The secrets of growing petunias
The name "petunia" comes from Portuguese, which means "tobacco". If you look closely, you can really find similarities between these plants. In garden tobacco, flowers are in the form of a gramophone just like petunia. But their leaves are especially similar.
Petunia Description
Petunia is a low perennial herb. But it is often used as an annual, because it blooms in the year when it is planted. Stems pubescent, at the base may ligneous. The leaves are whole. Blooms with double or plain white, red, pink, purple flowers in various combinations. The shape of the flowers is funnel-shaped with a wide-open five-blade bend. It blooms throughout the summer, depending on the type of petunia. After flowering, the fruit is tied - a box with seeds.
Petunia species
Horticulture uses several of the most common hybrid petunia species.
- Petunia hybrid large-flowered.Height 40-50cm. Flowers solitary, large, diverse colors. It blooms from July to late autumn. Dampness and rain reduce the decorativeness of blooming petunia. Grown in flower beds and rabatkah.
- Petunia Hybrid Selectivein height reaches half a meter. The flowers are large with slightly wavy edges. By color flowers are diverse. It blooms from July to cold weather. Rains harm the beauty of flowers. This type can be grown indoors, to decorate the balcony.
- Petunia compact many-flowered- semi-shrub bush up to a quarter meter. The leaves are oval. Non-double flowers with a delicate aroma and different colors and colors. Dampness of this type does not harm. Flowering period - from June to frost.
- Petunia hybrid terry. Height from 30cm. to half a meter. Terry flowers of various colors, spoiled by rain.
- Petunia hanging balcony has long falling stems. Flowers varied colored. It is grown on balconies, windows and vases.
- Petunia hybrid fringed reaches a height of 30-40cm. Stems and leaves covered with glandular hairs. The flowers are large, variegated, with a broad limb and fringed edge of the petals. It blooms from July to late autumn, spoils from rain and damp.
Growing petunias
Caring for petunias is not so difficult. It is important to choose a sunny, well-protected place for them.. True, we can not guess what summer we fall. In rainy summer, many petunia species feel very bad. This must be considered when choosing plant varieties.
Suitable petunias loose cultivated soil with a sufficient content of humus. Petunia does not like the high humidity of both air and soil. She needs to water very moderately.
Petunias are most often tied up, because their stems are unstable. Tie up the plants in order to look better flowers.
Propagated petunia seeds. Seeds are sown in March in a greenhouse or a warm bright room. Dive twice before disembarking the site. The distance when landing in the ground should be 35cm. Planted petunia in the early summer.
It is important to know that the seeds of terry species harvested in the fall with the further planting give about half of non-double simple flowers. Some terry species do not give seeds at all. In this case, reproduction can be carried out by cutting the shoots. They are cut in the summer, rooted in warm rooms and planted in pots.
Petunia pests and diseases
With excessive soil moisture seedlings can marvel at the fungal disease - blackleg. This is radical rot. In this case, all diseased plants are removed, healthy ones are treated with fungicides.
If adult plants are affected with powdery mildew, they should be treated with sulfur.
Spider mites, aphids and whiteflies also harm petunias. For information on how to behave when detecting these parasites on plants, see the article "Pelargonium - fragrant geranium."
Petunia use
Apply petunias in clean landings on flower beds and rabatka, as well as in pottery culture or in boxes. They decorate windows and balconies. Petunias look beautiful in combination with other plants. Well when the petunia creates a background. For example, try planting a white petunia between the rows of red tulips. Do not be afraid to experiment! Top designers come up with new ideas themselves.