Petunia is a welcome guest on any flower bed. Lush bushes with bright multi-colored flowers are planted in garden beds, decorate city parks, verandas and balconies. To rejuvenate the bushes and maintain their attractive appearance, be sure to prune the petunias. This agrotechnical procedure is recommended to be carried out in the middle of the summer period.
Why do you need pruning
In general, petunia is considered a rather unpretentious crop, the cultivation of which does not cause difficulties even for novice gardeners. To maintain an attractive appearance of the plant, pruning of petunias is performed in July. If this is not done, the plant will begin to stretch ugly, the flowers will fade and be small.
Pruning can be carried out at the stage of growing seedlings. It is enough to pinch the main stems, then the lateral ones will form correctly. When the tips of the stems are removed, the shoots become thicker and the green mass takes on a rich hue. Fourteen days later, the first buds are already formed on the bushes, dormant buds begin to grow actively.
Cutting petunias is one of the main agronomic measures for growing neat and beautiful plants. Also, this procedure helps to give the bushes an unusual desired shape, as well as change the direction of growth of the stems. Often in flower beds you can find petunias grown in the shape of a ball.
Competent pruning will help to avoid ugly stretching of stems in conditions of lack of light and care errors. Bush types of petunias are pinched, leaving up to fifteen centimeters in length. Ampel species are pruned at will.
It is worth pruning and pinching adult plants, this improves flowering and helps propagate petunias by cuttings. It is recommended to shorten the lateral stems twenty days after the first pruning. This measure is needed to give splendor to the bushes. Subsequent procedures are performed as needed, visually assessing the condition of the bushes.
When to prune
Pruning is addressed depending on the period of the plant's life cycle. At the beginning of the summer season, the bushes show active growth and abundant flowering. If the plant is not properly maintained, it may stop blooming and dry out by the end of the season.
The first pinching usually occurs at the beginning of the summer season. After that, the culture is rapidly increasing its green mass, buds are actively forming on the stems. It is recommended to repeat the procedure in July-August. This will help shape the shrubs to the correct shape and stimulate lush flowering.
What is the use of pruning
Depending on the stage of development of the plant, pruning has a positive effect on the plants:
- Summer anti-aging pruning. They are simply necessary to maintain a neat appearance and boost flowering.
- Rich bloom. In the middle of summer, you can notice a decline in the flowering of petunia bushes, bushes become rare. Pruning is necessary for new flowers to appear. The procedure can be carried out manually or with the use of garden shears. It is recommended to pinch the stems in areas where there are practically no flowers left. Up to four leaves are left on the cut stem.
- Forming pruning. Such pruning is carried out at the end of summer to restore petunia bushes. The algorithm is the same as for the July pruning. In the same period, along with pruning, petunias are fed to maintain flowering.
Basic rules for pruning
To make the bushes better tolerate pruning, the procedure should be followed according to certain rules:
- Bushes should be healthy and contain at least five large leaves on each stem.
- In the working area, you need to provide a container for collecting cuttings.
- On each stem, remove up to four centimeters of the top.
- The procedure should be carried out in the morning or evening hours, when the sun is not so aggressive.
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