Growing petunia seedlings at home is impossible without picking it. Young seedlings need to be replanted even if granulated seeds were planted at a distance of 1 cm from each other.
Why do you need to pick petunia seedlings:
- stimulates the growth of seedlings;
- It is possible to bury elongated shoots deeper into the soil. This way the flower will build up its root system and will not fall;
- the seedlings will have more free space for growing the root system and leaves.
Picking petunia is especially important if it was planted very densely, and the seedlings look like a dense forest. From such seedlings without replanting, you cannot expect full growth and lush flowering.
You can use regular egg containers as containers for picking, after making a drainage hole in each of them. Also used plastic cups 50 ml also with drainage holes. Ideal option- these are special cassettes with cell parameters of 3 cm by 3 cm or 4 cm by 4 cm.
Instructions for picking petunia seedlings with photos
The soil for petunia seedlings must contain Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium in equal proportions. You must first remove debris, various sticks, and crush lumps from the soil.
1 step. Pour soil into cassettes or any other container where the petunia will be transplanted. Fill the cell halfway, lightly compact the soil, then fill the cell to the top, water everything. The soil should settle a little after watering. We are waiting for the excess moisture to move into the pan. It needs to be drained.
Step 2. A small depression must be made in the center of each cell. Subsequently, a petunia sprout is placed there. Experts do not recommend using fertilizers and growth stimulants at this stage of growing seedlings. Fertilizers can harm the delicate root system of a young plant.
Step 3. Before picking, it is necessary to thoroughly moisten the soil where the petunia seedlings previously grew. This procedure will help to transplant seedlings with minimal damage to the root system. Picking is carried out using a special spatula. If you don’t have one, you can take a piece of dense, transparent mica and bend it in half. This way they get convenient device for removing seedlings.
Some gardeners pinch the root system of petunia seedlings during picking. However, many forums do not recommend doing this. The explanation is simple: when picking, even the most accurate one, both the lower and lateral roots of young shoots are still damaged, which can be considered pinching. It stimulates the growth of seedlings.
So, using a prepared shovel, we lift a small lump of earth along with the seedling. There is no need to immerse the spatula too deeply under the seedlings, since root system a small plant is located on the surface of the soil (1-2 cm). We transfer the lump of earth with the plant into cassettes and immerse it in a pre-prepared hole.
Step 4 It is recommended to bury petunia seedlings along the cotyledons, but do not sprinkle the growing point. The soil around the seedling is slightly pressed down on both sides. In this way, air is removed from the soil. If it is not removed, air cavities will form around the roots, which will cause rotting of the petunia root system.
The seedlings are watered again, but this is done as necessary. You need to look at the initial soil moisture; it is dangerous to flood the seedlings after picking.
Picking petunia seedlings in peat tablets
At home, petunia from seeds can be germinated in peat tablets. How to dive it? Experts recommend not replanting petunia seedlings, but simply drowning them in a peat tablet. How to do this? Instructions with photos of picking
1 step. If the peat tablet is dry, then it must be watered.
Step 2. Next to the seedlings, on the surface of the same peat tablet, using a knife or nail file, we make a small depression.
Step 3. Using the same file, we carefully lift the petunia seedling and the soil around it and move it all into a pre-prepared recess. In this case, the seedlings need to be lightly pressed down at the base of the seedling, as if to sink the seedling into a peat tablet along the cotyledons.
Step 4. Lightly tamp the soil around the newly transplanted petunia. You can lightly water or spray with a spray bottle.
Detailed photo instructions for picking petunia seedlings in a peat tablet
How to care for petunia seedlings after picking?
Humidity. After picking, the petunia seedlings are still in the greenhouse. The first 5 days the seedlings must adapt after transplantation. However, the greenhouse lid may not be tightly covered or the ventilation time may be increased. In this way, the young plant is accustomed to normal air humidity.
Temperature. The temperature should be lowered to +16...+18 degrees. At a temperature of +19...+25, petunia seedlings will stretch; at temperatures below +16 degrees, they will slow down in growth.
Important!!! It is necessary to harden petunia seedlings. To do this, open the window for ventilation and place greenhouses with petunias nearby. Hardening should be carried out for 15 minutes every day in the morning and evening. This will help grow healthy and strong seedlings.
Watering. You need to water as the soil dries out. This is done using a spray bottle or pouring into a tray. But many gardeners criticize the latter method, as it leads to rotting of the roots.
Feeding. The petunia seedlings have already grown enough and are ready for the first fertilizing. It is carried out 2 weeks after transplantation. For this purpose, universal, complex liquid fertilizers are used. However, the concentration of fertilizers is reduced by 4 times from the recommended one (indicated on the packaging). It is convenient to use a syringe here. Feed only after watering.
Backlight. Illumination should be carried out regularly. For plants, the length of daylight hours should be a total of 12-16 hours. Otherwise, the seedlings will stretch out.
Read more about.
Second pick with pinching
The second picking is carried out when 4-6 true leaves appear. To do this, the seedling is simply removed from the cassette or any other individual container where the first picking was carried out, and moved to a larger container. The same is done with peat tablets.
What capacity is needed for the second pick? The volume of the second container into which the transplant is performed should be 1.5 times larger than the previous one. How to determine the correct container volume? Very simple. You need to remove the plant from the cassette with all the soil and move it to a new container. If the distance from the edge of the soil to the wall of the container is 1 cm, then the selected container is correct.
How to pinch seedlings? Leaves should not be pinched. The growing point is removed. You can pinch it off with your nails, or you can use it sharp object, for example, a blade.
Seedling before pinching
Seedling after pinching:
Petunia is a fairly unpretentious plant, but it requires some care. Caring for petunia seedlings involves timely watering, fertilizing and picking. In this article we will tell you how to properly care for petunia seedlings. And at the end of the article you can watch a selection of educational videos.
Planting petunias for seedlings.
Any small and shallow container is suitable for planting petunia seedlings. As a container, you can use peat pots, which are sold in gardening stores, cut bottles and other similar things. In our case, this is an ordinary cut plastic bottle.
Before planting, holes must be made in the containers to allow excess moisture to escape. At the bottom you need to pour a small layer of pebbles or eggshells to provide additional drainage.
Preparing soil for petunia seedlings is very simple. We take the usual one sod land from the garden and add to it nutrient soil based on peat (can be bought in a store) in a 1:1 ratio, then add a little wood ash and river sand. For 10 liters of soil, add 0.5 cups of ash and 3-4 cups of river sand.
Before sowing, it is necessary to moisten the soil well using a spray bottle. The water should be warm. It is best to use melt water.
Sprinkle the seeds onto a piece of paper and fold it halfway. All the seeds will be concentrated on the bend and, when tilted, will roll down one by one. It will not be possible to plant petunia at a great distance from each other. In any case, then you will need to dive.
You don’t have to sprinkle the seeds on top at all. They are very small and may simply not grow through the soil layer.
At the end of planting, we cover our crops with film or a plastic bag. This will retain moisture inside the container until germination. .
Let's talk about caring for petunia seedlings immediately after germination. The first shoots of petunias appear 7-14 days after planting. As soon as the plants have sprouted, you must immediately remove the polyethylene and place them in a bright place. Seedlings must be provided with 10 hours of daylight.
When all the plants have sprung, they need to be watered. This should be done extremely carefully so as not to wash off the plants. A spray bottle is perfect for watering. You should only use standing warm water room temperature. If the water is too cold, there is a high risk of various diseases.
2-2.5 weeks after germination, the first fertilizing can be done. As soon as 4 true leaves appear, the seedlings must be transplanted into separate containers. Read more about picking and fertilizing below.
Watering petunia seedlings.
Petunia seedlings should be watered at the same frequency as most plants, that is, as the soil dries out.
Petunia can withstand some drought, but do not abuse it. If you often forget about watering, the seedlings may turn yellow and look very unpresentable. Such plants can be susceptible to various unpleasant diseases. Since irregular watering leads to weakening of plants.
Watering too frequently also has a bad effect on seedlings. Plants' immunity weakens and they will be more susceptible to fungal and infectious diseases.
On average, the frequency of watering petunia seedlings is 3-4 times a week. .
Feeding petunia seedlings.
The first feeding of petunia seedlings is done when 3-4 true leaves appear on the plants. At this time, petunia is picked. Fertilizing is done immediately after this process - a little universal fertilizer is poured directly under the root. Such fertilizers are sold in specialized stores.
The second feeding of petunia seedlings is carried out 1-2 weeks after the first. This time, urea will be suitable as a fertilizer. Feeding should be foliar. For cooking foliar fertilizer Pour a bucket of water and stir 1 tablespoon of urea in it. Then pour into a bottle and spray over the plant leaves using a spray bottle.
Urea contains very large number nitrogen, which is necessary in the initial stages of growth. Foliar spraying will help the fertilizing to be absorbed faster. .
Picking petunia seedlings.
When picking petunias you need to be extremely careful. The plants are very small and can easily be damaged. In order to easily remove the plant, the soil must be watered very well. In this case, it is better to use some oblong object, for example reverse side spoons or knife.
You can plant several plants (from 2 to 5 pieces) in one disposable cup.
Caring for petunia seedlings after picking is a very important matter. It is necessary to provide all the conditions for the seedlings so that they take root as quickly as possible. With the appearance of 4-5 leaves, the seedlings need to be fed. This is how the second feeding is carried out. You need to fertilize using the root method during watering. Then fertilizing is done every 10 days.
After picking, petunia seedlings are grown at a temperature of 20-22 degrees. 2-3 days after picking, petunia begins to harden. To do this, open the windows and ventilate the room. However, you should be careful, since very low temperatures seedlings may freeze. You need to start small - open the window for 1-1.5 minutes.
Petunia is an absolute favorite among summer gardeners. In terms of popularity, distribution, and abundant flowering, this plant outshines any other competitors. Petunia seedlings flood store shelves from spring to autumn. Growing petunia from seeds yourself is not an easy task. But with some diligence and attention, you can create your own collection of petunias yourself.
Growing petunia seedlings from seeds. © Brittney Smart
Garden petunias (Petunia x hybrida or Petunia hybrida) are one of the most famous representatives of the nightshade family (Solanaceae). With a height of 10 to 100 cm, this herbaceous annual with well-branched, densely leafy, creeping or straight shoots allows you to choose larger or compact varieties. Oval soft leaves with a solid edge, the shape and presence of a pointed tip, which may differ depending on the variety, sit alternately on the shoots. Beautiful edge emphasizes light tone leaves.
The huge funnel-shaped gramophone flowers of petunias, with their regularity or irregularity and varied colors, are the main decoration of the plant. They create entire blooming clouds and cascades, but the beauty of each flower is mesmerizing. Blooming at the beginning of summer and not slowing down until frost arrives, petunia offers a considerable choice color range, flower sizes, variations in multicolor colors and ruffled edges, varying degrees of doubleness and even corolla shape.
The variety of petunias is so great that understanding the groups, varieties, classes and varieties is not easy even for experienced gardeners. But in terms of cultivation technology, all petunias are similar. In terms of reproduction, all petunias are practically no different from each other. And grandiflora petunias, and multifloras, and nanas, and separate groups of petunias, and even fashion news They reproduce mainly by seeds - by seedlings.
Petunia seeds: self-collection and purchase
After flowering (defloration), petunias begin to develop double-cavity cone-shaped fruit boxes just over a centimeter long, which turn golden brown as they ripen. It is by color that the timing of seed collection is determined, which on average is 4-8 weeks after the petunias have flowered.
There is no need to rush to remove seeds from fruit pods: their full ripening will occur only after 3 or even 4 months. Petunia fruits are laid out in a dark, ventilated place with standard room temperatures. After 4 months, the seeds can be removed, sorted, labeled and stored in paper bags protected from cold, heat, light and high humidity.
To get petunia seeds yourself, you need to leave some of the fading flowers on the plant. It is preferable to leave the lower buds, which are among the first to bloom. When collecting petunia seeds, it is better to be prepared for the fact that the offspring will not retain the characteristics of the mother variety and will surprise you with its variety of qualities. In order to collect seeds yourself, you also need to pay attention to three important nuances:
- To collect your seeds, you will have to select only varieties: sterile hybrids and double forms of seeds do not form, since as a result of selection, the ovaries of such petunias have been transformed into petals.
- Petunias are cross-pollinated plants; self-pollination occurs only in isolated cases.
- Pollination of non-double plants with pollen of varietal double petunias allows you to obtain some seeds with double flowers, but still the number of plants that have retained their characteristics will not exceed 30%. It is for this reason that it is recommended to buy seeds for terry varieties.
Inside the box are surprisingly small seeds that make planting very difficult. The diameter of dark brown petunia seeds that merge with the soil is slightly more than half a millimeter. Due to their tiny size, one gram of seeds contains up to 5-10 thousand potential plants (in large-flowered varieties the seeds are slightly larger than those of the multiflowered ones). About a hundred seeds can be collected from one fruit, which is why petunias are rightly called one of the most prolific summer plants.
The number of petunia varieties is measured in the thousands. Choosing professional or “regular” petunia seeds is not an entirely simple task:
- First of all, you need to focus on decorative characteristics- characteristics of flowering, color, plant height, foliage density, shape and length of shoots, recommended use of a particular variety. Ampel varieties used only for hanging baskets and cascades in boxes; in all other cases, bush varieties are preferred due to dense tillering and good branching.
- When choosing petunia seeds, keep in mind that these plants have an average growing season of about 70 days. Small-flowered petunias bloom at typical times, while large-flowered petunias bloom at least three weeks later.
- On sale there are both individual varieties and variety series, as well as mixtures of varieties. The latter for petunias is always associated with the risk of obtaining not quite the result that is expected. Therefore, it is better to purchase individual varieties and sow them, creating your own collection, rather than buying a variety mixture with different shades.
- No less important is the choice of the manufacturer itself, and specialized stores or garden centers, and not spontaneous places of sale. Tested on other flyers and proven to be reliable petunia companies are preferable to experiments with new suppliers. Pay attention to the completeness of information about the manufacturer himself, the quality of the description of the plant and recommended agricultural technology, the availability of all information about the shelf life and batch of seeds.
- Petunias are common, but by no means budget-friendly annuals, too low price for seeds is associated with a high risk of purchasing low-quality planting material.
- Petunias are considered more reliable regular seeds, although pelleted ones are more convenient to use (but they are more sensitive to sowing accuracy - timing - and lighting parameters).
Petunia seeds remain viable for a long time and can be purchased for future use. Over the course of three to four years, the germination capacity of the seeds is practically not lost, so it is not at all necessary to buy the freshest seeds.
Petunia seed shoots. © Rishi Sowing petunias for seedlings
Petunia is not the easiest crop to grow. Small seeds, fragile and sensitive seedlings require care in the process of growing seedlings. But still, the beauty of the flyer is worth the effort.
Soil and containers for sowing petunias
To grow petunias from seeds at home, there is no need to select special containers. For this summer plant, both ordinary seed boxes and low containers or bowls are suitable. Since petunia is not afraid of transplantation, it does not use individual cassettes or peat tablets, but large common containers. The optimal soil height for petunia is about 6-7 cm; containers that are too low are not suitable for this plant, but it is better to avoid deep ones. The containers in which plants were previously grown must be additionally prepared and disinfected.
For planting petunia seedlings, small individual plastic and peat pots or cassettes are used. A diameter of 6 to 8 cm is sufficient for the normal development of young flyers.
For petunia seedlings and sowing seeds, any high-quality soil mixture for growing seedlings is suitable. Both self-mixed and purchased substrates, if they are loose, nutritious, capable of retaining moisture, but not prone to compaction, and do not have a strong acidic or calcareous reaction, are perfect. The standard is pH 5.5.
For petunias, a universal substrate is often used, consisting of equal parts of humus, turf, leaf soil and peat with a halved proportion of sand. Before sowing petunia seeds, it is better to disinfect any soil with a solution of fungicides or calcinate it a few days before sowing and sift at least for the top layer. For sowing and picking petunias, the same substrate is used.
Sowing petunia seeds
Preferred for petunias early dates sowing If it is not possible to organize additional lighting, then sowing is carried out in March. For regions with harsh winters, middle zone sowing is preferable in the second half of March, but most often to obtain more early flowering Petunias are sown in the first half of March or even in February (the third decade allows sowing without additional lighting in good years). After March, petunias are not sown, since the plants will not have time to reveal all their beauty and their flowering will be very late. There are many nuances in choosing the timing of sowing petunia seeds:
- Petunias sown in the second and third ten days of March bloom by June; when sown in January and February, the dates are correspondingly shifted to April-May, but such cultivation requires special conditions.
- There is variation in the recommended sowing times for individual varieties of petunias. Late-flowering large-flowered petunias are best sown later, in March, multifloras can be sown earlier, in February, and ampelous petunias for the largest mass of long shoots are best sown with additional lighting in January.
- At any time of sowing, you should be prepared to compensate for the lack of lighting if necessary: light-loving petunias in an unsuccessful spring without additional lighting can be completely lost (due to cloudy weather).
When purchasing seeds and planning sowings, it is always better to carry out calculations with a reserve, increasing the number of seeds by 30-50%, especially if sowing is carried out earlier. Due to poor lighting, there is always a risk that only half of the seeds will germinate, although under favorable circumstances, petunia germination rates range from 80 to 100%.
The main difficulty of growing petunia seedlings yourself is rightly called small seeds. They are so inconvenient to work with that for the first experience of growing this summer plant, we can recommend choosing tape, pelleted or encrusted seeds, which are much easier to sow. But working with ordinary “simple” seeds can be simplified:
- mixing petunia seeds with sand (you need to use fine, dry, light sand, not screenings);
- sow over a layer of sand or snow, on which even the smallest seeds are clearly visible;
- use a toothpick for “piece by piece” folding (this is the most labor-intensive option).
To sow petunia for seedlings you need:
- Fill the selected containers up to half or a third of the height with large screenings or unsifted substrate and lightly compact it. If the containers are very deep or the soil is fine-textured, then it is better to lay drainage at the bottom of the container.
- Add the sifted substrate without compacting it. Since the cover from crops is removed late, it is necessary to leave enough space in the containers for plant growth: a distance of 2 to 3 cm should remain from the top of the substrate to the edge of the containers for sowing petunias. The layer of sifted soil should be at least 1 cm (so the seeds will lie more evenly, and the plants will develop equally).
- Carefully level the soil surface and thoroughly moisten it with a fine spray. For petunias, heavy watering is sometimes recommended a day before sowing to evenly distribute moisture and “saturate” the soil, but you can also use the classic option. If you haven't taken additional measures, cover the soil with sand or snow to make planting easier.
- Petunia seeds should be scattered as rarely as possible, trying to sow evenly over the entire area of the container.
- Spray the seeds from above with a spray bottle, taking care that strong jets do not wash out individual seeds. For the first spraying, you can use a growth stimulator solution. When sowing in snow, spraying is not carried out.
- Cover the container with glass or film, without covering the seeds on top with even a thin layer of sand.
The first picking of petunia seedlings. © Brittney Smart 
Transplanting a petunia seedling. © Brittney Smart 
Conditions for seed germination
Petunia loves stable warmth. For seed germination, it is advisable to maintain the temperature at 20-23 degrees Celsius. Cooler conditions will allow only old varieties or “wild” petunias, the seeds of which you collected yourself, to sprout. All modern varieties are sensitive to temperature at the germination stage.
If the lighting is not bright enough or the weather is cloudy, then it is better to place phytolamps above the containers for additional illumination. The film or glass is lifted daily for ventilation.
Maintaining humidity is not the easiest task. Before emergence, it is advisable to lightly spray daily to maintain stable, light soil moisture. You can add a light fungicide to the water for spraying seeds (for example, use a weak solution of potassium permanganate).
Petunia shoots appear (on average) 5-7 days after sowing. Petunias germinate within 2 weeks; you should not expect germination longer than this: if there is no result, you need to adjust agricultural practices and re-sow. This annual plant is characterized by amicable shoots; usually sprouts appear evenly and over a short period.
Growing plants
Petunia seedlings are very miniature, fragile, capricious and sensitive to the slightest deviations in growing conditions or humidity levels. Petunias develop slowly. Temperatures and bright lighting for small petunias remain the same. The optimal length of daylight for young seedlings is 11-12 hours.
Film or glass from containers with petunias can be removed only after the first leaf appears. Daily ventilation is carried out 2-3 times a day, preventing the accumulation of condensation and maintaining a healthy environment for plant development.
The greatest danger at the growing stage is high humidity. Petunias are one of the most prone to blackleg disease, so overwatering and generally inaccurate watering are extremely dangerous. But drying out the soil can destroy all seedlings. Gently mist the crops daily to create stable, slightly moist conditions.
Small seedlings are prone to bending. The containers need to be turned in relation to the light source several times a day so that they develop evenly (with overhead illumination there is no need to turn).
Excess moisture, lack of comfortable temperatures or lighting can lead to the spread of diseases. If signs of blackleg development appear on the seedlings and the plants begin to hurt, then in this case an emergency dive is carried out. To reduce humidity, the seedlings must be carefully sprinkled with a layer of dry sand and immediately proceed to transfer them to individual containers.
Picking seedlings and caring for young plants
In petunia, diving is carried out as soon as a pair of true leaves are formed on the plants. It is better not to delay the process of planting seedlings, but earlier replanting is an exceptional option only for diseased plants. Plant transplantation is tolerated well. They are seated one at a time. After diving, the plants are watered carefully and set for a day or two in places with diffused lighting or shaded with paper for better recovery in a new place.
Bright lighting for petunias is important at any stage of their development. Supplemental lighting on cloudy days is carried out after diving only for weakened seedlings that have begun to stretch or clearly signal a lack of lighting. The temperature can be left in the room range, but it is better to gradually start lowering it to 18-20 and then 16-18 degrees with slightly cooler conditions at night. Slowly increase both the frequency and time of ventilation even before hardening.
Feeding seedlings is very dangerous; they can only be started after diving - after about 1-1.5 weeks. At the stage of growing petunia seedlings, they are carried out to obtain strong branched plants and abundant flowering. Fertilize the water for irrigation every week, using half the standard dose recommended by the manufacturer. At the seedling stage, you can alternate foliar and root feeding. With slow growth, nitrogen fertilizing is carried out, but petunias still prefer complex and organic fertilizers.
The main attention should be paid to high-quality and moderate watering. Overmoistening even on grown petunias is very dangerous; it can provoke the development of rot and plant death. Watering is carried out with a small amount of water, but often checking the degree of drying of the soil. These careful procedures, which do not allow drops to get on the greens and shoots, are mandatory for petunias. When it has grown sufficient leaf mass and released the first buds, the humidity for it can be slightly reduced.
When caring for petunia seedlings, it is better not to forget about two more procedures:
- Pinching shoots allows you to get dense, branched and more compact crowns. bush varieties petunias.
- Loosening the soil after watering will maintain optimal air and water permeability of the soil (this procedure must be carried out carefully, without touching the extensive root system of the petunia).
Transplanted petunia seedlings. © Brittney Smart 
Growing petunia seedlings. © Brittney Smart Hardening off petunia seedlings
For petunia, hardening should begin as early as possible. Usually the plants begin to be left outside for at least a few hours. fresh air, as soon as the weather permits and the temperature rises during the day. Hardening off from April until planting in the soil or in containers in the garden will allow you to obtain more stable and hardy lush flowering plants.
Planting petunia seedlings in soil and containers
For petunia, despite its status as a capricious queen, planting in open ground from the second half of May. It is better to wait until the return frosts stop. Earlier sowing requires preparedness to protect plants from possible weather surprises. If you plan to grow petunias in a container culture, then planting can be done from the beginning of May: pots and baskets can always be brought indoors if necessary.
When choosing a place for petunias in the garden, you should choose warm, well-lit places. In terms of resistance to cold and drafts, it is better to rely on the characteristics of a particular variety, but all petunias bloom better in protected, secluded places. Large-flowered petunias more thermophilic and sensitive to dampness and bad weather (than smaller sizes flower, the less capricious is petunia). Canopy plants need to be protected from the wind.
When growing in ampels, baskets and pots, a high-quality universal substrate can be selected from purchased soil mixtures or mixed yourself. The ratio of leaf, turf soil, humus, sand and peat is not so important for petunias: the main thing is that the soil is loose, but nutritious, moisture-absorbing, but not prone to compaction.
These annuals grow well with the addition of loosening components (for example, perlite) and a water-retaining additive in the form of a hydrogel. A high layer of drainage (minimum 5 cm) is placed at the bottom of any containers. For petunias, gravel, expanded clay, and other materials are suitable for drainage. A neutral soil reaction is preferable.
When planting in open ground, fertile or moderately nutritious garden soil must be checked for water permeability. Petunias prefer sandstones and loams, but any nutritious soil is suitable for them. The quality of the soil can be improved by adding mature organic fertilizers - compost or humus. Like most annuals, petunias do not tolerate fresh manure.
Portion full mineral fertilizers will also provide the plant with everything it needs. The soil reaction should not be acidic: any soil with a pH below 5.5 must be limed and adjusted. When planting in open ground, it is advisable to prepare the soil in advance (not in the fall, but at least a month before planting the seedlings).
The distance between plants is usually limited only for petunias grown in open ground. On 1 square meter planting area use no more than 10 petunias for cultivation. For multi-flowered or bush petunias, the recommended distance is from 15-20 cm for small-flowered varieties, to 25-30 cm for large-flowered ones. For large and hanging petunias, the standard is considered to be a distance of 30 to 50 cm. For potted and hanging plants The distance is usually halved, although first of all, petunias are planted in containers and baskets in such a way as to achieve the maximum decorative effect.
It is better to maintain a minimum distance of 8-10 cm in any case, although general standards limit planting density to only a maximum of 60-70 plants when planting in a container culture.
There is nothing complicated about transplanting petunias; the plants adapt quite easily and quickly and are not afraid of this procedure. But the fragility and juiciness of the shoots imposes its own requirements on the accuracy of the work: so that the plants do not suffer from injuries, they must be handled as carefully as possible, carefully holding the green mass and avoiding unnecessary contacts. It is better to transfer seedlings to new containers or into the ground on cloudy days or in the evening so that the plants are not damaged by the sun and adapt faster.
The transplant is always completed abundant watering, which is carried out without affecting the leaves. It is better to mulch the soil around the plants (peat or humus are excellent). Even potted petunias love protective mulching, which also acts as insulation.
Call petunias unpretentious and easy to grow annuals or consider them one of the most capricious plants- the question is very individual. For some gardeners, they perfectly withstand almost any treatment of their favorites, while for others they please only with careful care. But immediately after transplanting petunia seedlings, in any case, it is worth providing attentive and systematic care.
Maintenance stable humidity soil is the main point in caring for transplanted petunias. It is better to protect young plants in pots and baskets from wetness and precipitation, even if the varieties claim increased resistance.
Many modern varieties have both moisture and drought resistance, and can withstand heavy rainfall and dry soil, but in the future, the more stable the conditions for plants, the better. Water petunias growing in the soil rarely but abundantly during periods of prolonged drought, trying not to soak the leaves and directing the water to the roots. Potted plants are watered, allowing the upper and partially middle layers of the substrate to dry, avoiding prolonged drought and dampness. On hot days, petunias need frequent watering several times a day, and it is advisable to add spraying to the care program.
Fertilizing for young petunias begins after the resumption of active vegetation (approximately a week after planting in soil or containers. For them, a standard portion of complex fertilizers or special fertilizers for flowering annuals is applied with a frequency of 10-15 days for plants growing in soil and 7-10 days for potted crops, fertilizing for petunias growing in the soil sometimes continues only until August, but it is better, as for potted petunias, to carry out these procedures until the end of flowering.
When choosing fertilizers, you should pay attention to complex preparations with a high potassium content. Mineral supplements can be alternated with organic fertilizers in liquid form. For potted plants, you can use long-acting fertilizers and alternate foliar and root feedings. If the season is unsuccessful, the weather is bad, if growth is too slow or flowering suffers, it is better to additionally feed the petunias with growth stimulants.
For any potted and hanging petunias, from the beginning of flowering, it is better to introduce the removal of fading flowers into the care program. It is especially important to promptly “clean” large-flowered or double petunias, which look very messy with dry flowers. When grown in soil, removal of faded flowers is carried out only where petunias are clearly visible - in flower beds, borders, near a recreation area, where unpleasant details catch the eye.
Growing petunias by sowing in open ground
Sometimes, in regions with a mild climate, a much simpler method of growing petunias from seeds is used - sowing directly into the soil at the place of cultivation. Sowing in April allows you to get plants that bloom in mid-summer. This method is used mainly for small-flowered varieties of petunias, which are grown as a ground cover or border plant. In regions with harsh winters, it is possible to sow seedlings in greenhouses and greenhouses, but flowering will still be late.
Cuttings of petunia seedlings. © Brittney Smart 
Planting petunia cuttings. © Brittney Smart 
Rooting petunia cuttings. © Brittney Smart Alternative Petunia Propagation Methods
Terry varieties and some hybrid petunias are propagated not by seeds, but vegetatively. The non-preserving characteristics of mother plants require a change in the strategy for growing especially valuable petunias. For cuttings, plants are saved for the winter, and in the spring, mother cuttings are cut from the mother bushes.
Petunia bushes overwinter only in bright light and in cool, but not cold conditions - the optimal temperature is 10 to 12 degrees. Water them very carefully. You don’t have to save the whole plant, but cut cuttings from the bushes and keep them in the winter under similar conditions in a light substrate. After rooting in the spring, they are planted in individual containers.
Some petunias in favorable conditions and with luck with the weather in regions with a milder climate they can self-sow. Despite the variation in the quality of flowering, such “wild” petunias amaze with their endurance and unpretentiousness, and often also with the size of the bushes. Young shoots can be used as seedlings or left as semi-wild, prolific flowering accents.
High-quality petunia seeds germinate easily and quickly. They are so microscopic that they have to be sown on the surface without covering them with soil. In the presence of heat and moisture, sprouts appear after 5-7 days and stretch with thin hairs towards the light. Often, already at this stage, the gardener faces obstacles and problems. Seedlings may suddenly fall over, affected by blackleg, or seedlings may dry out due to insufficient moisture. How to provide petunias with gentle care at this stage?
Before sowing petunias, you need to decide on the choice of seeds and timing. For beginners, it is better to give preference to coated seeds or seeds in granules. They are more convenient to deal with. The germination rate of granulated seeds is better, but the price is higher.
Petunia has a long growing season, so it is sown early for seedlings. Before planting in the ground, the seedlings will spend 2 months or more on the windowsill. This indicator depends on the variety and growing conditions.
Note! The earliest sowing is done at the end of February, but these seedlings will need lighting. If this is not possible, sow petunia in mid-March.
To obtain strong seedlings, you need to choose the right planting container and soil. It is better to use a wide one in the form of containers. plastic container medium depth. In such a container it is easier to achieve the occurrence greenhouse effect. You can use a plastic container with a lid for food products for planting.
Soil for planting can be bought at the store, or you can make it yourself. For the soil mixture you will need:
- 1 tsp turf soil;
- 1 tsp leaf soil;
- 1 tsp lowland peat;
- 1 hour humus;
- 0.5 tsp coarse sand.
The soil for petunia seedlings should be fine-grained; all large particles should be crushed or removed. You can sift the soil through a sieve. Before laying the soil, fine expanded clay is poured onto the bottom, which will serve as a drainage layer.
You can grow petunia seedlings in peat tablets, which are placed in a common container. The container is pre-treated with a solution of potassium permanganate for disinfection.
The height of the soil layer should be 6 cm, leaving 2-3 cm to the edge of the container. When sowing ordinary seeds, to facilitate the procedure, they are mixed with dry sand. Instead of sand, you can use snow mass. When the snow melts, it will pull the seeds to the desired depth, but will not allow them to sink too deeply. With this method, there is no additional need to moisten the soil.
The seeds that were mixed with sand are evenly distributed over the surface of the soil and lightly moistened with a spray bottle. There is no need to sprinkle anything on top of the crops. You can also sow petunia using a moistened toothpick.
A seed sticks to it, which is transferred to the ground, after which it is shaken off with a second toothpick, which is not wetted. After sowing, the container is closed with a lid or film and transferred to a room with a temperature of 20-22°C.
When seedlings appear, the seedlings require careful handling. Petunia seedlings are too fragile and delicate. To obtain strong, viable bushes, you will have to devote enough time and care to the sprouts.
The soil should not dry out even for a short time. But stagnation of moisture should also not be allowed. An imbalance in one direction or another can easily lead to the death of seedlings.
The seedlings are watered for the first time as soon as sprouts appear above the ground. In the future, the frequency of watering depends on a number of conditions (soil composition, room temperature, soil volume).
While the seedlings are very thin experienced flower growers It is recommended to water them with a syringe with a needle, introducing moisture into the top layer of soil. This method helps protect seedlings from blackleg and allows you to more accurately regulate the amount of moisture introduced.
To prevent fungus, you can alternate watering with plain water and a weak solution of potassium permanganate. As soon as the plants become a little older, you can water them through a tray. In this case, the roots will retract themselves required quantity moisture, excess water will need to be removed.
If the film is removed too early, thin sprouts can easily die, because their roots have not yet developed. It is difficult for plants to independently maintain the level of moisture necessary for their development. Greenhouse conditions help keep this figure within normal limits.
Seedlings need to be accustomed to the open air of a room gradually. At first, the shelter is only opened slightly for 5-10 minutes for ventilation. It is advisable to do this several times a day.
Condensation on the film or lid is removed daily. This is done until the seedlings become stronger and at least 2-3 pairs of true leaves are formed.
For several days before finally removing the cover, leave the plants without it for 2-3 hours, and then remove the film completely. This will help the petunia adapt more easily to lower humidity conditions.
Petunia seedlings develop slowly. Their growth largely depends on light and temperature. Daylight hours must be maintained at 14-16 hours. This can be achieved by using fluorescent light sources or phytolamps for additional lighting. Such lamps have good light output and are economical to use.
Note! With a lack of light, young seedlings begin to bend towards the window. In this case, the box with seedlings must be turned over, placing its other side towards the light.
Seeds should germinate at a temperature of 22-25°C. It is this regime that will allow you to get friendly shoots within five days. After sprouts appear, these numbers are reduced.
During the day, seedlings need a temperature of about 20°C, and at night it is lowered to 16°C, which can be easily achieved by slightly opening the window. It is this technique, combined with additional lighting, that will prevent the seedlings from stretching.
Experts recommend picking technology, in which seedlings are transplanted twice. It is not advisable to immediately plant seedlings in large containers. The volume of the cup should be proportional to the root system. For the first time, you can plant petunia in yogurt cups or the smallest pots.
Fresh soil should be sufficiently fertile. Each seedling is carefully lifted from below and transferred using tweezers into a separate container. Shortly before picking, the seedlings are lightly watered so that the soil is moderately moist and does not fall off the roots.
There is no need to compact the soil after replanting, since the roots of petunias are still too fragile and easily damaged. Picked seedlings are watered with warm, settled water at the root.
There is no need to do this earlier. In the active growth phase, seedlings are fed every 2 weeks. As the first feeding, you can spray the sprouts with a solution of potassium permanganate, energen or phytosporin - this will help maintain the health and immunity of the seedlings.
You don’t need to fertilize petunia any more before picking. Only in exceptional cases (and in cases of signs of chlorosis) can nitrogen or complex mineral fertilizer be applied.
1-1.5 weeks after picking, feed with calcium nitrate, spending 1 tsp. drug per liter of water. After another week, one of the following drugs is added:
- "Uniflor Micro";
- "Uniflor growth";
- "Plantafol";
- "Effecton";
- "Crystalon";
- "Kemira".
Follow the dosage of fertilizers exactly. An excess of minerals is just as harmful as a deficiency. To make the plants plump, spray the young shoots with a solution of ammonium nitrate saturated with nitrogen.
In May, already strong bushes are fertilized with nitroammophoska to continue development, dissolving 20 g of the drug in 10 liters of water. Monophosphate, added shortly after picking, will promote active budding; petunias are very fond of this fertilizer. Iron sulfate is used if the seedlings have yellow spots.
Expensive, rare varieties of petunias are usually grown in peat tablets, which are a pity to lose. Maintenance when sowing seeds in this way is reduced to a minimum. Before planting, tablets measuring 3x4 cm are poured hot water and let them swell.
After cooling, a depression is made in the center of each tablet into which the seed is placed. If the seeds are not granulated, they are transferred to the tablet with tweezers or a damp toothpick.
Such seedlings no longer require diving; watering with this method of cultivation is also simplified. Water is poured into the tray of the container with the tablets as soon as they begin to dry out and decrease in size. Otherwise, caring for seedlings is no different from ordinary activities for growing seedlings.
After sowing into tablets, petunia also requires shelter, as well as compliance with light and temperature regime. Transplant seedlings in tablets as soon as roots appear.
Those who have been growing petunias for a long time have accumulated some secrets that are useful for every gardener to know:
- Not all petunias can be propagated by seed method. Terry varieties and surfinias do not produce seeds; they can only be propagated by cuttings. To do this, shoots with two internodes are rooted, tearing off their buds and some leaves.
- To protect plants from fungal diseases, treat the soil with any fungicide before planting.
- It is absolutely unacceptable to water young petunia seedlings from a watering can. Watering is done with a fine spray; it will not cause the seedlings to fall. Later, it is best to water the plants through a tray.
- When there is bright sun outside, postpone watering until the evening. Petunia grows intensively at night and it is at night that it actively consumes moisture. During the day, the soil can dry out quickly.
- Some have gotten the hang of growing petunia seedlings in soil with hydrogel, previously soaked in a fertilizer solution. In this case, the plants are not only protected from drying out of the soil, but also receive additional nutrition.
- After watering, lightly loosen the soil. This will help provide the roots with enough oxygen.
- If the root system of grown seedlings in a small container has completely entwined the earthen ball, provide each plant with a 2-liter pot. In such a container, the seedlings will develop freely before being planted in open ground.
- To make the bushes lush, they are used to stimulate the growth of side shoots. Most new varieties do not need pinching; their branching is genetically determined.
- Petunia is afraid of frost, so you can plant it in a flowerbed only if you are completely sure that there will be no return frosts.
- For growing in the ground, choose bush varieties,
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To grow a beautiful petunia, you will have to invest a lot of work, but gardeners who are passionate about their favorite hobby are not frightened by difficulties, but on the contrary, they cause excitement. But how much joy you will experience looking at the abundantly blooming, fragrant petunia bushes, which you can admire until frost.