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Planting, growing and caring for petunias in the open field

In the course of growing and caring for petunia, there will be no problems, since the cultivated plant is unpretentious. Among the wide variety, you can choose different varieties that differ in the shape of the bush, the structure and color of the petals. In order for a lush bush to grow, which will delight with numerous flowering, you need to choose the right soil and choose the right time for planting. They are planted on an open flower bed with seedlings or seeds.

Rules for growing seedlings of petunias from seeds

The flowers that dot the lush petunia bush are vibrant and give off a wonderful scent. The plant will definitely decorate any site. Flowers are characterized by a number of advantages:

tolerate cold well;
unpretentious;
easy to grow seedlings yourself;
varieties for every taste, differing in color and shape;
pleasant aroma;
flowering continues all summer.

To grow healthy and strong flower seedlings, there are some rules to follow.

How to choose soil and container for planting

For planting, choose containers with transparent lids. They are placed in plastic or peat pots. Purchased containers are distinguished by the presence of a container inside with a lid and heated.

Petunia should be planted in loose soil with good aeration and moderate acidity. In an acidic environment, the roots absorb nutrients and moisture better. In the store, you can buy a universal soil that is mixed with coarse sand.

If you intend to make the soil mixture yourself, then mix the garden soil with fine sand and humus. The finished soil is sieved and spilled with boiling water.

Prepared soil is poured into the container and slightly compacted so that the seed does not fall into the depths. A small depression is made in the center, into which the seeds will be placed.

Where to plant petunia

Flower reproduction is mainly carried out by seeds. Planting material should be taken with a margin. With any unfavorable factors, seed germination decreases, in some varieties even by half:

Petunia is a thermophilic and light-loving flower. Therefore, for planting, they choose an area where sunlight falls without obstacles.
The plant feels good on any fertile soil, but most of all it loves a loamy and sandy loam composition.
If the soil is too acidic, liming is carried out.
Do not overdo it with organic fertilizers, as they provoke fungal diseases.
Petunia prefers moist soil, but tolerates short-term drought.

It is advisable to use a separate container for planting seeds so as not to damage the root branches during transplantation.

How to sow seeds correctly

Seeds should be sown three months before transplanting to an open area. If you plan to plant in May, then sowing seeds should be done in the first half of February.

Petunia seeds are very small, so they are sown at home using two methods. You can simply spread the seeds in the surface layer of the prepared soil, or they are laid out on the surface and sprinkled with a small amount of river sand.

Sow in rows, leaving a gap of about 10 mm between seeds. The interval for honey in rows is 4.6 cm. Immediately after planting, watering is carried out from a spray bottle. The container is covered with glass or foil, creating a greenhouse effect.

The first shoots should hatch on the 6th day. After that, the film is removed, and the container is moved to the warmest and lightest window sill. It is imperative to provide additional highlighting so that the seedlings do not stretch out and get stronger.

A mixture of seeds and sand

The soil for sowing seeds should be light, loose, with sufficient nutrient content. It is recommended to sift the top layer. The day before the proposed sowing, the land is watered.

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Petunia seeds are mixed with sand and spread on moistened ground. Then pour over and cover the container with glass. The first shoots should appear in 12 days.

Using snow

To plant petunia seeds, some gardeners use the snow method:

A layer of snow equal to 13 mm is laid on the prepared and compacted soil.
The seeds are laid out on a snow layer.
Once the snow melts, the seeds will settle to the soil surface. After that, the container is covered with foil and removed to a warm and bright place.

Melted snow nourishes the soil, strengthens the immunity of the planting material and promotes better germination.

Using a toothpick

Thanks to toothpicks, it will be possible to evenly decompose the planting material, which will further provide an easy picking process:

Pour petunia seeds onto a flat surface.
For work, take two toothpicks.
One side of the toothpick is dipped in water and the seed is picked up, with the dry tip of the other toothpick shaken off into the soil.

Growing with peat tablets

It is convenient to sow flower seeds into peat tablets. The sequence of actions is as follows:

peat containers are pre-soaked in water with the addition of growth stimulants;
the seeds are laid out with a toothpick and watered (no more than two seeds are placed in each tablet);
the container is closed with a lid.

Growing seedlings in cassettes

An economical and simple way is to plant petunia seedlings in cassettes. Containers with individual cells can be used several times. Seedlings grown in cassettes do not need to be replanted.

For sowing seeds, cassettes are chosen, the cells of which are wide and deep. The cells are covered with prepared soil mixture, but peat tablets can be placed if desired.

Seedling picking

They dive for the first time when the first two pairs of true leaves unfold on each bush.

It is necessary to plant the bushes in a more spacious container, leaving an interval of about 5.7 cm between the seedlings, and 6 cm between the rows. At the bottom of the new container, holes must be made.

When the transplanted seedlings become cramped again, a second pick is carried out into separate containers. Each bush should be deepened into the ground until the cotyledon leaves.

Pinching petunia seedlings

To form a neat bush, you need to pinch the shoots. The procedure begins when 3-4 pairs of leaves unfold on the seedling. The central shoot is pinched 4 mm.

Strongly growing bushes and hybrids pinch the top together with the growing point above the 4th or 5th leaf. The procedure is repeated two weeks later.

Seedling illumination

The first 10 days after the emergence of seedlings, you need to highlight around the clock. Additional lighting should be turned on around 7 am and late at night, around 10 pm. Illumination is carried out with special lamps. They are installed above the seedlings at a height of 22 cm. The air temperature at this time should be within +19 degrees.

Watering and fertilizing seedlings

Watering should be moderate. The next day after watering, the soil between the rows is loosened. If excessive waterlogging of the soil is allowed, there is a high risk of fungal infections and rot.

Young petunia seedlings need to be watered with a drip method. For this purpose, use a syringe, tray or spray bottle. During watering, water should be avoided on the green part of the plant.

As soon as the first true leaves appear on the bushes, the first feeding is applied. Solutions based on "Kemira", "Kristalon" or "Teraflex" are suitable. Nitroammofoska is the most popular mineral fertilizer.

In 15 days after picking, the seedlings are sprayed with solutions based on "Solution", "Kemira", "Aquarium".

Sowing seeds in open ground

Seeds must be sown in rows, maintaining an interval of 12 mm. Sprinkle on top with a small layer of loose soil, or better with river sand.

Training

Before sowing seeds, you need to prepare them. Petunia seeds are sold in two types:

Granular grains are easiest to sow. The protective coating that protects against infections and pests dissolves quickly when exposed to moisture.
Seeds without a shell require an additional disinfection procedure and soaking in growth stimulants.

A few words about sowing dates

Only some varieties of petunias can tolerate cold weather, so planting flower seeds in open areas is best in the 20th of May. Flowering begins in July and lasts until early October.

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How to care for a flower

Ornamental crop care is standard and involves timely watering, fertilizing, loosening the soil and forming a bush. In each season, the care differs in certain characteristics.

In the spring

Spring care for petunia involves preparing the plant for propagation by cuttings. Top dressing is carried out once every 15 days.

Summer

Watering in the summer months is carried out as the topsoil dries out. On dry days, watered once a day, in the evening. Water is poured at the very root.

After watering, it is advisable to loosen the soil. The procedure helps to control weeds and prevents crusting. As a result, air and nutrients penetrate to the roots without obstacles.

In autumn

In early September, petunia together with the root is dug out of the ground and planted in separate flower pots. The diameter of the container must be at least 16 cm. The withered parts of the plant are removed. It is also recommended to cut off all shoots by 13 cm.

Place the transplanted pots in a cool place. In the remaining autumn days, the flower takes root and tolerates winter well.

In winter

Care on winter days is to maintain an optimal indoor temperature. It should be at +11 degrees. If the room is warmer, then provide additional illumination.

Watering is carried out as the soil dries out. Do not allow the leaves to drop. For the entire winter period, it is enough to carry out two dressings with potassium and phosphorus content. It will not be superfluous to carry out treatment against insect pests.

Features of wintering petunia

There are two ways to preserve petunias in winter.In both cases, appropriate conditions should be maintained.

Preservation of uterine bushes

The plant, dug out together with the earthen lump, is transplanted into separate pots. You need to store flowers at an air temperature of at least +5 degrees and not higher than +11 degrees.

The petunia bush is cut, leaving the length of the shoots 13 cm.Do not water too often. Enough twice a month. Already in mid-February, petunia comes out of dormancy and begins to prepare for flowering. You can land on a flower bed when the threat of frost is over.

Storing petunias by cuttings

The storage method in the form of cuttings is suitable for those summer residents who cannot provide the plant with the appropriate air temperature and humidity in the room in winter. In this case, the petunia is dug up in September and divided into separate cuttings 8 cm long. The separated cuttings are planted in cups, which are removed to a cool room.

Pruning and feeding petunias

Pruning is carried out at the end of August. So that the plant has enough strength to form seeds, dried flowers and branches are removed, and strongly overgrown shoots are also cut off.

Top dressing is carried out at the stage of the appearance of the first shoots, then after another two weeks, top dressing is repeated. The third time to feed the flowers should be during the formation of buds. Until the end of August, potash fertilizers are applied at intervals of 10 days.

Watering rules

Petunia is drought-resistant, but in dry weather, you need to provide the plant with sufficient moisture. Pour warm, settled water at the root, avoiding moisture on the green part of the plant.

Reproduction of petunia by cuttings

Petunia hybrids reproduce only by cuttings. To reproduce a flower by cuttings, you need to know some rules:

in the last days of March or early April, the tops of young shoots are cut off so that 4 or 5 internodes remain;
the length of the cut branches should be 5.7 cm;
remove the bottom row of leaves and deepen into a container with soil by 2.5 cm;
cuttings are disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate;
after 13 days, the seedlings will take root and they can be planted in different containers.

How to grow petunia into a beautiful bush

To grow an attractive petunia bush, you should follow a number of recommendations:

choose the right variety and seeds;
plant prepared seeds in suitable soil on time;
choose a suitable landing method;
seedlings should be pinched in time;
apply the required amount of fertilizer.

Careful and caring care plays an important role in the development of the plant. Flowers need to be watered, loosened and processed on time from insect pests and diseases.