Petunias on the balcony
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Everyone wants to have a beautiful balcony. And often flower growers decorate these small areas with petunias. But how to grow this plant properly? Today we will tell you. These flowers literally captured the hearts of all flower growers in the world. Petunias come in all colors of the rainbow, so absolutely everyone loves to grow this bright and unpretentious plant. It will bloom almost until late autumn, but growing this culture is not so difficult. However, in order to decorate your balcony, you should know some basic agricultural techniques for growing petunias on the balcony, which we will gladly share with you in our article.
Growing petunias on the balcony: varieties
Petunias on the balcony: design photo
Usually, in order to grow petunias on the balcony, they choose bush, cascade or ampel varieties.
All these varieties are very beautiful, however, the cascading and ampelous petunias have very interesting long shoots, for which flower growers love it. It is best to plant them in pots and other containers. Moreover, the sides of the containers must be high. Over time, the pot will simply not be visible, since the plant will cover it with its flowers.
If speak about cluster varieties, it should be noted that these plants are short. Therefore, they are best planted in regular pots. But you can put them either on the floor or on a specially prepared stand. Make sure that they have enough sunlight, because usually downstairs with this problem. Only in the sun will petunia bloom brightly and profusely.
If we talk about the color of the petals, then it should be noted that in any specialized agricultural store you will find what you need. Petunias are very diverse, and they bloom with all the colors of the rainbow. However, according to this criterion, several varieties are distinguished.
- First, it should be said about multi-flowered bushes. Usually these plants are short, no more than 30 cm. But they have a lot of flowers, but they are usually small. Plants are very unpretentious, therefore, even in bad weather, the flowers do not close. You can plant such a petunia either vegetatively or with the usual seeds.
- Secondly, it should be said about the large-flowered petunia. Such plants usually have few flowers, but they are very large in size, more than 10 cm in diameter. The bushes are usually tall, growing up to half a meter in height. It can also be propagated either by seeds or vegetatively.
- If we talk about terry varieties, then it should be noted that they should be propagated only by cuttings. Since such plants do not give seeds.
- Many people like to plant miniature petunias. The bushes of such plants are very low, and many flowers are formed. They withstand both drought and active waterlogging of the soil. Therefore, these plants are considered more than unpretentious.
- Another variety is miniature ampel petunia. She is a little moody, so she will need to be watered often. It is especially important to do this during the first growing season. Propagation of this petunia is recommended by cuttings. It is best to plant ampelous petunia on the balcony in hanging boxes. However, the balcony must be glazed, as these plants do not like rain. Therefore, take care of the shelter in advance.
- Cascading petunias grow up and then to the sides. Their shoots are very dense, so they are also planted from hanging pots. The flowers are medium in size.Plants can be propagated both by seeds and by cuttings. You should also look after appropriately.
- The usual ampelous petunia on the balcony is also very attractive. It has larger flowers and slender stems. This flower has been growing for a long time, so people like to plant it on balconies or on terraces.
As you understand, there are a lot of varieties of petunias. You just have to choose which plant is more suitable for certain growing conditions.
Reproduction of petunias when growing on the balcony
As you remember, petunias are propagated in two ways, by seeds or cuttings. Remember that many varieties are actually hybrids, so it is best not to harvest seeds from such plants. The new bushes will differ significantly from the mother flowers. Therefore, over time, petunia may lose certain properties, and possibly even a characteristic color.
If your flower is considered hybrid, it is best to propagate plants. cuttings... If you want the petunia to bloom earlier, then the seedlings should be planted at the end of winter. The soil for this is prepared independently or bought in a specialized agricultural store.
If you prepare the soil mixture yourself, it is best to add humus, peat and wood ash to the ground. Some gardeners also recommend adding sand to the soil so that this very soil is loose and soft. Seeds are usually planted in well-moistened soil mixed with fertilizers.
It is recommended not to cover the top of the petunia with earth, as small seeds may simply not germinate. Therefore, the planting material is simply placed on moist soil. And only when sprouts appear, they begin to pour the soil.
Remember to spray the seeds with water and cover the containers with plastic wrap. Glass is also suitable for this. This is done in order to create a favorable climate inside the mini greenhouse. When several true leaves are formed on each plant, the petunias need to be transplanted into separate containers.
The dive should be done carefully, without damaging fragile plants. You can plant seedlings in open ground at the end of spring, when all the cold weather has completely receded, since these flowers are afraid of night frosts.
If you are growing hybrid plants, you can root cuttings cut from the mother bush in early spring. Be sure that at the end of May they will begin to bloom, delighting you with bright colors.
Ampel petunias do not tolerate wintering well, so cuttings should be rooted at the end of summer. In the spring, the shoots should be cut from these plants. When you plant petunias in a separate container, then remember that they should be spacious enough, since the root system of petunias grows well.
Mature plants usually require 2 liters of water, so don't forget to water the flowers. Petunias should be planted at a certain distance from each other so that the plants have room for development. If you plant a bed too tightly, then over time, stronger flowers will overwhelm the weaker ones.
If we talk about dressing, then you can buy a special fertilizer for flowering plants at the agricultural store. Large varieties of petunias should be fed without fail. In this case, it is desirable to apply water-soluble fertilizers to the soil.
How to grow petunia on the balcony?
In order to grow petunias on the balcony, you need to take care of access to fresh air, as well as adequate lighting. Only if you take care of the fulfillment of these conditions, you will be able to grow a real greenhouse on your balcony.
If your loggia is glazed, then the plants are able to bloom magnificently. But they can also wither quickly enough, since fresh air does not circulate in such a room. If it is dark on your balcony, then most varieties of this plant will also not take root in such a place.It is best to plant petunias in a well-lit area. Open balconies are perfect for this.
However, you can look for varieties that are right for your site. Some hybrids are able to grow even in the dark, with insufficient light, without access to fresh air. But such petunias will not bloom profusely and magnificently.
If your apartment is located on the southwest or southeast side of the house, then petunia will bloom on your balcony just fine. But if the summer turns out to be too hot, then it is dangerous to grow plants on the south side. Since the petunia on the balcony will quickly fade due to the fact that the sun's rays will burn its delicate leaves.
For northern balconies, more modern hybrid varieties are suitable.
Petunias on the balcony: care
Petunias on the balcony: photo
In order to grow petunias on the balcony, you need to water, feed and cut the plants in a timely manner. And also you should carry out preventive examinations in a timely manner in order to identify certain diseases affecting petunias.
How often to water the petunia on the balcony?
If we talk about the regime glaze, it should be noted that the soil should be moistened either in the morning or in the evening. It is important to do this so that moisture droplets do not create a lens effect, refracting the sun's rays.
But in the fall, it is advisable not to water the plants at all in the evening. Otherwise, you can overcool the root system, so the planting will die. On especially hot days, you will need to water the petunias more often.
When the sun is hidden, it is recommended to spray the green parts of the plants with a spray bottle. This way you can add moisture, and spider mites will not settle on your flowers for a long time.
After you water the plant, it is recommended to let the soil dry a little, and then loosen up... This is done so that an earthen crust does not form.
Petunias also need feed. This should be done twice a month. Gardeners recommend using any complex fertilizers for this, as well as potassium sulfate. It is best to carry out both root and foliar dressing.
In order for the color of the petals to improve, you need to feed the soil with wood ash or some special stimulant. It should be noted that they also increase the resistance of petunias to pests and diseases.
To keep the plants looking healthy, you should remove wilted flowers in a timely manner so that the seeds do not ripen. Shoots that are too long will also need to be shortened. They interfere with the normal development of plants. Usually, after pruning, the soil needs to be fertilized.
About diseases and pests
Petunias on the balcony: design photo
Petunias are often affected by various diseases. Therefore, you need to carry out preventive treatments and examinations on time. Petunias are familiar with diseases such as chlorosis, black leg and powdery mildew.
If you find signs of these diseases on the plants, then you will need to adjust the watering regime first. Since too moist soil is considered an excellent environment for the spread of fungi, which underlie the manifestation of these diseases.
The drug Fundazol helps with powdery mildew. If the leaves of adult plants begin to turn yellow, then this is chlorosis. Usually, drugs that contain iron are used for treatment. If we talk about pests, who should fight the spider mite. It usually infects the leaves by sucking the juice out of them. It settles on the inner surface of the sheet. They fight it with acaricides.
Conclusion
But ampelous petunias on the balcony are usually placed on shelves that are specially attached to the wall. Hanging pots can be placed in levels. In order to grow climbing plants, trellis should be used.
Cascading and ampelous petunias are often placed in special containers attached to the walls. But small petunias should be placed on stands or stools. If you combine flowers correctly, then petunia will amaze you with a riot of colors and excellent aroma.
Don't forget about leaving. I hope we have convinced you that it is quite easy to grow a petunia on the balcony. Therefore, if you adhere to our recommendations, then your loggia can turn into a real greenhouse.
