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Growing petunia from A to Z. Bush petunia, photos and varieties

Growing petunia from A to Z. Bush petunia, photos and varieties

Petunia is a representative of the herbaceous genus annual plants, originally from hot South America. Belongs to the Solanaceae family. It comes in a wide variety of colors. Petunia blooms all summer and autumn, is not afraid of bad weather and is very easy to grow. Even inexperienced gardeners can cope with its cultivation.

Petunia began to be specially grown back in the 18th century. Many new varieties and hybrids have been developed. Some varieties are suitable for flower beds and borders, others decorate balconies and terraces, alpine coaster, let a flower carpet spread across the ground. Depending on the size of the flowers, from appearance All varieties of petunias are usually divided into several groups:

  1. multifloral petunia
  2. grandiflora petunia
  3. floribunda
  4. ampelous.

Multifloral petunia

These varieties have a huge number of small flowers with a diameter of 7 cm. The buds grow very densely and almost completely cover the bush. It begins to bloom early and blooms until the first cold weather. It's pretty unpretentious plant, rain and sun rays. Blooms profusely. The colors are both variegated and monochromatic. These petunias are compact and quite low; they are used to decorate flower beds and borders in the form of a carpet flower bed. They are also often cut, turning them into a flower ball. Varieties of multi-flowered petunias that are often grown are the following:

Snowball . Variety with white flowers. Height 30 cm, bud diameter 5 cm. Blooms in June and continues to bloom until the first frost. A variety of flowers that is resistant to many vagaries of weather.

Alderman. Height 30 cm. Diameter of blooming flowers 5 cm. Dark - blue flowers. It blooms from June until frost.


Debonair F1 Black Cherry. Hybrid American variety of petunia. Grows 30 cm tall and wide. Flowers with a diameter of 6–7 cm are burgundy with black tints. Plants bloom continuously.


Duo Summer. Terry multi-flowered petunia with spreading bushes 20 - 30 cm. The leaves are small, the buds are 7 cm. Pink flowers. Blooms from June to late September.


Large-flowered petunia (grandiflora)

The most common group. Unlike the first petunia, the large-flowered variety has larger flowers, but there are fewer of them. It does not tolerate bad weather well, so they prefer to grow it on terraces or balconies. The following varieties are popular:

Parade corduroy. Hybrid 25 cm in height. Flowers are burgundy-red.


Sonata. Snowy white flowers 12 cm in diameter, simple flower shape.


Pink sky. The flowers are bright pink. Large buds.


Pikoti. Height 30 cm. Flowers 7 cm. Color can be red, crimson or blue with a border white.


Ampelous petunias

They are distinguished by long, falling shoots, densely covered with buds. Ampelous petunia has its own peculiarities.

  1. The length of the growing shoots is from 30 to 120 cm. They fall down, so it is preferable to grow them in hanging pots.
  2. The size of petunia leaves depends on age; the older, the larger.
  3. Flowers are formed along the length of the shoot. They have a bell shape.
  4. Buds can grow on one plant different colors and sizes.
  5. Rich color palette. The petals are most often two-colored. The inside is brighter. People like to decorate balconies, terraces, and pillars with hanging plants. Blooms from June until frost.

There are many varieties of ampelous petunia. The popular ones are:

Black velvet has an unusual color. 25 – 30 cm, large flowers 8 cm in diameter, black velvety color.


Mashenka– a densely branched variety, the length of the released shoots is 80 cm, the flowers are funnel-shaped, 6 – 7 cm in diameter. Color pink, yellow center.


The Snow Queen is a hybrid, its shoots reach 80 cm. The flowers are snow-white with a pleasant smell.


Explorer widely spread. Wide variety of colors. Stems 1.5 meters. The flowers are large, with a waxy structure, which allows them to withstand bad weather.


Floribunda

Petunia floribunda falls between multi-flowered and large-flowered petunias. Tolerates bad weather well. Flowers 10 cm. Floribunda looks best in mass plantings. Grows well in both sun and shaded areas. Popular varieties:

Sonia– a series that includes 11 varieties. The plant is 25 cm, the bush is very compact. Flowers with a diameter of 8 cm, the color can be different: purple, white, red, pink. Can be two-color.


Milky Way – petunia with shoots 25 cm. Snow-white flowers with a pink star inside, reaching 10 cm. They begin to bloom in May and until the end of autumn frosts. They withstand the vagaries of the weather well and do not lose their shape after rain.


Angora– a hybrid variety, with erect shoots up to 45 cm in height. Blooms from early June until frost. The flowers are 7 cm in size, with wavy edges, double. Pink color.


Celebrity– a series of hybrids includes 13, both single-color and multi-colored colors. Plants resistant to rain and cold, no higher than 30 cm. There are many small buds on the shoot. Plant better in groups.


Growing petunia seedlings

To get strong and high-quality seedlings, you need to be careful when choosing containers and soil. The seedling boxes should be made of wood, plastic or ceramic. Containers should be wide and of medium depth. Drainage holes are required. You can use plastic disposable food containers.

It is imperative to place drainage at the bottom of the container. You can use expanded clay, pebbles. You can buy special drainage from flower shop. This is necessary so that air passes to the roots and water does not stagnate in the soil.

Then the seedling containers should be disinfected. You can use Formalin or a solution of potassium permanganate. After processing, the container should be thoroughly rinsed with water. If seedlings are planted in wooden box, a layer of paper, preferably thick paper, should be placed on the bottom.

Seed selection

Petunia seeds are sold in two types:

  • in granules;
  • in bulk.

Seeds in granules are more convenient, they have good germination. It is worth deciding on the timing of sowing them for seedlings.

It should be remembered that two months pass between sowing and the first flowers. They begin to plant seedlings from the second half of February until mid-March. This depends on whether it is possible to provide the seedlings with additional lighting, since there is still insufficient daylight in February.

For petunia seedlings, you need neutral or slightly acidic soil. It should be a nutritious mixture, loose, that retains moisture, but does not get wet. You can purchase the mixture in the store. Universal ready-made substrate Stender. For 5 liters of Stender you should also add half a liter of ash, a large spoonful of potassium sulfate, 250 grams of perlite and mix well.

Another option for the mixture: part garden soil, part sand and two parts peat. Stir, sift through two sieves of different sizes and pour strong solution manganese Or use the Previcura solution.


Drainage is poured into the bottom of the container, then a 6 cm layer of earthen mixture is added. There should still be at least 3 cm left to the end of the sides. Petunia seeds are very small and difficult to sow. Granulated seeds are more convenient. They can be taken with tweezers and placed on the ground in rows.

The seeds are not deepened; they are simply sprinkled with a two-millimeter thin layer of soil. If you use loose small seeds, you can sow them in three ways:

  • use of sand;
  • use of snow;
  • using a toothpick.

The first method is to mix the seeds with sand and spread them over a substrate that has been watered in advance. The crops are slightly moistened on top using a spray bottle and sprinkled with a millimeter of soil. You cannot use a watering can, as such watering will greatly deepen the seeds into the soil.

The second method involves sowing petunia seeds on a thin layer of snow, laid in a 1 mm thick layer on the surface of the substrate. Seeds are poured onto the snow and distributed over the entire surface using tweezers. When the snow melts, it will draw the seed material onto desired depth and moisturize the crops. And you won’t need to water or sprinkle soil on top.

The third method of sowing is using two toothpicks. Seeds are poured onto White list paper. Pick up the seed with one toothpick, with the tip moistened with water, and shake it off with another toothpick, moisten it on top and sprinkle it with substrate.


Having finished sowing, close the containers transparent material and referred to warm room where there is enough light. With a temperature of 25 degrees.

Seeds can be planted in special seedling cassettes. You can select by the number of cells. A cassette with cells is useful for repeated use, and the seedlings in them do not need picking. Experts advise choosing fairly spacious cells with a height of 10 cm.

The cells are filled with substrate. Caring for sprouts in cassettes is the same as caring for seedlings in regular boxes. Some gardeners plant seeds in special peat tablets. It is easiest to plant pelleted seeds in them. You need peat tablets 4.5 cm in diameter. They are placed in water to soak. Next, excess liquid is removed, and the tablets are placed in a container with high edges.

You can use cassettes. Place one seed in each tablet and water it with a pipette to soften the seed shell. When the shell gets wet, you should smear it with your fingers so that the seed germinates faster. The plantings are covered with transparent material.

It is believed that such seedlings are easier to care for; they do not need to be replanted and it is easy to understand when they need watering. In addition, with this method, the germination rate of petunia seeds is much higher.


Seedling care

If everything is done correctly, the first shoots will be visible in a week. Care for flower seedlings is very important:

  • watering;
  • feeding;
  • lighting;
  • temperature regime;
  • dive;
  • topping;
  • control of diseases and pests.

Watering

Petunia seedlings need moderate humidity. The soil should not be wet. This can lead to rot and disease. But overdried soil is also detrimental to seedlings.

Young plants need drip irrigation. For watering, use a syringe or pipette, pour at the root, do not get on the leaves. You can pour water over the wall, or use a tray for watering. Water for irrigation needs to be settled, at room temperature, or slightly warm.

Two minutes before watering, add lemon juice to the water. Water the flowers, depending on the weather. If the day is sunny, water in the evening. If the weather is cloudy, then watering is carried out in the morning.


Top dressing

Feeding young plants is also very important. It is recommended to apply fertilizers systematically. In the first two weeks, you will need to spray the petunias with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or Pervikura. After the appearance of the fourth leaf, the plants are fertilized with a solution of yellow “Kristalon” in the amount of half a tablespoon per 5 liters of water.

Fertilizing can be done both by foliage and by adding fertilizer to the soil. For foliar feeding, “Kristalon” and “Uniflora micro” are used. Seedlings are fed three times a week, using two methods alternately. After picking, it is recommended to use fertilizers that stimulate root growth. Such as “Aquarin”, “Solution”, “Plantofol”. Everything is prepared according to the instructions.


Temperature

Petunia seeds germinate at 25 degrees. If the temperature is low, the seeds simply will not sprout, and if it is higher, the plants can become very elongated and begin to hurt. After the shoots appear, you will need to open the plants twice a day, starting at 20 minutes.

The covering is completely removed when the plants grow to it. The temperature is reduced to 20 degrees during the day and to 16 at night.

Lighting

Flowers need lighting almost around the clock. Good lighting allows young plants to grow well and speeds up the flowering period. Duration required daylight hours need 12 hours. The lighting is turned on in the morning at 7 o'clock and turned off in the evening at 22 o'clock.

Additional lighting is installed at a height of 20 cm from the seedlings. For this purpose, LED, fluorescent, and phytolamps are used.


Picking

Picking seedlings is carried out only if they grew in common boxes. For picking, select 250 ml cups with holes for drainage. When the shoots are 5 cm in height, begin picking.

  1. Using a sharp garden knife, plant the plants to a depth of 3 cm. The knife is inserted at an angle of 45 degrees. It turns out that by pinching off a piece of the root, the development of the root system is stimulated.
  2. The flower is placed in a separate container.
  3. Add substrate to fill the voids. Watered.
  4. The temperature is reduced by three degrees for a week, and sunlight is avoided.
  5. You can feed only after a week and a half.

If the seedlings are grown in tablets, then the seedlings can be planted in an individual container along with it.

Pinching

Pinching is done for all varieties of petunias, except for hanging varieties. It consists of removing a piece of the stem at the 4th and 5th leaf along with the growing point.

Young shoots will emerge from each leaf axil, and in the future such plants will bloom profusely. After half a month, a second pinching is carried out. To obtain lush bush, pinching must be done several times.

Improper watering and excess moisture can lead to blackleg disease. At the base of the shoot is formed dark spot, the fabric underneath becomes soft and rots. A constriction forms and the plant falls.

All diseased seedlings must be destroyed, and the soil must be watered with a solution of potassium permanganate or Formalin.

Often, due to excess moisture, petunia seedlings may experience iron deficiency. In this case, iron chelate, which is contained in the Ferovit product, should be added to the soil. Conversely, excessive dryness leads to the appearance of spider mite, which settles on leaves. For the fight, special drugs are used: Neoron and Fitoverm.

Petunia transplant

When, after the picking, the seedlings take root and begin to grow, they begin to prepare them for planting. The plant is hardened for two weeks and accustomed to fresh air. Start with 15 minutes outdoors. And just before planting, the flowers should be exposed to the air around the clock.

Flower planting begins from the second half of May until mid-June. Petunia is a fairly unpretentious plant, but still prefers sunny areas. Prefers loamy, fertile soil. The soil is dug up, humus or compost is added, and weeds are removed.


Flower seedlings are planted when there is no sun, or in the evening.

The holes should be ten cm deep. The distance depends on the selected variety. Between large-flowered ones - 23 - 25 cm, between small-flowered ones - 18 - 20 cm. Ampelous ones are planted 28 - 30 cm from each other. Before planting, seedlings are watered for better removal from containers.

To avoid damaging the roots, plant them together with a lump of earth. After planting, the flowers are watered, and the soil nearby is mulched with humus or peat. Petunia should be protected from strong sunlight for several days. This can be done using canopies made of cardboard boxes.

Flower care

Care consists of:

  • in timely watering;
  • in systematic feeding;
  • in the picking of withered flowers.

Petunia should be watered only in dry weather, preferably in the evening. The plant does not like excessive humidity and when water stagnates in the hole. It is enough to simply moisten the soil around the roots a little. The next day, the ground is loosened so that a crust does not form, and the weeds are removed.

The beauty and duration of the flowering period of petunia depends on regular feeding. After 10 days, the plant is fertilized for the first time. Use nitrogen-containing fertilizers. Nitroammophoska has proven itself well.


During the formation of buds, potassium salt and superphosphate are used. You can use wood ash from a fire. If the leaves begin to turn yellow and fall off, the plant may have developed chlorosis. This means he lacks iron. In this case, “Ferovit” will help. They spray petunia 3-5 times with a period of three days.

Flowers that have bloomed are removed. This pushes the plant to form new buds and prolongs flowering. Using the pinching procedure, the bush is given a beautiful shape.

You can make a bush in the form of an unusual flower ball with many blossoming buds.

Collecting seeds

If you need petunia seeds for seedlings next year, you should select several lower buds on the bushes of the selected varieties. The process of seed formation in these buds is faster. After 60 days from the formation of buds, the seeds will ripen.

The capsules are cut off, the seeds are poured out and stored at room temperature. Each box contains about one hundred seeds. They are very small, about half a millimeter. Then the seeds ripen at home for four months. They do not lose their viability for about four years.

It is best to distribute the seeds into bags and label which variety so as not to confuse them.


Pests and diseases of flowers

Petunia is a fairly hardy plant, but it is still susceptible to diseases and is loved by insect pests. Diseases to which you are susceptible:

  1. Powdery mildew - common fungal disease, affects both leaves and buds. Spreads from bottom to top. A white coating, starting from the leaves, covers the entire plant. The leaves dry out and curl.
  2. Gray rot– also a fungus that can destroy a plant in a few days. Brown spots appear at the bottom of the petunia, then they dry out and become covered with a fluffy coating. The entire plant is affected.
  3. Blackleg is a disease that can spread from one seedling to another. The stem at the bottom of the plant darkens and rots, and the plant falls away from the root. The disease can destroy all flowers.

To combat these diseases, it is recommended to treat seeds, destroy diseased plants, maintain a watering regime, prevent soil acidification and use drugs such as “Skor”, “Bravo”, “Topaz” to combat powdery mildew. For gray rot they use “Trichodermin”, “Integral”, “Skor”. From the black leg "Trichodermin".

  1. Spider mite colonies form sticky webs on plants. White spots form on the leaves and increase in size. The leaves dry out and fall off. The parts of the plant on which the aphids have settled become covered with sweet dew, then a sooty fungus appears. The leaves curl. Aphids cause viral diseases petunias.
  2. Thrips – small insects, settle on leaves. The buds become deformed and the plant withers.

Will help against pests chemicals, which are sprayed on plants. Such as: “Spintor - 240”, “Confidor”, “Aktar”.

Petunias are beautiful flowers with a delicate aroma. There are a large number of colors that you can choose to suit every taste. Starting from snowy whites and ending with exotic blacks. And also pink of all shades, purple, red, blue, multi-colored and many others. And most importantly, petunia is an unpretentious plant, a little knowledge, a little work and the flowers will delight you throughout the summer season.

Growing petunias from seeds at home on their own is difficult for many summer residents. Lack of knowledge and fear of experimenting force the family budget to be spent on purchasing ready-made planting material. By becoming familiar with the basic rules and agricultural techniques, you will gain invaluable experience in obtaining strong seedlings. And bright flower beds with colorful petunias will decorate garden plot and the surrounding area.

When and how to collect seeds?

Experienced gardeners begin preparing petunia seeds for subsequent growing of seedlings during the period of active flowering of the plant. Before this, strong plants are selected and marked with beautiful flowers desired color and wait for fruit pods to appear in their place. Let them mature. Then they start collecting seed material located in boxes. The entire cycle, from the formation of buds to the ripening of seeds, takes about 2 months.

Traditionally, to extend the flowering period of petunias, faded buds with ovaries are cut off without waiting for the seed pods 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 the plant occurs within a week. Another week after pollination, the ovaries appear. Over the next 30 days, seed boxes form on the petunias, which, after ripening, are collected for further cultivation at home. The total waiting time is approximately 45...60 days. You can collect seed material throughout summer period and early autumn.

A sure sign that it is time to collect the seeds is the drying out of the boxes and their cracking. Each container contains up to 100 glossy black grains, 0.5 mm in size.

Before collecting petunia seeds for growing, prepare envelopes or paper bags. Wait for stable clear weather. Once you are sure that the fruit boxes are dry, start collecting. Place the prepared material on paper and place it in a dry place for ripening. For storage, the seeds are removed and placed in bags or envelopes. Be sure to label your petunia variety.

Self-collected seeds remain viable for 4 years. When growing hybrid varieties petunias, remember that seeds collected at home do not partially retain maternal characteristics. As a result of cross-pollination, new interesting colors can be obtained. Repeated collection of seed collected from bushes of hybrid varieties and its cultivation will not allow preserving the color and structure of the flower.

Sowing time

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

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

Too much early dates, as well as incorrect choice varieties are fraught with the fact that a lack of lighting will contribute to the elongation of seedlings. Elongated seedlings develop slowly, become frail and susceptible to diseases.

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 will notice that petunias different varieties and species have their own sowing dates. This is due to the growing season of a particular group:

  • Cascade;
  • Ampelous small-flowered;
  • Bush;
  • Large-flowered.

As a rule, manufacturers provide information on when to plant petunia to obtain seedlings back side packaging.

Depending on the specified group, seeds are planted for home cultivation of petunias in different terms. Ampelous petunias They must build up a large vegetative mass, so they are planted earlier than everyone else - in early January. Bush varieties should be planted in late February, early March.

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

  • If additional lighting is possible, sowing is carried out during February.
  • If the apartment windows are directed to the south, you can sow in the first ten days of March.
  • If the windows face north, it is best to postpone sowing until the third decade of March or early April.

Attempts to grow light-loving petunia early, without additional lighting, will not allow you to obtain strong, beautiful planting material.

Preparation of seed material

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

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

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. The mixture is then poured into shallow containers and placed in the refrigerator for 2 months. In order to further separate the seeds, take sand in small quantities and the finest fraction. Spread the mixture into trays in a thin layer.

For the 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 jar;
  • Potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate);
  • Clean rags.

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

The next stage of preparation increases the germination of seed and the survival rate of grown seedlings. A day before planting the grains, they are soaked in water with the addition of a few drops of a growth stimulator. Experienced flower growers“Epin” is used for stimulation. For 0.5 liters you will need 3...4 drops of the drug.

How to prepare the soil?

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

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

  • Lowland 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 mixture 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 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 grams of wood ash for fertilizer;
  • 500 grams of perlite;
  • A tablespoon of potassium fertilizer.

These elements will improve the composition of the purchased soil.

To prevent seedlings from getting sick, water the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate before sowing.

3 ways to sow seeds

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

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

The methods are good for evenly distributing grains collected with your own hands or purchased pelleted material. Since the seeds are small, they should not be buried in nutrient soil. The best option– sprinkle with a 1…2mm layer of substrate.

Sowing in trays

The prepared substrate is filled into trays or containers with the addition of hydrogel. Then the soil is moistened abundantly. Subsequently, the hydrogel will retain moisture in the soil, which is necessary for the successful germination of petunia seeds. It is better to grow crops 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 distribute the grains in the center of these zones. For convenience, use toothpicks. The tip dipped in water is convenient for catching and transferring grains. After distribution, the seed material is lightly sprinkled with finely sifted soil (no more than 2 mm). Spray the plantings with water from a spray bottle.

Once you have completed sowing, place the containers in plastic bags or cover them with clear lids. Trays with petunias are best placed in a warm place with diffused lighting. After one...two weeks, shoots will appear.

Landing in the snow

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 of free space from the edges. To prevent various diseases, spill the substrate with a fungicide solution. A day after disinfection treatment, 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 a white sheet of paper in half. A groove should form in the center of the unfolded parchment. Sprinkle in the petunia seeds. Next, gently shaking them, distribute them over the snow. Distribute areas with dense crops evenly using a match or toothpick.

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

Growing in peat tablets

It will help reduce the loss of seedlings and protect seedlings from various diseases. Very often, flower growers use this method 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 when large quantities plants will require a lot of space.

Prepare pressed nutrient substrate from peat it’s easy:

  1. Take a tall container that will hold all the tablets;
  2. Place the disks carefully with the holes facing up;
  3. Fill in warm water along the top edge and cover the container with a lid;
  4. Wait for the peat tablets to take their shape;

ATTENTION! During the swelling process, ensure that the cylinders are moistened. If necessary, add a little more water so that the substrate is saturated with moisture.

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

After sowing your petunia into peat tablets, cover the container and place it in a warm place. Ensure the temperature is within 24...25°C. With more low temperatures, petunia grown from seeds may not sprout. During the germination process, make sure that the substrate is kept moist.

Seedling care

In the first period after planting the seeds, petunia 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, seedling growth slows down or stops altogether. It is best to spray the plants with a spray bottle so as not to bury the seeds.

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

With the appearance of the first true leaves on the seedlings, start picking. For petunias grown in peat tablets, picking is not required. But if you used nutrient soil, this procedure is necessary. After picking, it is advisable to plant the sprouts in separate pots, deepening them down to 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 take a very long time to develop. root system. Be patient, and in 2-3 months you will get beautiful bright bushes.

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

Cabbage soup made from early young cabbage in beef broth is hearty, aromatic and easy to prepare. In this recipe you will learn how to cook delicious beef broth and cook light cabbage soup with this broth. Early cabbage cooks quickly, so it is placed in the pan at the same time as other vegetables, unlike autumn cabbage, which takes a little longer to cook. Ready cabbage soup can be stored in the refrigerator for several days. Real cabbage soup turns out tastier than freshly prepared cabbage soup.

Looking at the variety of tomato varieties, it’s hard not to get confused - the choice is very wide today. Even experienced gardeners He's annoying sometimes! However, understanding the basics of selecting varieties “for yourself” is not so difficult. The main thing is to delve into the peculiarities of the culture and start experimenting. One of the easiest groups of tomatoes to grow are varieties and hybrids with limited growth. They have always been valued by those gardeners who do not have much energy and time to care for their beds.

Once very popular under the name of indoor nettle, and then forgotten by everyone, coleus today is one of the brightest garden and indoor plants. It is not for nothing that they are considered stars of the first magnitude for those who are primarily looking 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, bushes made of velvety unique leaves will easily outshine any competitor.

Salmon backbone baked in Provençal herbs provides tasty pieces of fish pulp for a light salad with fresh wild garlic leaves. The champignons are lightly fried in olive oil and then sprinkled with apple cider vinegar. These mushrooms are tastier than regular pickled ones, and they are better suited for baked fish. Wild garlic and fresh dill get along well in one salad, highlighting each other’s aroma. The garlicky pungency of wild garlic will permeate both the salmon flesh and mushroom pieces.

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

Sakura is most often associated with Japan and its culture. Picnics in the canopy flowering trees have long become an integral attribute of welcoming spring in the country rising sun. The financial and academic year here begins on April 1, when the magnificent cherry blossoms bloom. Therefore, many significant moments in the life of the Japanese take place under the sign of their flowering. But sakura also grows well in cooler regions - certain species can be successfully grown even in Siberia.

I am very interested in analyzing how people's tastes and preferences for certain foods have changed over the centuries. What was once considered tasty and was an item of trade, lost its value over time and, conversely, new fruit crops conquered their markets. Quince has been cultivated for more than 4 thousand years! And even in the 1st century B.C. e. About 6 varieties of quince were known, and even then methods of its propagation and cultivation were described.

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

Among tuberous crops, there are not so many decorative deciduous favorites. And caladium is a true star among the variegated inhabitants of interiors. Not everyone can decide to own a caladium. This plant is demanding, and first of all, it requires care. But still, rumors about the extraordinary capriciousness of caladiums are never justified. Attention and care can avoid any difficulties when growing caladiums. And the plant can almost always forgive small mistakes.

We have prepared a hearty, incredibly appetizing and simply easy-to-prepare dish for you today. This sauce is one hundred percent universal, as it goes with every side dish: vegetables, pasta, or anything. Chicken and mushroom gravy will save you in moments when you don’t have time or don’t want to think too much about what to cook. Take your favorite side dish (you can do this in advance so everything is hot), add some gravy and dinner is ready! A real lifesaver.

Among the many different varieties of these popular vegetables, we will tell you about three that are distinguished by their excellent taste and relatively unpretentious growing conditions. Characteristics of the eggplant varieties “Almaz”, “Black Beauty” and “Valentina”. All eggplants have pulp medium density. In Almaz it is greenish, while in the other two it is yellowish-white. They are united by good germination and excellent yield, but in different time. Everyone's skin color and shape are different.

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