Features petunias
Petunias homeland is South America. These flowers belong to the family Solanaceae. The genus contains about 25 species,
These tender perennials used in garden culture as annuals. Petunia – subshrub or herbaceous plant stems are densely branched and which can grow prostrate or erect, soft foliage is located opposite or in another manner.
Additional information!The new varieties have good resistance to heat, rain and wind. These are some of the colors that are best suited for growing in pots.
Petunia is ideal for hanging in pots because of its branches and the flowers fall off the sides of the pot cascade. Branching plant looks great in a pot, and as ground cover.
Types petunias
The choice of colors is quite large – from white, light shades of yellow, pink to rich red, blue and purple.
Petunias are divided into two different groups:
- Petunia Grandiflora have very large flowers and are best grown in containers or hanging baskets (because they are more susceptible to damage from the rain). Large-petunia flowers are very large, with a diameter of 8-10 cm.
- flowered petunia have smaller but more abundant flowers small size (diameter 5 cm), which are formed in large quantities. Such kind of petunias are ideal for summer planting in the garden.
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Care
Despite the fact that the plant is considered to be low-maintenance, it still requires attention and care, and to petunia bloomed profusely and pleased with the bright flowers, her need to take care.
Photophilous plant and heat-loving. It grows well in the open field.
Note! Torupnotsvetkovye species are more demanding to heat, moisture and nutrition conditions than melkotsvetkovye plants.
Care petunias from planting to flowering is simple but decorative effect is guaranteed! It is recommended to plant petunias in the spring after the risk of frost.
Seedlings grown at home or purchased at a garden center, landing in the right place is important for a beautiful and long blooming.
Petunia loves sunny places. If the area is very hot, choose for her penumbra. In any case, it is necessary to avoid excessively windy areas because the petunia afraid of the wind and drafts.
The rapid development of shoots branching bush provides a good and allows you to create a beautiful flower in the garden plots. The more bushes planted petunias, the brighter will look like a flower bed.
After planting, in the garden or in a pot of Petunia easily maintained.
- Remove weeds that grow around the base of petunias.
- Always remove the faded flowers to encourage the emergence of new inflorescences.
To better petunias hang-downing branches and formed a lush bushes need regular shorten long shoots up to the fourth-fifth buds or leaves. It promotes intensive formation of side shoots, filling the void.
The soil for petunias
The plant likes sandy or loamy soil, can grow on fertile. Petunia perfectly responds to the land application of compost or humus.
Irrigation and fertilizer
Petunia needs regular watering, especially planted in containers. When watering is necessary to try not fill the roots, because the plants do not like it. In hot weather, watering flowers in the garden in the evening, to prevent drying of the soil.
Feeding – the main condition for a lush, long-flowering petunias, so they need to be held regularly until the autumn. Petunia will never look decorative, if it does not feed fertilizer for flowering plants once a week. Luxuriant blooms provide complex fertilizer with high potassium.
Reproduction
Most often, petunia seeds are propagated and only varieties with double flowers – cuttings.
Petunias can be grown from seed, but it is easier to grow them from seedlings ready. Seedlings grown from seeds indoors for 10-12 weeks before being planted them on the street. Petunia seeds are very small and need a lot of light to germinate. They need to be constantly watered. When the plants will have three leaves, they can be planted outside.
It is best to buy the seedlings and plant them in a light, well-drained soil in full sun after the last spring frost.
Important!Petunias can grow in partial shade, but they will have fewer flowers. It is better if the plant will take shelter from the wind.
Plants are planted at a distance of about 30 cm. For planting in containers used for potting soil of houseplants.
PESTS AND DISEASES
Petunias have almost no pests and diseases, and fungal diseases of plants is often affected. Affected by blackleg, gray or white rot of the plant must be destroyed.
Petunia can be affected aphids or slugs attack.
If you follow the simple rules of care for petunias, they will please long flowering from summer to late autumn.
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