Bright flowers native to the tropics have spread widely around the world. The problem of feeding petunia for abundant flowering is relevant for beginners and experienced gardeners, gardeners. Among the many drugs, it is important to find those that contain the substances needed by plants in different periods.
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Types of fertilizers for petunias
Timely dressing is one of the conditions for the development of leaves, buds and flowers. Fast-growing petunias have high requirements for nutrients, so you need to regularly fertilize. Lush bushes with many flowers constantly require macro- and microelements for the formation of carbohydrates and hormones.
Mineral fertilizers
Inorganic substances are necessary for the active growth and development of petunias. Preparations can be found in flower shops in two forms - solid and liquid. Granules, powder or concentrated solution are added to water and plants are fed. Such compositions are often enriched with humic acids (organic components).
Nitrogen
The element is especially necessary during the period of active growth, but its excess causes the predominant development of petunia leaves to the detriment of flowering. Contained in nitrate, ammonium sulfate and urea.
Phosphorus
The mineral element accelerates the onset of flowering. Contained in superphosphate, bone meal, complex fertilizers. Inorganic phosphorus becomes available to the roots 6–8 weeks after application to the soil.
Potassium
Contained in sylvinite, sulfate, nitrate and chloride.Potassium is necessary for protein and carbohydrate metabolism, the formation of enzymes and hormones, and increase the resistance of plants to diseases. All these are the components of lush flowering. The most common and cheap potash fertilizers contain chlorine, which is harmful to plants.
Attention! Complex fertilizers are applied to the soil before sowing seeds. However, during the season, petunias may not have enough basic nutrients and some trace elements for lush flowering.
Universal complex feeding
Nitrogen-potassium fertilizers are best used in the early stages of petunia. Closer to the flowering period, they are switching to the use of phosphorus-potassium mixtures. There are many names of drugs, although the compositions can be identical. Therefore, you should carefully read the instructions.
Agricola
The universal preparation contains all macroelements and the most important microelements. Fertilizer is applied to the soil, used for foliar feeding. The product is available in granular form, in the form of a liquid concentrate and sticks that need to be stuck in the soil near the roots.
"Ideal"
Fertilizer contains minerals and humic acids, used for soaking seeds, foliar feeding seedlings and adult plants. The drug promotes the development of a strong root system and abundant flowering; it is used to prevent root rot, powdery mildew and other diseases.
Uniflor-bud and Uniflor-flower
A series of fertilizers used for better bud development and abundant flowering. Universal dressings contain macronutrients and 18 micronutrients.
Fertika or Kemira Lux
Complexes for flowers and universal use, suitable for seeds, seedlings and adult plants. Available in the form of granules and solutions. It is spent economically: 2 tsp is enough for 10 liters of water. concentrate.
Primary and secondary feeding
Fertilizers are needed for the continuous development of flowers throughout the warm season. Many have noticed that petunias in flowerbeds, in flower pots and containers grow, completely cover the soil. To get such a result, it is necessary to make fertilizer in the soil after diving seedlings. Overgrown petunias require watering and pricking.
It is important to provide plants with nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus throughout their lives. For the first feeding 14-17 days after sowing the seeds, fertilizers in the form of soluble concentrates are most often used: Ideal, Fertika, Agricola, Zircon. Due to its balanced composition, petunia creates a lush green mass - the basis for sustainable photosynthesis.
For secondary top dressing, a weak solution of the Fitosporin preparation is used, adding 1 tablet per 10 liters of water for watering seedlings with 3-4 leaves. In the future, liquid feeding of petunias is performed every 7-10 days.
How to feed petunia for abundant flowering?
Petunia has many glands that secrete a sticky fluid. After the beginning of flowering, it is not recommended to spray the plant so that moisture does not fall on the leaves and flowers. Solutions are poured under the roots, but without waterlogging of the soil.
Soil fertilizer
Nitrofosku, diammofosku and nitroammofosku containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, it is better to add to the soil before sowing seeds and transplanting seedlings.
Seed top dressing
You can sow the seeds in the finished substrate for petunias or soil "Garden of Miracles." In this case, the food is enough for 2-3 weeks. Another option to stimulate growth is to use succinic acid solution for the first watering. Germination occurs 5-7 days after sowing in the ground.
Fertilizing seedlings and adult petunias
Immediately after seed germination, petunia is not fed, but treated with a solution of potassium fungicide or potassium permanganate to prevent fungal diseases. Seedlings are dived, planted in open ground in May or June, when the threat of late frost passes.
During transplantation and before flowering, you can use the drug "Crystal" (yellow or green), the same company that produces the Fertika series. The tool is intended for foliar application. Add 2 g of soluble granules "Crystal" to 1 liter of water and spray the seedlings before and after planting in the ground. During this period, the plant needs nitrogen and phosphorus.
After the formation of the bush, compositions are required to stimulate flowering, rich in phosphorus and potassium. Fertilizers for petunias “Planton” and “Crystal pink” are used. It can be used to feed the yeast. A solution is prepared from one part of yeast and five parts of water, left for fermentation for several hours. The concentrate is diluted with water (1:10) before watering.
Foliar top dressing
Spraying the leaves of petunia with mineral fertilizers is carried out during the care of the seedlings. If the soil is poor, then foliar top dressing is used for adult plants, alternating with irrigation with a solution under the root. The interval between spraying and applying nutrients to the soil is from 5 to 7 days.
Adult flowering plants need fertilizer more than seedlings and seedlings. As petunia bushes develop, the dosage of the nutrient solution should be increased, not exceeding the amount indicated in the instructions.
Spraying and water for irrigation
Petunia loves the sun, needs regular irrigation. The root system of the plant is highly branched, quickly absorbs moisture from the soil. Watering requirements increase in the summer, when abundant flowering begins.
To protect leaves and buds from water and decay, sunburn, irrigation is carried out in the morning or in the evening. Raise the shoots and pour water directly under the root. The soil under the petunias should be slightly moist. You can wash the plants to remove dust with warm, settled water from the sprayer, but not often.
Pinching petunia
To stimulate lush flowering, it is necessary to pinch the plant, remove dry and damaged areas. Such techniques contribute to the formation of new buds. Pinch the top of young plants so that at least 5 normally developed leaves remain below the remote site.
Attention! If you do not pinch, then the petunia will stretch. After a simple procedure, new growth points are formed, the bush becomes stronger.
Withered petunia flowers are regularly removed, preventing the formation of seeds. In July and August, the bushes begin to fall apart under the influence of abundant vegetative mass. Such petunias should be cut in half. After this, new dense shoots grow, and abundant flowering will continue until the onset of the first frost.
