Ampel petunia - a waterfall of beauty and charm
The rose is deservedly considered the queen of the garden. But definitely petunia - her first vice-maid of honor! One of the most interesting types of petunias is ampelous petunia, which has graceful elongated, hanging shoots with extravagant flowers. It is impossible to overestimate the uniqueness and beauty of the ampelous petunia. Once having seen a smoothly swaying waterfall of bright garlands of flowers, it is impossible to forget about this spectacle. Ampel petunia combines such wonderful qualities as simple unpretentiousness and exquisite beauty.
Given the peculiarity of ampel petunia, it is usually grown on balconies, used for vertical gardening of a flower garden, when decorating terraces of cafes and restaurants. Ampelous petunia looks organic and elegant in alpine hills, where, growing on the ground with its long trunks, with a huge number of flowers, perfectly sets off the beauty of other plants and attracts attention.
The best varieties of petunia ampelous
A variety of varieties of ampelous petunia can satisfy the taste of any, even the most fastidious grower. The varieties of ampelous petunias are quite diverse. Let's dwell on some of them:
- The Snow Queen, hybrid... The beauty of the snow-white foamy flowers with a unique aroma fascinates and creates a feeling of lightness and purity. Stems reach 80 cm in length.
- Diamond pearly shedes... The delicate pink color of the flowers fills the environment with freshness and elegance. Barrel length 100 cm.
- Petunia ampelous "Explorer"... One of the most common types. Has a wide range of colors. Shoot length reaches record sizes up to 1.5 m. The strong structure of the shoots allows it to withstand strong gusts of wind. The flowers are large, have an unusual waxy structure that protects against rain.
- Salmon shedes velvet... Possesses a very rare apricot color, unusual for petunias. New variety developed by Czech breeders.
- Easy wave red... The stems are 80-100 cm long. Bright red buds on green shoots create the charm of the holiday and cheer up.
- Petunia ampelous "Ekaterina", hybrid... Flowers of rich salmon color with veins up to 6 cm in diameter. A cascade of magical bright colors creates a unique comfort and coziness.
- Petunia "Svetlana"... A variety of ampelous petunias with graceful, up to 1 m, long, lush branchy stems. Leaves on medium petioles are arranged in a regular order. The flowers are wavy, funnel-shaped, 5-5.5 cm in diameter, with bright pink veins.
- "Mashenka"... Ampel variety with stems up to 80 cm long, which hang down in densely branched trunks. Leaves on petioles of medium length, arranged in regular order. It has funnel-shaped flowers, 6-7 cm in diameter, bright pink with a light yellow center.
- Ramblin Neon Roses - a real beauty, the owner of very spectacular large-flowered forms. The peculiarity of the variety is that it rises up only 35 cm, but extends to the sides by almost a meter, falling in a powerful cascade.
- "Black Velvet" Is a fantastic hybrid that boggles the mind! Unusual color black flowers of a velvety shade, up to 8 cm in diameter, densely cover a strongly branched bush, 25-35 cm high. Mysteriously graceful and mysterious petunia is unusually beautiful also in combination with other varieties of ampel petunias.
Having familiarized yourself with some varieties of ampelous petunias, for those who are eager to become the owner of such beauty, they can buy a flower in the store, or you can work a little and grow it yourself.
To grow ampel petunia, you must immediately take into account that this is a light-loving plant. It is recommended to grow it on a south-facing windowsill. If this is not possible, then it is necessary to provide additional supplementary lighting from 14 to 20 hours a day.
Ampel petunia is grown from seeds, moreover, of good quality. The best are the seeds of Western producers, the quality of which is time-tested. Having chosen the most suitable variety, we proceed to planting
Petunia develops slowly, and in order for it to please with blossoming buds by summer, you need to start planting very early, preferably in February. This type of plant prefers sandy, loamy soil for germination, and for better flowering it needs to be provided with a nutritious, loose soil.
How to grow ampelous petunia from seeds?
To properly sow the seeds of ampel petunia, you need to adhere to several principles:
- prepare a container in which we plan to plant seeds;
- ignite the prepared soil in a frying pan or in an oven;
- pour soil into the container and spill it with a strong solution of potassium permanganate;
- wait a while for the earth to dry out a little;
- gently spread the seeds on the surface of the soil, without sprinkling on top;
- cover the container with glass and put it in a dark, warm place;
- when shoots appear, you can remove the cover and determine the container with shoots in a well-lit place;
- watering is done regularly as the soil dries up;
- mineral fertilizers with a high nitrogen content are applied twice a month. This procedure is necessary to ensure abundant flowering;
- you can transplant ready-made seedlings in May, as soon as the threat of frost disappears.
With further care for ampelous petunia, special attention should be paid to tender sprouts in the first month. During this period, seedlings are especially susceptible to a disease called "black leg".
Blackleg is a type of fungal disease that affects young seedlings. Only after hatching, they begin to rot at the very surface, fall and dry out. To avoid this, it is necessary to water with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
To create a lush flower shape, the soil in the pot must be poured flush with the edges of the pot, which will prevent further breakage of the hanging branches.
During the growth of ampelous petunia, it is advisable to pinch the sprouts. This procedure promotes the germination of new shoots, which gives the plant splendor and decorative effect.