Petunia grandiflorum

Petunias are considered the most famous and beautiful flowers of the Solanaceae. An interesting fact, translated from the Brazilian name of the flower, means nothing more than tobacco. Under natural conditions, this flower usually grows in the tropical latitudes of Latin America. For the first time this type of flower was found in distant Uruguay in the 18th century. Currently, there are more than 20 varieties of petunias. And each of them has its own unique special properties. Today we will introduce you to such a variety as large-flowered petunia, with the rules of planting and growing, and also give advice on caring for plants. Therefore, carefully study our article and, undoubtedly, you will learn something useful.

Petunia large-flowered: plant description

These flowers are considered a semi-shrub plant. They are usually grown as an annual crop. The shape of petunias is bushy, and the stems are creeping or erect. The shoots even reach one meter in length. Petunias have green, oval, slightly drooping leaves. Flowers resemble a gramophone, they are also double.

In color, the species diversity of petunias is striking. They come in all colors of the rainbow. The most popular are white, pink and purple. After the plants have faded, they form a capsule with small seeds.

It is useless to collect seeds from hybrids, since these plants in the process of growing will lose the properties of the mother bush, so you may not grow what you expect.

It is generally easy to grow petunias, which is why they are especially popular among gardeners. With the help of this ornamental plant, both gardens and balconies and loggias. This flower looks great next to other plants, such as large-leaved begonia.

It is simply impossible to name the best variety of petunia, since the species diversity of these plants is truly amazing. Today we will tell you about a large-flowered beauty. This petunia is considered the most common species. And her flowers are really large, they reach 12 centimeters in diameter.

Flowers are simple, double, funnel-shaped, and other forms. Currently, the following varieties of large-flowered petunias are especially popular: dadi, pikate, Storm, Fantasy and Anastasia.

Each of the varieties has its own characteristics, but these are all hybrid plants, so collecting seeds for them is useless. So you can only propagate these petunias by cuttings.

They have a stunning color, multi-colored petals, so they will please any gardener. The bushes of these plants are quite tall, the veins in the flowers also have different colors, but all flowers are equally large. Currently, the petunias of fimbriata and superbissima are very popular. They are used to decorate verandas, balconies, loggias.

Their flowers are corrugated, wavy, and the edges are even fringed. Interesting varieties of terry large-flowered petunias: sonata, double and pirouette. Their flowers are also large, the bushes are quite compact, the buds have different shades, and the leaves are corrugated and indented.

As you understand, there are a lot of varieties of large-flowered petunias, so you will definitely choose your ideal variety.

Petunia is a hybrid large-flowered. How to plant and grow

In order to grow a large-flowered petunia, you do not need to have any special agro-technical knowledge. It is enough to follow the general rules for growing and care, as well as adhere to the timing of sowing seeds.

Usually they begin to plant seeds for seedlings at the end of March. They are recommended not to cover them with earth in order to increase the percentage of germination. For this, it is recommended to plant seeds quite thickly.

Sowing soil must be light, loose, fertile and water-absorbing. It is advisable to immediately add mineral fertilizers to the soil in order to accelerate the growth and development of seedlings.

After planting the seeds, the soil should be moistened abundantly. This is best done with a spray bottle to avoid washing off small seeds. Sand should also be added to the soil so that moisture penetrates better into the lower layers of the soil.

The distance between the seeds should be less than one centimeter. So that plants do not interfere with each other's growth and development. After you plant the petunia, the container with the seedlings should be covered with foil and placed in a warm and bright place.

After about a week, you will see the first shoots. And this means that it is time to remove the film, it is advisable to add the soil, and also moisten it abundantly with water. Do not forget to ventilate the room, petunias need fresh air.

In the early days, you can spray the seedlings with a weak solution of potassium permanganate to disinfect the plants.

Seedlings should be properly cared for.... After several healthy leaves appear on the plants, the seedlings should be dived. Before this event, the soil is recommended to be properly moistened.

Do not damage the fragile root system of plants. Therefore, remove the petunias from the ground along with the root ball of earth. Seedlings are recommended to be planted in separate containers, and then watered carefully.

For three days, it is recommended to cover the seedlings with plain paper so that the plants adapt better to new conditions. To prevent the seedlings from stretching, it is advisable to move the petunias to a slightly cooler place. And over time, the plants need to start hardening.

To do this, you can take the seedlings out into the open air, every day the time spent by flowers on the street increases.

Plants will need to be constantly looked after. Do not forget to feed petunias with special mixtures. If your plants have strong shoots, it is best to pinch the tops of the stems. This is done only when the plants grow about 7 centimeters in height.

At the end of spring, you can plant petunias in open ground or take them out to the balcony. Do not forget that large-flowered petunias should be planted in such a way that there is sufficient distance between the plants. This must be done in order for the flowers to develop normally, not to be embarrassed by each other.

If you want to preserve the petunia after flowering, it should be dug up in late autumn, cut off the stems and transplanted into a pot, and then brought into the house. Such a plant is quite capable of overwintering on the windowsill. However, it is best to first place the petunia in a cool place, and only in January put the pot in the room. Do not forget to water the petunias, as well as feed them with mineral fertilizers.

Petunia f1 large-flowered: some tips for care

For optimal watering, you should moisten the soil about once a week. The soil should be soaked about 15 centimeters deep. If you grow petunia on the balcony, then you will have to water the plants more often. In open ground, moisture evaporates less than in pots.

In fact, petunia is not a very moisture-loving plant. However, it is still required to observe the watering regime. To prevent the water from evaporating, the top layer of the soil can be mulched. Sawdust, dry grass, straw are used as mulching material.

In order for the petunia to have a beautiful appearance, you need to feed the plants on time. It is thanks to fertilizers that petunias grow and bloom. It is advisable to apply fertilizer to the soil once every 2 weeks. These flowering plants need a lot of nutrients.

Also, do not forget to remove wilted buds, deformed ones. This should be done in order for the plant to recover faster and bloom again. Therefore, the flowering intensity depends only on you and on your plant care.

About diseases and pests

tobacco mosaic on petunia

In order for the petunia not to get sick, of course, you need to follow the rules of care. These plants do not have such high immunity. Therefore, petunia is often affected by diseases as well as pests.

If you notice that the root collar of the petunia has begun to rot, then this wet rot. You should definitely adjust the watering regime. This disease develops due to too much moisture in the soil, as well as deep planting of plants. It is advisable not to water the flowers for several days.

It is believed that it is waterlogged soil that is an excellent breeding ground for fungal infections. If rusty spots began to appear on the leaves of plants, then this is usually due to either mechanical stress or high humidity. But this disease is called brown spot.

If you do not ventilate the room where petunias grow, and the plantings are too dense, then rot may form on the plants. With such high humidity, it develops late blight, also a dangerous disease for flowers.

Do not allow pests to appear on the site. They also negatively affect the development of plants. Examine petunias, as well as carry out preventive treatments with chemical and biological agents. Do not neglect folk remedies.

Conclusion

Large-flowered petunia is considered a very beautiful flower. She is completely unpretentious, so she tolerates any weather changes perfectly. However, petunia does not like heavy rainfall; rain often injures its fragile buds. Therefore, remember to close your plantings during such inclement weather.

Landscape designers create real pictures from these plants, but every summer resident is able to grow this bright plant in his garden. In fact, many growers take pride in these beautiful and beautiful plants. Plus, growing a petunia isn't that difficult. But she can definitely decorate any garden.