How, when and how to feed petunias for lush flowering
Fertilization is an important step in caring for any flower, including petunia. Without a balanced diet, the root system develops slowly, and the shoots lack the strength to grow. To make petunia happy with white, red, purple and pink flowers, gardeners fertilize it with folk and mineral dressings based on nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, humic acids. The plant is grown in a pot or pots, in a flower bed or in a front garden. Let us consider in detail what fertilizers guarantee the lush flowering of petunias and what rules for feeding to pay special attention to.
The content of the article
Why feed petunia
Top dressing petunias necessary for building up green mass, developing the root system, flowering. Thanks to the nutritional components, the flower grows beautiful and is decorative. If you neglect fertilizers, petunia develops poorly, often gets sick.
Attention! Top dressing is not a panacea. They will not be useful if you do not follow other rules for caring for petunia: watering, loosening the soil, protecting against diseases and pests... Only a set of measures will help to grow a healthy and beautiful flower.
Feeding methods
Distinguish between root and foliar fertilization methods. When root feeding is applied to the ground through irrigation, when foliar (leaf) nutrients enter the plant by spraying.
Experienced growers recommend alternating root and foliar methods so that petunia receives a balanced diet. Root fertilizers are responsible for the development of roots, nourish the earth with vitamins and minerals. Foliar aimed at the development of flowers, their appearance.
Fertilization periods
To properly fertilize petunia, follow the schedule. The first time the plant is fertilized before planting - nutrients are applied under the seedlings. It is especially important to carry out the procedure in the event that the sprouts develop slowly, have an unhealthy appearance. Seedlings are watered with a solution based on vitamins of group B. For 1 liter of warm and clean water, one ampoule of vitamin B6 or B12 is required. They are sold at the pharmacy.
If you have Zircon or Epin growth stimulants at hand, use them. Thanks to such feeding, the seedlings grow quickly, become stronger and healthier.
The second time the plant is fertilized when it has already been transplanted to a permanent place. At this time, attention is paid to nitrogen-containing fertilizers - they are responsible for the lush flowering of annuals, the growth of new green shoots. Root and leaf fertilizers are used, for example, Kemiru Lux or Agricola. They contain not only nitrogen, but also potassium and phosphorus, which are responsible for further flowering... They buy fertilizers in flower shops.
The next fertilizer is applied during the flowering period - at this time the bush is already formed, it remains only to stimulate budding. For 2-3 weeks, fertilizer is applied every five days. Complex preparations "Garden of Miracles" or "Uniflor Bouton" are used, as well as urea, calcium nitrate, monophosphate. Also, among summer residents, the Domotsvet remedy is popular - it increases the size of buds and the abundance of flowering. In total, 2-3 dressings with this preparation are enough for the season.
Attention! After flowering, it is recommended to cut the shoots by a third and water the plant with Garden Watering fertilizer. Pruning and top dressing guarantee the health of the plant for the next year.
Types of dressings
There is another classification of dressings: liquid, dry and long-lasting. Let's consider each type in detail below.
Liquid fertilizers
Liquid fertilizers are popular for growing decorative flowers in the country and in the apartment. They are sold in the form of concentrated solutions, which must first be diluted with water, following the instructions.
remember, that an excess of nutrients leads to a slowdown in growth and the emergence of bacteria and microbes.
For petunias use:
- Bona Forte contains the main macronutrients, trace elements and humic acids, with the help of which the plant receives nutrition gradually. To prepare root dressing, 10 ml of the substance is diluted in 1.5 liters of water, and 5 ml of the substance is diluted in 1.5 liters of water. Bona Forte is freeze-resistant and can be stored for two weeks after preparation. Increases disease resistance and is responsible for lush flowering.
- "Uniflor Bud" - fertilizer based on phosphorus and potassium - stimulates the ripening of buds and flowers, suitable for feeding garden and indoor plants. Sold in garden shops. To prepare a working solution, 1 liter of water and 3 ml of the drug are required. The frequency of dressing is 1 time in 10-15 days. In order not to burn the plant, the concentration of the solution should be no more than 1%.
Dry
Dry dressings are used less often than liquid ones, but if the instructions are followed, they give a quick result. For petunias, the drug "Plantafol" is purchased. It contains a nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium complex as well as boron, zinc, copper, iron, sulfur and manganese. It is sold as a white dry powder that is dissolved in water.
"Plantafol" improves carbohydrate metabolism, ripening processes, the resistance of flowers to drought and frost. The fertilizer is water-resistant and environmentally friendly. To prepare a working solution, 10 liters of water and 25 g of active ingredient are required.
Attention! Before adding the solution, petunia is poured abundantly with warm water. Moisture improves the absorption of nutrients. If you fertilize a flower without watering, chemical burns of the roots and stem are possible.
Long-playing
Fertilizers are called long-lasting fertilizers that put into the ground before disembarking. Upon contact with water, they instantly dissolve and nourish the earth with minerals that are necessary for young plants. Some people mistakenly believe that once a long-acting drug has been used, it is not necessary to feed petunia in the future. There is also a problem of soil oversaturation, for example, when potassium is added to the soil, which is already sufficient. Due to an overabundance, the flower may die, therefore, long-term fertilizers are treated with caution.
Flower growers allocate top dressing "Etisso". The complex of substances is easily absorbed by the plant and ensures long flowering. "Etisso" is sold in the form of granules, suitable for garden, indoor, balcony crops. Light gray granules act from the first day of application, under the influence of moisture and heat they "give" nutrients to the soil. "Etisso" contains nitrogen, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese.
How and how to feed petunia for lush flowering
How to feed petunia for lush flowering? Some flower growers prefer folk remedies, others - ready-made commercial solutions. The opinion is also popular that for good flowering, folk fertilizers alternate with store-bought ones.
Ready dressing
Ready-made dressings are easy to prepare and contain nutrients in verified proportions. Most fertilizers are affordable and sold in online stores.
In addition to Agricola, Kemira and Plantafol, summer residents purchase the following fertilizers:
- "New ideal" enriched with a mineral complex and humic acids. Sold as a liquid. To prepare a working solution, 10 ml of the substance is diluted in 1 liter of water. The solution is used for watering petunias 1-2 times a week. New Ideal is compatible with other ready-made formulations.
- Fertilizer "Master" for petunias and surfinia, they are used during budding and flowering. It improves the appearance of flowers, makes them brighter and more attractive. The drug is non-toxic, safe for humans and animals. For 2 liters of water, 5 g of dry matter is required. Petunia is watered in spring, summer and autumn, 2-3 times with an interval of 7-10 days.
- Top dressing "Clean sheet" for petunias, it compensates for the lack of minerals in the soil, benefits the plant at any time of the growing season. Contains vitamins and phytohormones. A clean leaf increases the growth of the aerial part of the plant, increases the resistance of flowers to drought and improves the quality of budding. The drug in an amount of 10 g is dissolved in 10 liters of water at room temperature and petunia is sprayed 2-4 times a month. Top dressing is absorbed by the plant by 95-97%.
Folk recipes
A popular recipe using baker's yeast is popular. The solution speeds up the development of the root system and prolongs flowering. Cooking requires 100 g of dry yeast, 50 g of sugar, 10 liters of water. The ingredients are mixed and left for 2 hours in a dry and dark place. After the resulting solution is diluted with 50 l of water. Use a spray or watering mixture.
Petunia is fed with citric acid solution... Cooking requires 12 g of acid and 3 liters of water. If you have iron vitriol at hand, add 7.5 g of the substance. The solution is sprayed on the foliage for 5-10 days. Thanks to this, petunia blooms profusely, the leaves acquire a rich green color. Flowers are sprayed in dry and calm weather.
How to water for abundant flowering in pots
Due to a lack of moisture, the leaves turn yellow and fall off, the buds become lethargic. If the petunia grows in a flower pot or slide, in June, July and August it is watered twice a day - in the morning and in the evening. When planting a flower at the bottom of the planter, a drainage layer is made of very fine stone or clean river sand. Loves petunia and spraying, only on condition that the water gets on the leaves, and not on the flowers.
When growing petunias in the house, the number of watering is reduced to two times every 3-4 days. It is important that the humidity level in the room is at least 80%. Once a week, instead of water for irrigation, plants use ready-made or folk fertilizers in the form of a liquid. If the grower doubts whether the earth is dry or not, it is better to postpone watering for 1-2 days.
Fertilization rules
How and when to fertilize petunia for abundant flowering? Experienced growers share their recommendations:
- start feeding 10-14 days after planting the seedlings in a permanent place;
- root fertilizers are applied only to moist soil;
- regular feeding begins with the appearance of the second true leaf;
- a week after planting, petunia is fertilized with a growth stimulator;
- when preparing a working solution, carefully read the instructions, study the dosage and pay attention to the shelf life of the finished mixture;
- fertilize petunia on dry, cloudy and calm days;
- alternate root and foliar, ready-made and folk dressings;
- at the beginning of flowering, attention is paid to nitrogen-containing compounds.
Conclusion
How to fertilize petunia for lush flowering? Summer residents use dry, liquid and long-lasting fertilizers. The most common option is liquid: they are easy to prepare and use, suitable for home and garden plants. Long-lasting and dry ones are used less often, however, if all the rules of application are followed, they bring a positive result.
In order for petunia to receive as much nutrients as possible, the soil is watered abundantly with warm water before fertilization. It is not recommended to make top dressing in dry ground.