Some do not know what petunia grandiflora is. This is a well-known plant of the nightshade family, very popular among flower growers. It can often be found on balconies and loggias of apartments, in flower beds in parks and on plots of private estates. The popularity is not surprising, because petunia is growing rapidly and for a long time pleases with its beautiful flowers, similar to bells, abounding in a variety of colors.
The story of the "scarlet flower"
The homeland of this amazing flower is the tropical forests of Brazil (South America), where it was first discovered in 1793, so the plant is very thermophilic. For this reason, in the open fields of temperate countries, these fabulous flowers are grown as annuals, as they will not be able to survive the harsh winter conditions of our region. The plant got to Europe at the beginning of the 19th century and already in 1834 the first hybrid varieties of petunias were successfully bred in England.
Queen of the garden - petunia grandiflora
Flowers - Queen of the garden - petunia grandiflora
Queen of the Garden - Petunia Grandiflora - Flowers
Petunia came to horticultural culture back in the 18th century. Various forms, color of flowers, unpretentiousness, instantly won the fans of decorative design of gardens, flower beds, balconies. Multicolored petunia grandiflora is the leader among flower growers.
Description of the plant
In appearance, terry petunia is very different from its unpretentious American relative, which in nature (warm tropical forests) is a perennial flower. Biologists attributed the plant to the Solanaceae family. The modern flower is the result of painstaking and long-term work of breeders of the 19th century.
This plant is a small, very neat bushes 15-70 cm high, oval-shaped leaves, whole, about 5-12 cm long, alternately arranged in a rich green color. The stems and leaves are pubescent. The flowers are funnel-shaped, solitary, hold on short peduncles, can be axillary or terminal, regular and not very, simple or double, sometimes with a slight fringe along the edge. They delight the eye with their flowers from the very first days of summer and almost until the very frosts.
As a rule, the entire bush is covered with luxurious flowers, the petals of which resemble corrugated paper. The color scheme is very diverse. Flowers can be snow white, pink, yellow, blue, purple, red or deep purple, and even black. The latter was bred in 2011 in England and is known as Black Velvet.
Recently, varieties have appeared with a border around the edges of the petals or with stripes radiating out radially from the center of the bud, which makes the petals of such a flower look like an asterisk. The flowers of petunia are simple or double, large or small (up to 5-13 centimeters in diameter) and quite expressive, which makes the plant attractive to any gardener and allows them to be used:
- as decoration for apartments, loggias, public premises;
- for the design of borders or paths;
- as a single plant or as part of several groups;
- to create a bright accent on the flower bed.
The most famous varieties of petunias with photos and descriptions
The favorite of florists has a huge range of colors: from snow-white to charcoal, from pale pink to lemon green, from sky blue to ink. Experts and amateurs will be interested to learn about new products, as well as the most famous varieties of petunias.
The plant has flowers of stunning beauty, variety of shapes and colors. Breeders have created excellent varieties of petunias for flowerpots and flowerpots, flower beds and borders. Unpretentiousness and good perception of new conditions after transplanting move the pet to the first places in the list of annual flowers for the front garden. The climatic conditions for cultivation can be very different: the plant can withstand humid and sunny weather with indicators up to 35-40 0 С, and is normal for coolness. However, the cultivation environment greatly affects the appearance and duration of flowering.
Plant species
All known varieties of petunias are divided by gardeners into several huge groups, consisting of dozens of varieties. The division is based on differences in size and some external features of this plant. By their appearance, plants are divided into bushy and ampelous (easier - falling).
Bushy petunia
Bushy differ in the shape and appearance of the flower into several subgroups:
- Petunia Grandiflora (large-flowered). The group is very popular and consists of petunias with rather large flowers (approximately 12 cm), painted in incredible fantastic shades. More than 100 varieties and no less hybrids belong to grandifloras. For example, Grandiflora Most Excellent, Large Terry, Stunted, Prism Sunshine, Dreams, Limbo, Burgundy, Aladdin.
Petunia varieties are very unusual in shape and color, resistant to diseases and pests: Double cascade, Pirouette, double cascade burgundy, petunia Burgundy, petunia Duo, petunia Pirouette Parple, large-flowered petunia, terry petunia Dablachia petunia Pirouette Parple and others.
A feature of this species is a small bush (height does not exceed 25-50 cm) and a relatively small number of flowers on the stem. "Bells" of the most unexpected shades can be simple or terry. In the last inflorescences, seeds are tied very rarely.
A very sophisticated plant, a little demanding to care for, hypersensitive to temperature changes, the presence of wind, and very badly refers to an excess or lack of moisture. They feel good and comfortable with container breeding.
- Petunia Multiflor (multiflorous) blooms much earlier than large-flowered petunias. A large number of flowers with a diameter of about 5 cm are formed on their bushes, and they bloom for a relatively long time. The plant is extremely unassuming and grows in any soil (except acidic). He is not afraid of rains, but he loves the sun very much.
They do not look as gorgeous as large-flowered ones, but their compact bushes resemble a multi-colored blanket, since behind a huge number of flowers you can not see at all, it is enough to simply reduce the temperature and tired petals.
Among the representatives of this species, such varieties have gained particular popularity as: Fantasy, Mirage, Plumkrystals. They are used, as a rule, for growing in hanging pots or in a form creeping over the surface.
- Petunia Floribunda. This variety is intermediate between the first two varieties. Therefore, the flowers of this variety are larger than those of representatives of multi-flowered petunias. The flowers can be either simple or double, and are practically not damaged in the rain.
It is also worth knowing that the plants of this group will look most impressive only in bulk, so experienced gardeners plant it exclusively in large flower beds (flower beds). The most popular varieties are: Sonya, Celebrity.
- Small-flowered petunia belongs to very early varieties. The plant will always bloom, while blooming with several buds at once. As it grows, a branchy, very compact bush forms. These plant varieties are intended for planting in small flower pots, but gardeners use them with great success to decorate flower beds.
In height, such a plant reaches almost 20 cm and blooms, without stopping, the whole season. Hybrids are generally very resistant. The flowers are small, 4-5 cm in diameter.
Petunia ampelous
This group is characterized by long flowing stems, sometimes more than a meter long. Therefore, they prefer to plant representatives of this family in hanging pots, in various boxes on loggias, gazebos, balconies, they look very good and naturally as a decoration for alpine slides.
Classification of petunias according to the basic characteristics of varieties
According to the form of growth or type of shoots, petunias are divided into:
- bushy (upright) petunias;
- creeping (hanging, ampelous varieties).
By the height of the bushes:
- large, with shoots up to 80 cm long;
- medium, with a height or diameter of about half a meter;
- dwarf (undersized) petunias with a spherical bush shape, height and diameter of about 15-20 cm.
By flower size:
- large-flowered (from 8-9 cm);
- ordinary (from 5 to 7 cm);
- small-flowered varieties (from 2 to 4 cm).
By flower shape:
- classical (gramophone) with smooth edges of the petals;
- terry;
- semi-double;
- corrugated;
- fringed varieties.
By color:
- plain;
- watercolor (with soft transitions and washes of color shades, the effect of color spreading without contrasting spots);
- variegated;
- bordered;
- with a dark spot in the pharynx;
- painted varieties.
According to the degree of endurance:
The possibilities of using petunia varieties in the garden only in sheltered places or in open soil and stone flower girls are determined by their degree of hardiness. According to this parameter, petunias are divided into two types:
1. Low-resistant varieties, flowers, and sometimes shoots of which are sensitive to getting wet.
2. Hardy petunias, whose flowers are not afraid of precipitation.
Separation of varieties according to the main classification:
The main classification of petunias divides them into only two types of varieties:
1. Upright petunias - bushy plants with straight shoots developing in the form of dense compact cushion bushes that do not create a canopy on the soil and a cascade in hanging baskets.
2. Creeping petunias - plants that, thanks to long shoots drooping in ampels and creeping along the soil, are able to cover a large vertical or horizontal area. Today, creeping petunias are often divided into cover and ampelous, but in fact we are talking about the same varieties, they just play the role of a ground cover on the soil, and hanging baskets - a hanging plant.
Petunia grandiflora (Grandiflora).
Petunia multiflora (Multiflora). <>
Petunia milliflora (Milliflora).
How to choose the right seeds?
Good seeds are a guarantee of success in the process of growing petunia seedlings. To date, there are a lot of shops selling seeds from a variety of manufacturers, remember that all modern types of petunias are hybrid varieties. Thus, when choosing seeds, the F1 mark on the package should be the main reference point.
Experienced gardeners recommend purchasing several small packages of seeds from different manufacturers in different places.
Attention! Leave the idea of collecting the seeds yourself. Remember that all varieties of petunias are hybrids, so there is no guarantee that the seeds you collect next year will give plants with the same color and the same species that you liked so much.
Long-term practice shows that plants grown from self-collected seeds are always weaker, flowers are simpler, with a weak color, and not as decorative as those of the ancestor.
The seeds of the plant are very small, which makes sowing them a very laborious process. For good germination, the seeds should be evenly distributed over the soil surface. Seed producers are helping to cope with this difficulty. They specially process and market seeds in the form of dragees (granules). This large granule makes it easier to distribute the material in the seed container.
Knowing that petunia seeds germinate only in the light, many may ask the question, how will something germinate from the dragee? The answer is simple: the pre-treatment of the seed has already significantly increased its germination, therefore, the shoot will not only germinate safely from the granule, but the first leaves will appear much sooner.
Care Tips
Growing petunias is a relatively simple process that does not require special technical means and scientific knowledge, however, to achieve a long flowering plant it is important to follow some care rules behind him.
Also, to achieve long-term flowering of petunias, such fertilizers are used as: "Stimul", HB-101, "Solution", "Kemira", "BioMaster", "Master", "Plantafol"
Watering
Petunia grandiflora belongs to the moisture-loving species, which do not tolerate drought, so you need to water the flower abundantly, this is especially important in the hot summer period. The procedure is usually carried out twice a day, in the morning and in the evening. In especially dry periods, the plant will thank you if you give it a shower or additional humidification with a garden spray. During periods of low night temperatures (late May and early September), watering petunia at night is not worth it, as this can lead to hypothermia of its root system.
Top dressing
The plant does not particularly need feeding, but it is important to remember that flowering is a process that requires additional nutrients. Therefore, in order to achieve the maximum brightness of the shades of flowers and extend this period to cold weather, you should take care of additional feeding. For these purposes, "Agricole" for flowering, "Aelita-flower" or analogues are perfect. Simple potassium nitrate has also proven itself excellent. The dosage and frequency of use must be observed according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Preparing the soil for planting
At home, petunia seeds are planted in mid or late March, when the length of daylight hours increases, but still not enough to fully meet all the plant's needs in the sun. Given this nuance, it should be sown with a large margin, since the lack of light affects the germination of seeds. The soil should be light, loose and contain nutrients. The following ratio of soil components is well recommended:
- peat and humus - 2 parts each;
- sod land - 1 part is enough;
- wood ash (optional).
To prevent the plant from getting sick with a fungus, the ground must first be prepared. This can be done in two ways: ignite the prepared soil in a frying pan, and then pour it with a solution of potassium permanganate (it can be used for sowing only the next day) or the soil laid in containers, just pour boiling water.
Before sowing, the soil is moistened and, if you just purchased seeds (not dragees), then mix them with sand and simply scatter over the surface of the prepared soil.
Attention! Do not sprinkle with earth on top. This can significantly increase the germination time. By and large, you run the risk of being left without plants at all.
Having placed the plants in containers, they should be sprayed again, but already with a pink solution of potassium permanganate. Then cover them with foil and put them in a bright place, where the temperature is 22-25C.
If you bought dragee seeds, just lay them on the surface with tweezers, but not too often so that the plants have room to develop.
Separate seedling cups work well for seeds in granular form. Put one granule in each glass, and after 7-10 days you will have the first shoots.
Features of growing from seeds
Petunia in a temperate climate is planted with seeds for seedlings. This enhances the growth rate of the plants and also allows for early flowering. The optimal time for sowing is early February, if it is possible to fully illuminate young plants. Experienced gardeners recommend planting in the second half of March, when daylight hours reach the required values. In the event that you plan to grow petunia in the house, planting can be done at any time.
Preparation of containers and soil
Sowing seeds of petunias is carried out in a total container up to 12 cm high. In the future, transplantation into individual pots is required, peat containers are best suited. Any universal soil for flower crops is suitable for growing seedlings.
If you plan to prepare the substrate yourself, then you should mix the garden soil, peat, humus and sand in equal parts. After that, the soil must be treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or Fundazol to prevent infection. Petunia seeds have a high germination rate, no pre-sowing treatment is required.
Landing technology
The effectiveness of growing seedlings largely depends on the observance of agricultural techniques for planting seeds. Correct sowing ensures the friendly appearance of sprouts, avoids dangerous diseases. Step-by-step algorithm of work:
- Lay a drainage layer up to 8 cm thick at the bottom of the planting container. Fill the entire volume with soil and pour abundantly warm water over it.
- Mix the seeds with fine river sand, distribute evenly on the soil surface.
- Water the container with seedlings again. Cover it with foil, glass or a plastic lid to achieve a greenhouse effect.
The first shoots appear in 10-16 days, depending on the characteristics of the variety. Immediately after this, you need to remove the covering material, and also slightly lower the temperature for the harmonious growth of seedlings. For their development, it is required to maintain heat at a level of 20-22 oC, as well as provide daylight hours for a duration of 8 hours. Seedling care is reduced to regular moistening of the soil, no additional feeding is required. Transplanting into individual pots can be carried out when at least 2 true leaves are formed.
Open ground dive
2 weeks before transplanting to a permanent place, the seedlings should be hardened. To do this, containers with young plants are taken out onto the balcony or street for 5 minutes, increasing the duration of the procedure to 5-6 hours daily. A pick to a permanent place is carried out when the seedlings grow to a height of 8-10 cm, from 5 leaves will be formed on the bush. The recommended transplant date is late May or early June, depending on the climate in the region.
A well-lit place with protection from the wind is suitable for growing petunias. This flower prefers light, fertile and drained soil with neutral acidity. Pick technology:
- Dig up the landing site to the depth of the shovel bayonet, add organic fertilizing to the soil, for example, 5-6 kg of mullein or humus per 1 m 2.
- Prepare individual plant pits. The optimum depth is 8-10 cm. The distance between the bushes should be at least 15 cm.
- Lay drainage (coarse sand, gravel or broken brick) at the bottom, and also pour 200 g of wood ash to prevent fungal infections.
- Transfer the petunia from the pot along with a lump of earth. Cover with fertile soil on top. Lightly tamp the area of the root collar.
Immediately after planting, the site should be thoroughly watered with settled water heated to ambient temperature.It is advisable to mulch the soil with a layer of sawdust, humus or straw up to 5 cm thick. This is necessary to retain heat and moisture on the surface layer of the soil, and also avoids the active growth of weeds.
Read also: Caring for indoor plants at home
Proper care of seedlings
After the first sprouts appear, the film or glass cover is removed, and the container with seedlings should be placed in a sunny place (on the window). Young sprouts should be regularly watered and do not forget to spray, but do not allow the earth to dry out or remain very wet, otherwise the seedlings will get sick.
A lot of heat in low light will make the plant grow very stretched. To remedy the situation, simply reduce the temperature and install additional lighting (fluorescent lamps are suitable). Young plants will need to fertilize 4 times during one month. Chicken droppings have proven themselves well as top dressing.
Growing and care
For the full decorative flowering of petunias, you need to get seedlings. To do this, seeds mixed with soil are sown in containers or mini greenhouses filled with prepared soil in late February - early March. Distribute evenly over a well-moistened surface, cover with a layer of loose, sifted earth 1 cm thick. Cover with glass.
Germination takes place at a temperature not lower than 20 degrees Celsius. According to its technology, growing petunia seedlings has much in common with growing tomato and pepper seedlings. On the seventh to eighth day, the first shoots appear. With moderate daily moistening by spraying and uniform sunlight, after five to six days the first leaf appears, the glass is removed.
Planting in open ground or transplanting into pots and pots, begins in the second - third decade of April. In specialized stores, you can buy ready-made seedlings. For growing in the garden, it is better to choose well-lit areas with neutral soil, add humus and complex fertilizer in advance.
Place the planting holes for large-flowered petunia at a distance of at least 30 cm from each other. Place a plant at the bottom of the hole, carefully cover the roots with soil, slightly compact, pour water. After planting and watering, mulch the root zone with humus, peat soil. This will protect the plant from possible frost. If large-flowered petunia is planted in the ground on April 20, then the first flowers will open around the end of June - early July. In dry weather, additional watering is required.
We carry out the dive correctly
The dive is carried out when the third leaf begins to form on the sprouts. You can plant the plants separately in pots, or in one container, at a distance of 5-6 cm from each other, while pinching each sprout one third of the length. After 3 weeks, we repeat the procedure, but we move the seedlings away from each other by 6-7 cm, do not forget to pinch. It is imperative to harden the plants. To do this, the seedlings are taken out onto the balcony, each time increasing the time they spend in the open air.
In May (as a rule, frost during this period is no longer observed) young plants are planted in open ground. The distance between the bushes should be enough for the normal development of the plant (30 cm).
Attention! Petunia loves light and warmth, if this is not enough, then the plant is significantly extended in growth, the leaves become larger, and flowering stops. Sprout should also be watered sparingly.
Avoid drying out the soil or its significant moisture. This can lead to plant disease or root decay.
Reproduction of petunia
If you want to grow petunias, you can purchase ready-made seedlings or grow them yourself. Petunia reproduces wonderfully vegetatively, that is, by cuttings.To do this, you need to select the healthiest mother plants in the fall. The difficulty can be in being able to preserve the cuttings in winter, since they require sufficient lighting, and the air temperature should be at least 12-15 degrees.
Subject to these conditions, cuttings begin from February to March.
The tops of the shoots are selected up to 6 cm and immediately placed in a ready-made wet substrate. After a week and a half, roots appear, and after another 10 days the cuttings are ready for transplanting into pots. With this method of reproduction, plants grow and bloom faster.
Plant diseases
Improper care for petunia provokes the fact that it becomes an object for the appearance of pests or the development of diseases:
- "Black skin" - rot of the root system. The root part of the stem turns into a dark, softened and watery substance, which leads to the death of the plant. The painful condition is caused by a violation of the planting technique and abundant watering. A diseased seedling is immediately removed along with the clod where it was planted to protect the rest of the crop. The remaining seedlings are treated with fungicides. Watering control should be carried out.
- Powdery mildew is a fungus that covers leaves and flowers with a white film. The reason is sudden changes in temperature and excessive humidity. The affected parts of the plant are removed, and the rest are treated with sulfur.
- Yellowing of the leaves is true chlorosis. The reason is a lack of iron, which is caused by the high amount of calcium in the soil.
- It happens that the leaves turn yellow due to improper watering, temperature changes and the presence of parasites.
- Spider mite. An “ordinary” red spider “carefully” covers the entire lower part of the leaves with a white cobweb. You can get rid of it only by washing the leaves with clean water, sulfur, tobacco tincture or insecticides.
- The parasite - aphid - is a small, almost imperceptible green (often gray or black) insect, abundantly strewn across the lower parts of the leaves. They feed on plant juices, because of which the latter dries up and dies. You can get rid of this invasion by using ready-made preparations or by stabbing a solution of laundry soap (1 liter) and nicotine sulfate (1 g). A day after treatment with the drug, the plant should be rinsed well with water.
- A small white "harmless" butterfly, a whitefly, simply lays offspring (larvae) where it is convenient for it - under the underside of the leaves. It multiplies quickly. Lover of greenhouses and poorly ventilated enclosed spaces. You can get rid of it only thanks to special drugs, which include permethrin.
The best prevention for a plant is compliance with all the requirements for its care.
Common diseases and pests
Fungal
- Blackleg - the root part of the stem becomes watery, darkens and rots. Struggle: do not thicken crops, do not use a heavy or acidic substrate, water sparingly, do not allow an excess of nitrogen fertilizers. Remove diseased seedlings with part of the substrate around them.
- Gray rot - light brown spots, a rash appear on the stems and leaves, which are then covered with a gray fluffy bloom. Control measures: avoid dense sowing, excessive watering, too low temperatures, regularly remove damaged areas.
White rot - the appearance of weeping brown spots, covered with a white bloom. The affected parts soften and turn white. Deep digging and liming of the soil, timely removal of damaged parts will help.- Wet rot - develops like black rot. If it appears, spray with chemicals and remove damage.
- Brown spot - the appearance of rusty-brown spots on the leaves. Spray with copper-containing preparations.
- Late blight - the base of the stem grows brown and decays. When growing seedlings, ventilate the greenhouse and do not thicken the crops.
Bacterial and viral
- Leaf galls - the formation of short and thick shoots at the base of the stem.
- Cucumber Mosaic Virus - small flowers with dirty white or yellow spots. Tobacco mosaic virus is a violation of the normal development of a plant.
- Tomato aspermia virus - improper development of flowers.
- Tobacco necrosis virus - the formation of light green necrotic spots on the leaves. Leaves die off.
Attention! Treatment of all of the listed bacterial and viral diseases is the immediate removal of the diseased plant.
Pests
- Aphid - spraying with drugs.
- Whitefly - catching with yellow glue traps.
- Thrips - spraying with chemicals.
- Cobweb mite - the use of specific drugs.
- Slugs - sieving superphosphate over the soil surface, processing with chemicals.
