When to pinch petunia seedlings. Petunia pinching seedlings. How to prune ampelous petunia, form a bush

The unpretentious, modest Petunia, familiar from childhood, has long been transformed into a luxurious beauty. Thanks to the hard work of breeders, a huge number of varieties and hybrids of various colors and shades have appeared. The plant has won the hearts of even inexperienced flower growers, being distinguished by its unpretentiousness and continuous gorgeous flowering. One of the main procedures when growing it is to remove the apical buds. This operation allows you to get a lush bush strewn with multiple flowers.

The homeland of this beauty is considered to be Brazil and Uruguay, from where it was brought in the 18th century by the French botanist Jean Lamarck, who was searching for rare plants.

The plant is a perennial, however, it is mainly grown as an annual plant, and, with the onset of the first frost, it is simply thrown away. In late autumn, petunia can be transferred to a container with nutrient soil, brought indoors and provided with additional lighting. Then this flower will delight you all year round.

The flower is a shrub from 15 to 90 cm in height with creeping stems forming axillary shoots of the second and subsequent orders. The perennial leaves are of various shapes and sizes, without teeth or notches, and are heavily pubescent. Flowers of regular shape: simple, semi-double, double. They are distinguished by a delicate aroma and a variety of colors. The fruit of the plant is represented by a capsule containing 300-800 small seeds.

The beauty blooms in late June - early July, delighting with its beauty until the onset of significant frosts. Calmly withstands a short drop in temperature down to -3 degrees. Propagated by sowing seeds or cuttings. Seedlings begin to be grown in the third decade of January, using additional lighting.

Important!

When planting in a permanent place, the plant must be provided with well-lit areas, sufficient watering, and ventilation.

How and why to pinch petunia correctly

Having worked hard to create modern varieties and hybrids, breeders have ensured that the gardener has to make a minimum of effort and intervention when forming the petunia crown. However, even when growing modern hybrids, pinching is simply unavoidable.

The pinching method is used to:

• stimulate the growth and development of lateral branches;
• ensure abundant flowering;
• give splendor and compactness to the bush.

Removal of apical buds is carried out at the time of active growth of seedlings no later than 30-55 days after the appearance of the first shoots. The procedure is carried out using any cutting instrument or simply with your fingers. The shoot is cut off above the fourth or fifth true leaf. At the site where the plant breaks, a new growth point is created, from which secondary stems will grow. After the operation, the seedlings slow down their development for some time. However, after a few days it is completely restored and begins to grow more actively.

After the pinching process, the lower part of the petunia becomes very strong. Thanks to this, the plant is more resilient and resists any natural disasters.

Do all varieties of petunias need to be pinched?

Mandatory removal of apical buds is required:

• old varieties that are not particularly decorative;
• plants cultivated from seeds that were collected independently.

Most of the hybrids bred by the original breeders do not require pinching, being distinguished by their compactness and lush flowering. Hybrids do not need pinching at all:

• Limbo F1;
• Mambo F1;
• Alladin F1;
• Schok Wave F1;
• Ultra F1;
• Frost F1;
• Picobella F1;
• Hulahoop F1;
• Dreams F1;
• Merlin F1;
• Mirade F1.

Time to pinch petunia

In order for the beauty to please with chic and long-lasting flowering, the apical buds need to be removed three times per season:

1. When the fourth or fifth true leaf forms on the plant 30-40 days after the appearance of the first shoots.
2. 10-15 days after planting the seedlings in a permanent place in the ground.
3. During the active growth of flowers in a permanent place, no later than thirty days after transplantation.

Triple pinching allows the plant to turn into a bright, chic bush over the course of a season.

Caring for petunia after pinching

After removing the tops, you need to provide the plant with the necessary nutrition. A few days after the first pinching, young seedlings need to be fed with any growth stimulant according to the instructions:

• Endophyte;
• Regoplant;
• Epin;
• Succinic acid;
• Alpha Nano.

Further fertilizing should be carried out every 10-15 days with complex mineral fertilizers with a high percentage of nitrogen content. A pinched plant also requires systematic watering and loosening of the soil. Without providing petunias with proper care after pinching, you may end up with the development of thin, painful shoots.

Cuttings of petunias after pinching

Removed apical shoots are valuable planting material. With the help of the remaining cuttings you can successfully replenish your collection of petunias. This is especially true for those hybrids whose seeds have considerable cost. To get a young bush you need:

1. Leave 1-2 leaves on the cut shoot.
2. Place the cuttings in a container of water, adding 2 tablets of crushed activated carbon.
3. When whitish roots appear on the shoot, plant the plant in a container with nutritious soil.
4. After complete engraftment of the petunia, tweezing it, feeding it as necessary and planting it in a permanent place.

How to pinch different types of petunias

Differing in the shape of the bush and the length of the stems, the plant has some features in the formation of its lush crown.

Ampelous petunia

Plants that have inherited the natural formation of a lush, abundantly flowering bush. Many ampelous hybrids do not require pinching. However, to fully guarantee the creation of a well-branched bush, it is necessary to carry out a one-time removal of apical shoots when the seedlings are 35-45 days old.

Cascade petunia

A type of petunia that requires at least triple pinching over the entire growing season. By removing the apical shoots on the plant, you can achieve gorgeous flowering and the shape of a brightly blooming ball.

Bush petunia

Plants of this type are pinched when few lateral branches form. Such petunias need to be stimulated by cutting off the central stem and treating them with any growth stimulant.

Terry petunia

Terry hybrids very rarely need to remove apical shoots. Compact, luxurious flowers created by breeders that initially form a gorgeous crown during the growing season. The pinching procedure is carried out in cases where young seedlings are stretched out due to lack of daylight.

Is it possible to pinch petunia when it blooms?

If the flowers have already begun to bloom profusely, removing the apical shoots can also be successfully carried out. The main thing is to cut no more than four shoots from the bush. After the procedure, a day later, treat the flowers with any growth stimulant.

What to do with cut shoots

Plucked off shoots of plants can be rooted, replenishing the flower garden with new bushes. To do this you should:

• treat the cut stems with Kornevin or dip the lower part of the cuttings in wood ash;
• tear off all the leaves on the shoots, leaving 1-2 pieces at the top;
• place the cuttings in a container with distilled water with the addition of activated carbon;
• plant the tops in open ground, mulching, covering with a plastic transparent container.

To form a bush that will delight you with its beauty and continuous flowering, remember the following recommendations:

1. For good growth of vegetative mass, fertilizing with complex fertilizer is necessary every 7-10 days throughout the season.
2. Be sure to regularly water and loosen the soil.
3. Remove faded buds and formed seed pods.
4. Preventive treatment against pests with pesticides and against diseases with copper-containing preparations.
5. Carry out the pinching procedure with a sterile instrument.

Important!

For the fastest formation of lateral branches on the plant, you should lower the air temperature at night by 4-6 degrees.

Conclusion

By properly removing the apical shoots and following the recommendations for caring for petunias, you can admire the exquisite beauty of the plants and continuous flowering until frost.

Many housewives dream of beautiful and admirable flower beds or flowerpots on windows and balconies. Petunia is perfect for this. All over the world, this beautiful flower is among the top ten most popular summer flowers. Interesting fact: petunia is a distant relative of the tomato and potato, because it belongs to the nightshade genus. Petunia is a perennial, but in our harsh winters the root system of the plant dies, so it is grown as an annual.

Petunia tolerates heat well, but requires constant watering. In cool weather it continues to grow, but blooms reluctantly. There are several hundred types of petunia and only 4 groups: multi-flowered, large-flowered, ampelous and floribunda.

We will talk about because it is simply irreplaceable in decorating balconies, windows, flower beds, flowerpots and hanging baskets. Many have tried to grow a beautiful flower on their own, but not everyone was able to achieve lush flowering. The main secret is pinching the ampelous petunia. Now we will figure out how and when to do this.

The easiest way, of course, is to buy seedlings, but since we are not looking for easy ways, we will grow them ourselves. Seeds need to be sown from February to the end of March. Use containers 6-7 cm deep. Since they are very small, they need to be sown on the surface and lightly sprinkled with fine sand. It is better to water with a sprayer so as not to move them. Shoots will appear in 5-9 days. Under favorable conditions, after approximately 3 weeks, petunias can already be picked and transplanted into separate containers. Many people use plastic cups for this.

When should you prepare to pinch petunias?

In order to achieve maximum flowering, pinching petunias must be done twice. It is recommended to do this for the first time after the seedlings are planted in open ground, but not immediately. Give the plant time to get stronger. Now watch: the shoots will begin to actively grow and stretch - the moment has come (about the month of May). Count 3-5 full leaves from the bottom of the stem (this is the plant’s growth point), and everything on top needs to be plucked or cut off. Don't be alarmed if the flower's growth slows down a bit, but it will begin to send out side shoots. The result will be abundant flowering and large buds.

Do not throw away the cut stems; they can be placed in water and they will take root. Before planting, leave only a couple of leaves, and cut off the rest, as in the first case.

Don’t forget to do the second hanging a month later.
How nice it will be to admire this flowering plant, like ampelous petunia. Pinching will form lush bushes filled with bright, beautiful flowers.

However, plant care does not end there. As faded flowers appear on the petunias, they should be removed immediately. Don’t forget to regularly water and fertilize your plants. Then the ampelous petunia will delight you all summer and autumn with its colorful colors. The photos presented in the article give an idea of ​​how beautiful plants can grow and how they can decorate your life and evoke admiring glances from passersby.
Grow flowers - give joy!

In order for your plant to grow well, not get sick and always enjoy flowering, you need to take care of it: remove dried shoots at the right time, fertilize and pinch.

Why do you need to do this? First of all, for rejuvenation of the bush and reproduction, as well as for the formation of the desired shape.

Petunias are often planted in hanging pots and flowerpots, and are grown in. This plant is quite common in...

Petunia lovers are constantly finding new ways to decorate using unusual varieties, and it looks simply amazing.

Pinching Instructions

You need to remove overgrown shoots of petunia (pinching) on ​​a strong bush with high upper shoots with 4-5 large leaves on them. Follow the rules below:

1. The first pinching should be done at the seedling stage, when the plant has grown to five centimeters in height and has stronger leaves (5-6 pieces). This is done very simply and even an inexperienced gardener can pinch a plant at home. If the shoots are not removed in time, the plant will bloom ahead of schedule even before planting in open ground.
   
   If this has already happened, you need to pinch off the flower. Do not regret cutting the bud, because the plant simply does not need it at such an early stage of development. First, the roots must become stronger and only then allow the flower to fully develop. If this is not done, the petunia will get sick and bloom less often in the future.

Good to know: seeds are sown already in December and January, but only under the condition of round-the-clock lighting, otherwise the plant may lose its decorative shape or die altogether.

2. You need to pinch petunia a second time after a week from the moment the plant is planted in open ground. This procedure can be combined not only with benefits for the flower, but also with benefits for the housewife and her garden. If you cut off the top shoots with several pairs of leaves, you can root them and get even more flowers.



Note: There should be at least four or three leaves left on the parent stem.

3. Rooting of cut shoots can be done in a glass of water, in a peat tablet or in a light peat mixture. In order for the cuttings to take root, you need to plant them in the mixture, compact it after planting with your fingers and water with warm water. You need to make a small greenhouse over the plant using a bag or special film.



To correct the shape of the plant, you need to pinch the petunia regularly, skipping a month between this procedure.








Seedling care



In order not to destroy the plant, you need to properly care for it and monitor each new shoot:

• Seedlings should be planted in the ground in the second half of May, close to each other. The soil should consist of a mixture of humus and turf soil;
• cuttings need frequent watering, and in hot weather you need to add spraying;
• once a week you need to feed the cutting at the root and spray it (you can read about feeding petunia at home);
• if your flower does not want to grow, you need to “help” it with this using growth stimulants;
• try to remove dried flowers in a timely manner. This way the flower will develop faster and form new buds, and will have an attractive appearance in general.

Petunia is a very beautiful flower with many different types, varieties and color palettes. It will become one of the main accents of the flower arrangement in your garden.

To achieve good and timely flowering, the plant needs to be looked after. If you don’t do this, then achieving gorgeous flower beds will become an unattainable dream. So keep an eye on the condition of your petunias, pinch them on time, fertilize them, and they will thank you with bright blooms.

From the following video You will learn how to properly pinch petunia:

Petunia is familiar to many gardeners. It is often grown by both experienced and novice gardeners. She pleases others from mid-spring to late autumn. Petunia is not a capricious plant, so it can be seen in many places: flower beds, balconies, cafe areas, vegetable gardens, etc.

However, if you need to get well-developed bushes with a large number of flowers, you should take care to fulfill a number of conditions. It is very important to understand how to pinch petunia and do it correctly.

Meaning of pinching

How to pinch petunia? To get beautiful flowers, you need to wait three months after the sprouts emerge. The development of the plant is directed upward - towards the sun. At this moment and pinching is applied- shortening the upper part of the main stem. After pruning the seedlings, additional growth points appear. The bush becomes more magnificent and dense, as it grows to the sides. The more shoots and branches, the correspondingly more flowers. The quality of flowering itself also improves.

It must be borne in mind that immediately after pruning, the plant’s energy is spent on the formation of new shoots, so the appearance of buds is slightly delayed. Usually the delay does not exceed several days. However, the new buds are larger.

Circumcision must be done carefully. Although in some cases it is not required at all. This is about hybrid or elite varieties petunias. However, it should be borne in mind that even if optimal conditions are violated (temperature, insufficient lighting), they will stretch upward. In this case, home seedlings will also have to be pinched for better development.

A month after the procedure, the side stems are also shortened. This is done for the same purpose - to achieve further branching. The seedling bushes are becoming even denser. Afterwards, the petunia can be trimmed periodically, however, it is not necessary. This is rather a matter of decorative taste.

It should be noted that in the literature pinching is often also called tweezing. Although some people distinguish between these two concepts. They believe that pinching is the procedure described above, and it is performed only at the stage of seedling development. Pinching is cutting off an already mature, mature plant. It is used for propagation to obtain cuttings.

Carrying out pinching

Important questions are how to properly pinch petunia and when to pinch petunia? It is advisable to carry out the first pinching of petunia immediately after transplanting the seedlings into the ground. However sometimes due to the weather you have to wait a long time for this. The time of the procedure for both planted bushes and those at home can be determined by their appearance. The formation of five sheets is enough. There is no point in waiting any longer, since the petunia will grow and it will no longer be possible to make compact bushes.

Home seedlings are grown so that flowering begins at an earlier date. In this form, the sprouts remain indoors for about 2–3 months. Then they are planted in the ground. At the seedling stage, pinching is mandatory; after planting in the ground, it is only advisable. Although it is worth considering that if there is sufficient space, light and other suitable conditions, it may not be needed at all.

The procedure can be carried out using something sharp. Typically used:

• a well-sharpened garden knife;
• regular manicure scissors.

Tools must be clean and sharp. If seedlings are grown in a greenhouse, then you have to wait for the procedure until the seedlings finally take root. Carrying out is not difficult:

Using the obtained cuttings

If the cut part is long enough, it can be used for landing. In this case, it must satisfy the following requirements:

• strong stem;
• 5–6 leaves.

Planting material obtained after repeated tweezing will be especially successful. In this case, the cut cuttings are stronger and the stems are thicker. The sprouts are placed in a vessel with water. Wherein it's important not to forget remove the lowest leaves - those that will come into contact with water. This way it is possible to avoid rotting of the cuttings. Here they quickly form roots. To speed up the process, you can add a little special growth stimulator to the water.

After the root system appears, the seedlings are planted in a container with soil. The soil must be fertile and light in structure (loose).

This method of reproduction has its advantages. In addition to convenience, in some cases the qualities of the mother plant are better transmitted. For example, if a cutting from a hybrid variety was taken, the resulting plant will be completely identical by its appearance. If you try to propagate the same hybrid using collected seeds, the resulting plant will be different. In addition, sometimes it is simply not possible to find seeds of the variety you like. In this case, cuttings may also be suitable.

Petunia has become so widespread thanks, among other things, to this type of reproduction. Although the plant is nominally an annual in our latitudes, the situation can be changed by covering it in a warm room for the winter. In spring, cuttings are used for vegetative propagation. Then everything can be repeated. It turns out that this is already a perennial.

Achieving high decorative results

In order for petunia to show all its decorative qualities, a number of conditions are required. The plant may have exceptional characteristics, but no one will see the work of the breeders. Regular and proper care is required. If you want your petunia to look like those that can be found on the pages of magazines or in the best flower beds, just pinching it won’t be enough. Basic rules of care include:

• feeding is necessary, and regular and correct;
• you should take a responsible approach to selecting soil for seedlings: you need something light and nutritious;
• to avoid chlorosis disease, iron should be added to the fertilizer;
• Do not underestimate the benefits of watering: approximately 6 liters are required per standard box;
• after the buds have faded, they must be torn off for better flowering of the remaining and newly formed ones;
• To combat the disease powdery mildew, treatment with preparations containing sulfur is necessary, preferably in rainy weather;
• aphids can be removed with strong water pressure or appropriate preparations.

Petunia, familiar to many in Montevideo, where it comes from, is perennial and blooms almost all year round. There it is known for its small, monotonous flowers. However thanks to the work of breeders Petunia has long ceased to be a modest, pretty flower. Gardeners have a huge number of varieties at their disposal, including hybrid ones. They have a wide variety of characteristics:

• larger flowers;
• different colors of petals;
• strong, pleasant aroma.

For us it lasts only until cold weather. Although by autumn it loses much of what can be seen in manuals landscape design. Here she is often depicted as a huge ball, which seems to contain nothing but flowers. At first glance, to achieve this - Only a professional can do it. However, petunia is an unpretentious and pliable plant. Therefore, even an inexperienced gardener can make such a ball or something else, no less beautiful. The main thing is to follow simple rules and perform pinching on time.