Petunias are annual plants with lush and long flowering. This is far from a fastidious flower, but some difficulties in their cultivation are still possible.
Basic rules for good petunia seedlings
High-quality seeds
The seeds must be fresh. Pay attention to the variety: bushy or ampelous, because the first is suitable for planting in open ground, and the second for pots or containers, because their shoots curl.
Also, approach the choice of variety responsibly. Seeds from a mixture of varieties are usually sold in bags. If the color of the flower does not matter, then everything is fine. But if you want a single color scheme, then pay attention to this.
Appropriate soil
Florists recommend sowing petunias in a mixture of fertile soil and microgel that has been soaked in a fertilizer solution. This will provide the seedlings with additional moisture and nutrition. The soil must be loose and light. The easiest option is to buy ready for seedlings in a specialized store.
Correct sowing
Take a plastic form for seedlings with a transparent lid. First, fill it with a soil mixture, and then water the ground with a manganese solution. If the soil is not moist enough, sprinkle with water from a spray bottle. Then sow the seeds on the surface and cover with a lid. The seeds need light to germinate, so in no case should they be buried in the ground. In the first days, watering is also prohibited, so that the seeds do not sink into the ground. Seedlings should appear in about 2 weeks. Place the seedlings in a bright place and maintain a temperature of about 25 degrees.
Timely pick
When the first 3 or 4 leaves appear, you need to pick. Transplant immediately into a large container, because the petunia has a branched root system. In addition, the plant will develop there for another two months.
Seedling care
In case of lack of light, mandatory experience is required. Before the seeds germinate, the temperature should be maintained within +23…+25 degrees. After pick, +18…+20 degrees will be enough. Watering should be moderate. Seedlings accept complex fertilizers very well.
