Petunia needs to be pinched for more luxuriant growth. If you ignore this important component of care, then the flower grows in height and loses its attractive appearance.
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What is pinching for?
As a rule, plants are pinched in order to stimulate the growth and development of side shoots. Also, timely pinching promotes abundant flowering and gives the bush a more compact and neat shape.
The procedure is mandatory for non-decorative varieties and plants grown from self-collected seeds.
How to pinch?
It is necessary to pinch the petunia when the seedlings are in the stage of active growth, no later than 30-55 days after germination. To do this, find the highest point of growth. The buds are easily pinched off with your fingers, but it is best to use well-sharpened instruments to avoid damage to the vessels, which can lead to the death of the plant. Scissors or pruning shears must be disinfected to protect the plant from possible contamination by harmful bacteria.
Note: the shoots are cut off above the fourth or fifth leaf, forming a new growth point for secondary shoots at the break point.
The first few days after the manipulation, the seedlings will stop growing - there is nothing to worry about, because the petunia has received stress and needs some time to recover. After two to three days, the plant will begin to stretch more actively. At the same time, its lower part will become stronger and more resistant to environmental influences.
How to care after pinching?
After removing the top, petunia must be fed. A few days after the procedure, growth stimulants are introduced into the soil, following the indicated instructions. For this, the following are suitable:
- "Endophyte";
- Epin;
- "Succinic acid";
- "Regoplant".
In the future, fertilizing is necessary every 10-15 days. Most petunia needs nitrogen, so special attention should be paid to this particular type of fertilizer. Also, petunia needs to be regularly watered and loosened. Faded buds and dried green parts of the plant must be removed in time.
To protect against parasites, pesticides and time-tested folk remedies are used. If petunia has been infested with insect pests, it must be rescued as soon as possible to prevent insects from spreading to other flowers. For the prevention of various pathological processes, drugs containing copper are used.
To accelerate the growth of side shoots, a certain temperature regime must be observed. The temperature in the room with seedlings at night should drop by 4-6 degrees.
Do you pinch petunias?
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