Making a beautiful garden plot is easy enough. To do this, you only need to plant flowers. Most people choose petunias for this purpose. Planting this plant has some features, which will be discussed in this article.
Surprisingly, this flower grows not only in open ground. It develops well even in pots placed on balconies. Florists are attracted by a variety of varieties, as well as magnificent flowers. They delight the eye with a variety of colors: pink, lilac, white, blue, purple, red and others. To make such magnificence a real decoration of the site, balcony or just a window, it is important to know how and when to sow petunias.
Let's get acquainted with the features of growing this type of flower. Be sure to talk about how to sow seeds, dive and plant seedlings. We will study the advice of experienced gardeners on the right choice of soil and the intricacies of care. And, of course, we will tell you about the landing dates. Thanks to this information, even a beginner in floriculture will be able to decorate his garden with petunias.
Description
Many people want to know how to grow a petunia on their plot or balcony, because thisthe flower is really very attractive. It can grow in a compact bush or form short whips. The height of the first can be up to 30-40 centimeters. Scourges are from 70 to 100 centimeters. Petunia leaves are small, entire, alternate. They have a characteristic oval shape. The color of the leaves is green. Their tint range can vary from light tones to dark. As mentioned above, the flowers come in different colors. There are both single-color and two-color. In the latter, veins can be pronounced, which add expressiveness and showiness. Petunia flowers in diameter can be from 3 to 20 cm.
As for cultivation, the petunia is not considered a capricious plant. Does not require special care. Many people choose to purchase them as gifts for the holidays, as they can even grow in a room. Thanks to simple care, petunias can be grown for sale. To do this, you will need to equip a greenhouse in which you need to create optimal conditions.
Where to plant
Petunia planting is possible in various conditions. Due to its unpretentiousness, it is often used by landscape designers. Decorate with these flowers not only private garden plots, but also city streets, parks, squares, squares. In the summer season, this plant can be found in beauty salons, shopping centers, restaurants. It not only attracts the attention of visitors, but also creates a positive mood with fragrant fragrance.
Bright petunia flowers can be used as a lawn dividing line. If there is a need to decorate the house orgazebo, it is recommended to plant plants in hanging pots.
Choice variety
Those who decide to grow flowers need to know not only how to grow a petunia, but also what varieties to choose. The fact is that this plant can have bushes of different heights. It also features hanging branches. Such petunias are called ampelous. These nuances are taken into account when choosing a place where the petunia will grow.
If a flower is used as a decoration for buildings, then it is best to choose cascading and ampelous species. They are great for planting in flowerpots and hanging planters, and along garden paths it is better to plant low-growing bush varieties.
Also, beginner flower growers need to know that this plant is conventionally divided into two groups. The first includes large-flowered varieties of petunias. They are afraid of strong winds and rain, so it is recommended to grow large-flowered varieties in a greenhouse or covered balconies.
The second group combines multi-flowered varieties. They bloom several times a year. Many small flowers are formed on the bush, the diameter of which rarely exceeds 6 cm. These varieties grow well in different climatic conditions. Absolutely not afraid of windy and rainy weather. Unlike the first group, they are more resistant to diseases.
Date of planting
When to sow a petunia so that it pleases with its flowers for a long time? Experienced flower growers advise planting seedlings that have grown stronger in open ground no earlier than mid-June. To thattime, as a rule, there are no more night frosts. The exception is the northern regions, since it is still quite cold there in the first month of summer and there is a chance of precipitation in the form of hail and snow. Those who live in these latitudes are advised not to rush to plant petunias in open ground. First you need to make sure that the cold has already completely receded.
Most often, sowing seeds for seedlings is carried out in the 10-15th of February. In this case, for transplanting into open ground, it will be ready by the first of June. However, you can sow the seeds in January. After about 14 weeks, the seedlings are planted in pots and grown in a greenhouse or glassed-in balcony.
Most flower growers use the lunar calendar. Auspicious days for planting petunias are calculated from it. Let's look at which ones are highlighted in 2018:
- January - 1, 19, 20, 26, 27, 28, 29.
- February - 1, 2, 3, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26.
- March - 1, 3, 4, 20, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30.
- April - 1, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24, 25, 26, 29.
There are also bad days. As a rule, they fall on the period of the new moon and the full moon. Let's look at which days it is forbidden to work with plants:
- January - 2, 16, 17, 18, 31.
- February - 15, 16, 17.
- March – 2, 16, 17, 18, 31.
- April – 15th, 16th, 17th, 30th.
Soil selection
The main condition for planting petunias is the right choice of soil. For this plant, any land is suitable, even from the garden, even purchased. However, before landingneeds to be steamed. This will get rid of pests and pathogens.
To sow petunia seeds, it is necessary to add sand and peat to the soil. It will be good to apply fertilizers and trace elements that will strengthen weak seedlings, which will enable them to grow quickly and develop fully. However, it is important to keep salinity and acidity low.
It is also very important not only the quality of the soil, but also its moisture content. If there is not enough water, then the young sprouts will dry out. An abundance of moisture will lead to rotting of the root system, which will also destroy the plant. It is necessary to water in such a way that the water does not stagnate. To do this, a special drainage hole is made in each container, through which excess liquid will exit.
Capacity selection
Planting petunias for seedlings is carried out both in special natural (peat) pots or tablets, and in simple plastic containers. The latter are filled with soil in such a way that about 2 centimeters remain to the top edge. The depth of the container in which seedlings will be grown should not be less than 10 cm.
If sowing seeds is carried out in plastic containers, then side holes must be made. They will act as ventilation.
Seeds
Planting petunias for seedlings, as a rule, does not cause difficulties. The only caveat in this process is that the seeds of this plant are very small. Working with such material is not very convenient. To relieveThe fate of novice gardeners, manufacturers began to produce seeds in the form of small granules, using nutrients as a shell, which accelerate the emergence of seedlings. Unlike seeds in their natural form, granular ones are more convenient to take in hand. With the help of the latter, landing in one row is much easier.
If you didn't buy the seeds, but harvested them yourself, you can mix them with sand or earth to make planting easier.
Planting petunias for seedlings
Petunia seeds are sown for seedlings in two ways. Let's see what they are.
- The first way. Moisten the prepared soil well. Fill a container with it and lightly compact. Seeds are laid out on top of the soil. You don't need to deepen them. There is another way to place small seeds in the soil. It is recommended to pour them out on a sheet of white paper. Then arm yourself with a glass of water and a simple toothpick. Its tip is moistened with liquid and brought to the seed. It sticks to a toothpick, so it will be easy to transfer to the ground.
- The second way. In this case, snow is used. The container is filled with unmoistened earth. It is compacted. Snow is laid out on top of the ground. Its layer should not exceed 4 mm. Petunia seeds are placed on it. Additional watering is not required. Snow will provide moisture.
Sowing seeds is carried out in such a way that between them there is a distance of 5 mm. It is impossible to deepen them into the ground, since the seedlings simply cannot break through. For fixing seeds, a flata plank with which you can lightly press down the ground.
Petunia in peat tablets: planting details
The above methods of sowing seeds are used for plastic containers. However, some flower growers prefer natural containers, such as peat tablets. They are made from a special compressed substrate. As a rule, plants do not require additional fertilization for planting, but watering should be done regularly.
Petunia in peat tablets is quite easy to grow. These containers are sold in any specialized stores. To sow the seeds, it is enough just to make a small depression. Put a grain there and slightly moisten. After that, the containers are installed in the pallet. It should be large enough, because after moistening, peat tablets increase in size by about 5 times.
Lighting
Like any other plant, petunia also needs sufficient lighting. Care must begin at the stage of seed germination. Containers are installed on the windowsill. If you choose a dark place, then the seedlings will quickly stretch out, while remaining very weak. If there is a lack of lighting, it is recommended to install a lamp that will compensate for the lack of natural light.
Sprouting acceleration
In order for the seeds to germinate faster, it is necessary to cover the containers with transparent plastic wrap. This will create an optim altemperature, as well as maintain the required humidity. With a film, the first shoots will appear within a week after sowing the seeds.
There is another way to speed up germination. For this, a special tool "Previkur" is used. The concentration of the solution is 0.1%. It allows you to see the first shoots of petunia in the shortest possible time. However, this tool must be used very carefully. The fact is that when watering the soil there is a high probability of washing off the seeds. In order to avoid this, it is recommended to use a spray bottle.
Seed care after planting
Do petunias need special care? No complicated steps are required. The main thing is to provide the plant with enough moisture after germination. This will allow young sprouts to strengthen. The film that was used to create the greenhouse effect is removed only after the first leaves appear. It is necessary to accustom seedlings to a different climate gradually, starting from 10 minutes. After each subsequent day, increase the time. In the room where the seedlings will be located, the temperature should be at least +20 ° C. The soil is constantly loosened with a simple toothpick.
Picking
After the appearance of two full-fledged leaves, you can start picking petunias. For a given plant, this action consists in transplanting each shoot into separate containers. Pinching the root system of the petunia is not required. Transplanting sprouts should begin after the appearance of 3-4 leaves on them.
In grown plants, you can have a littlepinch the top of the stem so that the bush begins to produce side shoots. After picking, petunia is recommended to be placed in a cool place. If all conditions are correctly observed, then after 30 days the plant can be transplanted into open ground.
More tips
Petunia seedlings are not planted if the seeds were originally sown at a great distance from each other. If you still need to dive the sprouts, they try to move them to a new place with a clod of earth so that the root system is not injured.
Seedlings, from the first day living in separate containers, you just need to add soil as they grow. Transferring them to larger pots is not required.
