It does not depend on how the flowers will grow on how to grow petunia from seeds at home. It depends on the plant variety. But strong seedlings will definitely allow you to admire the beauty of this flower for a long time and feel its beautiful aroma.
Ready petunia seedlings You can buy in the store and immediately plant on your site. But it costs much more than the seeds of this plant. Seeds in our latitudes cannot be germinated in open ground in order to wait for flowering. But, you can use the old proven method: growing seedlings. To admire the abundant flowering of petunias in the summer, you need to start planting seeds for seedlings in early spring.
Ground tanks
For seedlings of this flower, you need to select the appropriate boxes. They should be made of material that conducts heat well. Therefore, metal options should immediately be discarded. Tanks made of wood, plastic or ceramic are perfect.
Be sure to make drainage holes in the container for future planting of seeds of the described plant. They are needed for the outflow of excess water, because, petunia refers to plants that can not tolerate excess moisture.
Interesting! For growing petunia seedlings, you can use ordinary plastic food containers with lids, as well as yogurt and sour cream cups.
Soil preparation
To successfully cope with the process of how to grow petunia from seeds at home for seedlings, you need to properly prepare the ground. It is from the earth that a plant receives the nutrients and trace elements it needs for development.
We propose to include in the soil composition, in addition to soil, a part of fine sand, organics and peat slices. If hydrogel is added to the soil, then subsequently it will turn out to reduce the amount of irrigation needed. Before adding hydrogel to the soil, it is necessary to additionally soak it in a fertilizer solution. When the soil dries, then this substance in it begins to give moisture. This is a great way to avoid drying out the land. After all, a dried-up earthen wall adversely affects the growth of petunia seedlings.
It is important!
In addition to the fact that petunia can be grown with seedlings, this flower can be propagated by cuttings. This is especially true for simple and unpretentious varieties of this plant, which can be sown in a permanent place immediately in open ground. But, if you want beautiful terry varieties, hybrid varieties to bloom on the site, then only the method of initial seedling cultivation is suitable.
If you look closely at the seeds of this plant, they are extremely small and resemble in some way poppy seeds. When planting, seeds must be evenly distributed over the container with the ground. For this, experienced gardeners are advised to first pour the grains onto a white sheet of paper and distribute them evenly across it. Next, moisten the tip of the toothpicks with water and, picking up a grain, transplant them into the ground.
When the seeds are planted, they need to be sprinkled with water once again. Then do not water it in any case: otherwise, all the painstaking work with toothpicks and carrying the seed into the soil will be violated. You can and even need to spray the soil from the spray gun. Then for irrigation it is necessary to use soft water at room temperature or even warmer.
When the seeds are planted, the boxes must be covered with polyethylene and put in a warm place. In the process of germination, the seeds need to provide a temperature of 25-27 degrees Celsius.The process of growing petunia from seeds in peat tablets is going on exactly the same way. Only instead of soil peat tablets with a diameter of 3 centimeters and more are used.
Lighting and watering
Three important factors for the successful germination of petunia seedlings are humidity, temperature and light. Sunrises need light, and seed germination requires moisture and heat. With insufficient light, when the seeds are planted in late winter or early spring, it will be necessary to additionally illuminate the seedlings. Table lamps are used. It is necessary to ensure that the light source is located far from the seedlings and does not heat it.
When the first sunrises appear, and this happens after 2-3 weeks from the moment of planting, the film is removed and the boxes are rearranged in a bright place. Water the seedlings the first time twice a day, but in moderation. There should be no condensation on the leaves: petunia reacts extremely negatively to it.
In order for petunia seedlings to turn out strong, you will need to be patient and provide her with good care. The plant develops slowly and only after three months the young shoots will be ready for transplantation into the open ground. Up to this point, additional nutrition is needed twice a month.
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