How to sow petunia correctly - all the subtleties of the matter
Flowers of different shapes and colors are delightful, and many growers strive to grow this plant on their own.
When to sow petunias for seedlings?
For an inexperienced gardener, it is important to correctly determine the timing of sowing a flower for seedlings. The desired flowering time of the plant determines when to plant petunia seeds. To get a profusely flowering plant already in May-June, seeds for seedlings must be sown at the end of February - the first decade of March. If the sowing dates are earlier, the seedlings will need illuminate .
For sowing, use the soil prepared since the fall. The soil mixture consists of humus, garden soil and sand, taken in a 1: 1: 2 ratio. It is poured into containers in which petunia will grow, and left to freeze. A few days before sowing petunias, containers are brought into the house for thawing. Before sowing, the soil is additionally disinfected from pests and pathogenic flora.
Choosing seeds
You can plant petunia with two types of seeds:
- coated;
- clean.
The casing offers a number of advantages: the seeds are protected from damage and disease, and they are easier to sow into the soil. Pure seeds, devoid of a shell, are much cheaper and if the petunia is sown correctly, germination will be high. Marking allows you to recognize the variety of flowers.
Correct sowing of petunia - from "A" to "Z"
The prepared soil must be moistened, after which petunia seeds are sown on it. It is not necessary to sprinkle the sown material with soil, just press it down slightly.
The question may arise: how to sow petunia evenly, because the seeds are very small? The task is simplified by mixing seeds with sand in a ratio of 1: 5. Immediately after sowing, the soil is spilled with a solution of Previcura (0.1%) to protect the sprouts from fungus. In order not to wash out small seeds, you need to disinfect the soil by watering through a fine strainer.
Until the emergence of seedlings, containers with plantings are covered with glass or a piece of polycarbonate. Water the soil, if necessary, using a spray bottle.
The first shoots appear on the 5th day. Dense plantings need to be thinned out, for which they pluck out excess seedlings.
For normal growth of petunia seedlings, a temperature of 20-22 degrees is required. With the emergence of petunia shoots, the shelter is removed and the containers are transferred to a room where the temperature does not exceed 18 degrees.
If the petunia is sown correctly and optimal conditions for the growth of seedlings are created, after 3 weeks the grown seedlings can be dived.
Seedlings in flower pots dive 3 weeks after the first transplant. The diameter of the pot should be 8-10 cm, a substrate rich in micro and macro elements is used as soil. The transplanted plants are taken out in a room with a temperature of 20 degrees during the day and 18 at night, then the temperature must be lowered by another 4 degrees.
Sowing in granules?
Many expensive varieties of petunias sold in granules. How to sow petunia correctly in this case?
In a box with soil, you need to cut shallow grooves, shed them well and put strips cut from paper napkins.Seeds in granules are carefully spread on damp strips. They will not be lost as they are securely attached to damp paper. As with sowing with clean seeds, you do not need to sprinkle the granules with soil. Crops must be spilled through a spray bottle, the boxes are covered with foil and left in a warm place until shoots appear.
The germination period of petunias in granules is slightly longer - 10-20 days when supplemented with a fluorescent lamp. It is important that the emerging seedlings immediately receive enough light to prevent them from stretching.
With the formation of the first true leaf, the crops of petunia are aired, the film is removed and the temperature is lowered to 16 degrees. When the third leaf appears, the seedlings are thinned out, planting excess plants. You need to know how to plant and care for petunia correctly. Waterlogging of the soil in plantings should not be allowed - watering is carried out every 3 days, as the soil slightly dries out. This mode stimulates the development of the root system, and the seedlings are more viable. The grown plants are pinched, because of which the petunia begins to branch. If the petunia is sown early, the apical part can be rooted.
Abundant flowering of petunias can be achieved if certain conditions are met: the pot must be of a suitable size, the timeliness of watering and dressing, the removal of wilted flowers.
When to sow pepper? - read in our next article!
When to plant petunias for seedlings? - here!
In the video on planting seeds:
- it is not clear (there is no clarity in pronunciation) how to moisten toothpicks;
- tweezers are easier to use instead of toothpicks;
-the table is shown unsuccessfully since the planting process itself is visible only from afar.
immediately after sowing, shed with Preicur yeah, or maybe before sowing, shed and then sow
Petunia seeds are very small and are laid out on the surface of the soil. You cannot cover with soil. Then, using a spray bottle, they gently moisten the soil, which allows the seed to slightly submerge in the soil.