Petunias are the most beautiful flowers. Great decoration for balconies and windows. In order for the plant to please the owners for a long time, careful care and soil fertilization are necessary. The article will consider what fertilizers to feed the petunia. The plant needs frequent watering and good nutrition - to obtain abundant flowering.
Kinds
Fertilizers are divided into long-playing and high-speed. For fertilizing petunias, liquid preparations are most often used. They usually contain a large amount of beneficial nutrients. A small amount of the drug is diluted with water and watered flowers.
Consider the best way to feed petunia. Well proven fertilizers for petunias for flowering "Ideal", "Agricola". But there are others.
In flower or special places, you can also buy fertilizers for petunias in the form of a powder. It is convenient to feed flowers with them. Granular fertilizers for seedlings of petunias are also very popular. They are also diluted with water in the required quantities, which are indicated in the instructions. Powder fertilizers - "Master", "Plantofol".
It is very convenient to use long-acting fertilizers. These include superphosphates, Etisso and many others. When watering plants, granules gradually dissolve and nourish the soil. Tools are added to the ground immediately before the process of planting flowers.
Feeding seedlings
After a week after the emergence of seedlings, the plant must be sprayed with fertilizer for the growth of petunia. Universal preparations are good for this.
To avoid excessive growth of stems, petunias are watered with a solution of Zircon. So that the plant does not shrub, it is necessary to cut off the extra stems - to give a beautiful shape.
When petunia begins to grow actively, top dressing is increased. It is produced 2 times during the week. Top dressing is done in turn with the usual watering of flowers. In the case when the petunias are planted in the flower bed, one feeding a week is enough.
Petunias love light and moisture. For the growth to be successful, it is very important to fertilize the seedlings. If you take care of young plants correctly, they begin to grow stronger and grow quickly.
Also, the quality of flowering depends on top dressing. If you do not fertilize the petunias, there will be few flowers and they will be pale in color. Top dressing is made with mineral, also organic substances.
To grow a beautiful flowering plant, you need constant careful care. Petunias must be well watered, fertilized young seedlings. At this stage of growth, fertilizing with green fertilizer for seedlings of petunias works well. It has an excellent effect on growth and a good future flowering. Fertilizing with humates nourish the plant with useful substances.
First treatment
Petunias love pods. Well-fertilized soil contributes to excellent flowering. Fertilizers for petunia for plentiful flowering should be taken care of immediately when buying seeds.
Seeds in the form of dragees are an excellent option for leaving at the first stage. They will help the plant to quickly ascend and strengthen. Petunias are fed for the first time approximately two weeks after sowing. Thanks to this, the plant grows and forms faster. Complex means are very good for this stage. They are rich in nitrogen and contain phosphorus.
It is necessary to prepare a peat substrate for petunias. It should be lightweight and breathable. This will create a comfortable environment for growth.
Succinic acid treatment:
- Dissolve 1/4 of the tablet in half a liter of water.
- Spray the top of the soil. This procedure will allow the seeds to germinate quickly.
For the first top dressing, mixtures dissolved in water are well suited - "Garden of Miracles", "Ideal". If desired, dry mixtures can be used. Fertilizers containing iron exclude the appearance of yellow spots on the leaves of the plant.
Long-term feeding
When 3-4 leaves appear at the petunia, the plant has grown stronger and additional nutrition can be made. Fertilizers in the form of sticks can act for a long time, feeding plants. Within three months, the flowers will be reliably fed.
During watering, the sticks will gradually dissolve and enrich the flowers with useful substances. The application method is quite simple: sticks stick into the ground.
Use this type of fertilizer after carefully reading the instructions.
Watering petunias
The health and beauty of the plant depends not only on fertilizer, but also on regular watering. Watering flowers is best in the morning and evening hours.
Good quality water and its moderate temperature are important for irrigation. Watering with poor-quality water leads to soil destruction. Because of this, fertilizers are poorly absorbed. The plant begins to hurt, its growth worsens, the root system suffers. Petunias are watered carefully to avoid damage to the flowers.
Petunias need frequent top dressing, regardless of their variety. It is best to plant plants in large pots so that beneficial trace elements are better preserved.
Petunias usually bloom from mid-summer to September. Plants of some varieties bloom even longer. Care and regular fertilizing are very important.
Drying of the soil must be avoided, otherwise the plant will die. The soil must be saturated with nutrients and moist. Excellent water for irrigation of petunias - melt or snow. When watering with tap water, it is necessary to let it stand for a day.
Plant pruning and propagation
It is necessary to trim the petunias - this contributes to a long and high-quality flowering. It is very important to clean from faded buds. If you do not clean the flower, then its strength will go not to flowering, but to ripen the seeds. Also, dried flowers do not look very beautiful.
In the second half of summer, petunia blooms less often, stems become longer. The flowers are pruned, leaving about 15 cm long stems.
Flowers are propagated using cuttings and seeds. When the roots appear petunias are planted in the ground.
Diseases and types of pests
With improper care, pests and diseases can occur. Fungal diseases cause the formation of root rot. The stems of the plant become dark and soften. The affected part of the petunia is removed, and the healthy part must be treated with a solution of fungicides.
Perhaps the formation of white plaque in the field of leaves and flowers. This also applies to a fungal disease called powdery mildew. The appearance of plaque on the plant is possible with sharp changes in temperature, excessive humidity. Sick areas should be cut and treated with sulfur petunia - for disinfection.
The most common pests are aphids, whiteflies. Spider mites are often found. For the destruction of pests, special means are used (with a careful study of the instructions).
Fertilizers for petunias
Petunias bloom throughout the warm season. It is important to choose the right fertilizer so that the plant enjoys flowering for a long time.
If you notice that the plant has changed leaf color and fewer buds, then this is a clear sign of a lack of phosphorus. In this case, liquid fertilizers containing phosphorus will help well. If the type of leaves has not changed, it is necessary to find the cause of the disease of the flower. When excess phosphorus is added to the soil, petunia dies.
It is periodically desirable to change the types of top dressing. The use of only long-playing fertilizers for petunias can lead to rapid death of the plant. The reason is the long presence of fertilizer in the soil. Gardeners with experience do not use this type of fertilizer for this plant. If used, then with a reduced dosage several times.
After picking and transplanting into a new container, a good top dressing for petunias will be watering with a means to stimulate root growth. You can use drugs such as "Kornevin" or "Crystal".
Ways to fertilize petunias
There are several ways to fertilize flowers:
1. Seed treatment using succinic acid. Promotes good plant growth and regulates soil microflora. An additional food product for flowers and live microorganisms. Acid will help the plant become resistant to various diseases. Petunias will be easier to tolerate a lack of moisture. An overdose of succinic acid is not possible, which is also a big plus.
2. It is necessary to feed the soil. Immediately before planting, it is necessary to saturate the substrate with fertilizers, this will help to avoid the black leg disease. Be sure to add peat to the tank to create drainage. Stagnant moisture can kill the plant. Before sowing seeds, the soil is watered with a fungicidal solution or poorly diluted potassium permanganate.
3. Fertilizer of adult plants. Petunias are fertilized with an iron-containing preparation with an interval of five days, for three to four times. To improve the appearance of the flowers, phosphates are used.
4. Foliar fertilizers. Liquid fertilizers are sprayed onto the leaves of the flowers using a spray gun. This method will also help to cope with the beginning flower diseases.
How often to fertilize
With an increase in plant growth, dressing should be done more often. The number of fertilizing petunias can increase up to 3 times during the week (in between watering).
During the growth of young seedlings, the soil should be kept moist. Periods of feeding seedlings are based on its condition. For abundant flowering of petunias, soil fertilizer must be done regularly from the next week after sowing. Compound fertilizers are best suited.
A malnourished plant will not bloom. Potassium and phosphorus are the favorite fertilizers of these colors. With the help of phosphorus, the plant grows rapidly. Leaves and stems receive the necessary trace elements. With insufficient phosphorus intake, the leaves become dark and weak. Potassium is the main makeup for flowers. It is the most important fertilizer for petunias for plentiful flowering.
When fertilized with potassium, the color of the buds becomes bright and saturated, plants bloom longer. Petunias are fertilized with potassium before the flowering period, avoiding excesses. An overdose will lead to the death of the plant.
Flowering secrets
There are secrets for plentiful flowering, besides the use of fertilizers. If you do not perform these manipulations, then the petunias may not bloom or bloom a little.
First of all, give plants more room for growth. Transplant into large containers. On a five-liter pot - one plant.
During the heat, plentiful watering with soft water is necessary. The surface of the soil must always be moist. An excess of moisture should be avoided so that there is no stagnation of water, as this can lead to plant diseases. Drainage from peat will help to absorb water.
Petunias do not like hard water. You can acidify ordinary tap water. For good flowering, petunias need a lot of sunny or artificial color.
Pinching favors flowering. When fading, the buds should be carefully cut. This will speed up flowering.
Each lover, if desired, will be able to grow lush, blooming petunias. They will create a holiday mood for several months.
Fertilizer quality reviews
Many gardeners note that complex fertilizers are excellent for caring for petunias. Also, yeast seeds are a great choice.
Russian manufacturers offer a wide range of fertilizers for petunias. In dry form, in liquid, in solutions.
Means for spraying and strengthening the root system have a wonderful effect on the plant and allow it to bloom brightly and colorfully for a long time.
Proper and timely care is the key to the beauty of petunias. High-quality and healthy fertilizers will greatly simplify the task of caring for flowers.
Good fertilizers containing calcium. Thanks to this element, the plant will grow stronger and acquire a healthy appearance. There is a beneficial effect on the structure of leaves and stems.
Fertilizers containing boron will make the appearance of flowers unique and compelling.
The best fertilizer for petunias is liquid complex. It includes all the necessary trace elements and nutrients. Since petunias are “gluttonous” flowers, you should not expect that they will delight in flowering without regular dressing.