How petunia reproduces
Content:
Petunia hybrids can be very diverse - they have very large inflorescences, they can be smooth or double, it all depends solely on the variety and type. At the same time, through the efforts of breeders, ampelous varieties of petunias were also bred, which today are extremely popular not only among flower growers and gardeners, but also among landscape designers. Unfortunately, it is worth noting that collecting seeds is a very painstaking, practically unrealizable and unrealizable occupation, but even if the gardener managed to collect a sufficient number of seeds, this does not mean at all that worthy plants can grow from them, which will have a decorative appearance. and, most importantly, which will also be resistant to various external manifestations. Therefore, cuttings are most often used for reproduction of petunias.
Reproduction of petunia by cuttings
In order to preserve the color of petunias flowers, as well as its properties, you should use the most common method of reproduction of petunias - cuttings. This method is not only the simplest, but also less expensive. Moreover, the gardener will save not only his material resources. But also time and nerves, because sometimes petunias can be so capricious that the seed method of reproduction as an option, in principle, disappears.
There are several main and most significant advantages of propagating petunias by cuttings, and not in any other way:
- you can easily save the variety that you like the most, and the gardener will be able to keep the plant in its original form, that is, in accordance with all the descriptions and features that characterize the variety or type of petunias
- at the same time, the gardener does not need to spend too many material resources in order to acquire other types of planting material - seeds or seedlings. Petunias are quite expensive flowers, so in principle they can take a lot of money. Mostly, not only for grooming activities, but also initially to purchase materials and further grow them
- at the same time, cuttings are, obviously, the easiest way that a gardener can use in order to propagate petunia in his backyard or in a separate pot, pots, container.
When plants nevertheless appeared from the seeds, they can also be further propagated by cuttings. It all depends solely on the patience, perseverance of the gardener, on whether he can give enough care to the plants. At the same time, it is worth focusing on why grafting is a profitable way. Petunias that reproduce in this way can generally bloom a few days or even weeks earlier. The thing is that such petunias have a more developed root system, they adapt faster to new conditions, therefore, of course, such outstanding results can be expected from them much earlier. Of course, this is the huge advantage of cuttings, which every gardener should remember.
Since the weather conditions, which are observed today in many regions of our country, are generally quite favorable for the growth and reproduction of petunias, they can bloom for a long time, up to the moment when the very first frosts begin. But in its homeland, this plant is a perennial precisely because it is in a humid, and at the same time in a very warm climate. It is these conditions that are the most ideal for the growth and development of petunias, for their abundant flowering.And this is undoubtedly worth remembering for gardeners, because sometimes such conditions can be created artificially.
In summer, all conditions for its growth and development are created for petunias, but if you create the same conditions, but in winter, you can not only save your favorite plant, but also improve it, strengthen its upper and root parts. So, as soon as autumn comes and the weather changes noticeably, petunia from open ground should be transplanted into a pot, and it should be large enough so that the root system does not experience noticeable oppression. Then the pot is brought into a warm room. If this is a young plant, then this will be enough for him. If this is an old plant, then it is better not to disturb it and not bring it into the house in this way. But old plants are ideal for grafting it, and then propagating it from petunia cuttings, preserving paternal or maternal features.
Of course, when it comes to plant propagation by cuttings, gardeners immediately ask themselves how to do this correctly. So, first you should choose the strongest and most liked adult specimen of the plant. The gardener removes all flowers and leaves from the cuttings cut from it, and then plants the cutting in a pre-prepared flower pot or container - this should be a voluminous bowl or anything where the petunia will feel as comfortable as possible. After that, the plant goes to partial shade, and it stands there for 10-14 days, no more. As for the size of the cutting, it should be at least eight centimeters long and not more than ten centimeters long, while there must be two internodes, so the cutting will be additionally strengthened, and there will be a high chance that the plant will take root faster and give new shoots ...
Before planting the cutting, its tip can be lightly powdered with root. It is a growth stimulant, which is simply necessary for the plant to develop normally, give an excellent root system, and can be saturated with all trace elements and substances directly from the soil. There are also those gardeners and florists who believe that it is better not to use growth stimulants, since they do not bring any benefit to the plant, but they can harm it, only weaken it more strongly, dull their own immunity. Because of this, the plant then in the future will not be able to normally fight viruses, fungi, attacks from insects and pests, since it will simply lose the ability to do so.
There are several main types of cuttings that are very popular today:
- cuttings that the grower can receive from the main plant (from the main seedlings)
- cuttings that can be collected from last year's plant directly from the flower bed
- cuttings in water, which we will talk about in more detail a little later.
Petunias have the ability to root easily. To do this, it is enough to set the required moisture level and moisture schedule, then everything will be fine. If an excess of moisture is found, this will lead to the fact that the root system of the plant will begin to actively rot. As a result, the plant will die. Therefore, water balance is an important condition that must be observed in order for petunias to take root in different territories and in different climatic conditions of the regions.
There is also winter cuttings. In order for petunia to successfully overwinter, it needs special conditions. It must be a fairly cool room, the air temperature in it should not be higher than +16 degrees. Moreover, the lower the temperature in the room, the less lighting the plant needs in order to become strong and develop. Watering should also be distinguished by exceptional moderation, because in general, watering should initially be consistent with a certain schedule.Around November, it is necessary to additionally illuminate the plant with a lamp so that it does not lose its decorative features. As for feeding, fertilizers and mixtures with a high nitrogen content are very valuable here. The backlight is also worth increasing every month, every week. As a result, at the beginning of January, the illumination of the plant should be at least 16 hours.
When plants from cuttings turn into full-fledged bushes, a sufficient amount of green mass is formed on them, this indicates that it is completely and completely ready to be cut. Cutting of the bush is carried out in the same way as in the summer. The soil is prepared in advance, the cutting itself must be placed in it, and then it is treated with a growth stimulant. It is worth noting here that in most cases a stimulant is simply necessary during this period of cuttings, because winter, in principle, is not the most favorable period for the growth and development of a plant, but here we are talking about reproduction, so stimulants are simply necessary.
Also, cuttings can be propagated from seedlings. After cutting, the main seedlings will develop even faster, will give more strong shoots, the bush will become denser. Therefore, a gardener or florist does not need to worry about the fact that the plant after cuttings will somehow suffer. One of the features of petunias is precisely that they can regenerate on their own, heal trimmings, so this is their huge advantage, which in no case should be forgotten.
In general, as we can see, from a theoretical point of view, petunias can reproduce completely at any time of the year. After the gardener has cut the cuttings, and until the beginning of flowering, it can take about 55-60 days. Therefore, if you propagate petunia in March, then flowering will begin at about the very beginning of May. The most important thing is that the gardener takes care of the plant, carefully monitors it, its general condition.
The size of a plant is largely determined by the size of the container in which they grow. If this capacity is voluminous, then the bush will be chic, voluminous. If we are talking about the ampelous type of petunias, then it has very long whips. If its root system fully develops, then the lashes will be even longer. In addition, they lend themselves well to shaping. But if the gardener needs to grow a sufficiently large number of petunia seedlings, then for this you can use the most ordinary plastic cups. They are filled with a universal flower primer, which can be purchased from specialized gardening stores. Practice shows that several holes must be made in the bottom of the cup in order to install a drain there. So excess moisture will not stagnate next to the root system, but will go away, and the plant will feel much more comfortable.
Uterine bushes sometimes need to be fertilized, for this they use pre-prepared nutritional mixtures purchased at the store. When more and more new growth appears, it can be cut again and used as cuttings for subsequent reproduction. When petunia is just at the rooting stage, it no longer needs additional feeding. Then you can use both mineral and organic fertilizers. In general, it is even recommended to alternate them, because in this way the plant will receive even more useful and necessary nutrients, and therefore it will develop even more fully and more successfully. In order for the bushiness to be even higher, you can periodically pinch the bushes, but this must be done very carefully.
Petunias are cut in the most ordinary water. This is one of the methods of plant propagation, and in this method there are several features that must be taken into account, and which must be observed in order for the plant to give the most excellent flowering, to develop both in the open field and in pots, containers or pots. Dishes for propagation of cuttings should not be transparent, and if the water suddenly evaporates, then it must be added a little, while the cutting can, in principle, not be touched.In order to create a greenhouse effect useful for the plant, you can place a cap on top of the container, which will either be made of glass or will be a plastic or plastic bag. Let's focus on the fact that terry varieties take root much better in this type of propagation than varieties with smooth petals. After about seven days, the cutting can take root, and after that it can be planted without fear in the soil itself.
Of course, a lot of information can be given regarding how petunias are cut and how they then propagate. But it is best to explain this process in stages, so that the gardener understands what awaits him at each stage, and what is required of him if we talk about specific measures and caring for the plant.
The main stages of grafting
Terry petunia is unique - the flowers are very large, lush, and have a wide variety of colors. In general, they are not more like petunias, but rather like roses, which can look great in the open field, and in pots, and in pots in any conditions. Fringed petunias and the corresponding lace varieties, as well as varieties that differ in very large and bright inflorescences, have no less decorative features. But it is worth noting what we have already repeated many times in this article - these flowers are very difficult to obtain simply from seeds, since they are very difficult to collect, and then they germinate rather slowly.
It is best to take stronger and larger plants as mother plants, which become sources of cuttings. If these are terry types of petunias, then large and dense flowers should be located on the queen cells, which have obvious decorative signs. If the petunia needs to be harvested for later storage, then it is best to do this around the second half of August, although, as a rule, by that time, flowering is not yet complete, and the plant needs a little more time. One way or another, these are approximate dates, and the gardener should be guided by what are the conditions for the growth and development of petunias, what variety and type it belongs to. It is also worth observing several basic conditions:
- uterine bushes should not be separated from the clod of earth, in which the root system is located, so as not to damage it. The bushes are placed in pots that are not large, but not the smallest. Ideally medium-sized pots
- old shoots are best removed from the bushes, because this way it will be much easier for the plant to survive the winter frosts
- the mother liquors are transferred to a room or room in which it will be possible to maintain a relatively constant comfortable temperature. For petunias, this temperature varies from 10 to 12 degrees, the room must be dry and well ventilated.
Ampel types of petunias are recommended to be planted in separate volumetric pots as well. When the cold or frost begins, these pots are brought into the room, otherwise the petunias may freeze or catch some disease, and this weakens the plants to a noticeable degree. If the uterine bushes of petunias are kept in the room, then the temperature there for the plant may be too high and, as a result, not entirely comfortable. In this case, petunias should be additionally illuminated with phytolamps. The lower the room temperature, the less light the plants need in order to develop and function normally. Of course, this pattern is not always observed, but it is worth remembering about it, because the future flowering and decorative state of the plant, as well as its general condition, may depend on this, if we are talking about the health of the root and upper (green) parts of the petunia.
Even if the petunia looks a little wilted or painful, that doesn't mean anything. Most likely, the plant needs very little time to finally adapt, and by the spring it will already give active development and growth, so there is no reason to worry.When the mother bushes survived the winter, then the gardener should take care of a little something else: how to collect cuttings in order to propagate petunia and preserve its original features and decorative characteristics. To do this, cuttings are cut from the mother liquors, which are at the very tops. Their length should be about ten centimeters.
Then the cuttings are placed in a container in sufficient tightness, this will not harm them at all and will not interfere. It is worth remembering that petunia is a rather capricious culture, and in order for its reproduction to take place without difficulty, it is necessary to place the cuttings in a solution with a growth stimulant, or with phytoharmonics. It is thanks to this that the root system can form perfectly, give correct growth, timely development. Next, the cuttings are placed in pre-prepared containers. These containers should be filled with nutritious and very loose soil and may also contain wet sand. The cuttings deepen by no more than four centimeters, should be close to each other, approximately at a distance of one and a half to two centimeters, no more. The soil around the petunias can also be well moistened and compacted a little. For irrigation, it is recommended to use warm water that has settled for a while, it has no sediment, most of all in terms of temperature it is suitable for our plants.
There are also several conditions for the propagation of petunias by cuttings to give the most positive result. This includes the following aspects and points:
- the room in which the cuttings are located must be warm enough - the temperature can vary from 20 to 24 degrees, such an environment in terms of temperature is ideal for petunias
- after the cuttings have been separated from the mother bush, they must be immediately placed in the ground. If you do this later, for example, after an hour or two hours, then their rooting ability may noticeably decrease, which will play a very bad role - the plant will either develop much slower, or even refuse to demonstrate its growth
- soil moisture is an important aspect. The moisture should always be optimal - the soil should not be too dry or too moist, this is the only way the plant can demonstrate excellent growth results. Wherein. It is also worth focusing on the weather conditions.
- in addition, the cuttings are sprayed with warm settled water about twice a day to maintain the moisture and freshness of the upper part of the plant, which also needs it very much
- daylight hours should be gradually extended. Of course, this is very difficult to do naturally, so it is recommended to purchase phytolamps so that the plant is illuminated for at least 12 hours a day, otherwise it will develop and take root much more slowly.
- the same soil in which the cuttings propagated should be removed. It cannot be reused for the same purpose. The fact is that this is already depleted soil, which does not contain nutrients and minerals. Therefore, for the further cultivation of already different cuttings, it is worth using a different soil.
Of course, cuttings are far from the only way to breed petunias. But at the same time today it is perhaps the most popular and widespread, and gardeners note that this method actually has a huge number of advantages. Due to the fact that not all regions of our country have ideal climatic conditions, petunias cannot always hibernate in open ground, so the bushes should be transplanted into containers or pots and installed at home until the cold subsides and the soil will start to warm up. Only then will it be possible to place the plant in it again.
If you cut petunia correctly, you can get really great results.In addition, cuttings have much more advantages than if we take seedlings or seed methods of plant propagation. In order to grow a more or less viable petunia from cuttings, it is necessary to spend not only a sufficient amount of time, but also a sufficient amount of energy. A lot, of course, depends on the knowledge and experience of the gardener, but sometimes inexperienced gardeners and gardeners manage to grow excellent bushes that delight the eye for a very long time.
There are several key breeding rules. petunias cuttings. These rules include the following aspects:
- the uterine bush always needs special attention and care, since the state of the future cuttings largely depends on its condition and health
- cuttings must be carefully selected, because not all plants are suitable for planting
- the shoots must be cut very carefully and carefully, otherwise they may be damaged
- containers should be carefully selected and processed, because the root system will develop in them, which just needs a very careful approach and attention.
Cuttings are transplanted into the open ground only when they are finally ready for this. They must be strong, because the future process of rooting or flowering largely depends on this. One way or another, the future state of the petunia, its inflorescences, decorative features and features largely depends on the preparation of the plant and soil, and this is very important if we are talking directly about the fact that petunias are used as an integral part of decorative landscape design. It is possible to cut the bushes throughout the year, continuously, since, when sufficient conditions are created, the plants can actually feel great. Also, the plant needs to be additionally illuminated, then it forms its green part to a greater extent. In general, even despite the fact that petunias always need special conditions, in principle, in comparison with many other cultures, petunias are not particularly whimsical and capricious, as in response they give an incredibly vivid result.