Among the numerous ornamental plants, pride of place is given to petunias. Uruguay is considered to be the birthplace of this stunningly beautiful flower, but flowers have gained particular popularity in Europe. And since the climatic conditions suited her, now she can be found in almost every garden or park. Sowing and growing petunias is not a difficult task, because it is perfect unpretentious and not capricious. But how to choose the right flowers for your site? In our article you will find a description of the varieties of petunias, having become acquainted with which, you will certainly find the best for yourself.
Description
In addition to traditional varieties, recently the latest hybrids are becoming more and more popular. Varieties of this plant differ from each other in the size and structure of flowers, but the petunias deserve special love due to the widest range of colors.
Snow-white, blueberry, gray, blue, red, pink - this is only a small part of the variety of shades of petals. Some varieties combine two colors at once. Moreover, almost all varieties of petunias can be grown in flower pots and flowerpots, as live borders, as part of flower arrangements in flower beds and as single bushes in a garden plot. In the following sections, we will tell you about several classes of this plant.
Bush petunias
This class of flowers includes both small, compact plants with small four-centimeter flowers, and tall shrubs with flowers whose diameter exceeds 13 centimeters. Shrub petunias are so named because of the structure of the plant - the flowers grow in the form of a lush bush, requiring pinching of the tops of young shoots. The most popular varieties of petunias of this class:
- Milliflora. A small bush with nice small flowers, the diameter of which does not exceed four centimeters.
- Multiflora. Shrub of small height, strewn with flowers of 6-7 centimeters in diameter.
- Grandiflora. One of the most beautiful varieties of petunia. The combination of stunning shades and the large size of the flowers (about 16 centimeters) makes Grandiflora one of the favorite plants of many gardeners.
Ampel grades
Such petunias are also called creeping due to the direction of shoot growth. The stems strewn with flowers grow down, and therefore ampelous petunias are excellent for planting in hanging flower pots. But sometimes these flowers are planted in terrestrial compositions and flower beds. The best varieties of ampelous petunias are:
- Snow Queen - has a graceful aroma of flowers and a stem length of almost 80 centimeters.
- Explorer Particularly popular due to its resistance to strong winds and elongated branches. A wide color palette is combined with an unusual coating of flowers, similar to a thin layer of wax that protects the petals from rain.
- Catherine. This variety is distinguished by the presence of white veins on the petals of a gentle salmon shade, the diameter of which reaches 6 centimeters.
- Svetlana. This species is characterized by lush and branched shoots of a meter long. The wave-like funnel-shaped petals have snow-white lace edges.
- Ramblin Neon Rose. The height of the bush of this variety is 35-40 centimeters. During flowering, it is covered with purple flowers.
- Black velvet is a special variety. Petunias have an unusual black color for flowers. Large flowers with a diameter of at least 8 centimeters look like velvet.
Cascading Varieties
Most landscape designers prefer this particular class. Cascading petunias let out large shoots, growing both down and in width, thereby filling with themselves large areas, covering the flowerbed like a carpet. Another advantage of these petunias is the flexibility and strength of the stems. The best varieties of petunias of this variety are:
- Gioconda. The bush has a strong branching and lush flowering. A distinctive feature of this grade is resistance to temperature extremes.
- Ramblin. An early variety of petunias characterized by a small bush height and elongated meter shoots. These flowers are popular due to their long flowering and pleasant aroma.
Terry petunias
Most often, these plants have a small height. The stunning beauty of flowers does not leave indifferent even experienced gardeners. The best varieties of terry petunia are:
- Valentine. A hybrid variety that grows no more than 30 centimeters in height. Terry flowers of saturated salmon color have fringed edges. The advantage of this variety is a long flowering period (until the frost) and resistance to drought.
- Pirouette. A stunted bush about 15 centimeters high, strewn with large double flowers. Two-tone flowers have three main colors: white-red, pink-white and purple-white. To obtain lush flowering, petunias of this variety require the most fertile soil.
- Triumph. One of the rare tall varieties of terry petunia. The diameter of the flowers reaches almost 16 centimeters, and the length of the shoots is almost 60 centimeters.
- Double Cascade. Neat bush of small size. Terry flowers of this variety have a stunning aroma and the brightest colors.
Petunias Caliberhoa
A distinctive and surprising feature of this class of petunias is the presence of a completely different DNA structure compared to all other varieties. Calibrachoa has 18 chromosomes, while the remaining varieties of petunias are no more than 14. Until 1990, these flowers really belonged to the genus of petunias, but today they are separate plants. But their striking similarity and popularity allows us to close our eyes to this.
The most popular sort of caliberhoa is considered Million bells. This name was given to the plant because of the incredible number of small flowers, the diameter of which does not exceed three centimeters.
Petunias floribunda
The most suitable varieties of petunias for flower beds - tolerate temperature extremes and other conditions of open ground. Large flowers have a ten-centimeter diameter. Terry buds noticeably distinguish these petunias from other varieties.
The most popular variety is Sonya Orchid, whose flowers have streaks on the petals. This group includes 11 hybrids that differ in color of petals - from raspberry to violet-blue.
Sowing petunias for seedlings
For the cultivation of various varieties of petunia, the same substrate is most often used. The soil mixture can be purchased ready-made or prepared independently. The main thing is that the soil is loose, light and neutral. To organize flowering in June, seedlings are sown in March. However, some varieties require their own planting dates.
Planting seeds of petunia flowers is as follows:
- a drainage layer is laid on the bottom of the containers and a layer of coarse soil is poured out to half the height;
- then a thin layer of fertile shallow soil is laid out;
- the soil is well moistened from a spray;
- seeds are sown most evenly on the surface of the soil;
- after sowing, the seeds are sprayed with a growth stimulant;
- the container is covered with film or glass.
Comfortable conditions for growth
Petunia is a thermophilic plant. Therefore, for seed germination, a temperature of at least +20 ° C is required. With a lack of natural light, it is advisable to add a source of artificial light. In the process of growing seedlings, it is important to periodically remove the film from the container for ventilation.
Maintaining soil moisture is an important stage in the care of seedlings. In water for spraying, you can add a small amount of a fungicidal preparation that will not allow the development of fungal diseases with too high a moisture content.
The first shoots begin to germinate a week after sowing. If two weeks after planting the seeds the sprouts did not germinate, then you should not wait longer - start a new sowing.
Picking and seedling care
Petunia seedlings dive after the appearance of 2-3 full leaves on each sprout. Each sprout is planted separately, and after transplanting, well watered. After a dive, the plant needs diffused sunlight and a gradual decrease in air temperature to +16 ° C.
Seedlings begin to feed no earlier than a week and a half after the dive. Fertilizers are introduced into the water for weekly irrigation, and the concentration should be minimal, despite what is indicated in the instructions for certain drugs. Slow growth will be accelerated by nitrogen fertilizing, and organic and complex fertilizers will improve the overall development. Watering is carried out regularly and in small portions to avoid stagnation of water and decay of tender roots. In addition, the introduction of water is done as accurately as possible, without touching the greens.
It is also important in the process of growing to pinch, ensuring the density of the bush, and loosening the soil. Loosening is the key to optimal air and water permeability of the soil. But the soil should be loosened carefully, being careful not to damage the extensive root system.
Open transplant
Planting plants in open ground should be only after the establishment of constantly warm weather and confidence in the absence of night frosts. The optimal transplant period is the second half of May. Choose well-lit places that are protected from drafts. Large-flowered petunias are quite moody in matters of soil moisture and lighting. By the way, the smaller the size of the flowers, the unpretentious plant.
The soil mixture for growing petunias can be prepared independently by mixing turf and leafy soil, humus, peat and sand. For loosening, a little perlite can be added to the soil, and for a longer moisture retention, a small amount of hydrogel. Regardless of the material of the container for landing, the first layer in it should be good drainage. For this, expanded clay, fine gravel or brick chips are suitable. Before planting and during growth, humus and compost are introduced into the soil. However, petunias do not tolerate fresh manure at all.
The distance between plants depends on the variety. Basically, no more than 10 bushes are planted on one square meter. For small-flowered plants, the distance between the bushes should be at least 15 centimeters, for large-flowered plants - from 30 to 50 centimeters. After transplanting, the plants quickly enough adapt to new conditions and do not require special care conditions. Mandatory is only the removal of old flowers.