Petunias are beautiful and bright flowers that look spectacular on the balcony, windowsill and in the front garden. It is a perennial and thermophilic plant. I spend cuttings of petunias in the autumn to get hardy seedlings with early flowering in the spring. If you follow the basic rules of agricultural technology, the culture is very easy to propagate.
Benefits of grafting
Propagation using cuttings has the following advantages over using seeds:
- it is a cheap way to get any number of identical plants;
- you can independently choose the strongest and healthiest shoots for reproduction;
- flowering begins 2-3 weeks earlier than when growing petunias from seeds.
Rules for performing cuttings
Cuttings can be done all year round. For this, it is advisable to choose flowering mother plants. They will make lush plants.
Cutting petunias for the winter
In winter, the grafting procedure can be performed only if the petunia is completely healthy, grows normally, and new leaves continue to form on the stems.
I cut cuttings from a flowering plant that have 2 internodes. The length of the workpieces should be from 8 to 12 cm. I remove the lower leaves and flowers from them.
I pre-fill the containers for planting with fertile soil. For petunias, a universal soil designed for flowering plants is well suited. I put a drainage layer into the pot in advance.
I land without processing the cut. I bury the seedling shallowly, since the growth point should be above the ground. After planting, I tamp the ground and water it abundantly. Then I put a plastic bag on the pot to create greenhouse conditions. Every day it must be removed for 20-30 minutes to air the plant. Otherwise, it can become infected with fungal diseases. Such conditions must be maintained for 2 weeks. During this time, roots should form on the plant.
Cuttings in spring and summer
In spring and summer, reproduction is recommended to prolong flowering. If you follow all the rules, the plants will bloom before the arrival of the first frost.
Cuttings in autumn
In autumn, cuttings are carried out in mid or late September. The order of work is the same as in winter.
Cuttings in water
Petunias can also be cut in water, but this method is not suitable for growing terry varieties.
I prepare the cuttings in the usual way. Each of them must have at least 5 leaves. I remove the lower leaves.
I immediately put the cut cuttings in jars of water at room temperature. I pre-boil the water and cool it down. I keep the plants in a dark place, as they grow faster there. The room should have a stable temperature and humidity, without drafts.
I cover the cuttings with a cut bottle or plastic bag. I add water to the jars as needed.
Usually after 10-15 days roots begin to appear. After that, the plants need to be kept in water for about a week. After that, I transplant them into the ground.
Cutting petunias in autumn or winter almost always ends successfully. Plants take root and take root quickly. Maintenance of the culture is minimal.
Read also: Let's figure out whether it is worth leaving the polycarbonate greenhouse open in winter or not.
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