Petunia is an annual plant that blooms profusely with bright, but at the same time delicate flowers. It can be grown in a pot or in open ground. It needs special conditions and careful care. We suggest that you familiarize yourself with some tips that will help you properly care for petunia so that it is satisfied and pleased with its flowers.
Correct pot size
Petunia has a very branchy and massive rhizome and needs a lot of space. One plant needs about 5 liters of soil. If you do not comply with this condition, the flower will quickly wither after flowering.
Correct soil
The soil should have a loose and air-permeable structure that does not compact after watering. To do this, you need to mix manure, peat and earth in a ratio of 1:2:3 and add a little ash.
Correct and regular feeding
- 1st stage of feeding: when 3-4 leaves have appeared. Nitrogen-containing compounds are used. It can be ammonium nitrate, azophoska or nitrophoska. Dilute 10 grams of fertilizer in 10 liters of water. Each petunia needs 0.5 liters of solution. It is necessary to repeat the feeding after a week.
- 2nd stage of feeding: carried out 3 days after seedling diving. Complex fertilizers are used.
- 3rd stage of feeding: carried out in a week. Use a solution of calcium nitrate, 1 teaspoon per 1 liter of water. fertilizers This will strengthen the petunia’s immunity and improve photosynthesis.
- 4th stage of feeding: It is carried out after two weeks. Potassium monophosphate is used. To prepare the solution, take 1 teaspoon per 10 liters of water. fertilizers They are fed by the basal method.
- 5th stage of feeding: carried out after 5 days. Use a solution of fertilizer, which consists of 1 tbsp. l. monophosphate, 3 tbsp. l. urea and 10 liters of water.
- 6th stage of feeding: carried out before budding, using a complex nitrogen fertilizer.
- 7th stage of feeding: carried out at the slightest signs of chlorosis and yellowing of leaves. A solution of iron vitriol is used, which consists of 2.5 grams of vitriol, 4 grams of citric acid and 1 liter of water. They carry out spraying and root fertilizing with it.
An adult petunia must be fed once every five days and alternate foliar feeding with root feeding.
Proper watering
Watering should be done in the evening with warm settled or rain water. This should be done every other day or as the soil dries. An excess of moisture has the same negative effect on the plant’s root system as a lack of it.
Clean the plant
Withered flowers must be removed in time so that the process of forming the seed box does not take too much effort. Constant care for the presence of such parts of the plant will increase the number of budding and cause abundant flowering.
Correct pinching
In order for the petunia to grow as a beautiful bush, it must be pinched above the third leaf. This will prevent the plant from being pulled out and hanging out of the pot.
If you take care of petunia correctly and on time, then after two months, it will turn into an incredibly beautiful bush that will be a decoration of your home or yard.