give the bush an aesthetic appearance and have a positive effect on its general condition. Trimming can be done with scissors or carefully removed excess hands.

What to do in the fall?

At the end of August - beginning of September, the petunia must be dug up along with a lump of earth and transplanted into pots. Their diameter must be at least 15 cm. Dried leaves and sprouts must be removed. Experienced gardeners recommend cutting the shoots, leaving 10 - 15 cm of their length.

After placing pots with plants in a cool room, you need to provide them with care. Behind autumn period the plants will take root well and will be able to survive the winter.

is to ensure optimal temperature conditions. The air temperature in the room should be + 10 – 12 degrees. If it is higher than these indicators, it is necessary to provide it with illumination for up to 12 hours daily. Those. The higher the temperature, the more light the plant needs.

Water petunia in winter period necessary as needed. If the leaves begin to fall, this is a signal for action.

Fertilizing is done rarely in winter, about a couple of times during the entire period with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. At the same time, spider mite treatment is carried out several times with special preparations.

IMPORTANT! In winter, petunia may look wilted and weakened. But don't discount it. In spring, the plant will again delight you with its healthy appearance.

in spring

Caring for petunia in the spring involves preparing it for propagation by cuttings. This will be discussed below.

Possible problems and illnesses

The most common pests and diseases for petunias are:

Aphid. The main symptoms of aphids are leaf deformation and wilting. It can be diagnosed by the appearance of shiny dew. In such cases, it is necessary to treat the plant with special means (for example, Aktara, Taran, Kemifos).
Whitefly. Appears on the lower parts of leaves and resembles a moth. It leads to wilting and yellowing of leaves. Treated against whiteflies with Taran or Aktara.
Spider mite. The leaves of affected plants lighten and subsequently become covered with dark spots. To combat ticks, treat with Demitan or Apollo.
Powdery mildew. Plants affected by this disease are covered with a white coating. New leaves grow curled and old leaves fall off. The main reason for the appearance of fungus is incorrect. Plants are treated with fungicides (Prognoz, Vitaros, Previkur).

After wintering, you need to take care of replanting petunia from pots, or rather, its propagation. To do this you need:

Reproduction

Petunia can be propagated by cuttings in the summer.

From a healthy plant, lateral cuttings (7–10 cm) with 3–4 true leaves are cut.
The cuttings are planted in separate pots, watered and covered with jars. It is necessary to maintain optimal soil moisture and carry out regular ventilation. Favorable temperature for rooting is 22 - 23 degrees Celsius.
After the leaves have formed, they are pinched and then planted in open ground.

The process of growing petunia cannot be called quite easy, since there are many nuances and difficulties in this matter. However, when the right approach and following the recommendations, this is quite possible. And then all the work and effort will pay off with the wonderful flowering of petunia.

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There is no flower lover who has never heard of petunia. This is a rather unpretentious flower, growing both in city flower beds and in garden plots. The wide variety of shades and shapes of petunia inflorescences amazes almost all flora lovers with their beauty.

The birthplace of this magnificent flower are the tropics of South America. The branches of the plant grow to different lengths depending on the growth form. Bush forms they grow 70 cm in height, and some varieties of ampelous petunias have a flowering branch length of up to 2 m. These nightshade family have various forms of growth - ampelous, bush and cascade.

The colors are so varied that they can satisfy the most demanding gardener: white, red, purple, black, blue, yellow and cream.

There are star-shaped inflorescences of two colors. But in order for a flower to delight us with its long flowering, we must adhere to certain rules caring for him.

The plant began to be cultivated at the dawn of the 17th century, and since that time breeders have developed many hybrid varieties. But all of them can be divided into certain types.

Multiflora

This species has small flowers, but large quantities located on the bush. Flowering continues for a long time. The flower loves the sun and does not respond to short-term cold snaps or prolonged rains. Planting it in flower beds results in a wonderful flowering carpet.

Large-flowered

It has flowers reaching up to 12 cm in diameter. They are either fringed or double. Varieties of this species are demanding to care for and are often used for planting in flowerpots on balconies and open terraces.

Floribunda

Quite unpretentious and with very large inflorescences. With its help, large flower beds and other flower meadows are decorated.

Ampelnaya

It is often used in various design solutions. The length of the lashes stretching upward reaches a meter in length. It looks good planted around various ponds and in rock gardens.

Cascade

This species also has long branches, reaching 2 m in length, but the direction of growth of the branches differs from the ampelous petunia. And the growth of the stem is observed not only in length, but also in different directions from it.

Terry

There’s no point in arguing about the beauty of the blossoming bud; the bush itself is not very tall, growing only 30 cm. Flowers different colors with corrugated edges.

Fantasy - this variety has 9 hybrids of small stature. The size of the flower when fully opened is 4 cm, and the presence of shades is amazing: red with a white center, raspberry, salmon, pink with a cream center.
Plumcrystals - this varietal series has 13 hybrids with flowers up to 10 cm in diameter. The flowers have different colors from lilac-pink to white and burgundy.
Pikoti - there are only 4 hybrids in the series with corrugated petals with a white border along the edge. The bush grows to a height of up to 25 cm, compact in shape. The flowers are red, crimson, pink and blue-violet.

Growing from seeds

Now in the spring a wide variety of petunia seedlings are sold. But there are lovers who like to grow it through seedlings, going through all the stages of growing a wonderful flower.

Seeds are collected either from your own flowers or purchased in a store. If you have your own flowers and it is possible to collect seeds, then they are collected from the lower buds since the seeds ripen 2 months after the bud begins to open. The seeds are in a box and the quantity in one seed box reaches 100 pieces.

In order for growing seedlings to be successful, you need to have a mini-greenhouse with you, which is not difficult to make from a five-liter plastic water bottle. To do this, place it on the side and cut along the bottle, but not all the way, leaving a small uncut part on the back wall. The lower part is filled with nutrient substrate, and the upper part serves as a greenhouse lid. To ensure that it fits tightly to the bottom, it is attached with a small piece of tape. Or you can just use film, as shown in the photo below.

Since flower seeds are sown at the end of winter, then if sunny days are not yet available in the region, then measures must be taken to provide additional lighting for the greenhouse. Otherwise, the seedlings will stretch out and there is a possibility of infection with blackleg.

The seeds are carefully laid out in rows on the surface of the soil and lightly sprayed with water, after which the greenhouse is closed to create greenhouse conditions. There is a second option for moisturizing - this is spreading snow in a small layer on the surface of the ground with seeds already spread on it.

They ventilate the greenhouse twice a day so that the seeds do not suffocate, but it is no longer worth watering them since the soil in the greenhouse remains wet for a long time.

The soil itself for sowing seeds is prepared according to the following scheme:

part of the leaf soil;
part of the turf land;
part of humus soil;
part of peat and sand, taken in half.

A week later, friendly shoots appear; when watering the seedlings, you need to wipe the walls of the greenhouse to remove excess moisture - condensation. When 4 true ones are well developed on the plants sheet plates, they are carefully transplanted into separate 200 gr. cups. A week after picking, they begin to feed the seedlings alternately with root and extra-root fertilizers.

I would like to add that the seeds will not produce an exact copy of the mother plant, but will produce a plant that vaguely resembles it. Since varietal characteristics are not preserved during seed propagation.

Seedlings are planted in the ground, focusing on the period when the threat of return frosts has passed in the region. For some it will be the May holidays, and for others only the first days of June.

Cuttings

Each growing method has its own advantages and disadvantages. Plant cuttings are carried out in the same way as propagation by seeds in late winter and early spring. To do this, first of all, you need to have a mother bush, from which small cuttings will be cut. All cut cuttings are planted in a greenhouse, where the air temperature does not fall below 21 degrees Celsius.

The soil in the greenhouse should mainly consist of peat and a small amount of turf soil. The planted shoots are not watered to prevent excessive moisture from causing them to rot. When the top layer of soil dries, it is sprayed with a fine spray bottle. After about a month, the cuttings take root and can be planted in open ground.

Before planting seedlings and cuttings, you need to harden them - this will lead to better survival in open ground. To do this, seedlings begin to be brought out during the day in warm weather. closed terrace or just outside and place it in light shade.

The first walking of seedlings lasts for 2 hours. Gradually, over the course of a week, the walking period increases to 8 hours, after which they are left outside to spend the night. And don’t forget about timely watering of seedlings.

Features of flower care

Nothing special needs to be taken care of:

timely watering;
loosening the soil;
removal of weeds.

Planting petunia in open ground

As already mentioned, seedlings are planted in open ground hardened and after the onset of stable heat. Eat important feature– compost or humus must be added to the holes before planting the seedlings.

It is impossible to use pure manure, since not only can the root system of the seedlings burn out, but along with the manure various bacteria will enter the soil, which can lead to flower disease.

Small-flowered petunia is planted at a distance of 15 cm from each other, and large-flowered petunia at a distance of up to 30 cm. When planting flowering flower seedlings, you can be sure that if they are properly cultivated, they will bloom until the first frost.

Any planting of seedlings is best done on cloudy days. If these are not expected, then it is worth planting in the evening with the setting sun to facilitate the survival of the seedlings.

Place for a flower bed

In order for the flower to develop well, before planting it in open ground, you need to choose the right place where the flower bed with the planted seedlings will be located. The place can be completely sunny or with light shade from the crown of a tree. Any soil will do, as long as there is no stagnation of moisture. Blooming petunia will look very beautiful near rose bushes, while at the same time scaring away various pests from it.

Watering

The flower likes moderate watering, but does not like bays that lead to waterlogging of the soil. The flooded flower wilts and may no longer return to normal. Watering time is either early morning or evening after the sun drops below the horizon. When watering at midday, the flower will get burned and die, as it will not be able to absorb oxygen from the affected leaf plates.

During prolonged rainy periods, petunia planted in a hanging pot may die from excess moisture, so the pots are removed and brought under the canopy of the veranda.

When watering the flower beds, you must try not to get on the flowers, since in this case they will lose their appearance and the bush will look disheveled and you will have to wait for new buds to bloom.

Feeding bushes

Feed flower plantings alternately once a week organic fertilizers with minerals. The vegetative mass of the plant develops very well if it is occasionally watered with humate.

Trimming

Only bush petunias are pruned, after which the bushiness of the plant increases. Ampelous and cascading ones do not respond to pruning, continuing to grow with one lash.

Seed collection

The most important thing here is not to miss the ripening time of the flower’s seed capsule. When the box is fully ripe, it opens and the seeds scatter around the mother plant. Therefore, half-ripe boxes are cut with scissors, placed in cardboard boxes and the flower type is labeled. Store at room temperature indoors for about 4 months, during which they will ripen. Seed germination lasts 4 years.

To choose the right quality plant seeds in the store, you need to pay attention to the fact that high-quality seeds are packaged in bags of 5 pieces. Price good seeds can't be the cheapest.

Diseases affecting petunia

If you follow the rules of cultivation, then diseases should not manifest themselves. But if the bushes begin to turn yellow and dry out, then you should find out the reason for its ill health.

Sometimes diseases such as:

late blight;
blackleg;
chlorosis;
gray rot.

When any disease occurs, the bush is removed and thrown into a trash container so as not to contaminate the ground around it. It would be better to shed the remaining flowers with a pink solution of potassium permanganate to avoid infecting other bushes.

Preserving a petunia bush in winter

The bush is saved in order to take cuttings of your favorite variety of petunia in winter. To do this, the faded bush is cut off almost at the root, leaving only 15 cm from each branch and dug up in the second half of October, at the same time replanting it in a flowerpot. After which the flowerpot is placed in a cool place, occasionally watering it during the winter period.

At the beginning of February, the pots with the plant are brought into warm room and put it on a bright window and after a while the pruned bush begins to grow overgrown with young shoots. These shoots can be used to produce new bushes.

All varieties of petunias look very beautiful in any landscape solutions. With the help of these flowers they create beautiful cascading walls blooming with flowers of different colors. It is planted around gazebos and along boulevards, receiving beautiful flower beds, filling a warm summer evening with an unforgettable aroma.

Petunia from sowing to flowering - you don’t even have to watch other videos about petunia!!!

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Petunia photo gallery

One of the most beautiful and common annual plants in flower beds is petunia. It's lush blooming whole season plant presented huge variety varieties. The choice of a suitable variety and the rules for growing petunia are described in this article.

Name

Petunia is a perennial flower from the Solanaceae family, represented by herbaceous and subshrub plants.

Origin

Petunia is native to the rainforests of South America. Under natural conditions, representatives of the genus reach a height of 15 cm to a meter, forming picturesque clumps of bright colors.

Description

There are about 30 species in the genus. Petunia has been cultivated for more than 250 years, mainly interspecific hybrids and plant varieties. In frosty winter conditions, petunia is grown in the garden as an annual. It is popular as a houseplant.

The plant is a branched herbaceous bush covered with small fluff. Stepchildren are formed in the axils of round or ovoid leaves, which are removed or left to give the bush splendor.

The flowers are large, funnel-shaped (simple or double, corrugated). The diameter of the corolla is 4–7 cm, in some varieties it is up to 15 cm. The coloring of modern varieties is strikingly diverse; the whole palette of colors is presented, from dazzling white to black and purple. There are two-color varieties, with stripes, strokes, and spots on the petals. Flowering is abundant and long lasting.

After flowering, a seed capsule is formed on the bush, shaped like an onion. The seeds are brown, small, and remain viable for several years.

Important! Not all modern petunia hybrids (especially those with variegated petals) retain their characteristics when propagated by seed. Such plants are propagated vegetatively, keeping the mother bush in a cool and bright room in winter. In the spring, cuttings are taken to produce new plants.

Types and varieties

All varieties of petunia are divided into:

bush forms, which, in turn, are divided into large-flowered and small-flowered plants;
ampelous;
cascading.

Petunia hybrid

Obtained from crossing different natural forms of the plant. It is a perennial, but is usually grown as an annual crop.

The plant is bushy, branched, up to 60 - 70 cm high; additional splendor is achieved by maintaining stepsons on the bush. The flowers are single, can be: simple, double, with a corrugated edge, up to 12 - 15 cm in diameter. Blooming petunia spreads a pleasant, unobtrusive aroma. Flowering is abundant and lasts from late May until frost.

There are several forms of hybrid petunia.

Ampelous petunia

The flower is characterized by the formation of long shoots covered with flowers that hang down. A rather demanding plant in terms of heat, nutrition and moisture. Used to decorate balconies and walls. Ampelous forms of petunia are planted in hanging planters, flowerpots. Varieties:

Cascade petunia

The plant is often confused with the hanging form. The difference lies in the shape of the bush. U cascading petunia The shoots first grow upward, then, under their own weight, fall down. The shoots of the plant are shorter and thicker than those of ampelous petunia. Varieties:

Choosing a place for a plant

For petunias, it is necessary to select well-lit areas protected from the wind. The delicate petals of the plant cannot withstand gusts of wind and quickly wither. The flower will be comfortable in a flower bed located near the wall of the building. Petunia is often planted at the foot of large perennials; the plants do not interfere with each other, and protection from the wind will not hurt for petunia.

The flower has become widespread as a potted crop. The plant feels comfortable in the limited space of the pot. Flowerpots or pots with petunias are displayed on balconies, terraces, and they decorate the walls of buildings and window sills.

Soil preparation

The plant places high demands on the structure and fertility of the soil. Petunia soil is suitable with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction, moisture-intensive and loose, with a high humus content. Light fertile loams meet these requirements.

Heavy soils are corrected by adding significant doses of sand (up to 10 kg per square meter) and humus (6 - 8 kg). Sandy soils are improved by adding rotted manure and turf soil.

For planting plants in pots and flowerpots, the following composition of the soil mixture is used: peat, humus, sand and turf soil in equal parts. For better moisture retention in an earthen coma, experienced flower growers It is recommended to add hydrogel to the soil. Additionally, a mineral fertilizer complex for petunias is applied, normally according to the instructions.

Care

Petunia needs careful care, only then will it show itself in all its glory. The soil in the flower garden is kept free of weeds and is regularly loosened shallowly.

Water petunia only with water heated in the sun, strictly at the root, twice a week. In hot weather, flowering plants require daily evening watering.

Flower feeding is applied twice a month in the form of liquid solutions. Immediately after planting the seedlings, the main element in the fertilizer is nitrogen. It is responsible for the active growth of green mass.

During the period of budding and flowering, petunias are fed with a predominance of phosphorus and potassium. It is convenient to use ready-made complexes for petunias or universal flower fertilizers (Pokon, Kemira Lux, Raduga, Fertika).

To preserve the decorative appearance of petunia bushes, faded buds are removed from the plant. Ampelous and cascading forms of plants can be formed by cutting, giving them the desired shape.

Pests, diseases

Petunia is a delicate plant that is affected by a number of ailments.

spreads in damp and cold summers. At risk are densely planted plants that receive watering not at the roots, but at the foliage. A fungal disease is manifested by the appearance of a whitish coating on the leaves and stems of the plant.
The affected parts of the plant are removed, densely planted bushes are planted. Petunia is treated with Topaz solution or another similar fungicide, spraying the plant generously.
Blackleg. A frequently occurring fungal disease on flower seedlings. Brown or black constrictions form on the stems of young plants, at soil level. The bush falls and dries up.
The fight against blackleg consists of prevention: watering the seedlings only with warm water, with the addition of potassium permanganate crystals. After watering, the soil is loosened, sprinkled with dry calcined sand or sifted wood ash.
Late blight. The disease occurs on weakened plants during cold nights and growth. At the first signs of the disease, petunia is sprayed with Profit and Ridomil. Preventive treatments with garlic infusion or whey solution will help.
A strong and robust plant has good immunity and is able to resist pathogens. By providing the petunias with enough light, nutrition and moisture, the gardener will not have to treat the plants.

A number of pests are not averse to feasting on the flower.

Reproduction

Petunia is most often propagated by seeds. You can collect them from your flowers yourself (they have time to ripen in the middle zone) or buy them in a store.

Petunia seeds are very small, sometimes seed producers process them. Dried seeds are easier to sow; their coating of fertilizer allows the plant to receive nutrition as soon as the sprout appears.

To enjoy flowering longer, petunia is sown early - at the end of January or February. The soil is prepared from a mixture of peat, sand, and turf humus. Petunia can be sown in boxes or directly in separate pots, peat tablets.

Important! The seeds are laid out on the surface of the soil without covering them with soil!

Some gardeners practice sowing petunias in snow, sowing seeds on a layer of snow laid on seedling soil. This method helps distribute the seeds evenly (dark seeds are clearly visible on white snow). The snow, gradually melting, feeds the seeds with useful melt water.

Before germination, the crops are kept covered with film or glass in a warm place. After the emergence of seedlings, the shelter is removed gradually, accustoming the seedlings to fresh air.

Caring for seedlings consists of watering, loosening and picking in the phase of 4 - 5 true leaves. Until the beginning of April, planting petunias must be supplemented with light, extending the daylight hours to 11 hours. During the growing of seedlings, they are fed twice:

a week after germination with nitrogen fertilizer;
after picking - potassium.

Petunia is planted in the ground only when the weather is warm. Lowering the temperature to 0 degrees can destroy a delicate plant.

The distance between petunia bushes is maintained at least 30 cm for compact shapes, and at least 60 cm for large ones. Exists vegetative method propagation of petunia - cuttings. It is used for varieties that do not retain their qualities when propagated by seed.

The mother plant is placed in a spacious pot in the fall and stored in a bright and cool (temperature +14 +18 degrees) room. Petunia is not fed and watered infrequently.

By March, the bush is brought into a warm place, watering is increased, and nitrogen fertilizing is applied. When stepsons actively grow on a plant, they are cut off and rooted. The cuttings are dusted with Kornevin or Heteroauxin, and the branches are placed in damp sand or vermiculite. The top of the container with cuttings is covered with a greenhouse.

The cuttings are regularly ventilated or the soil is watered moderately. After 2 - 3 weeks, a good root beard will form on the seedlings. Seedlings from cuttings are planted in a flowerbed in the same way as plants obtained from seeds.

Partners

The flower has a bright and attractive appearance, he is self-sufficient. Petunia is beautiful in single plantings; only varieties with different flower colors are selected.

Petunia looks harmonious in the flowerbed with geranium, Turkish carnation.

Petunia is often used as a “ground floor”, planted next to large perennial plants.

Watch also the video

Petunia seedlings can always be found at flower markets, because... This flower is simply extremely popular. However, you came to this article not because you want to buy a ready-made planting material, but on the contrary, be eager to plant petunia seeds for seedlings yourself and go all the way from the appearance of the first small sprouts to the gorgeous flowering of large bright buds.

In this material you will find all necessary information on how to properly sow petunia seeds for seedlings at home.

If you want your petunia to start blooming in May, then you need to sow the petunia seeds 3 months before planting in the ground, i.e. in February-March.

Advice! In order not to bother too much with lighting, it is still better to sow seeds in March, selecting early varieties.

More exact dates select landings depending on the climatic conditions of your region, namely when the threat of return frosts has passed and the soil warms up to 10 degrees Celsius.

For example, in the south of Russia you can sow as early as February, but in Middle zone (Moscow region) - from late February to early March, in the Urals and Siberia - from the second half of March.

Note! There is already an article on the site about that, including sowing dates according to the lunar calendar in 2020.

How to sow petunia for seedlings: preparatory stage

Before you start directly sowing seeds, you need to buy high-quality seeds, prepare a soil mixture (soil) and select suitable containers for seedlings.

Selecting quality seeds

One of the main factors for successful and rapid seed germination is their freshness. In other words, it is desirable sow the seeds collected last year.

So in the spring of 2020 you must sow the seeds 2019 collection.

The fact is that small petunia seeds are not stored for a long time and quickly lose their viability. As a rule, it makes sense to sow seeds no older than 2 years, because Already 3-year-old seeds germinate very, very poorly.

Biological viability period petunia seeds - 2 years!

Suitable soil

The soil for sowing petunia seeds for seedlings should be as light and loose as possible (soft and as if “melting” in your hands) and always neutral acidity (6-6.5 pH).

Note! On initial stage(seed germination, especially small ones) When growing petunia, soil in which there are too many nutrients, on the contrary, can negatively affect the condition of young seedlings.

Where can I find such soil?

Purchase ready-made soil mixture for growing flower seedlings at a garden store. Now you can even find soil for petunias on sale.

Prepare it yourself (including using purchased soil (peat) and sand).

Several recipes for preparing “airy” (moisture- and breathable) soil for sowing seeds:

Recipe No. 1: 3 parts of deoxidized peat, 1 part of turf and leaf soil, and 1 part of river sand.
Recipe No. 2: 2 parts peat, 1 part each humus and sand.
Recipe No. 3: 3 parts peat and 1 part sand.

Important! If you have acidic peat, then for each kilogram of prepared soil mixture you will need to add 1 tbsp. spoon (to reduce acidity).

Also, do not forget that the landing container must have drainage holes so that excess moisture flows out freely and does not stagnate. Alternatively, you can pour drainage layer from expanded clay. Or you can do both (if you want), but this is not at all necessary, just choose one.

Advice! If you choose containers with transparent walls, then, in principle, you don’t have to make drainage holes, because... you can control the degree of soil moisture. However, if you are afraid to overfill the soil, then do it better!

Methods for planting petunia seeds for seedlings and step-by-step guides for direct sowing

So, depending on what kind of seeds you purchased - regular or pelleted, and whether you have snow (you can take it from the refrigerator), you can choose one of your favorite methods of sowing petunia.

Standard sowing of small seeds (universal instructions)

Step-by-step instructions for the classic sowing of petunia seeds for seedlings:

Fill the planting container 3/4 full with suitable soil, level the surface and compact it lightly.

The surface must be as smooth as possible, because seeds will be sown superficially and compacted, that they do not fall into the lower layers.

Moisten the soil thoroughly. After moistening, be sure to level the soil surface again.
In order for the seeds to be distributed over the surface as evenly as possible, they can be mixed with sand.

Sowing is carried out by scattering the seeds on the surface of the soil or spreading the seeds with a toothpick (after wetting its tip). The more evenly you distribute the seeds, the more convenient it will be for you to do.

Important! In no case no need to bury or sprinkle the seeds on top with soil. We only sow superficially! The seeds are small; they simply do not have enough strength to break through the thickness of the soil.

If desired, you can lightly squeeze the seeds with your hand so that they seem to “stick” to the ground (in other words, it is advisable to ensure good contact of the seeds with the soil).

Because Petunia has very small seeds, and the sowing is superficial; they should not be sprayed with a spray bottle.

Cover with lid, glass, cling film or put on a package to create Greenhouse effect, i.e. mini-greenhouse (high humidity will help the seeds germinate faster).
Label the container or stick a label on a packet of seeds to know exactly what is planted.
Place the container with the seeds in a warm place place where it is kept optimal temperature for seed germination - +22..25 degrees, according to other sources, even +25..30 degrees is better (the lower the temperature, the longer you will have to wait for germination, the higher - the faster).

Think! There is an opinion that petunia seeds germinate only in the light, so in February they are placed under lamps (12-14 hour daylight hours). However, as practice shows, this is not entirely true. The bowl with crops can be removed to Kitchen Cabinet. Another thing is that it is very important to get and move the container with the seedlings into the light in time, otherwise they will quickly stretch out.

Sowing pelleted seeds

If you purchased pelleted petunia seeds, then sowing is even easier:

Everything is similar to the previous method, only in this case you can distribute the seeds more evenly over the surface (optimally at a distance of 1-2 cm from each other).

Again, if you wish, you can lightly press the seeds into the soil by hand.
After sowing you can lightly moisten the pelleted seeds from a spray bottle, that they got wet faster and began to sprout.

However! Some experts believe that when sowing granulated seeds, they do not need to be sprayed additionally. The fact is that the substance of the granule can be different in composition: some granules dissolve immediately, others retain their shape until seedlings appear.

Cover with film (make a greenhouse), put in a warm place (+25 degrees) until the seeds germinate.

By the way! You can sow pelleted seeds immediately in individual containers (the same cassettes) or .

Sowing in furrows (in rows)

To make it easier to care for the growing petunia seedlings (including), you can sow the seeds not randomly, distributing them over the surface, but immediately along the grooves.

Important! If you are going to sow ordinary small seeds, then the soil must be moistened beforehand; if it is pelleted, then you can water it after sowing.

So, you need to make very shallow grooves (literally a couple of millimeters deep), so to speak, mark rows at a distance of 2-3 cm from each other.
Next, place the seeds in grooves, trying to keep a distance of 1-2 cm between them.

It is very convenient to spread the seeds (dragées) using a toothpick, moistening its tip, to which they will stick well.

Or mix regular seeds with sand and sprinkle evenly from a leaf.

Interesting! Some people manage to pick up ordinary small seeds with the moistened tip of a toothpick.

If you sowed granulated seeds, then moisten them with a spray bottle (spray the seeds so that the seed shell becomes limp). If the usual small ones, then they had to be sown immediately on moist soil.
Make a greenhouse (close with a lid or cover with film) and put it in a warm place (+25) until shoots appear.

Video: sowing petunia in rows

Sowing in the snow

Because Petunia can be sown in winter, but it is very convenient to sow seeds in the snow (their will be better visible on a white background):

You need to lay a layer of snow (1-2 centimeters) on top of the soil mixture.
Next, distribute the petunia seeds evenly over the snow.

The advantage of planting in the snow is that after the snow melts, the seeds will be in the ground at the optimal depth (they will be only slightly “pressed”, so to speak, “drawn” into the soil).

Snow will also contribute to the gradual dissolution of the shell of the coated seeds.

Wait until the snow melts, cover with film or a lid, and put in a warm place (+25 degrees).

However! There is an unfounded opinion that petunia seeds do not require any cold stratification; on the contrary, for good germination the optimal temperature is +25-30 degrees. Accordingly, after sowing petunia seeds on snow, germination may be delayed.

Video: how to plant petunia seeds in the snow

Further care of petunia seedlings after germination

Before the seeds germinate and seedlings emerge, you will need to monitor the soil moisture in your greenhouse. Open the lid slightly or remove the film for ventilation every day - once a day for 5-10 minutes, so that strong condensation does not form inside.

Petunia shoots, as a rule, appear after 5-10 days (maximum after 14). After unfolding the cotyledon leaves, the cover (shelter) can be removed.

Now you know that the first step to obtaining high-quality petunia seedlings is its timely and correct sowing, which also consists of choosing high-quality seeds, light soil and suitable planting containers.

Video: how to properly sow petunia seeds for seedlings

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