Magnificent petunias with their variety of petal colors are the most favorite plants for decorating balconies, loggias and personal plots. Petunia seedlings in 2017 should be planted no later than March 21, since this is the most favorable time for sowing such plants. In order to get strong plants, it is important to follow the rules of agricultural technology. If everything is done correctly and in a timely manner, then at the end of May the eye will be pleased with the juicy bright buds of the most incredible colors. About exactly when to plant petunia seedlings in February and March 2017 and how to grow them at home without losing sprouts is described in this material with a video at the end of the page. In the meantime, look at the photo - what varietal petunias can be:
When to plant (sow) petunia for seedlings in 2017 according to the lunar calendar
When it comes the right time sow petunia for seedlings at home - experienced flower growers know by own experience, received in certain climatic conditions. In some regions where there is an early spring and no return frosts, sowing is carried out at an earlier date. In the event that open ground plants are supposed to be planted no earlier than the second half of May; petunia seedlings should be planted in February.
In 2017 lunar calendar You can identify the following most suitable times for sowing petunias for seedlings:
- February: 24-29th;
- March: 1 - 5, 11 - 13, 16-17 and 21st.
Sowing in more late dates does not make any sense, since the plants will not have time to completely lay flower buds and in this case it will be quite difficult to wait for flowering.
Before sowing petunia for seedlings, you should prepare everything you need. This is a light structured soil, a special container with a transparent lid, a watering dispenser, and, of course, bags with multi-colored varieties.
Please note that for planting petunia seedlings at home, it is better to take granulated seeds. Yes, there are much fewer of them in a bag, but growing seedlings will be easier. The fact is that the seeds of this flower are very small and difficult to distribute evenly over the surface of the soil. As a result, dense shoots are formed, which make it difficult for individual shoots to develop. Regular thinning produces poor results because the roots are inevitably damaged. Granulated seeds produce excellent strong seedlings and postpone the need for picking until root system quite developed and will easily tolerate transplantation. Look at the photo of petunia seedlings grown at home and examples of adult plants, and then we will consider in detail the planting process:
How to grow petunia seedlings from seeds at home: planting and care (with video)
How to properly organize the process of preparing seedlings for planting in open ground? These questions are asked by many beginning gardeners. In industrial conditions, before growing seedlings of petunias or any other flowers from seeds, careful sorting is carried out planting material. It would be nice to do this at home. At a minimum, you should make sure that the germination period has not passed, select all small and spoiled seeds, and decide on the number of bushes needed. Also of no small importance is the preliminary planning of the landscaping of the territory. Quite often, inexperienced gardeners end up with a rather one-sided color scheme due to the lack of initial planning. If you need to decorate a balcony or loggia, then it is not at all necessary to grow 2 bushes of white or red petunia. It would be much more advisable to sow a mixture from various bags or immediately purchase it at flower shop mix. Planting and caring for several varieties at once allows you to diversify the number flowering plants with different colors of petals and will not take up much space on the windowsill. Next, we will talk about how to grow petunia seedlings from seeds and at home and invite you to watch the video, but for now, admire the photos of adult flowering plants:
So, the technology for sowing petunias for seedlings includes several step-by-step measures:
- soil preparation by disinfection with potassium permanganate and sterilization by calcination in the oven;
- preparing a container that can be tightly covered with glass or film - a plastic container with a lid or a cake container can be used for these purposes;
- the planting container is soaked in the solution for 2 hours baking soda(2 tablespoons per 2 liter hot water), then washed with running water and listened to;
- Soil is laid in it up to half the height of the sides;
- the soil must be wetted and compacted, left for a day for final shrinkage;
- after this, you can plant petunias as seedlings;
- small depressions are made in the surface of the soil (you can use the opposite end of the container in which the seeds were);
- place 1 seed or granule in each cavity - there is no need to sprinkle it with soil, since petunias require light to germinate;
- a layer of snow of 3 cm is applied on top;
- The container is closed with a lid and placed on a warm, light windowsill.
Given the right location and good seed germination, they germinate fairly quickly. Already after 7 - 10 days the first shoots appear. All this time, it is necessary to periodically open the container lid and shake off the condensation. If necessary, carried out drip irrigation seeds Adding an ampoule of vitamin B12 per half liter of water to the watering solution significantly speeds up the process of germination. 
Another way to sow petunia seedlings at home in 2017 is peat tablets, which can be carefully placed inside plastic container, pour plenty of water and place 1 flower seed in the center of each of them. These simple devices greatly simplify the subsequent procedure for growing petunia seedlings.
After all shoots have appeared, the container lid should be opened regularly:
- first day for 20 minutes;
- second day - for 40 minutes;
- third day - one and a half hours;
- fourth day - 3 hours.
Gradually increase the time to 7 hours and after that do not close it. Apply daily drip watering to the root using a syringe. As it grows, add a little soil to form a strong root system. No feeding is required at the pre-dive stage.
The first picking is carried out 3 weeks after emergence. During this period, petunias already have 2-3 true leaves that are well developed. Using a teaspoon, the bush is dug up and transferred to a separate plastic cup filled with nutritious soil. Bury up to about the cotyledon leaves. Subsequent care consists of regular watering and spraying the leaves with warm water. Spraying at home is especially important when the seedlings are located next to central heating devices.
Planting in the ground and on permanent place growth is carried out after the threat of return cold snaps has passed. IN middle lane In Russia, this is mid-May; in areas of unfavorable farming, it is better not to take risks and plant ready-made petunia seedlings in the ground in 2017 at the beginning of June. Until this time, you can practice periodically removing seedlings to Fresh air for hardening and accelerating plant growth.
In Russia, the flower is grown for one season as an annual, although petunia is a perennial plant. But if you grow it as a perennial, then there will be a lot of worries - the bushes must be dug out of the ground, stored in a warm room, for example, at home. Let's find out how and when to plant petunia seedlings in 2019. To do this, let's turn to the lunar calendar for next year. Petunia can be planted through seedlings, because it blooms in the same year. according to the lunar calendar, now we’ll find out.
Optimal days for planting
The period from the end of February to the end of March is considered a good time for planting a flower. Based on the lunar calendar, it is worth planting plants on the waxing moon. It is forbidden to plant during the full moon and new moon, as well as half a day before and after their onset.
]Plan to plant seedlings approximately 3-4 months before planting them in their permanent “place of residence.” Do you want your petunia to bloom earlier? Then plant earlier - in January, but before that take care of intensive flower care - additional lighting during the day and a phytolamp in the evening - to ensure the length of daylight hours and provide the plant with vitamins.
For specifics, let's give exact dates landings:
V February: 7, 8, 16, 17 numbers;
V March: 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20.
April: 7, 8, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18
How to choose petunia seeds
Remember the main thing and important rule- never go after the cheap. Too much low price The seeds should alert you - they may be unsuitable for planting, spoiled, and sometimes the bag may not contain petunia seeds at all. Of course, price is far from an indicator of high quality, so purchase from trusted suppliers or stores specializing in gardening.
In addition to regular seeds sold in bags, there are also seeds in granules. Granules are useful and nutritious substances that cover the seed; they are much more expensive, but they are pleasant to deal with, as their quality never fails.
Where to plant petunia seedlings
You don't need any special skills, knowledge or talent to plant petunia. You just need to comply certain rules landings. Take a medium and shallow container - half a plastic bottle or a small pot, which is sold in garden stores. The latter already have holes at the bottom, in plastic bottle they need to be done. Fill the drainage with the first layer - small stones will do. Soil for petunia can also be purchased at the store; the same rules apply here as when choosing seeds.
How to plant petunia for seedlings
Before planting seeds, it is necessary to moisten the soil - do this with a sprayer. To do this, use warm water. Sow the soil with seeds, don't be discouraged if some sit too close to each other, they will still need to be replanted. Do not pour the seeds on top - they are too small and will not be able to germinate through the soil. Cover everything with film to better retain moisture inside.
Petunia in the garden
Most favorable time The second half of May is the best time to plant a flower in open ground. During this period, the danger of late frosts will pass and you will protect the plant from death. Try to plant in a flowerbed where the sun is especially active.
Important nuances when growing petunia
Now you know how and when to plant petunia seedlings in 2019, so we hope that in next year A beautiful flower will bloom in your garden or on your property. For connoisseurs of a flower garden in a country house or plot, we will tell you more.
I share with you some little tricks of gardeners and gardeners))
Various types garden flowers so many. There are more than 300 thousand species of flowering plants. It is clear that not all of them are grown in dachas and gardens.
Today we will talk about growing a flower like petunia. Adorable and eye-catching flowers, bright and colorful.
Petunia (lat. Petunia), or Petunia, is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs of the Solanaceae family. In nature, petunia is found in the tropical parts of Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay and Paraguay. The name of this plant comes from the Brazilian word "petun", which means "tobacco". And this is no coincidence, since petunia is a relative of tobacco.
Read also:
Petunia for seedlings: when to sow and plant according to the lunar calendar (reading now)
In total, there are about twenty-five species of petunias, and they can vary greatly from each other. How garden plant, petunia began to be grown in the 18th century. Having gained popularity, it began to be planted not only in vegetable gardens, but also on balconies and window sills.
Such interest in petunia arose because of its bright flowers that bloom throughout the season. And this is important if you want what beautiful flowers decorate your garden or room all summer. And most importantly, grow it beautiful plant is not difficult.
There are many different colored plants. The main thing is that you need to determine for yourself what color petunias you want to plant: white or purple, carmine or cream, scarlet or lilac, blue or pink, and maybe even golden, or with stars, stripes or spots. . You may want to plant several plants of a wide variety of colors. In addition, there are small petunias up to 30 cm in pots and large spreading bushes up to 70 cm in height. Or maybe you would like to see a plant with large flowers or small inflorescences? In general, the choice of which petunia to plant is yours.
Planting petunias for seedlings
So, you have decided on the variety of plants that you are going to plant in your home or garden. Now let's look at the process of growing a plant, starting from preparing the seeds and ending with planting the seedlings in the ground.
You choose petunia seeds based on what kind of plant you want to grow (this was discussed above). There are quite a lot of different varieties sold in stores. If you already grow petunia in your garden, or your friends have it, then you can collect the seeds yourself.
Petunia blooms for about 5 days, after which it forms a box with seeds. When this capsule ripens, it opens and seeds can scatter from it. Therefore, it is important not to miss this moment and remove the box from the plant in time.
Most modern petunias are hybrids. So be prepared for surprises from seedlings grown from collected seeds. They will actively develop and grow, but their flowers will become smaller and paler than those of the mother plant.
Timing and procedure for planting petunias
According to the best time to plant petunia seeds for seedlings in 2017 is in February on the 24th-29th, in March from the 1st to the 5th, from the 11th to the 13th, from the 16th to the 17th and the 21st.
Before you start sowing seeds, you need to prepare a container and fill it with soil. You can find suitable flower soil in the store. You can use food containers as containers. They make good mini-greenhouses of sorts.
Fill half of the prepared container with soil. After this, we moisten it and leave it for a day until the soil completely shrinks. Next, we begin planting seeds.
Making holes in the ground 
, in which we put one seed at a time. There is no need to cover the seeds with soil; the plant needs light to germinate. We put a layer of snow on top, cover it with plastic or the same lid if you have a food container and place it on the windowsill.
In 7-10 days you will see shoots. All these days before the shoots appear, you periodically remove the lid and shake it to remove condensation. If necessary, water the seeds drip-wise.
When the shoots appear, you open the lid regularly: on the first day for 20 minutes, on the second for 40 minutes, then for an hour and a half, three hours, gradually increasing the time to 7 hours. After this, the lid can no longer be closed. Every day you need to water it drip-wise (from a syringe), and add soil as the seedlings grow.
Picking petunia seedlings and caring for them
Three weeks after germination, you can start picking. At this time, the seedlings already have 2-3 true leaves. Picking can be done with a teaspoon or a stick with a wide end. Good for containers plastic cups.
Carefully dig up the sprout and transfer it to a container where we first pour nutritious soil. We bury the bush with soil up to the cotyledon leaves.
The main thing in caring for petunia seedlings is light and watering. If necessary, provide additional lighting for the seedlings. It is necessary to water the seedlings regularly, and also spray the leaves with warm water. The water must be clean and settled. But avoid overwatering.
When the plant has 2-3 true leaves, you can start regular feeding (mature plant feed 2-3 times a week).
For good flowering Petunia leaves can be sprayed twice a week with the following preparations: “Green Crystal” (designed specifically for flowering plants. Prepared at the rate of 1 tsp per 5 liters of water). “Uniflor micro” (increases the plant’s immunity. Used in liquid form in proportions of ½ tsp per 10 liters of water). "Plantafol". (stimulates physiological processes in the plant. Prepared based on 10 g per 5 liters of water).
Planting petunias in the ground
As soon as the cold weather passes and the forecast indicates stable warmth, you can safely transfer the seedlings to open ground. This is usually done in mid-May. Until this moment, you can harden the seedlings by taking them out into the fresh air for short periods of time.
When watering and fertilizing adult petunias, carry out all procedures in the evening in sunny weather. Then you won’t have to think about why the leaves turn yellow. Its leaves may turn yellow due to sunburn, when plant care activities are carried out in the hottest sunshine.
In order for the flowers of an adult petunia to be more saturated in color, it is necessary to feed the plant with “Floral Aquarin”. We dilute it at the rate of 2 tsp. per 5 liters of water and apply once every 10 days.
Pruning and pinching petunias
If you don’t just grow petunia in your garden, but want the shape of its bushes to be lush and neat, then this plant needs to be pinched. This procedure involves removing a few small leaves from the top of the plant.
Advice. When planting multi-flowered forms, leave 10-15 cm between the bushes, and when planting large-flowered forms, leave about 20-25 cm.
If you do everything correctly, then all summer long petunia will delight you with its beautiful flowers.
Video of sowing petunia seeds. Today they sell two types of petunia seeds - coated and regular. Regular seeds are sown in the same way as lobelia seeds, but sowing pelleted seeds is slightly different. You can watch the video on how to do it right now.
Sowing petunia seeds for seedlings - video
Hello! Today we will sow petunia seeds.
Nowadays there are a lot of seeds on sale - both coated and uncoated. There are always more uncoated seeds in the package. Many people prefer coated petunia seeds because they believe that these seeds best quality, since the shell contains a sufficient amount of microelements, fertilizers and drugs that protect plants from diseases.
Today we will sow the pelleted seeds. We tear open the packaging and remove the capsule, which contains 20 coated seeds. Pour the seeds from the capsule onto dark-colored paper so that the seeds are visible.
How to plant petunia seeds. Take a regular match and dip the end without the match into a dampened cloth. With this end we lift the petunia seed and place it on the prepared soil. The main condition when sowing petunia seeds is not to sprinkle them with soil. This way we transfer all 20 seeds.
It should be taken into account that coated seeds require more high humidity, so that the moisture dissolves the shell and the seed germinates. To do this, when all the seeds are spread out on the surface of the soil, you need to spray them with a spray bottle and then cover them with glass. The container with the crops should be placed in a warm, bright place. It is important to have enough light as this required condition for germination of petunia seeds. The seeds should germinate within a week if the conditions for germination are suitable. The container with crops should be opened slightly for a few minutes every day for ventilation.
Regular petunia seeds are sown in the same way as lobelia seeds. When shoots appear, petunia seedlings need to be plucked.
When and how to plant petunia for seedlings, planting dates, calendar, time, photo You will find the stages of sowing in our article. All this must be carried out according to certain rules, which will be discussed in detail below. This flower is liked by everyone without exception. Exists great amount varieties of petunias of various colors. Fans of upright flowers will like ampelous varieties; for those who want to grow more graceful flowers, you can choose dwarf varieties. Also among them you can find tall petunias, which are suitable for decorating borders and mixborders.
Why should petunia be grown from seedlings?
Petunia is a small-seeded, long-flowering plant, so they are grown by seedlings. If you sow the seeds directly into the ground, it will bloom only by the end of summer. And with early frosts, you may not see flowers at all.
These flowers can be grown from seeds in any quantity, and then used to decorate flower beds, paths, gazebos, balconies, and also plant hanging flowerpots in flowerpots.
By growing seedlings yourself at home, you know for sure about the safety of the seedlings and what type and color the petunia will be. After all, purchased infected and diseased plants will not only die, but can also infect nearby flowers.
Varieties
Varieties of petunias differ in the shade of flowers, the size and shape of the bush, as well as the splendor and number of flowers per native plant. When choosing seeds, you need to know which group petunia belongs to. The most popular varieties among flower growers are:
- bush;
- cascade and ampelous;
- floribunda
Bush- The most common type of petunia. A compact bush, planted at the beginning of summer, quickly grows in width and is completely covered with bright caps of flowers. This group includes varieties with small flowers that do not exceed 3 cm in diameter, as well as hybrid petunias with large flowers about 15 cm in diameter.
Ampel and cascade— a feature of this group are long, flowing shoots with flowers. The varieties included in this group are called “balcony petunia” by flower growers, since the flower looks very beautiful if hung in a flowerpot or flowerpot. If such flowers are planted in the ground, they will spread along the ground and cover it with a continuous colored carpet.
Floribunda— this group includes varieties that are unpretentious in care and resistant to adverse weather. They usually have large flowers with bright colors. Most often, such petunias are planted in flower beds and front gardens.
When to plant petunia seedlings
For proper cultivation petunia needs to know the timing and seed planting time for seedlings. Petunia seeds are very small, they take a long time to germinate and are very difficult to care for and grow. Therefore, seed must be sown in advance.
Moon calendar
Many gardeners choose When plant petunia seedlings according to the lunar calendar. Some people believe that you should not plant flowers during the full moon. In 2019 according to the lunar calendar favorable days for sowing petunia seeds for seedlings the following numbers are:
- January - 17-19, 23-27;
- February – 6-8, 11-17, 21-25;
- March – 12-17, 19-20;
- April – 6-8, 11-13, 15-17, 29-30;
- May - 8-17, 21-23, 26-28;
- June - 1, 2, 5, 6, 9-13, 20-26.
Unfavorable days will be the following dates:
- January - 5, 6, 21;
- February - 4, 5, 19;
- March - 6, 7, 21;
- April - 5, 19;
- May - 5, 19;
- June - 3, 4, 17.
Depending on region and climate
Timing for planting seeds for seedlings in different regions Russia is chosen depending on when the last return frosts were:
- In the Urals and Siberia - in early - mid-March.
- In the Volga region - from late February to mid-March.
- In the middle zone (Moscow region) - in greenhouse conditions on February 1-15. Then the seedlings will have time to arrive by the beginning of May and the seedlings can be transplanted into separate containers.
In order for petunia to bloom at the end of May or beginning of June, experienced gardeners sow seeds for seedlings at the end of January or beginning of February. This is exactly the time that flowers need for high-quality germination and good results.
How much to plant
It is customary to plant petunia seeds 20-30% more from required quantity flowers, as there will be losses during plant cultivation.
However, everything depends on the quality of the seeds, so it is better to buy them from trusted manufacturers.
Some flower growers independently collect seed from their grown flowers. In central Russia they have time to ripen, so they have good germination.
Important! Seeds collected independently from hybrids do not retain the color and shape of the flowers.
Preparing soil and containers
In order for petunia to delight you with its flowering for a long time, you need to choose correct soil containers for growing seedlings.
Substrate
Ready-made soil mixture can be purchased at garden store, and also cook it yourself. In order to make your own substrate for growing petunia seedlings, you will need the following components: 
- 1 part of turf land;
- 1 part rotted manure;
- 2 parts peat;
- 1 part coconut flakes or sand.
All components are crushed, combined and mixed well.
The soil for sowing petunia seeds must be loose, with a certain amount of nutrients and a normal level of acidity.
Advice! If the soil is increased acidity, you need to add wood ash to it.
The finished substrate is disinfected by steaming in the oven. This is necessary to get rid of fungal and bacterial spores that can harm the seedlings. When the soil has cooled, it is additionally watered with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Selection of capacity
Several methods have been widely used for planting petunia seeds for seedlings:
- Plastic containers. Plastic containers are most often used for sowing seeds. It is easy to grow seedlings in them and, if necessary, transfer them to another place.
- Peat tablets. A modern and fast method of planting seeds. They are convenient to use by sowing several seeds, which are then planted in separate flowerpots along with peat. This allows the root system to develop well and strengthens the immunity of the seedlings. Moreover, you can always see when it is necessary to water the plants, since the tablet changes color.
- Cassettes. They are different sizes, thanks to which you can choose what you need for growing different cultures. For petunias, cassettes with cells up to 10 cm in diameter are ideal. Peat or a special substrate is poured into the recesses, into which the seeds are sown.
Due to the fact that petunia seeds are very small, it is almost impossible to adhere to any planting scheme. They should be distributed as evenly as possible over the surface of the soil, but it always turns out a little thick in one place and almost empty in another.
Landing
In containers
Petunia seeds are no larger than 0.5 mm in size, so it is difficult to sow them at a certain interval. Therefore, it is more convenient to use granulated seeds for sowing. Then they can be laid out in the ground in even rows, using:
- Tweezers.
- Using two toothpicks to pick up the seeds, you must first moisten their ends.
- Sand, for this, the seeds are mixed with a small amount of sand and the resulting mixture is evenly distributed over the ground, previously moistened with a spray bottle.
- Snow. In this case, snow is laid out on the surface of the ground in a thin layer, and petunia seeds are sprinkled on it. They are clearly visible in the snow, which is an advantage this method sowing You can evenly distribute the seeds using a toothpick or tweezers.
Important! Due to the small size of the seeds, they are not deepened into the soil, but simply laid out on top and sprinkled with a small 1-2 mm of substrate.
At the end of the procedure, the containers must be covered with film or glass and left in a room with a temperature of +20-22°C. It is necessary to ensure that the soil is always moist, but the water does not stagnate. Condensation that accumulates on the lids must be wiped off daily. It is also necessary to ventilate the seedlings for 10 minutes every day.
If you stick to proper agricultural technology, after 7 days the first shoots should appear on the surface of the earth. Make sure that during seed germination upper layer the soil was always moist. To do this, it is best to spray the soil with warm water from a spray bottle. This is especially important if you sow the seeds in a coated coating. The sprout will be able to break through only when the shell softens.
Watch the video! Sowing seeds for seedlings without picking
In peat tablets
The advantage of this method is that there is no need to prepare a substrate and container for seedlings.
- The tablets are covered with a special coating, thanks to which the peat does not crumble or lose its shape.
- Peat is impregnated with fertilizers, so there is no need to apply additional fertilizing.
Advice! To grow petunia seedlings, take tablets with a diameter of 4 cm.
Planting technology:
On toilet paper
The advantage of this method is that it saves space and that there is no need to mess around with soil. You will need:
- Good density toilet paper.
- Thick polyethylene film, the width of which is equal to the height of a roll of toilet paper.
- Bowl, glass or cut plastic bottle.
Process technology:
Important! Petunia roots are in a soft environment, so they are not injured during transplantation.
Watch the video! Sowing seeds for seedlings
The second method of sowing toilet paper:
- IN plastic container Apply toilet paper in several layers.
- Moisten it with water from a spray bottle.
- Petunia seeds are sown on paper.
- Cover the cups with film or glass.
- When the seedlings become stronger, they are transferred to pots with soil.
Picking petunia seedlings
When 2-3 true leaves appear on the seedlings, they are picked. This occurs approximately 1-1.5 months after sowing the seeds.
For picking, take the same soil as for sowing. Before planting, it is watered with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Each seedling is buried in the ground up to the first leaves. This is necessary so that a strong and healthy root system develops, and the seedling does not get sick with blackleg.
Small sprouts with thin roots seem completely weak, but this is not so. They grow well after picking, so don’t be afraid if the tip of the root comes off during the procedure - that’s even good.
Do not separate petunias that have grown too close to each other. They are transplanted in small bouquets of 5-6 seedlings. When you transplant them into the ground and pinch them correctly, you will get a beautiful flowering bush.
Seedlings in peat tablets transplanted into plastic cups, peat pots or cassettes along with peat.
Important! At first, the seedlings will grow slowly - this is a normal process, then green mass will quickly form on it.
Watch the video! Picking petunias
Seedling care
In order for the seedlings to be strong and healthy, timely watering must be carried out according to a certain technology.
Important! If the soil dries out, the plant will die. And if it is too wet, the plant will get sick, which will also lead to its death.
After picking, the grown seedlings are carefully watered at the root with warm water.
Important! Under no circumstances should plants be watered on the leaves, otherwise they will get sick.
After 14 days, the seedlings begin to harden. To do this, open the window for 10 minutes every day so that the temperature in the room drops slightly. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that the seedlings are not exposed to a direct flow of cold air or a draft. Seedlings should not cool down during hardening.
15 days after picking, the seedlings need to be fed. First they carry out foliar feeding liquid fertilizers every 2 days. In this case, it is necessary to alternate complex mineral fertilizers containing nitrogen and growth stimulants (Epin, Fitosporin). Next, before transplanting to a permanent place, the seedlings are fertilized 2 more times.
When the roots grow throughout the pot, the seedlings are transplanted into larger pots. If seedlings are grown in peat pots, they are transferred with it.
Advice! If the petunia begins to stretch out, you need to add soil.
During the first 45 days, the root system of the flower develops, but the ground part practically does not develop. After this period, everything happens the other way around - the development of the above-ground part of the flower begins.
Watering
Grown seedlings in separate pots are watered very carefully at the root. The frequency of watering is chosen depending on the soil and its drying. The main thing to remember is not to let the soil dry out. After watering, crusts should not form, as the seedlings will suffocate and die. Condensation on the film must be wiped off daily.
Additional lighting
Petunia seedlings need light almost around the clock. In cloudy weather, the light must be turned on even during the day, and illuminated with dim light at night. The lamp should be on long distance from seedlings to prevent burns. For petunia, daylight hours must be at least 16 hours a day.
Pests and diseases
If the seedlings have slowed down, their foliage has become discolored and the leaf veins have turned yellow, this indicates the appearance of viral disease. Most often, such diseases are carried by aphids. This must be combated by removing diseased seedlings.
Important! Petunia is susceptible to diseases such as blackleg, root and gray mold, false and powdery mildew, chlorosis, fusarium.
You can fight petunia diseases by using the following drugs:
In addition to diseases, this flower can be affected by various pests.
Thrips cause the young leaves of the plant to become deformed and the growing point to bend. Flowers turn brown and become spotted. To combat thrips, sticky traps are placed in flowers. For complete pest control, the drugs Aktara, Confidor, and Biotlin are used. To do this, plants are sprayed 2 times with an interval of 4 days.
When attacked by aphids, leaves, buds and flowers become curled, and subsequently they turn yellow. You can notice sticky discharge on the flowers. If there are few lesions, these areas can be sprayed with soapy water. If aphids have infected many plants, then they must be combated with drugs such as Actellik, Antitlin, Aktara.
When attacked by caterpillars, harmful insects assembled by hand. You can also spray flowers with chemical or biological insecticides.
You can fight snails and slugs using mechanical traps, dolomite flour or metaldehyde.
When miners appear, damaged flowers must be removed. You can fight the pest with the help of drugs such as Karbofos, Actellik, Fufanon.
When to plant petunia seedlings in open ground?
Planting petunias in open ground is carried out using special technology.
First, the seedlings are watered generously room temperature so that the ground softens. This will avoid injury to the plant root system, as it is very fragile.
Advice! It is recommended to plant plants in a flowerbed in open ground or on a balcony on a cloudy day in the late afternoon. Thanks to this, evaporation from the leaves will be minimal and the flowers will better take root in the new place.
Scheme of planting seedlings:
- straight-growing varieties with large flowers - 25x25 cm;
- varieties with small flowers - 15x15 cm;
- in boxes on the balcony - 12x15 cm.
After transplanting, seedlings are watered abundantly, the soil is mulched with peat, and after 2 weeks fertilizer is applied.
As you can see, planting petunia seeds for seedlings at home is not that difficult and can be done even by a novice gardener. The main thing is to do everything according to the rules described in this article, and you will be able to enjoy the beautiful flowering of petunia all summer long.