Petunia is a surprisingly delicate and cozy flower, a characteristic feature of which are flowers shaped like small gramophones, as well as curly stems, and therefore petunias are often used by gardeners to decorate interior and exterior decoration. The popularity of the plant is also explained by its rich color: from white and soft pink to dark purple. Sometimes bicolor and multicolor species are found.
Petunias are native to the tropical regions of South America, where over thirty species of this amazing plant have already been described. Flowering of petunias begins at the end of June and can last until the end of autumn. Many species, both original and hybrid, are perennials, but, as a rule, gardeners prefer to grow them as annuals because they do not tolerate frost well.
The flowering period of the plant begins at the end of June and can last until the first cold weather. Flowering of small-flowered varieties begins 70 days after sowing, and large-flowered varieties begin 90-95 days after sowing. Petunia buds take about seven days to develop, each of which can bloom for up to five days.
After the petunia fades, a seed box is formed in place of the inflorescence. If you trim it, you can save the variety for growing petunia next season. Faded flowers should be removed immediately, since the plant spends a lot of energy on the development of the seed pod, while the process itself is reduced. You can find out how to properly prune a plant.
Important! Petunia flowers are very capricious; they can die from excess humidity or drafts. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor timely and sufficient watering, as well as take care of maintaining the desired temperature regime.
Why isn't this happening?
- Pot volume and distance between plants. Remember that petunia is a plant with a powerful root system, so at least two liters are needed under each plant. Tip: It is recommended to thin out or replant petunias.
- Insufficient soil moisture. Petunias love plenty of water, but you don’t need to water them often, otherwise the root system may rot. Compare with the age of the plant. Young petunias cannot be watered abundantly, as their root system has not fully developed.
- Insufficient lighting level. Petunias are light-loving plants, which means it is recommended to choose the brightest and sunny areas for them. Open sun rays can damage the leaves of the plant, so make sure the plants are sufficiently hydrated.
- Lack of feeding or incorrect feeding schedule.? In order to develop, plants require nitrogen fertilizers, and in order to bloom, they require phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. Therefore, the following scheme is optimal: first you need to water the plants, then add a sufficient amount of organic or mineral fertilizers, then water again and add mineral fertilizer for the leaves. Be mindful of frequency. It is not recommended to exceed the required volumes of watering or fertilizing.
- Appearance of the plant. In order for the plant to bloom profusely, it is recommended to top it, leaving five leaves. This method will stimulate the development of additional shoots. In addition, it is necessary to regularly remove faded flowers, as this will become a stimulating factor for a new round of flowering.
Knowing and applying tips on, you can achieve long and abundant flowering, and this will undoubtedly lift the spirits of you and your loved ones.
- Suitable size container. Remember that petunias have a developed root system, which means they require a lot of soil. The calculation should be as follows: five liters of soil per petunia. Thus, only two plants can be planted in a container with a volume of 10 liters, and no more than three petunias can be planted in a balcony box whose length is one meter. If you plant more plants than recommended, the stronger ones will suppress the less strong ones, which means you may not get flowering at all.
- Regular and competent. It is recommended to start feeding plants two weeks after picking seedlings. For young plants, it is advisable to use nitrogen fertilizers, they promote growth, and adult petunias need to be fed with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, as they promote the formation of buds.
- Sufficient. It should be remembered that adult petunias like abundant, but not frequent watering. Adult plants can tolerate short-term dryness of the soil quite well. Remember: if you overwater petunia, it may develop a “black leg”.
- Removing faded flowers. It is recommended to regularly remove faded petunia flowers, as this promotes a new round of flowering. Advice: if you notice that the plant has become much shorter, it is recommended to remove seed pods, dead flowers and feed with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. Petunia will come to life and flowering will be abundant.
How to care for it to bloom profusely?
Advice! It must be said that the advantages of this method of growing are saving time on sowing, picking and planting plants. One way or another, this is a significant budget savings.
What to do to make petunias bloom strongly and luxuriantly? In order to prolong the flowering of petunia in pots, it is necessary to provide care during blooming and follow a number of rules:
In flowerpots
In order to prolong the flowering of petunias in flowerpots and enjoy their bright and elegant attire throughout the summer, it is important that the petunias grow in fertile soil. The soil should be enriched with humus and such basic microelements as potassium, nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus, iron, etc. In addition, it is recommended to regularly feed petunias using ready-made fertilizers for flowering plants.
We must not forget about regular watering and pinching grown plants.. If you refuse to pinch, the petunia will become very elongated, resulting in the stems resting on the ground or hanging untidy from the edges of the pot.
In general, the rules for caring for petunias in flowerpots are not particularly different from caring for them in pots. Just remember the formula: good soil + regular fertilization + regular and sufficient watering + pinching and the plants will be dotted with buds of elegant flowers!
How to properly pinch?
For that In order for petunia to please with elegant attire, it is necessary to regularly. However, this must be done when the plant fades and according to the rules, otherwise you can even harm it.
- You should pinch off a part of the shoot, at least 3-4 cm long, since if you remove only the tip of the shoot, the side shoots that will grow in this place may break from a strong wind, moreover, the plant may begin to grow and flower then You can't wait at all.
- The pinching procedure should be carried out as the lateral stems of the plant develop, this means that when the lateral stems grow to 10-15 cm, it is recommended to repeat the procedure. Repeat pinching until the plant becomes lush.
Important! With constant shortening of the stems, it is necessary to do this, otherwise the plant may lose strength due to intensive growth and weaken.
Conclusion
So, so that petunia pleases you with an elegant and bright cover of flowers throughout the summer, try to follow simple rules that even a beginner in gardening can handle:
- Do not thicken the crops.
- Follow the watering and fertilizing regime.
- Pinch petunias and remove faded flowers and seed pods.
Competent, timely and constant care - and your petunia will reward you a hundredfold for your efforts with elegant and long flowering!
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- Provide the plant with sufficient feeding area. One plant needs 5 liters of soil. Plant no more than three plants in a meter-long balcony box. The more plants in the box, the sooner the soil mixture is depleted. For a balcony box measuring three meters, you will need 30 kg of nutrient soil mixture. The ideal soil mixture for large balcony boxes should consist of: humus, peat and sand, in a ratio of 2:1:1. Most summer gardeners prefer soil rich in humus and compost. The earth mixture must be permeable (be sure to use sand for this), and at the same time moisture-absorbing (add peat).
- Feed regularly. To petunias bloomed profusely, start feeding in the second week after picking. Every week, alternately, feed with mineral and organic fertilizers. The fast-acting mineral fertilizer Green Guy AQUA (petunia, surfinia) has proven itself well. It contains: macroelements - nitrogen (23%), phosphorus (15%), potassium (22%); microelements - MgO, Fe, Mn, B, Cu, Zn, Mo, Co, vitamins, succinic acid. This complex provides the plant with complete nutrition. The fertilizer is 100% soluble in water. One package dissolves in 420 liters of water. Fertilizer Green Guy AQUA (petunia, surfinia) ensures uniform growth of the plant, stimulates budding, flowering becomes abundant, lush and long-lasting. Flowers and leaves become brighter in color. Plants become resilient and can more easily tolerate unpleasant weather conditions. How to use fertilizer: dissolve one scoop of fertilizer in seven liters clean water. Water the plants at the roots with this solution once every two weeks, and during flowering - once a week. It is advisable to fertilize after rain or watering, in cloudy weather or early in the morning. Try not to get the solution on the flowers and leaves. Do not feed plants in hot weather or on a sunny day. Plants that are sick or damaged by pests should not be fed. When using fertilizers, do not exceed the dosage indicated on the package. The diluted solution cannot be stored for longer than 24 hours.
- Sufficient timely watering. Do not allow the soil to dry out, especially if the plants are growing on a balcony or in garden containers. Water the plants only early in the morning (before 9 o'clock) and in the evening, after the sun has set. Never water during lunchtime. Water that gets on the leaves will burn them. Water for irrigation should be settled (ideal - rainwater). Water so that the soil in the boxes is saturated with water to the very bottom. To reduce the evaporation of moisture from the boxes, mulch the plants with peat or humus after watering. The use of drainage is a prerequisite. It is important that water does not stagnate in the trays. Make sure that excess moisture drains out.
- Remove faded flowers. To petunias bloomed profusely throughout the summer and do not waste energy on the formation of seeds, remove faded flowers and peduncles. Regularly prune damaged and dried leaves to prevent them from causing fungal diseases. This way the petunia will bloom continuously until frost.
Petunia perfectly complements decorative compositions, and its main advantage is its ease of cultivation. Without much effort, the plant can grow both in pots and outdoors. The main thing is to know how to care for petunia so that it blooms profusely.
Soil and microclimate
Heat-loving flowers begin to be planted after the onset of stable heat. The flower loves windless, sunny places, but tolerates light temporary partial shade well.
Alkaline and strongly acidic soil reactions negatively affect the well-being of the plant. The flower is indifferent to the rest, if they are sufficiently nutritious, moderately loose, retain moisture well, but do not allow water to stagnate.
In order for garden petunia to be lush and blooming, it is planted in loamy or sandy loam soil fertilized with humus and compost. Increased acidity of the earth is neutralized with lime.
The correct soil composition is sand, peat, humus.
Growing petunia
Before you think about how to achieve lush flowering of petunia, you should take care of healthy seedlings. Sowing usually begins between the end of February and mid-March. Seedlings should receive a lot of light.
The sprouting will begin in a week. Picking is carried out when 4 sheets are formed. The best option would be to transplant the seedlings into a peat cup. A peat tablet is also suitable for this purpose; there is no need to add soil to it.
Peat tablets
If the weather permits, the seedlings can be placed in a permanent place: a cache-pot, a pot, or a street.
Space
Petunia has a well-developed root system, so it needs a lot of soil: at least 5 liters per plant unit. There are no problems with plants planted on the site. But planted in flower pots, they desperately need space.
Note! So, you cannot plant more than 3 flowers in a meter-long balcony box. A high planting density will lead to strong plants suppressing weaker ones and they will not be able to bloom.
Lighting
The flower loves the sun very much, and if the question arises of how to care for petunia so that it blooms all summer, then the answer is quite simple - provide it with a lot of sun.
When the plant begins to bloom, the need for lighting increases greatly. Therefore, for indoor plants, it is imperative to increase lighting with additional devices. Poor light will make the shoots thin and faded, and generally weakens the plant.
Important! Any large-flowered variety reacts negatively to strong winds, heavy rain, frequent dampness, and constant partial shade.
How to water petunia correctly
During the hot period, the flower can tolerate short-term drought, but waterlogging can destroy it. The water needs to be warm, settled and not hard. Watering is carried out only at the root.
How often should petunia be watered? You can get your bearings by variety: the small-flowered one is less demanding of moisture than the large-flowered one. Thanks to the powerful root system, the necessary moisture is absorbed from a large area. But indoor climbing varieties, such as ampelous ones, are limited in area by the pot.
They are watered after sunset or before sunrise. This is a period when moisture will not cause a greenhouse effect, which is unacceptable for flowers, and water that gets on the delicate petals under the influence of the sun will not cause a burn.
Watering before sunrise
In mid-summer, drought often sets in and the crops in the plots look lifeless. Every flower lover should know how to revive petunia in the middle of a dry summer. To do this, you should water it abundantly and be sure to loosen the soil, preventing the formation of a hard earthen crust.
Important! To prevent chlorosis, you need to add a little fertilizer with a high iron content to hard water for watering petunias.
The first flowering greatly depletes the soil and therefore it needs to be restored. Caring for petunia in July involves foliar feeding.
How to fertilize petunia
Caring for petunia during flowering necessarily involves fertilizing.
Important! Fertilizing in July should be only mineral. Organic matter only inhibits flowering during this period.
To stimulate flowering, the plant needs to be fed with urea and potassium monophosphate.
Rejuvenation
In July, the color subsides and the stems become longer. The plant must be rejuvenated to increase flowering again. Using pruning shears or scissors, shoots need to be shortened by almost half. Pruning is carried out before fertilizing so that all nutrients are directed to the restoration of the bush. Soon it will be covered with buds again.
There is no need to be afraid to trim, or to regret how much lash is cut off. The bush will recover very quickly, and regular feeding will help speed up the process. And the frail, aging freak will turn into a strong and beautiful flowering bush.
You need to revive the plant by pruning twice: in July and in September. August is the period of seed ripening and flowers spend a lot of energy. By removing faded parts in time, you can significantly extend the flowering period.
Wintering
Not all gardeners cultivate petunia as an annual. Rare and expensive varieties can be moved for the winter to a warm and fairly bright room.
Winter is the easiest period to care for. The plant is trimmed and all dried parts are removed. Watering and fertilizing are carried out twice a month. Under favorable conditions, petunia may bloom in February.
If your petunia is damaged by water
Heat-loving petunia tolerates short-term coolness well, but if the drop in temperature coincides with prolonged rains, the plant has problems.
Being in constant dampness, the roots run the risk of developing black rot, growth and flowering stop, and the inflorescences begin to rot.
Reanimation of petunia after waterlogging
Terry varieties suffer the most from rain. And if it is not possible to move them to a shelter, then you should know how to revive a petunia.
Remove rot
Restoration measures begin with the initial removal of all rotten elements. At the same time, a check is carried out for the presence of slugs, which always appear during the rainy season. If pests are detected, treatment is carried out with Epin.
What to do if the rains flooded the petunia? Urgently loosen the soil to improve drainage and add Glyocladin tablets, which will strengthen the roots.
Increased flowering after rains
Rains wash away all previously applied fertilizing and the flower suffers from lack of nutrition. Flowers become smaller or even fall off altogether.
Rainy weather
During this period, the crop is in dire need of feeding. The full complex should be added, containing the necessary microelements. And be sure to remove the damaged parts and loosen them.
Petunia restoration
Flowers often remain with holes after rain. The leaves of the plant also suffer.
Without regret, you should remove all damaged parts, even if you have to cut off the lashes. After a short time, flowering will resume and new shoots will grow. It is only necessary to support the crop with mineral fertilizers.
It is not always necessary to feed petunia with chemicals. There are a lot of tools that gardeners use. They know how to make petunia bloom profusely using folk remedies.
- The most effective fertilizing is wood ash. It eliminates the foci of many diseases and saturates the plant with vitamins.
- Active growth is observed after feeding with a solution of bird droppings, which has many minerals.
- Fertilizing with succinic acid is an excellent prevention of fungal diseases.
- Boric acid causes abundant flowering, only foliar feeding is necessary.
- Nettle solution gives flowers strength.
Yeast feeding of petunias
The most affordable and effective fertilizer for flowering petunias is yeast. They are so versatile and well accepted by the plant that they can be added starting from the development of seedlings.
Live yeast is diluted with warm water (1:5) and left until fermentation is complete, overnight. In the morning, the concentrate is further diluted (1:10) with warm water and set aside until the evening. Fertilizing is carried out in the evening at the root.
- Dry yeast
It is considered the most budget option. You will need 10 g of yeast, 60 g of sugar and a bucket of water. After two hours of infusion, the volume is adjusted to 50 liters.
Stimulating fertilizer perfectly nourishes petunia, causing vigorous flowering and rich colors.
Important! Do not add any organic substances to the yeast solution.
If petunia does not develop well
There are often times when a seedling, having just appeared, stops developing. Several factors can cause this problem:
- Incorrectly selected soil mixture. The soil may be acidic or alkaline. The soil should be changed immediately.
- Also, the roots of the seedling may not have enough space to develop. In this case, growth also stops. It is necessary to transplant the petunia into a larger pot.
- Lack of nutrition can inhibit flower growth. Please note that from 2 weeks the seedlings need to be constantly fed.
By following very simple and fairly simple conditions for keeping petunias, even a novice gardener can grow magnificent, abundant flowering plants, which will delight the eye until late autumn.
Spring is just around the corner, which means it’s time to think about what we will plant in the garden and flower beds. In addition, fresh seeds have appeared on sale, new and interesting varieties and varieties have been added, but despite the current variety of flowers, many prefer petunia.
Yes, this lady is very capricious when growing seedlings, but at the same time it grows well in almost any soil, looks great in a composition, and with its help it is very easy to decorate any vertical flower bed. In addition, it quite easily tolerates short-term drought, which makes it indispensable for potted gardening (when planting plants in pots or flowerpots).
But sometimes this also happens: you look at the picture with the seeds, there is a lush beautiful bush with many buds, and there seems to be a good plant in the flowerbed, but it doesn’t have enough lushness, and it would be nice to add some buds. It turns out that this is not difficult to do, just pinch our petunia in time and it will delight you with the splendor of the bush and large flowers. What happens as a result of pinching? The growth of the main shoot stops, and from it the side shoots begin to gain strength, that is, as a result, instead of one shoot with buds, we will have several equally strong and beautiful shoots with buds. Thus, both the volume of the bush and the number of peduncles will increase. Petunia looks healthy, lush and beautiful. And it also increases the duration of flowering.
The first time the operation of pinching petunia is carried out in the early period, when the petunia is growing on the windowsill, waiting to be planted in open ground. Pinching is carried out when 6-7 main leaves appear on the plant, not earlier. Count four to five main leaves from the bottom of the stem and carefully remove everything above the fourth or fifth leaf by pinching. Next, continue to care for your petunia as usual: water, feed and light if necessary. Removing the top of the plant will awaken the side buds and new shoots will appear from them. By the way, you need to pinch both regular and hanging petunias.
The second time the operation is carried out after the seedlings are planted in open ground and take root there. Under no circumstances should you pinch while the plant is adapting to new conditions, as you may destroy the flower and end up with a weak and sickly plant.
After the petunia has “adopted” its new location and began to actively grow, pinching can be done again. To do this, we select the longest (two or three are possible) shoot, count the same 4-5 leaves from the growth point and carry out the operation in the same way as the first time. We leave the plant alone and let it grow, after which you will need to pinch some shoots again. Although, if you are satisfied with the size of the bush, you can get by with two pinchings. But I still recommend performing this procedure a third time.
We “operate” our flowers for the third time, when they have sufficiently recovered and grown after the previous operation, this is in a week or two. We select several long lateral processes (6-7 pieces) and shorten them according to the previously described scheme. You don’t have to go back to pinching again; three times is enough to get a beautiful plant.
In addition, it is not at all necessary to throw away the removed shoots; you can put them in water, wait for the roots to appear, and plant them in a flowerbed. This way you will increase the number of plants. The only thing is that the newcomer will bloom much later than other plants, but considering that petunias bloom until frost, this is not a problem. Please note that when planting a shoot in open ground, it will be necessary to remove all leaves except the top couple.
By the way, please note that pinching (even if done for the first time) delays the flowering time of petunias. On average, flowering is delayed by two to three weeks (this takes into account all three pinchings), but at the same time the plant blooms more profusely, and the flower stalks themselves are much larger than those of their counterparts who avoided this operation.