Terry petunia - varieties with photos and care secrets

It is impossible to overestimate the merits of terry petunia. Ruffled, cut and lush petals, short and compact bushes of this plant are the hallmark of this type of petunias. The variety of its colors is almost endless. It is difficult to find another equally unpretentious and, at the same time, enchantingly beautiful plant.

Terry petunia is an annual plant. Brazil is home to petunia, where it was first discovered in 1793. In 1834, its hybrid varieties were bred in England. Terry petunia is the result of many years of research by breeders and today it is difficult to imagine that these lush flowers have something in common with its unpretentious ancestors from South America. Petunia stems reach 30 cm in length, blooms from the first days of summer until frost. The color spectrum of terry petunia flowers varies from boiling white to dark purple.

Since the variety of shades, the degree of terry, the shape of the petals and the size of the flowers of terry petunia are very large, growers use this type of petunia:

• for decorating apartments, balconies, public spaces;
• in single and group landings;
• for the design of paths and borders;
• to create a bright spot in the flower garden.

Terry petunia can make any flight of fantasy come true. It is worth making a little effort to grow petunia seedlings, and they will certainly and a hundredfold reward them with delightful flowering throughout the summer. Terry petunia is a win-win option when choosing a plant for a flower garden.

Today we have a huge mass of the most beautiful hybrid varieties of terry petunias. The best varieties of terry petunia are considered below:

1. "Angora" - a new hybrid variety... This unique flower will become the queen of the summer flower garden! A compact, lushly branched bush with small leaves forms a sea of ​​delightful double flowers. It has a very beautiful appearance. It begins to bloom in early summer and pleases with a friendly flowering. Unpretentious and resistant to wind and moisture. This variety of petunias irreplaceable in design flower bed, balcony boxes, pots, curbs and flowerpots.
2. Petunia "Valentine" - a hybrid variety of petunia with large salmon-colored flowers with densely double corrugated petals. This variety can easily be confused with cloves. Plant height up to 40 cm, vigorous, densely branched bush, long flowering and earlier.
3. Terry petunia "Sonata" - hybrid variety, large-flowered, very luxurious. The plant is powerful, with dense leaves, branched. It reaches a height of 27-30 centimeters. The bloom is violent and long, from the beginning of June to September. Flowers are deep white, luxuriant double. Petunias of this variety are disease resistant. Its beauty attracts attention, it is the prima of any flower garden.
4. "Tumbelina Priscilla"-new hybrid variety. The beauty of a delicate lavender terry petunia is very exotic, resembles a rose. This petunia variety has an extraordinary aroma. The bush is very compact, densely covered with flowers.
5. "Pirouette" - a series of hybrids with large double flowers with densely cut petals. The color of the flowers is from dark pink to red, 10-15 cm in diameter. It is characterized by powerful bushy stems. During flowering, it is unusually effective due to the smooth transition of color from white to deep pink.
6. "Double Cascade" - gorgeous double flowers with wavy petals up to 13 cm in diameter, similar in appearance to a carnation. The color of the buds is pale pink, pale lavender, lavender with veins, burgundy, dark blue. Bushes 35-38 cm high branch densely. The peculiarity of this variety is that it blooms a couple of weeks earlier than other varieties of terry petunias
7. "Duo" - hybrid variety with many terry balls-flowers on dense branched bushes. The plant grows up to 35 cm in height, and the diameter of the bush reaches 30 cm. Terry flowers are graceful from snow-white to scarlet. It blooms generously throughout the summer season. A very unusual and exotic plant.

Terry petunia has poorly developed generative organs, or even none at all. Normal pistils and stamens are extremely rare. Terry petunia seeds reproduce a small part of terry plants (25%). As a rule, terry plant varieties grow from the thinnest and weakest seedlings.

To decorate your flower garden or balcony with terry petunia in early summer, you should start planting seeds in February or early March.

Technology for growing terry petunia from seeds:

• prepare from autumn soil from a mixture of sand, humus and ordinary earth;
• ignite the prepared soil in a frying pan or in the oven;
• fill up the soil in pre-prepared containers;
• treat the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate to destroy the causative agents of fungal diseases;
• let the earth dry for a day;
• spread the seeds loosely on the surface of the soil, without the formation of clots;
• cover the container or the surface of the soil with glass and set in a warm place;
• as soon as the seedlings hatch, remove the cover and put the container in a well-lit place;
• water or spray regularly, but in moderation, preventing the soil from drying out;
• if the seedlings are stretched, you need to increase the lighting with fluorescent lamps and lower the temperature.

Terry petunia care

In the phase of the appearance of 3 true leaves in the seedling, we begin to make a dive into separate pots or into a box and plant them from each other at a distance of 4-6 cm. The root is pinched 1/3 of the length. Until the seedlings get strong enough, they shade it from sunburn. If the weather permits, it is necessary to take out young seedlings to the balcony for hardening, gradually extending the time spent in the fresh air.

It is also necessary to regularly fertilize seedlings at least 2-3 times a month, alternating mineral and organic fertilizers.

It is advisable to carry out the second pick 20 days after the first pick, during which the distance between the seedlings is increased to 7 cm.

When the plants take root well, to form a compact bush, you need to pinch the stems of the petunia. Now the flower will have a neat appearance, form and bush correctly. The pinching can be done several times.

At the end of May, petunia is planted in a place chosen in advance, be it a flowerpot or a flower garden.

Growing terry petunia by cuttings

To preserve their favorite plant for the next year, gardeners have gotten used to propagating terry petunia by cuttings. For grafting, take the upper non-lignified shoots, on which there are at least two nodes from 6 to 8 cm long. The cut shoots should be placed in water in a transparent bowl. When the cuttings begin to release the roots, the petunia is transplanted into flowerpots or boxes with a mixture of turf and sand.

The content of terry petunia in winter has a number of its own characteristics:

• place the plant closer to the light;
• create a temperature regime of the order of 10-12 degrees;
• ensure the sparse watering, achieving complete drying out of the earthy coma.

Video: growing and caring for terry petunia