Petunias are found in every flower garden. They delight owners with an abundance of colors, long flowering, unpretentious care. Growing these flowers in a flower bed is easy and simple. You can either sow them yourself for seedlings, or purchase already flowering specimens at any garden store. In this article I will tell you how to properly grow a petunia for seedlings so that you can admire its elegant flowering all summer.
Sometimes gardeners are faced with the fact that they sow several bags of petunias, and a couple of seeds sprout from them. This happens to those who purchase seeds in unverified places. I always prefer only trusted growers and garden shops, where I constantly buy seeds.
The first step to growing seedlings
So, the most important thing when growing petunias is to responsibly choose seeds. The following rules should be taken into account here:
- ampelous varieties branch weakly, even if they are pinched correctly and regularly. Therefore, I prefer ordinary bush varieties;
- coated seeds are easier to sow. But they may not germinate if the planting containers are poorly watered;
- when buying a mixture of varieties, the same flowers of the same color usually sprout.
The second step is the right sowing
So, we chose the seeds of high quality and proven. Now they need to be sown correctly in order to get a high percentage of seedling germination. Here it is worth considering that the seed is very small, and I use toothpicks to sow it. With a sharp edge, I cling to the seed and plant it in the ground. Otherwise, the landing will be very dense. Many gardeners sow seeds in the snow, so it's easier for them to see how far apart the seeds are. I'm using a different method. I leave a toothpick in the soil next to each seed.
It is most convenient to sow petunia in plastic containers with lids. Then you will have the opportunity to easily and quickly build a mini-greenhouse for seedlings. Such planting containers are easy to ventilate, they are compact, and it turns out to sow a considerable number of seedlings in them.
After I spread all the seeds on the surface of the soil, I spray them with water from a spray bottle, close the container with a lid and put it on the windowsill. The lid must be opened periodically for ventilation.
The first shoots should appear in a couple of weeks. Then the lid on the container is opened, and then the seedlings need the usual care, as with all flowers. If within two weeks the seedlings did not appear, you can not wait any longer. They won't hatch anymore. It means you did something wrong.
Step three - picking petunias
As I said earlier, after the first shoots of seedlings appear, it is necessary to create the most comfortable conditions for growth:
- regular watering;
- good lighting;
- fertilizing;
- soil loosening.
When 2-3 leaves appear on the seedlings, they can be dived into separate containers. But here it is worth considering that their root system is very fragile, and it is easy to damage it. Before picking seedlings, the soil should be well wetted.
Step four - competent care of seedlings
After picking, petunia seedlings should still be kept at room conditions until they grow up and get stronger, and only then can they be planted in flower beds.
In addition to the wet regime, regular fertilization and loosening of the soil, petunia needs to maintain a certain temperature regime. Seeds will sprout only if the air in the room warms up to at least +23 degrees Celsius. But with the advent of seedlings, it is also important to ventilate the seedlings. And before landing in open ground - harden. To do this, I take it out to the balcony. First for 10-15 minutes, and then gradually add the time of her stay in the fresh air.
I water petunias as the top layer of soil dries out. It is important to water the plants carefully, under the root. Water should not get on the leaves. To make the bushes lush and neat, I pinch them growing shoots.
If you do everything as I described, by mid-May you will have your own grown strong and healthy petunia seedlings. From May 15, when the earth and air warm up to +10 degrees above zero, it can be safely transplanted into a flower garden and take proper care of the flowers there. Care comes down to the same actions: watering, fertilizing, weeding, loosening the soil.
How do you grow petunia seedlings?
Read also: If the geranium withers and does not want to bloom, it's time to think about the fight against diseases and pests and establish proper care.
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