Petunias are flowering crops that attract flower lovers with their abundance of colors and long periods of lush bloom. These beautiful flowers look great on the terrace and loggia, on the windowsill in the apartment and on the balcony. The only difficulty that many growers face is the difficulty in growing seedlings. To obtain a positive result, you need to know some of the secrets of this process, and especially when to sow petunia seeds for seedlings.
Lunar planting calendar for petunia
In order for the flowering period of petunias to begin in early summer, it is necessary to sow seeds for seedlings in February or March. According to the sowing calendar regarding the phase of the moon, in these months there are favorable sowing days and those in which it is categorically not recommended to start growing flowers.
You cannot sow seeds:
- in February - 7, 8, 11, 22, 26
- in March - 5, 6, 12, 23, 28
Sowing days:
- in February - 2, 13, 14, 15, 16
- in March - 14, 15, 20, 21, 22
How to grow petunia seedlings from seeds
Seedling soil
The soil for sowing seeds needs nutritious and loose, in composition - slightly acidic or neutral. When buying a ready-made soil mixture, it is recommended to choose universal substrates, for example, Stender. Before use, perlite (250 g), wood ash (five hundred milliliters), potassium sulfate and Kemiru (1 tablespoon each) must be added to the mixture. You can prepare the mixture yourself according to one of the recipe options. After mixing the ingredients, it is recommended to sift the mixture twice - through a coarse sieve and through a fine sieve, and then process it with a strong manganese solution.
- Option 1 - Humus, sod land, peat (in two parts) and coarse sand (one part).
- Option 2 - Peat (two parts), garden soil and sand (one part each).
Sowing petunias for seedlings
Plain or coated seeds are recommended to be purchased from reliable flower shops or nurseries. It is important to make sure they are properly stored and expired. Only fresh seeds are suitable for growing petunias, otherwise the germination rate will be very low.
A planting wooden or plastic box with drainage holes 10-15 cm high is first treated with a strong manganese solution. A layer of fine expanded clay is poured onto the bottom, and then a soil mixture, without adding 1.5-2 cm to the edge of the box. Experienced growers advise to put a layer of snow on top of the substrate to the edges of the container and slightly compact it. It is better to sow seeds on the snow layer. Top crops are covered with glass or plastic wrap.In the absence of snow, the seed material is laid out on the surface of the wet soil and sprayed on top from a fine sprayer. The seeds can be pre-mixed with wet sand to create an even crop. Containers must be kept in a warm (about 25 degrees Celsius) and well-lit room.
Using peat tablets
It is better to sow seeds in a protective nutritious shell in peat tablets measuring 3.5-4.5 cm in diameter. First, the tablets are soaked in warm water for saturation, then they are laid out in a planting container with a height of at least 10 cm, placing one seed in each of them. Moisten the seeds with a medical pipette. When the coating on the seeds is soaked, and this will happen in about 5 minutes, it is recommended to spread it over the surface of the tablet. Crops are covered with glass and kept in the brightest room with a temperature of 23-25 degrees.
This method of growing seedlings eliminates the diving procedure, facilitates care and promotes a higher percentage of germination.
Using cell cassettes
Landing cassettes with cells are also very convenient and spacious. These containers are commercially available in various sizes and the number of cells in them is different. Seedlings do not require picking, and planting containers do not take up much space and can be used repeatedly. For petunias, it is recommended to choose cassettes with a height of at least 10 cm. A peat tablet or a suitable substrate can be placed in each cell.
Rules for buying petunia seedlings
Perhaps growers who do not have experience in growing will want to purchase ready-made petunia seedlings. Then, when buying, you need to pay attention to several important points:
- Seedlings should be sold in a moist substrate;
- The seedlings should not have yellowed leaves and drying tops;
- Overgrown seedlings are not suitable for purchase;
- It is necessary to carefully examine the seedlings for the presence of harmful insects, especially on the back of the leaf plates.
Petunia seedling care
Temperature
With the correct temperature regime, which is about 25 degrees Celsius, seedlings appear after 5 days. For hybrid varieties of petunias, a constant temperature is very important, since a decrease or increase in it by 1-2 degrees delay the emergence of sprouts or contribute to the elongation of young plants.
Airing
As soon as mass shoots have appeared, the crops must be ventilated every day (morning and evening) and condensate must be removed from the cover - cover. It is necessary to start accustoming seedlings to open air from 20 minutes a day, gradually adding the same amount of time and reducing the air temperature in the room with seedlings (also gradually). In the daytime, plants must learn to grow at a temperature of about 20 degrees Celsius, and at night - about 16 degrees.
Thinning
At first, it may seem that the seedlings hardly grow. This is because, at first, young plants spend all their energy on the formation of the root system. Very soon they will grow up and require thinning. It is recommended to thin out dense crops with tweezers.
Lighting requirements
In the first 5-7 weeks, young Senets need round-the-clock lighting. Such conditions will contribute to the rapid development of seedlings and early flowering of petunias.
Since the period of growing seedlings coincides with an incomplete daylight hours in nature, it is necessary to use additional lighting so that in the future the illumination above the seedlings is from 7 am to 10 pm. Fluorescent lamps or other lighting fixtures should be placed about 20 cm above the plantings.
Watering
The frequency and volume of watering must be balanced so that there is no shortage or excess of moisture in the soil. Abundant watering can lead to root rot, and drought can lead to wilting and death of young plants.
It is recommended to water the seedlings under the root (drip) with a syringe or pour water into the pan (for bottom watering).Water should not get on the leaves during watering.
Water for irrigation should be settled or purified with a temperature equal to the air temperature in the room. It is good to add a small amount of lemon juice to the water (just before watering).
The time is favorable for moistening the soil near the plants - in the morning on a cloudy day and in the evening in sunny weather.
Top dressing and fertilizers
After the emergence of shoots, spraying is carried out with a pink manganese solution (first and second week). After the appearance of 3-4 leaves - watered with a solution of Kristalon. For 10 liters of water, 1 tablespoon of the drug is required. In the future, fertilizers should be applied 2-3 times a week, alternating root and foliar nutrition.
Seedling picking
A pick is only needed for seedlings grown in a common planting container. Seedlings are transplanted into cups with a volume of about 200 ml. After a while, you can make a second pick.
Topping
For better branching of plants, several pinching are carried out. Above the fourth or fifth leaf, it is recommended to remove the top along with the growth point. The average interval between procedures is 7-10 days.
Diseases and pests
When a black leg appears due to excessive watering, the plants are removed, and the growing site is disinfected with a manganese solution.
With a lack of iron in the soil and excess moisture, chlorosis can develop. It is recommended to use preparations containing iron.
The main pest of petunia is the spider mite. You can get rid of it with the help of "Actellik" or "Fitoverma".
Preparing petunia seedlings for planting in open ground
The procedure begins two weeks before planting in the ground. The first session (on the open balcony or in the garden) lasts no more than 15 minutes. Every day you need to increase the "walk" time, gradually bringing it up to 24 hours a day.
Transplanting seedlings into open ground
For an abundant and long period of flowering of petunias, it is necessary to choose a sunny area with fertile soil, cleared of weeds and fertilized with humus or compost.
Seedlings are planted when the sun is still low or in the evening. The depth of the planting hole is 10-15 cm. The distance between plantings is from 18 to 30 cm, depending on the variety and size of the bushes in the future. Landing should be carried out by transshipment. For easier extraction of the young plant from the container, it is necessary to water the soil in the pot shortly before.
The first watering is carried out immediately after planting. The area near the plants should be mulched with humus or peat, and a temporary canopy should be installed over the petunias from the direct rays of the sun (for the first few days).
