Ampelous surfinia are a special hybrid of petunias. The color of their large buds, reaching a diameter of up to six centimeters, is very diverse.
These flowers are simply irreplaceable as the culture grown in hanging flower pots or balcony boxes. They brightly and fabulously adorn the walls of houses, and street poles, and any terraces. They have long shoots reaching up to a meter, which hang down.
The main thing that distinguishes these flowers from petunias is that ampelous surfinia do not produce seeds.
They are very photophilic, although they tolerate a slight dimming too. In addition, they are very thermophilic and grow better on slightly acidic light soils.
After rainy weather or a slight drop in temperature, the flowering of these petunia hybrids is stopped so that once the good weather returns, it will resume again.
Ampelous surfinia, the cultivation of which does not require much effort and even a beginner grower, is quite a drought tolerant plant. However, regular watering has a very beneficial effect on the splendor of flowering.
Plants need to be planted immediately in large pots or boxes, because after a while they are formed into fairly large hanging bushes.
The substrate is selected with low acidity, loamy or sandy, although flowers grow quite well on other fertile soils. Adult ampelous surfinia need good nutrition and constantly moist soil. Therefore, it is better to suspend the cache-pot so that they are well protected not only from direct sun, but also from the wind.
Plants must be pinched. This is done when the shoots reach a length of twenty centimeters. In this case, the bushes will be more magnificent and will form faster. Experienced flower growers know that after this, for about two weeks, ampelous surfinia stop flowering.
This hybrid of petunias is propagated, as a rule, by cuttings, which is better to start in August, so that by the winter a young plant will already grow in the pots.
When cultivating seedlings, it is better to use additional illumination so that daylight hours last at least sixteen hours.
Cuttings are chosen apical and with a length of about eight centimeters. Lower leaflets are removed. Seedlings are watered with moderately warm water. The ambient temperature should be an average of 26 degrees.
For good rooting, cut cuttings are planted in the ground immediately.
Ampelous surfinia, like any petunias, are perennials. They winter in cool rooms, where the temperature does not drop below five degrees. Plants fall into a drowsiness, do not bloom and do not let out new leaves, however they wake up in the spring and may even start buds.
When laying them for the winter, you need to cut off all the long lashes so that the bush after waking up is fluffy and symmetrical.
Ampelous surfinia, the photo of which is very reminiscent of a colorful bright ball, can be ill with improper care. This can happen with too much watering, which will provoke the occurrence of wet rot. In this case, all darkening should be removed, and the soil should be treated with a special preparation.
Often, lashes of surfinia are affected by late blight, for the prevention of which it is possible to treat stems with copper-containing substances.