Secrets of growing petunias from "A" to "Z. Petunia in winter as an uterine and flowering houseplant

I asked myself this question for two summers in a row. I managed to grow petunias only in the third year. I honestly read the whole topic about petunias, but nothing worked for me. I'll tell you about typical mistakes a novice petunivore.

How to choose seeds for a beginner?

The most important thing is to buy fresh packaging. In the third year, the seeds may not sprout at all. Overdue, and these are most often on sale - even more so.
It is also important to choose a product from a trusted manufacturer. On the forum most of all praise "Biotekhnika", she gave me 90% germination. Slightly less, 80% was the germination rate of "Aelita" and "Prestige", 55-75% of "Gavrish" and "Euro-seeds" germinated for me.
It is necessary to tell in more detail about which varieties and species are better to buy for growing for the first time.

Varietal or hybrid seeds?

Buying exclusively varietal or only hybrid (F1) seeds is a master's business. Both those and others germinate and grow equally well. Varietals are cheaper, a lot of seeds are poured into a pack, which, in general, is very profitable. Hybrid ones cost several times more, they are packed in only 5-10 seeds, enclosed in granules. But hybrid ones are easier to sow, and they give the most unusual and varied colors.

Rice. 1. Modest varietal petunias "Abundant flowering mixture of colors" and "Multi-flowered white glaze" of the "Leader" series from "Aelita", photo in early July.

Rice. 2. Hybrid petunias come in all colors of the rainbow. Photo in early August.

Which petunias are easier to grow - compact bushes or spreading ampels?

It is equally easy to grow both. But for the first experience, I would rather choose those that recover better after heavy rains, do not suffer from winds and do not require plucking flowers after flowering. This series giants Typhoon and Tornado, and ampel corduroy.
Sometimes on packs with other varieties, they also write about the unpretentiousness of plants, but I would not say that about other varieties. The most important thing is that for all the others, except for the above-mentioned species, it is necessary to remove the faded inflorescences, and this is labor-intensive. In order not to be disappointed in petunias and fall in love with them at first sight, or rather, from the first season, I advise you to choose powerful Tornadoes, Typhoons or Velvet.

What are petunias according to the length of the branches?

Small (25-40 cm) include bush petunias. They will look good in small pots of 2-3 liters, both in the country and on the southern or eastern windowsill. Bush varieties or not is usually indicated on the package.

Rice. 3. "Peppermint F1 Terry" in the middle of July.

Rice. 4. "Dolce Trio F1" at the end of June.

Spreading types of petunias look more impressive, for example, ampelous, especially if you have something to attach on the site hanging planters... They are marked on the packaging with the word Pendula.
Of the voluminous long-plaited varieties, there are also cascading ones (lashes are more durable than those of ampels), including ramblins and opera.

Rice. 5. Ampel "F1 Velvet Corduroy" in the middle of July. It is better to grow corduroy in a volume of about 10 liters.

Rice. 7. Ramblin Peach Glo F1 in early August. For ramblins, you need to find a volume of at least 8-10 liters.

Rice. 8. Ramblins of two types look good in one box (15 l).

Rice. 9. Operas bloom more magnificently than ramblins. In the photo, "Supreme White F1" in early July in a 10-liter tank.

Separately, I would single out ampel avalanches - the bushes are even more erect than those of the cascading ones.

Rice. 10. "Avalanche Yellow Star F1" and "Ramblin Nu Blue F1", early September, for an avalanche you need 15 liters. for 2-3 plants.

But they look the most luxurious surfinias, tornadoes, typhoons and explorers... True, for them it is necessary to have a capacity of at least 15 - 20 liters, except for surfinia - 5-8 liters are enough for them. Of the volumetric ones, there are also Shock Waves, Fresh Waves and Easy Waves, fortunes and tumblers, but I have not raised them yet, this year there will be a debut.

Rice. 11. Typhoon F1 Silver: two pieces in a barrel about 30-40 liters, end of July.

Rice. 12. Surfinia "Parple Velvet F1" grown from seeds in the same barrel in July (also 2 pieces).

What are petunias in terms of size and number of flowers?

To get acquainted with petunias, I would advise you to choose some of Grandiflora or Multiflora but not terry, although they look more attractive on packs. Multiflora has smaller flowers, but there are many of them, and grandifloras give little flowering, but the inflorescences are large, expressive and no less beautiful than double ones.

Rice. 13. Trio of lobelias and spray petunias: multiflora "Merlin Red Picoti F1" and grandiflora "Prism mixture F1", "Falcon F1" and "Sophistika Shining Sapphire F1". End of June.

Terry varieties are more capricious, although they look impressive. They need to be protected from rain, and if the summer is too rainy, the pots will definitely have to be carried away under the canopy. These petunias will not "tolerate" dampness, like the two previous species, and will obey only experienced flower growers, to whom I am still far away.

Rice. 14. Pirouette F1 Pirouette, F1 Valentine and the most beautiful of all white petunias, F1 Sonata. July.

Floribunda- this is a variety between grandiflora and multiflora, but I have never seen them on sale.

My mistakes when sowing seeds

In the first year, my seeds did not sprout at all, and in the second of six dozen seeds, only 4 sprouts grew, which gave a weak flowering. Here's what I did wrong:

1. In the first year, she pressed the seeds into the ground so that they almost went underground. And you just need to spread the seeds superficially.
2. Sowed in "tight" dense soil. And the earth should be loose, breathable. Better generally sow in tablets, you can take 2-3 seeds in one.

Rice. 15. In tablets with flags-toothpicks - hybrid petunias, with a flag in a glass - varietal. In the rest of the tablets -.

1. Did not destroy the pellet shell. It must be gently touched with a toothpick, and it will fall apart if the tablet is moistened enough.
2. She put crops in loosely closed containers, where there was a draft. Sometimes the tablets dried out, but this should not be allowed, tender sprouts quickly die.

Rice. 16. Even special greenhouses must be wrapped with foil so that there are no cracks, and ideal humid conditions are maintained inside.

1. I did not ventilate every day, and the seedlings began to rot.

Rice. 17. In order not to suffer with winding and unwinding of the film at each airing, I came up with this one.

Rice. 18. Or, you can put the tablets in an ikeevo container and cover with glass.

1. Even before the sprouts appear, it is imperative to light up the petunias! I somehow thought of putting petunias in the country house on the northwestern windowsill without a single ray of sunlight. Of course, they didn't bloom well there, although the bush was very lush and green. If you sow ampels in early to mid-February, you need to highlight at least from 7 am to 10 pm. Shrub plants should be sown in March and illuminated in the same mode at least until May.

Rice. 19. I am lighting up an ordinary lamp daylight. Under the light, they usually sprout in 5-7 days. Without light, they may not ascend at all.

Errors when growing seedlings of petunias

1. As soon as the seedlings have appeared, we put them in more cool place so that it is about 20 degrees. Airing should be more frequent. But do not repeat my mistake, do not take out the petunias from the "greenhouse" until the first true leaves appear! After 2-3 days, you can reduce the daytime temperature to 15-18 degrees, and make the nighttime even less. Petunias need these temperature drops!
2. Be sure to add vermiculite to the soil or ready-made commercial soil and mix well.

Rice. 20. This is how the cut ampel seedlings look like in the soil with vermiculite at the end of February.

Rice. 21. And so - in the 20th of March. Large ones are ampels, smaller ones are bush.

1. From the beginning of April, as soon as it becomes about 10-15 degrees on a closed loggia or balcony, it is necessary to take out the seedlings for hardening. It is necessary to accustom to the bright sun gradually.

1. Be sure to sign the grade! I also mark whether bush petunia or not. Because there is no way to grow lush bushes without pinching. They will be like one single blooming stick. As soon as the second pair of leaves at the bush has grown - pinch or cut off nail scissors the very tip of the barrel. And we repeat this procedure once or twice a month, until mid-May.

Rice. 23. On the left - ampels that we do not pinch. On the right - bush, pinched at one time. They will bloom later, but a bush will form.

1. The first buds take away the strength of the plant, it is better to pluck them out.

1. Be sure to feed the petunias. If you cannot remember the recommendations of professionals, which microelement to use in which growth period - phosphorus, boron or other elements of the periodic table, then at least once a week use Fertika. I alternate it with another mineral fertilizer, for example, with "Biomaster - Seedling". I start feeding 10-14 days after the pick, combining it with preliminary weak watering. That is, fertilizer cannot be poured onto very dry soil - neither at the seedling stage, nor for an adult plant.
2. Do not get carried away by acidifying the soil. I managed to avoid this mistake, despite the fact that many advise to water with acidified water or plant in special soil with an acidic environment, for example, as for begonias. Therefore, my petunias have never had such a common disease as chlorosis. It is easy to recognize chlorosis - the leaves begin to turn white, and dry out along the edge with a thin border. Then they start to fall off. The top is curled up. To get rid of chlorosis, you can spray the leaves with chelated iron, for example, "Ferovit" or "Antichlorosis".
3. Do not overfill seedlings! Petunias, like tomatoes, like the alternation of drought (but not critical) and complete soil saturation. Every day we will water petunias only when they grow in the country or on a sunny balcony. If the petunia begins to lie down from the black leg, treat it with Fitosporin.
4. Any foliar feeding do it in cloudy weather, do not put the plants directly under the lamp, let the spray soak into the leaves. Once I almost burned all the seedlings with vitamin B6, all the foliage went with spots from burns.

Mistakes in leaving in the country

It would seem that the seedlings were grown, brought on time, transplanted in the required volume after 100% cancellation of the threat of recurrent frosts - and wait ... But still they don't give petunias lush bloom... I had it because I was neglecting these rules:

1. I forgot to feed on time. Petunias are very "gluttonous"! The most important thing is regularity! Weekly "Fertika" or "Aquerin" for flowers, but at least "Ideal". You can't do without it. They don't like organic petunias, only mineral fertilizers... Therefore, the soil for flowerpots must be mixed with ready-made humus or sand for better air permeability, but not with unripe compost.
2. She put the pots in partial shade or in the shade. Petunias will bloom only in the sun!
3. No need to tie the branches. I don't know why, but my petunias then simply stopped growing.

Rice. 26. Even if it seems that the petunias are about to break, do not lift them with a garter. The wind will flutter and break.

1. Insufficient height of the flowerpot. Petunia builds up a large mass of roots downward. In containers less than 20 cm in height, petunia will develop until the end of June, and then wither away.

Rice. 27. There is no way to buy flowerpots - plant petunias in homemade boxes, even a 10-year-old boy can make them. This box is made from an old picket fence.

1. Another "favorite" mistake of mine is to place petunias in the flowerpot so that they are too low from the planting hole, and new side shoots buried themselves under it, without crawling up into the light.

Hybrid or garden petunia grows. The first variety appeared in 1839. In 1855, the first terry varieties petunias, and in 1881 appeared and large-flowered... In the sixties of the last century, as a result of cell hybridization, ampel petunias.

By flower size petunias are divided into two large groups:

1. large-flowered, with a flower diameter from 7 to 13 cm;
2. multiflorous- with flowers from 5 to 8 cm.

V last years a group of varieties with small flowers, with a diameter of 2 to 4 cm, which received the name, of course, began to be very popular small-flowered.

Corolla shape petunias are varied, especially in large-flowered varieties. For example, in the Fimbriata cultivar, the edge of the petal is fringed; the Superbissima cultivar has a wide pharynx and a fringed edge. Terry petunias are not deprived of attention. Colors a lot: there are all shades of red, white, pink, purple and blue. Currently, only bright yellow and orange are missing.

You can admire the beautiful petunias by looking at the publications:

How to propagate petunia

Everyone loves petunias, but how to decorate your flower beds with these beautiful plants? You can, of course, purchase ready-made seedlings ... Can i grow planting material by ourselves.

Almost all hybrids and varieties multiply seeds... In addition, petunias reproduce well. cuttings- it is only necessary to preserve the mother plants. Plants from cuttings grow and flower faster. But plants from seeds are more hardy and bloom more abundantly.

Sowing petunia

Seeds Recommended sow from February to April, depending on the time of disembarkation in open ground... At home, it is best to sow at the end of March, when enough light comes in. Then the seedlings can be open on a warm balcony or in a film. With this sowing time, expect flowering in June.

Petunia seeds are very small, with little or no stock nutrients... Therefore, for the normal growth of seedlings the soil must be:

• loose,
• lightweight in texture,
• nutritious,
• neutral in acidity.

For sowing, it is better to take shallow bowl with drain hole... Fill the container with the substrate, leaving the side about 1 cm. Small petunia seeds are better mix with dry sieved sand to distribute them more evenly along the stitching. Sown seeds for fast germination is desirable sprinkle abundantly water. Then crops, without sprinkling with earth, must be covered with glass, or plastic wrap, or lutrasil, or thick paper. And keep the temperature not lower than + 20 ° С.

Recently, petunia seeds have been on sale in the form granules with a special shell of nutrients and preparations that protect seedlings from diseases. Granules significantly larger than seeds, and they are easier to spread over the surface. Abroad, such seeds are called pili, while in our country they are called pelleted or granulated.

When using granulated seeds, remember that the main thing is not to dry them out, otherwise there will be no shoots. Therefore, before decomposing the pelleted seeds, you need to wet the soil well and keep it moist until seedlings appear. In this case, it is better to water from a pallet through a hole in a bowl or spray crops from a spray bottle.

Seedling care

From simple seeds seedlings appear on 4-6 days, and from dragee ones - 2 days later. After germination, the seedlings need plenty of light and moderate soil moisture... With a lack of light, the seedlings stretch out, and if high humidity is added, then death from is possible. To avoid high humidity, the crops need to be opened slightly, and when the cotyledons open, the film is removed.

From simple seeds, shoots appear 4-6 days, and from pelleted seeds - 2 days later.

Since the seedlings grow very slowly at first, they can be kept in the same vessel for about a month. Then, when 3-4 real sheets appear, they unseat... A week after the pick, the seedlings must feed... If the plants are not elongated and have dark green leaves, then feeding with readily soluble complex is necessary. If the plants are weak, with dark leaves, then it is better to feed only. Usually, after picking, top dressing is given after 7 days, preferably by with complex fertilizers... This will ensure and good growth, and profuse flowering.

Petunias easy tolerate a very tight fit, therefore, 2-3 plants can be planted in a small basket or pots with a diameter of about 15 cm. When there is no need to immediately get an abundantly blooming composition, it is better to plant seedlings less often so that the plants do not touch each other. Ampel petunias in a container where the plants are arranged in several rows, they are planted with an inclination to the edge of the container. Step-by-step master class will tell you how you can arrange the planting of these flowers, and the video will help you see everything with your own eyes.

Caring for container petunias includes olive and regular feeding... Until the plants have grown, you can feed them with solutions of complex fertilizers. It is better to spray overgrown petunias with a fertilizer solution over the leaves. With a dense planting or strong growth, it is necessary to regularly remove weak, decaying shoots, if necessary, thin out. Ampel petunias after planting need to be pinched several times.

Do you plant petunias?

Our grandmothers, growing garden strawberries, or strawberries, as we used to call them, were not particularly worried about mulching. But today this agricultural practice has become fundamental in achieving High Quality berries and reduce crop losses. Someone might say that it is troublesome. But practice shows that labor costs in this case are repaid a hundredfold. In this article, we invite you to get acquainted with the nine best materials for mulching garden strawberries.

Succulents are very diverse. Despite the fact that "babies" have always been considered more fashionable, to the assortment of succulents with which you can decorate modern interior, it is worth taking a closer look. After all, colors, sizes, patterning, degree of prickle, influence on the interior are just a few of the parameters by which you can choose them. In this article, we will tell you about the five most fashionable succulents that amazingly transform modern interiors.

Mint was used by the Egyptians as early as 1.5 thousand years BC. It has a strong aroma due to the high content of various essential oils with high volatility. Today mint is used in medicine, perfumery, cosmetology, winemaking, cooking, ornamental gardening, and the confectionery industry. In this article, we will consider the most interesting varieties of mint, and also talk about the features of growing this plant in the open field.

People began to grow crocuses as early as 500 years before the advent of our era. Although the presence of these flowers in the garden is fleeting, we always look forward to the return of the heralds of spring next year. Crocuses are one of the earliest primroses that bloom as soon as the snow melts. However, flowering times may vary depending on species and varieties. This article focuses on the earliest crocus varieties that bloom in late March and early April.

Cabbage soup from early young cabbage on beef broth - hearty, aromatic and easy to prepare. In this recipe, you will learn how to cook a delicious beef broth and cook light cabbage soup in this broth. Early cabbage cooks quickly, so it is put into the pot at the same time as the rest of the vegetables, unlike fall cabbage, which takes a little longer to cook. Ready-made cabbage soup can be stored in the refrigerator for several days. The present cabbage soup is tastier than the freshly cooked one.

Looking at the variety of tomato varieties, it is difficult not to get confused - the choice is very wide today. Even experienced gardeners are sometimes confused by it! However, it is not so difficult to understand the basics of selecting varieties "for yourself". The main thing is to delve into the peculiarities of culture and start experimenting. One of the easiest tomato groups to grow are varieties and hybrids with limited growth. They have always been appreciated by those gardeners who do not have a lot of energy and time to care for the beds.

Once very popular under the name of indoor nettles, and then forgotten by everyone, Coleus today are one of the brightest garden and indoor plants. They are not in vain considered stars of the first magnitude for those who are looking primarily for non-standard colors. Easy to grow, but not so undemanding as to suit everyone, Coleus require constant monitoring. But if you take care of them, the bushes of velvety unique leaves will easily outshine any competitor.

Salmon ridge baked in Provencal herbs is a "supplier" of tasty pieces of fish pulp for a light salad with fresh leaves of wild garlic. Champignons are lightly fried in olive oil and then poured with apple cider vinegar. These mushrooms are tastier than regular pickled mushrooms and are better for baked fish. Ramson and fresh dill get along well in one salad, emphasizing the aroma of each other. The garlic pungency of wild garlic will saturate both the flesh of the salmon and the pieces of mushrooms.

Conifer tree or a shrub on the site is always great, and a lot of conifers are even better. Emerald needles of various shades adorn the garden at any time of the year, and phytoncides and essential oils secreted by plants, not only aromatize, but also make the air cleaner. As a rule, most zoned adults conifers are considered very unpretentious trees and shrubs. But young seedlings are much more capricious and require competent care and attention.

Sakura is most often associated with Japan and its culture. Picnics in the shade flowering trees have long been an integral part of the meeting of spring in the Land of the Rising Sun. The financial and academic year begins here on April 1, when the magnificent cherry blossoms are in full bloom. Therefore, many significant moments in the life of the Japanese are marked by their blossoming. But sakura grows well in cooler regions - certain species can be successfully grown even in Siberia.

I am very interested in analyzing how the tastes and addictions of people to certain foods have changed over the centuries. What was once considered tasty and was an object of trade lost its value over time and, conversely, new fruit crops conquered their markets. Quince has been cultivated for over 4 thousand years! And even in the 1st century BC. NS. about 6 varieties of quince were known, and even then methods of its reproduction and cultivation were described.

Delight your family and make themed Easter egg-shaped cottage cheese cookies! Your kids will be happy to take part in the process - they will sift the flour, combine all the necessary ingredients, knead the dough and cut out intricate figures. Then they will watch with admiration how the pieces of dough turn into real Easter eggs, and then with the same enthusiasm they will eat them with milk or tea. How to make such an original cookie for Easter, read our step by step recipe!

There are not so many decorative leafy pets among tuberous crops. And Caladium is a true star among the variegated inhabitants of interiors. Not everyone can decide to start a Caladium. This plant is demanding, and first of all - to care. But still, rumors about the extraordinary capriciousness of the Caladiums never justify. Care and attention will help to avoid any difficulties in growing caladiums. And a plant can almost always forgive small mistakes.

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Self-cultivation of petunias from seeds at home causes difficulties for many summer residents. Lack of knowledge and fear of experimenting make you spend the family budget on buying ready-made planting material... Having familiarized yourself with the basic rules and agrotechnical techniques, you will gain invaluable experience in obtaining strong seedlings... And bright flower beds with multi-colored petunias will decorate garden plot and the adjoining territory.

When and how to collect seeds?

Experienced gardeners begin harvesting petunia seeds for the subsequent cultivation of seedlings during the period of active flowering of the plant. Before this, strong plants are selected and marked with beautiful flowers the desired color and wait for the fruit pods to appear in their place. They are given to ripen. After that, they begin to collect the seed material in the boxes. The entire cycle, from bud formation to seed ripening, takes about 2 months.

Traditionally, to extend the flowering period of petunias, wilted buds with ovaries are cut off without waiting for the seed bolls to appear. To prepare planting material, leave the ovaries on the lower tiers of the plant. Here they will ripen faster.

The formation of flowers in a plant occurs within a week. Ovaries appear another week after pollination. Over the next 30 days, pods with seeds are formed on the petunias, which, after ripening, are collected for further cultivation at home. The total waiting time is approximately 45 ... 60 days. Seed can be harvested during the entire summer period and early autumn.

A sure sign that the time has come to collect the seeds is when the bolls are drying and cracking. Each such container contains up to 100 glossy black grains, 0.5 mm in size.

Prepare envelopes or paper bags before harvesting petunia seeds for growing. Wait for stable, clear weather. After you are convinced that the fruit pods are dry, start collecting. Spread the prepared material on paper and place in a dry place for ripening. For storage, the seeds are removed and laid out in bags or envelopes. Be sure to tag the petunia variety.

On one's own harvested seeds retain their germination for 4 years. When growing hybrid varieties petunias, remember that seeds harvested at home do not partially retain their maternal characteristics. As a result of cross-pollination, you can get new interesting colors. Re-collection seed collected from the bushes of hybrid varieties and growing it will not preserve the color and structure of the flower.

Sowing dates

The timing of sowing petunia seeds when growing seedlings at home is largely determined by a combination of two factors:

1. Daylight hours;
2. Species and varietal characteristics of the plant.

Too early dates, as well as the wrong choice of varieties, are fraught with the fact that a lack of lighting will contribute to pulling out the seedlings. Elongated seedlings develop slowly, becoming frail and susceptible to disease.

The varietal characteristics of a flower crop should also be taken into account when trying to grow from seeds. If you pay attention to the bags of seed sold in garden centers, you can notice that petunias of different varieties and species have their own sowing dates. This is due to the growing season of a particular group:

• Cascading;
• Ampel small-flowered;
• Shrub;
• Large-flowered.

As a rule, manufacturers indicate information on when to plant petunias for seedlings on the back of the package.

Depending on the specified group, seeds are planted for home cultivation petunias in different terms... Ampel petunias should build up a large vegetative mass, so they are planted earlier than anyone else - at the beginning of January. Shrub varieties should be planted in late February and early March.

The timing of planting seed for all types of petunias must be correlated with lighting conditions.

• If additional lighting is possible, sowing is carried out during February.
• If the windows of the apartment are directed to the south side, you can sow in the first decade of March.
• With the northern orientation of the windows, sowing is best postponed until the third decade of March or early April.

Attempts at early cultivation of light-loving petunia, without additional supplementary lighting, will not allow you to get strong, beautiful planting material.

Seed preparation

Seed germination of a given flower crop depends on factors such as humidity, heat and light. Even taking the most popular varieties of petunias for suburban cultivation, you can only get 50% of the shoots. In order for the seeds to germinate and give life to beautiful flowers, they need to be prepared before planting. Seed preparation consists of several stages:

1. Stratification;
2. Disinfection;
3. Stimulation of seedlings.

The stratification of petunia seeds begins long before the start of growing seedlings. Usually 7-8 weeks before sowing, the grains are mixed with fine river sand... Then the mixture is poured into shallow containers and placed in a refrigerator for 2 months. In order to further separate the seeds, take sand in small quantities and the finest fraction. Sprinkle the mixture into the trays in a thin layer.

For grown flower seedlings, petunia seeds are disinfected. The procedure is carried out in a light pink solution of potassium permanganate. To prepare the solution you will need:

• Boiled water;
• 200 gram glass;
• 0.5 liter can;
• Potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate);
• Clean rags.

A mother liquor is prepared in a glass of water. It should be dark pink in color. Then at 0.5 liter jar pour water and gradually add the contents of the glass until a light pink hue is obtained. After that, the seeds collected from the petunias grown on the site are wrapped in rags and dipped in the prepared solution for 20 minutes.

The next stage of preparation increases the germination of the seed and the survival rate of the seedlings grown. The day before planting the seeds, they are soaked in water with the addition of a few drops of a growth stimulant. Experienced florists for stimulation use "Epin". For 0.5 liters, 3 ... 4 drops of the drug are required.

How to prepare the ground?

The success of growing petunias at home depends not only on seed preparation, but also on soil preparation. Insofar as flower culture capricious, for sowing you will need a fertile loose soil that can retain moisture. The soil can be purchased at specialized garden centers or prepared by yourself. Experienced florists most often choose the second option.

The nutrient soil in which it is planned to grow petunia seedlings is prepared from the following components:

• Low-lying peat - 1 part;
• Sod land - 1 part;
• Humus - 1 part;
• River sand - 1/2 part.

Combine all ingredients and mix until smooth. Sift the resulting composition through a sieve with a large mesh, and then with a fine mesh. As a result, the nutrient soil will be loose and airy.

If the process of preparing the soil is difficult for you, then you can grow petunia from seeds on purchased soil. To improve the properties of the purchased substrate, add the following components, per 10 kg:

• 500 gram wood ash for fertilization;
• 500 grams of perlite;
• A tablespoon of potash fertilizer.

These elements will improve the composition of the purchased soil.

So that the seedlings do not get sick, spill the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate before sowing.

3 ways of sowing seeds

After preparatory work you can start sowing seeds for seedlings. Experienced flower growers use 3 main methods of sowing seeds in their practice:

1. In trays with nutrient substrate;
2. Planting petunias in the snow.
3. In peat tablets;

The methods are good for uniform distribution grains collected by hand, or purchased coated material. Since the seeds are small, they should not be buried in the nutrient soil. The best option- sprinkle with a 1 ... 2mm layer of substrate.

Sowing in trays

The prepared substrate is filled in trays or containers with the addition of a hydrogel. Then the soil is moistened abundantly. Subsequently, the hydrogel will preserve moisture in the soil, which is necessary for the successful germination of petunia seeds. It is better to grow a crop not in rows, but in squares. In the future, this method will simplify the process of picking grown plants.

Divide the soil in the container into squares and place the seeds in the center of these zones. Use toothpicks for convenience. The tip moistened with water is convenient for grasping and transferring the grains. After distribution, the seed is lightly sprinkled with finely sifted soil (no more than 2 mm). Spray the plantings with water from a spray bottle.

Once seeding is complete, place containers in plastic bags or cover with clear lids. Petunia trays are best placed in a warm place with ambient lighting. After an ode… seedlings will appear in two weeks.

Snow landing

The method allows in the process of growing petunia flowers to combine the stage of seed stratification. To implement it you will need:

• Suitable container;
• Priming;
• Seed material;
• Snow;
• Trowel;
• Glass or plastic bag.

At the first stage, fill the container with soil, leaving 2 ... 3 cm from the edges free space... To prevent various diseases, spill the substrate with a fungicide solution. One day after disinfecting, lay a small layer (1 ... 1.5 cm) of snow on top and compact it a little.

In the second stage of growing seedlings, fold White list paper in half. A groove should form in the center of the unfolded parchment. Add the petunia seeds. Then gently brushing them off, spread them over the snow. Spread the areas with dense crops evenly with a match or a toothpick.

Finally, cover the container with a glass, lid, or plastic bag and place in a warm, lighted place. After the snow melts and moisture is absorbed into the soil, the grains will slightly go into the soil. With the emergence of seedlings (after 1 ... 1.5 weeks), air the mini greenhouse with petunia twice a day for 15 ... 20 minutes. Remove condensation from the cover of the tray.

Growing in peat tablets

It will help to reduce the loss of seedlings and protect seedlings from various diseases. Often this method florists use when sowing expensive varietal hybrids... It is best to sow petunias in tablets with a diameter of 2.5 ... 3 cm. It makes no sense to use large cylinders, since a large number of plants will require a lot of space.

It is not difficult to prepare a pressed nutrient substrate from peat:

1. Take a tall container that will hold all the pills;
2. Lay the discs neatly with the holes facing up;
3. Pour warm water over the top edge and cover the container with a lid;
4. Wait for the peat tablets to take their shape;

ATTENTION! Watch the cylinders wet while swelling. Add a little more water if necessary to hydrate the substrate.

After preparing the tablets, drain off excess water and place in containers. Place the seeds of the petunia on a white sheet of paper and spread the seeds into the holes of the peat cylinders with a toothpick or match. If you are sowing pelleted seeds, add a few drops from a pipette to the balls to speed up germination. warm water and after a few minutes in the recess of the tablet, smear the shell.

After planting petunias in peat tablets, cover the container and place in a warm place. Provide temperature regime within 24 ... 25 ° С. With more low temperatures Petunia grown from seed may not sprout. During germination, keep the substrate moist.

Seedling care

In the first period after planting petunia seeds, it requires special care... These flowers love warmth, so the room temperature should not be lower than 24 ° C. When the temperature drops by 3-5 ° C, the growth of seedlings slows down, or stops altogether. It is best to spray plants from a spray bottle, so as not to burrow the seeds.

As soon as the first shoots begin to hatch, the growing method needs to be slightly changed. You need to remove the lid from the containers for a few minutes every day. After a week, the trays can be opened for a longer period. So, after a while, the seedlings will get used to indoor conditions.

With the appearance of the first true leaves on the seedlings, proceed to the pick. For petunias grown in peat tablets, picking is not required. But if you used a nutrient soil, this procedure is necessary. It is advisable, after picking, to plant the sprouts in separate pots, deepening them along the first leaves.

The peculiarity of petunias is that growing them from seeds is very slow. Do not think that you did something wrong, did not water or feed the seedlings. It's just that young plants develop for a very long time. root system... Be patient, and in 2-3 months you will get beautiful bright bushes.