Petunia in a pot. A photo

Ampel petunia is very popular with many flower growers. Thanks to extensive color scheme, she is able to decorate the most different places your dacha: windows, gazebos,. It will also look spectacular as a separate composition in your garden.

Varieties of petunias have a conditional division into:

bush flowers that are planted in open ground. Seeds are sown in March or April. On the permanent place the plant is planted in May;
ampelous petunias are planted in hanging flowerpots or.

To obtain seedlings, seeds are sown much earlier than bush seeds - in early or mid-February, and in May they are transplanted to a permanent place. At the same time, each grower will inevitably face the question: how many pieces of ampelous petunias should be planted in a flowerpot?

Sowing seeds of petunias

Before planting a plant in a permanent place, it is necessary to grow its seedlings. For this, the following conditions must be met:

Prepare the soil, which should be light and loose. It must be moistened and watered with a growth stimulator.
Seeds are poured onto the ground without deepening. A small amount of earth is poured on top of them. Seeds are moistened with a spray bottle.
The container is covered on top with glass or polyethylene film. Every day, the seedlings are aired for a short time, watered if necessary.
After five days, sprouts appear. The film or glass is opened for a long time, providing maximum illumination.
After two weeks, the first leaves sprout. At this stage, 1-2 times a week, top dressing is carried out in liquid form, spraying them from a spray bottle.
Growing seedlings, as they grow, are transplanted into larger containers.

During the first 4-5 weeks after germination, the development of seedlings is slow, they gradually build up the root system. Then their active growth begins. In containers with a volume of 1.5-2 liters, petunia seedlings grow until they are transplanted to a permanent place in a pot of the appropriate size. Thus, by May, an ampelous petunia bush grows, having 15-20 buds.

How many petunias to plant in one pot?

As a container for growing petunias, it is recommended to use a planter. The cache-pot is a special vase designed for flower pot. The design of the planter assumes the presence of special hooks with which it is hung.

When deciding how many petunias to plant in a pot, the following recommendation should be followed: no more than two adult plants are planted in one medium-sized container (diameter about 22 cm). This is due to the fact that ampelous petunias are characterized by a branched root system. If you plant more than two plants in one pot, this will interfere with their growth and proper development. The nutrients found in the soil will quickly be used up, and this will lead to a decrease in the intensity of flowering of petunias.

In addition, when deciding how many petunias to plant in one pot, it is necessary to take into account the size of the container and the variety of the future plant. How larger variety, the larger container will be required for it. For example, in a pot with a volume of 10 liters, you can plant two pieces of Fortunia variety petunias. But if you are dealing with the Typhoon variety, then in this case you can plant only one seedling in a 10-liter planter.

Following the recommendations for calculating how many petunias can be planted in one pot will help you grow a healthy plant. Having created comfortable conditions for petunia growth, you will enjoy its flowering throughout the season.

Variety of species given flower will satisfy the taste of even the most sophisticated grower. The article considers the assortment of the species "ampel petunia", planting and care, photos of varieties.

The most popular types of this flower:

"The Snow Queen". This petunia hybrid has snow-white flowers with a unique aroma. Stems reach 80 cm in length.
Diamond Pearly Shades. The flowers are pink in color, the length of the stems at proper care is about 100 cm.
"Explorer". The most common of the petunia species, the range of colors is very wide, the length of the shoots reaches 1.5 m. The flowers of this species have a waxy, and the shoots have a strong structure.
Salmon Shades Velvet. Petunia of this species has a rare apricot color.
Easy Wave Red. The stems of the flower reach 100 cm, the buds are most often red.
"Ekaterina". The flowers of this hybrid have a rich salmon color with veins up to 6 cm in diameter.
"Svetlana". Ampelous petunia, the stems of which reach 1 m, flowers with a diameter of 5 cm with pinkish veins.
"Masha". A variety of petunia, the stems of which reach 80 cm. The flowers have a diameter of 6-7 cm, the color is most often bright pink with a yellow center.
"Ramblin Neon Rose". This variety has very large buds, the stems reach 35 cm in height and form a cascade that grows in different directions for almost a meter.
"Black Velvet". A hybrid that has velvety black flowers 8 cm in diameter and a stem 25 cm high.

What to look out for

Petunia ampelous is a hybrid, its seeds cannot be cheap. As a rule, they are imported and very often sold by the piece.

Pay attention to beautiful names varieties are not worth it, this is not an indicator of quality or sophistication, experts recommend that you carefully read the information indicated on the package.

If it is indicated that the petunia stems are upright with a height of up to 40 cm, then it will grow like this and is unlikely to branch.

A beautiful picture on the package also does not guarantee the cultivation of the desired petunia bush. If the package says “color mix”, this does not mean that the ampelous petunias will be as colorful as in the photo. Most often, the vast majority of buds are the same color.

The most important thing when choosing planting material- quality. You can ask the seller for information about the ampelous petunia offered (planting and care, the photo of the variety should also be of interest to the buyer), what is the germination of commercially available petunia varieties - this information is indicated in the seed certificate.

But it is almost impossible to find out how much the seeds correspond to the variety declared on the package, hence the failures in growing such a plant as ampelous petunia, care will also not play a noticeable role. Therefore, it is better to buy varieties that have already been tested by friends.

Growing seedlings from seeds

It is better to sow seedlings of petunia in early February, and by the end of May it will be beautiful. flowering plant will be formed. Petunia seedlings are quite resistant to adverse conditions, but, despite this, additional lighting will be very helpful. Ampelous petunia blooms for a very long time, planting and caring for which are carried out by the method of phased sowing.

In order for the seeds to sprout, loose and light soil is required, which is sterilized before sowing. To do this, it can be placed in the microwave for 10 minutes. Then the soil must be covered in specially prepared landing tanks, compact the surface of the soil and put snow on top so that about 1 cm remains to the upper edge. After planting the seeds, the container must be covered with glass from above, it is better to place the pot on the southern windowsill.

The film must be periodically removed to ventilate the soil and moisten it in the area of \u200b\u200bsowing seeds. The first shoots appear within 15 days.

When the ampelous petunia rises, the care of which was carried out correctly, the first shoots should be sprayed abundantly every day in the morning and in the evening with a spray bottle with settled warm water. After the appearance of the second pair of leaves, a pick is carried out in peat pots. After 30 days, the seedlings can be transplanted into pots or balcony boxes when the ampelous petunia has gained strength. Planting seedlings in the ground is carried out when the air temperature becomes stable and the soil warms up.

Landing in open ground

One of the most common ways to plant petunias is to plant seedlings. If the seeds of a plant are sown directly into the ground, then there is a high probability that the bush will grow weak and sparse. In this sense, ampelous petunia is somewhat capricious. Landing and care open field behind this plant has its own characteristics.

It is better to plant seedlings of petunias in cloudy weather.
It is desirable to dive seedlings together with an earthen clod.
The hole for the seedling should be 10 cm deep and wide.
The distance between seedlings depends on the variety of petunia. Ampel petunia bushes are planted at a distance of 28-30 cm.
After transplanting, the flowers need to be watered.
In order for the seedlings to take root better, the ground around them can be covered with peat, this will retain soil moisture and protect the flower from frost.

Outdoor petunia care

Previously, it was considered what requirements the ampelous petunia imposes on the landing.

Landing in the ground is carried out, and long flowering And successful cultivation provide the following care:

Timely watering and constant feeding, as well as the removal of wilted flowers.
The first top dressing should be carried out 11 days after transplanting the plant into the ground.

It is best to use nitrogen-containing fertilizers. To achieve abundant flowering, during the period when the buds are tied, it is necessary to use phosphate fertilizer. An important component iron is used to feed petunias; in its absence, the plant can become ill with chlorosis.

Collection and storage of seeds

Seeds ripen in about 60-90 days from the moment of flowering, they must be collected manually. Well-ripened seeds remain viable for several years, their shell is very dense, and the size is small.

Before laying in storage, the seed material is well dried.

It is necessary to store petunia seeds in a ventilated, dry room at a temperature of plus five to plus ten degrees Celsius, maintaining moderate humidity.

The best way to store would be a canvas bag. From time to time, the seeds need to be viewed and sorted out, removing the spoiled ones. The maximum storage period should not exceed three to four years to avoid drying out of their embryos.

Petunia ampelnaya: planting in a flower pot

For one root of an ampelous petunia, you need to select a pot of 3-5 liters, the distance between the central stems should be at least 15-20 cm. When choosing soil, you need to pay attention to its friability, lightness and water permeability.

You can prepare the land yourself, for this you need to mix garden soil with peat and baking powder (3:3:0.5). As for watering, it is enough to carry out this procedure 2 times, in the morning and in the evening. To save ampelous petunia from spider mites, it must be periodically sprayed with water, it is better to do this after sunset.

To maintain the decorative effect of ampelous petunia in the middle of summer, it needs to be trimmed and wilted flowers removed, this leads to the setting of new buds and long flowering.

Useful tips will help when growing ampelous petunias in pots.

It is unacceptable to combine petunias with different growth strength, this is fraught with the fact that more strong plant will overwhelm the neighbor.
It is not recommended to plant flowers with different flowering periods in pots.
Ampelous petunias must be selected with the same habitus.
Breeders recommend transplanting flowers from one pot to another as little as possible, this can severely damage the roots and young shoots.
In flowerpots, it is necessary to plant flowers that have the same growing conditions (lighting, water, soil).
Up to four types of petunias can be placed in a container or planter.
In a hanging planter, flowers should be placed symmetrically.
Taller seedlings should be planted in the center of the container, and cascading and ampelous should be placed along the edge.
Planters look most spectacular against the background of green foliage white color. Baskets lined with moss and coconut substrate will help to make the composition of petunias more attractive.

Petunia ampelous: planting and care (pot)

The following tips will help grow a flower in a pot:

For ampelous petunias, a pot of at least 5 liters of land is required for one plant.
In order for the buds to actively bloom, you need to remove the seed boxes.
If in the middle of summer the petunia branches have grown strongly, and the flowering has become weaker, they need to be cut to half the length and watered abundantly.
Watering petunias must be done every day.
If the flower is on the street, then it must be covered from rain, as excessive moisture leads to rotting of the flower.
Do not forget about the drainage holes in each pot.

If you follow these rules, then a beautiful flower will soon appear.

Creation of mono-flowers from ampelous petunias

The variety of colors allows you to create unique petunia flower beds that will decorate any garden or yard. In landscape design, these are one of the most sought-after types of flowers.

Mono-flowers are compositions in which only plants of one species are used. From petunias, you can offer the following options for these flower beds:

The simplest, but no less effective composition is one-color. A strict version of such a flower bed involves the use of only one variety of ampelous petunias. Such mono-flowers look advantageous on a green lawn.
A completely different impression is produced by a flower bed, which combines multi-colored petunias, ideally up to ten shades are used. They can be sown both interspersed and in different shapes.
Vertical flower bed of ampelous petunias. Such a flower bed is easy to make from wooden screen, on which horizontal containers with a plant are attached.
It can also be a flower tower, which consists of planting sections piled on top of each other.
Looks great and vertical flower bed from sweet potato and ampelous petunias, one of the variations of such a flower bed can be several planters that are fixed on the same base.

Flower bed ideas in combination with other plants

Ampelous petunia, which is planted (and cared for) in flower beds, goes well with some other plants, and combinations with their use look no less impressive than monoplants:

Flowerbed with a center of pine needles. A classic flower bed can be diversified by adding coniferous trees or bushes to the composition. One of the most popular solutions is to plant an ampelous petunia in a circle with a center of arborvitae or juniper.
A raised flower bed is created using vertical walls that raise it above ground level. Such a flower bed does not have a bottom, therefore ampelous petunias develop in the same way as in open ground. Compositions in such a flower bed can be made up of purple petunias and blue lobelia. The soil for a raised flower bed needs to be improved; for this, biohumus and hydrogel must be added to the garden soil.
Large ampelous petunias and surfinias are planted in planting pockets or mini-flower beds. They grow very quickly and create ground cover blooming cushions. Such small flower beds can revive a paved area.
Round flowerbed with coleus and marigolds. Two types of ampelous petunia pink and purple flowers. In the center there is a small bush of orange marigolds, and in order to give the flower bed a distinct shape, undersized coleuses are planted as a border. In this composition, it is important to use flowers whose height decreases from the center to the periphery, so the flower bed turns out to be domed and creates a feeling of elevation above the ground.

Garden decoration

Ampelous petunia also looks great in decorating a house, planting and caring for a plant in the garden do not differ from the recommendations considered earlier.

In addition to flower beds, the garden can be decorated with ampelous petunias as follows:

Hang planters or pots around artificial pond, if any.
Plant an ampelous petunia in an old stump.
Fix the planter with petunia on the wall of the house, gazebo or over a hammock.
Build figures from a wire mesh, fill them with soil and plant an ampelous petunia in the holes, and when it grows, it will close the frame, and this will result in a stunning composition.

Petunia ampelous, planting and caring for which are carried out following the recommendations, will please the eye for a long time. abundant flowering whatever variety is chosen.

The petunia flower is ampelous, in its beauty it is not inferior to the queen of the garden rose, such as floribunda. You can find a wide variety of plant varieties, but the most popular and unusual is precisely the ampelous petunia. It is endowed with hanging stems, on which chic flowers are located. Also, endless multi-colored garlands descending from hanging pots in a flower waterfall will fascinate the eyes of others.

Anyone who has seen this flower at least once will forever remember the blooming ampelous petunia and want to grow this plant at home. This type of plant is not only beautiful, but also unpretentious, which is why both professional flower growers and beginners fell in love with it.

Ampelous petunia is an excellent decoration for balconies, loggias and vertical flower beds. Also, this plant variety serves as an excellent decoration for alpine slides.

By placing a flower pot on a hill, you can enjoy the sprigs that have grown along it, decorated with bright beautiful flowers that blend perfectly with any other plants, whether it be viola or begonia. they calmly coexist with them even in the same pot.

Petunia planting and care: description

The long work of breeders has led to the fact that there are currently about 70 varieties of petunias. More recently, jet black, blueberry, pungent green shades of plants have appeared that will appeal to even the most capricious gardeners. It will not be easy for beginner flower growers who have not yet encountered petunia to decide which species is right for them to decorate. household territory or balcony.

Before purchasing a petunia, carefully study the conditions in which the flower will grow. This will help you choose a plant that will surely serve as an excellent decoration for a particular place. So if you want to decorate a balcony, then varieties that are grown in hanging planters are suitable for you, but climbing varieties of petunias will be most suitable for decorating arbors and arches.

What varieties and types of petunias exist

Of course, you can find numerous reviews that will tell you which varieties were used for what purposes. But in order to grow healthy and beautiful plant you should study all the nuances on your own correct selection, care and cultivation of an unforgettable petunia.

Bush species

This group contains a wide variety of varieties. They include small bushes, with a complex subgroup of flowers Multiflora, the circumference of a flower, which reaches 5 cm.

Also among the various species there are large plants from the Grandiflora subgroup with flowers reaching up to 16 cm in diameter.

Perennial plant species have lush inflorescences, thanks to which they look perfect in flower beds and on borders. Small bushes are usually planted in pots.

If you want to make the flower more magnificent, then you need to pinch the top, from where young shoots will soon appear, creating a beautiful decorative form.

Petunia grandiflora:

Dreams
Aladdin blue, blue, white, red and burgundy
Bravo
picoti
Limbo White and Red
African Sunset
Burgundy
Prism
Daddy
Ultra blue, red, white

Some of the most gigantic inflorescences grow, it is at grandiflora.

Petunia floribunda

Flowers that are included in this group, along the circumference of the flower, occupy a place between the subgroups Grandiflora and Multiflora. As with any form, they have their drawbacks and advantages. These varieties include 14 subgroups that can survive in adverse weather conditions. In addition, they feel comfortable both in drought and on rainy days. Basically, these varieties are planted in large quantities.

The group of hybrid varieties Sonya and Madness are in the highest demand.

SonyaOrchid
celebrity
Brilliant Rose
Sonya F1 Burgundi Star
Madness F1 Series (Madness)

Multiflora

These petunias are multi-flowered. All species and hybrids are endowed with rich and abundant medium flowers. Able to endure any vagaries of nature. Can be planted alone or close to other plants. Alone, they look like blooming multi-colored balls, and in group plantings, they turn into a blooming and fragrant plant carpet.

Known varieties

Merlin blue
Multiflora Mambo
Merlin pink color

cascading

These varieties of plants should be planted in large pots. The fact is that over a short period of time, cascades begin to scatter shoots wide and they need a place where the branches will be located.

They differ from other species in their long side shoots, so planting more than 3 plants in one container is unlikely to succeed.

Petunia cascade Gioconda
Bicolor cabernet
Burgundy f1
Bunch of grapes
Petunia blue Cascade
Double Cascade
purple Aelita
creeping Gioconda
Terry Waterfall Pink soft
Typhoon

Even if you do not pinch the shoots, the lashes can reach up to 1.5 meters. Thanks to their branches, these types of petunias adorn gazebos, terraces and loggias.

Ampelous petunias

These plants are characterized by long branches descending to the ground. As a rule, they are grown for hanging planters. But some of the gardeners use varieties to decorate flower beds. Thanks to the side branches that cover the flower beds and fill them with bright flowers, the flower beds look very beautiful and impressive. Sufrinia is a plant variety that includes the largest number bright colors various colours. Also, these species have won the attention of flower growers due to their resistance to bad weather conditions, relatively fast seed germination and flowering, which begins quite early.

Petunia ampelnaya Black Velvet
Amore myo orange
arlekino
Easy Wave
Explorer
shock wave
Tidal
Silver
Ramblin Neon Roses
Tornado
Typhoon
petunia snow queen
Masha
Surfinia
Svetlana
Opera

Calibrachoa

Plants that have a lot of similarities with petunia and for a long time belonged to its varieties.

Differences between Calibrachoa and Petunia:

Foliage and flowers are much smaller.
The shoot lignifies much stronger and has more branches. petals this plant even.
Leaves and shoots are covered with elastic hairs.

More recently, new hybrids of these plants have appeared, which very quickly won the attention of flower growers. A multiple winner of international competitions is a species called Millionbells. Not far behind him and Noah, a hybrid of Cabaret and Superbels.

dwarf petunia

Samples with a maximum height of 25-30 cm are subject to undersized. Undersized petunias can produce both double flowers and cascading ones.

Terry Valentine
Pirouette
Espresso Frappe
Duvet
Papaya
Sophistry

Miniature flowers are charming in themselves, and when they are full of all sorts of colors, it’s simply impossible to take your eyes off them, such a picture emerges.

Petunia ampelous and cascading difference is there or not

Ampel and cascade varieties, even though they are distinguished into different subgroups, are one and the same plant. Although they are often called, sometimes, in different ways. And when asked what kind of petunia to plant in a pot? The answer is unequivocal - one of these subspecies.

How to properly care for ampelous petunias

Everyone who once saw a blooming petunia was fascinated by its unusual and bewitching flowering. It is customary to distinguish two types of these plants: bush and ampelous.

As a rule, bush representatives are grown to decorate garden plots, while ampelous plants decorate balconies, loggias and verandas.

Having opted for any of these species, you definitely need to learn how to properly care for plants that will delight you for a long time.

Regardless of which one you choose, the petunia will delight you with beautiful inflorescences.

How to grow petunias from seeds

Most novice gardeners do not have the necessary knowledge and begin to re-read any information about the plant available on the Internet. But the most important thing and the first thing you need to know before you start buying seeds is what you need to sow them correctly, how many pieces to plant in a flower pot. And also, in what sequence should this procedure be carried out.

If you have artificial lighting, then you can start sowing seeds in February. In the event that there are no lamps, then it is necessary to sow them at the moment when the daylight hours last, and this happens around mid-March. The soil should be light, loose and saturated nutrients.

To provide the seeds with all the necessary components, you will need:

2 measures of peat
2 measures of sheet soil
2 measures of soddy soil
2 measures of humus
1 measure of sand

Before you start sowing, mix the seeds with dry sand in a ratio of 1 to 5. This will make them easier to see. In the container, where the soil prepared in advance is already filled up, it is necessary to place the seeds, which can be either clean or with a protective shell.

If you plant clean seeds, they will sprout much faster than protected ones. Those seeds that are enclosed in a shell, of course, cost a little more and take longer to germinate, but they are protected from disease and any damage.

If you want the seeds to germinate much faster, then cover the container where they were planted with film or glass. Move the container to a room where the air temperature is about 22 degrees.

As soon as you see that sprouts appear, be sure to remove the glass and reduce watering, as strong soil moisture can be detrimental to young petunia seedlings. Do not forget about the complex top dressing that the flower needs. To do this, you need nitrogen fertilizers, which are applied 2 times a month.

Watering and fertilizing

In the event that you water a growing petunia poorly, then it may get sick, and you can determine this by some signs. In order to avoid various ailments, be sure to provide the flowers with all the necessary nutrients. Each time you water the plant, add to the water special composition, which can be purchased at a specialized store. In order for feeding petunias to give the desired result, you must:

In the first 7 days, water the sprouts with water and humates.
The next week, water with water and potassium sulfate.

Petunia on the balcony video:

How to plant

After the petunia seedlings have become strong enough, they must be transplanted to a place where they will constantly grow. In order not to run into any problems, follow the following rules:

Where to plant on the street and in the apartment

It is worth planting a flower in well-lit open areas, as he loves the sun's rays very much. The most suitable will be the south side with the maximum number sunlight. If you want to plant a petunia in the ground, then before carrying out the procedure, make sure that the threat of frost has passed.

The most suitable time for planting in open ground is mid-May. The procedure is carried out in the evening on cloudy days.

In the event that the plant will be planted in an apartment, then it also needs a southern window sill. If this is not the case, then use artificial lighting, which will help extend the daylight hours and provide the petunia with sufficient light.

How to plant a petunia in a pot

Ampelous petunia, as a rule, is planted in hanging planters, as it looks beautiful and fascinating in them. Hanging flowers can decorate balconies, terraces, arches and gazebos. In order to plant one bush you will need a 3-5 liter planter.

You can make the soil with your own hands:

for this, take 3 parts of the soil
mix it with 3 parts of peat and
half a piece of baking powder.

If you do not want to work on the ground, then get ready-made in a specialized store. A petunia that has been planted in a pot needs morning and evening watering. After the sun disappears below the horizon, it is necessary to spray the plant to avoid spider mite attacks. All flowers that have wilted must be removed, which will allow the bush to always look beautiful and bloom much longer. If there are heavy incessant rains outside, then it is worth bringing the plant under a canopy, as the ampelous petunia does not like waterlogging.

As soon as it gets cold outside, the pots where the petunia was planted must be brought into a warm room. This will help her continue to grow and release more and more buds. Also, with the onset of winter, there is no need to fertilize the bushes.

What soil is suitable for petunias

The most important thing in planting petunias is the soil, which must be saturated with all the necessary substances. For lush flowering, fertile, sufficiently moist soil is needed. That is why it is worth stopping your choice on loamy, sandy or sandy soil. Before planting, it is recommended to dig up the soil with rotted manure or leaf humus. Do not fertilize it with fresh organic matter, because it is an activator of fungal diseases.

Beautiful formation of an ampelous petunia

If you want your plant to take a beautiful decorative shape, then you need to pinch it twice. When the top of the plant reaches 10 cm, and the shoots become strong and begin to stretch in different directions, remove the top of the bush. After this procedure, the stems may begin to grow much more slowly, and the first side branches will appear.

If you pinch a bush, then it will not only form nice shape, but also will delight you with abundant, lush bloom, as well as bright large flowers. After the stems reach 15 cm, pinch the plant again.

Branches that have been removed can serve as good propagation cuttings. To do this, place them in water and wait for the roots to appear. Make sure that the earth completely fills the pot in which the plants are planted, this will help the shoots to be strong and not brittle.

How to properly collect seeds

If you want the petunia to bloom much longer, then all the flowers that have wilted must be removed. But what about the seeds that form in flowers? As soon as your plant begins to bloom, inspect it carefully and select the most suitable bottom flowers. Also, buds that have not had time to bloom are suitable for collecting seeds, which serves as a good guarantee that you will definitely get seeds from this bush. It takes about 2.5 months for the seeds to ripen.

How many seeds you get, as well as how high quality they will be, will depend on the plant you choose. Terry petunia poorly suited for this purpose, as it does not transfer its properties to seeds, which means that by collecting them, you may not get a similar variety of petunia.

Also, after the seeds sprout, you can become the owner of not only flowers that differ in shape and size, but buds painted in other shades.

Good advice when growing petunias in pots:

Long flowering of petunia and surfinia super video:

Petunias of forty species are bred in the world, which are grown in gardens, front gardens, in rooms, on terraces and loggias. Popularity among gardeners ornamental plant acquired due to large, expressive flowers, bright varied colors.

Classification of petunias

Cultivated petunias are, in fact, reborn hybrids for the conditions of the area where long time grew. Flowers adapt to changed conditions, change indicators and it is almost impossible to find the original appearance of the plant.

Initially, varieties were chosen for breeding and growing petunias until the middle of the 19th century:

white;
purple-red;

After widespread distribution across countries, the first hybrid plants appeared, which differ from their ancestors in shades of color, survival, drought resistance, etc.

In modern floriculture, petunia is divided into several types:

plants with big flowers which delight the eye with their monumentality. Such flowers reach the size of a palm and quickly gain growth. The brightest representatives include Limbo and the Hit Parade;
plants that have small flowers up to 5 cm, there are a huge number of them in the bush. These varieties belong to garden species, they perfectly fill the flower beds and gently fragrant in the late afternoon. These include Multiflora and Merlin;
there are plants of small stature, which, in combination with tall relatives, create harmonious compositions in gardens. They are called dwarf, Duo Maiksid and Merlin are the most common in our country;
the so-called ampelous petunia, includes plant species that grow in a cascade, and their flowers are turned down. This variety is most suitable for growing in pots and hanging pots. The most popular varieties are Surfinia, Pirate, Rendula and Lavina;
cascading varieties serve as an excellent shelter for decorative arbors and hedges, terraces and verandas. Their peculiarity lies in the random growth of shoots in all directions and the formation of lush hanging thickets. The most used varieties are Cherry, Ramblin, Silver, Typhoon and Rose;
varieties have been bred that endure the harsh manifestations of bad weather. Their flowers are medium, a large number in the bush. These include terry Floribunda, Sonya and Celebrity.

You can see photos of varieties of petunias in the catalogs of ornamental plants.

Care for petunias in pots

Growing petunias in pots

seedling preparation

In order for petunia grown in pots to please the eye on terraces, balconies and loggias in spring, it is recommended to sow seeds for seedlings at the end of winter. To do this, the seeds of the plant are sown in soddy soil mixed with leaf humus. Peat and sand are added there. All components are taken randomly.

Before sowing, seeds are mixed with sand and poured onto prepared soil. Crops are not covered with earth. The containers in which the petunia is sown are covered with glass caps. As they dry, the seedlings are moistened using a sprayer.

When two leaves appear on the hatched plants, they are thinned out and planted at a distance matchbox from each other. If thin stems are significantly stretched upwards, then pour a little soil to strengthen them. In order for the bush to have more lush growth in the future, the tops of the seedlings are pinched.

Approximately thirty days before planting in pots on outdoors, seedlings are accustomed to low temperature during the week, reducing it indoors to 18º C at the beginning and bringing it to 15º C by the end of hardening.

Planting in containers

Plants selected for planting in this container are carefully placed in a pot, and then the gaps between the root systems are carefully filled with prepared soil.

Soil preparation in pots

When dealing with a planting mixture, the conditions for growing an ornamental bush are taken into account:

To achieve these characteristics of the soil, a hydrogel is added to it, which will serve as a regulator of air and water balance. There are ready-made pots for planting petunia bushes on sale, but they do not provide for the partial content of hydrogel. It is better to take the time and prepare the mixture in a pot with your own hands. The hydrogel is pre-soaked, the swollen particles are mixed into the soil at the rate of 1:5.

The following type of composite soil is recommended for planting in a flower pot. They take parts of the turf, add two shares of leafy soil, dilute with peat and humus, one part each. To keep the earth loose for a long time, perlite is added in a small amount.

How to choose the size of a petunia planter?

Pots are used so that there is a five-liter capacity per plant of an ampelous or cascading variety; for a terry look, about three liters will be required per bush. When it comes to landing simple varieties, then they can be planted more often, 3-5 bushes can be planted in such a pot. If planted more densely, developing petunias will annoy each other, and a smaller number will look poor.

Successfully used as a planter for petunias plastic jars from under mayonnaise or paint. Plant one plant per container. Holes are drilled in the bottom of the pot to drain excess liquid. Experienced flower growers placed at the bottom, under a layer of earth, a small piece of foam rubber, which will absorb moisture. The material from which the pot is made does not matter. He may be from natural materials: clay or wood. Plastic containers have also proven themselves from a good side.

potted plant care

To appearance The bush was attractive, with faded flowers and seeds beginning to ripen from time to time. If the goal is not to collect seeds after the end of flowering, they simply save the plant from having to spend energy on the maturation of fruitful boxes.

Some bushes stretch their lashes very strongly by the middle of summer, the bush grows sparsely and produces few flowers. To correct this situation, long branches are cut to half the length. At the same time, they begin to feed and moisten the bush. After a short period of time, a lush flowering specimen of the petunia will develop.

Watering petunia bushes in a pot

If you place the planter under open sky, artificial watering and moistening should be reduced with the expectation of natural precipitation. A petunia under a canopy, where moisture does not fall from the sky, will require daily watering.

Although the petunia loves water, moisture should not stagnate in the roots, this will lead to rotting of the plant. Water flows out through the drainage holes. If there is not enough moisture, then the petunia dries out, but awakens with a timely change in the irrigation regime. To do this, in a pot with petunia, they begin to intensively shed water every day.

Outdoor petunia bushes in containers can easily suffer from heavy rain or even hail. It is necessary to have cellophane on hand for timely shelter of bushes from inclement weather. But, if the plant was beaten by hail, then it will restore its strength in a week, and the thinned bushes will perk up and will bloom more strongly.

A plant that has received a lot of water can be saved by timely care by placing the pot in a shaded place and not watering until the soil is completely dry. At the same time, carefully loosen the earth in a pot to the very bottom.

Spraying the plant with moisture using a spray bottle will help deliver life-giving moisture to the leaves, bypassing the roots. It is impossible to carry out drip moistening on a hot sunny afternoon, since instead of benefiting the plant will receive complete harm - the leaves will burn in the sun.

Organization of plant nutrition

Petunia loves to consume mineral fertilizers a lot. It is almost impossible to spoil a bush with fertilizers. Most of all, a bush in a pot prefers potassium supplements. Carefully add peat and humus. These dressings in large quantities negatively affect the roots of the ornamental bush.

The initial top dressing is done on the ninth day after planting in a pot or pot. For this, nitrogen mixtures or nitroammofoska are used for the first time.

An adult and strong plant during the flowering period is fertilized with phosphorus and potassium additives, superphosphates and potassium salt are used. Folk methods advise feeding petunias with ash from burnt wood. It is bought in specialized stores or used in the form of ash and ash from a fire or stove.

In order for the plant not to develop a disease called chlorosis, it is required to provide it with a sufficient amount of iron in the diet. The disease manifests itself in yellowing and falling leaves. Top dressing is carried out by spraying five times from a Ferovit solution sprayer every three days. Watering under the root is stopped until the plant is completely cured.

What are the diseases of beautiful petunias?

If you provide the plant with careful care, then no diseases will be terrible for him, but sometimes the bush becomes ill with the black leg disease. This disease is facilitated by abundant watering and unacceptable crowding of bushes in one pot. An ambulance will be the removal of diseased bushes from the pot, and with them most of the land. Neighboring plants are treated with fungicides.

Another unpleasant petunia disease - powdery mildew. It affects a plant located in a zone of sharp changes in heat and cold and sharp fluctuations in air humidity. The stems of a diseased plant are treated with sulfur preparations sold in garden stores.

Decorative petunia pests

Aphids lead to deformation of the leaves and general wilting of the bush. Colonies of white larvae are visible to the naked eye. A cause for concern may be the appearance of ants on the bush, which are very fond of visiting aphid habitats. The treatment is carried out by spraying with Aktara, Confidor, Arrivo, Kemifos.

The whitefly provokes yellowing and wilting of the leaves. When you touch a diseased plant, small white moths fly up from it. The plant is treated with the same means as against aphids, but Inta-C-M and Akgellik are also added.

Thrips affect the flowers and leaves of the plant, on which small silvery abrasions appear. The leaves gradually dry out in those places where insects lived. The fight is carried out with standard chemicals and the drug Inta-vir.

You can grow petunia at home in any conditions: in a hanging planter, stationary pots or in open ground. This plant will always give your home grace and beauty. The fragrance of petunia flowers will spread throughout the area. All friends will be happy to take photos of beautiful flowers.

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