An interesting and practical method of growing petunias without picking
When growing petunias, many growers often face such a problem as damage to seedlings during a pick. Young bushes are very fragile and a thin stem is easy to break during transplantation. In addition, when removing a seedling from a common container, there is a risk of accidentally damaging neighboring petunky.
To avoid disastrous consequences, you can use the method of sowing seeds in the "snail". Its advantages are that:
- In this design, seedlings are able to develop up to planting in a permanent place in a pot or open ground, bypassing the picking process.
- Despite the general planting, the roots of the plants practically do not intertwine.
- It is also quite convenient to take out the plants, simply by unwinding the "snail".
- "Snail" does not take up much space, in contrast to the numerous cups with unpicked petunias.
How to make a "snail" for growing seedlings?
No containers, pots, or even peat tablets are needed to sow seeds. All that is needed is a long, wide tape. You can use both dense plastic bags and thin foam rubber, having previously cut them into strips.
In order for the seedlings to have enough space and soil for development, the width of the tape should be about 15 cm.
Lightly moisten the nutrient substrate with a sprayer and spread in a layer along the entire strip. Spray the soil again and roll the tape tightly into a roll. You get a structure that looks like a snail from above, hence the name.
The roll must be fixed with an elastic band or tape so that it does not unwind, and stand on a saucer or container. Pour more substrate into the "snail" from above and gently tamp it with your finger or a stick (so the seeds do not fall deep). Moisten if necessary.
Sowing seeds in a "snail"
For growing petunia seedlings it is convenient to use granulated seeds placed in a special shell. They are larger and therefore easier to plant. As a rule, such seed material costs a little more, and each seed is worth its weight in gold. Using a wet toothpick, place the seeds one at a time on the soil in a roll. But many varieties of petunias are presented as simple small seeds. You can simply sow them, and when the seedlings grow up, remove the weakest ones.
It is better to thin out crops by trimming them with scissors. If the seedlings are pulled out, you can damage the neighboring petunias.
Spray the sown seeds and place under a shelter: put on a plastic bag, which will maintain the optimum temperature and humidity. When the sprouts hatch, the package must be periodically opened, gradually accustoming the seedlings to open air, and then completely removed. Transplant mature, mature seedlings to a permanent place.