Petunias ampelous - when and how to pinch
Content:
- Do I need to pinch an ampelous petunia?
- Petunias ampelous: when and how to pinch a flowering plant
- Petunia ampelous, when to pinch seedlings
- When to pinch ampelous petunia after germination
- How to form an ampelous petunia
- How to form an ampelous petunia correctly
- How to cut ampelous petunia
- Why ampelous petunia grows up
For several years now, petunia has been a leader in the horticultural market. But not all people know the principles of its cultivation. This flower is very fond of pruning. How to pinch an ampelous petunia is not difficult to understand, you need to cut off the tops of the stems in a timely manner and it will start to shoot lateral shoots. After pruning, many new and lush flowers are formed on the bush. This article tells about the rules for pinching ampelous petunias and how to properly care for this crop in general.
Do I need to pinch an ampelous petunia?
Petunia is a perennial mountain plant from Eastern Europe; in the early 80s, the ampelous petunia variety Avalina and Lobelia was brought to Russia. But no one knew how to properly care for her and whether it was necessary to pinch the ampelous petunia.
Over the years, gardeners have become convinced that she loves water, warmth and can not tolerate severe frosts, and also reacts positively to pruning.
What does a flower look like
Pinching is the process of trimming the outermost petals of a flower to branch out a shoot. Several leaves remain at the top of the ampelous petunia. The main stem inhibits the growth of the bush, the buds cannot germinate.
If you do not pinch, then the bush:
- Will weaken.
- Doesn't grow further.
- Strongly stretched.
- Flowers do not grow.
After pruning, it is necessary to take care of the bush, it is fertilized with mineral additives (Agricola, Flower Garden), and growth stimulants (Kornevin) are also added. They contain everything you need for recovery and flowering. The bush needs a very large amount of dressing. Otherwise, new shoots will be weak. After pinching off, some material remains, it does not have to be thrown away. You can propagate it by grafting.
How to pinch an ampelous petunia
Before the pinching process, flower growers recommend following the rules:
- Use sterile scissors.
- Try not to damage the sprout.
- Weak shoots should not be cut sharply.
- Spraying is allowed either in the early morning or after sunset.
- You can pinch petunia several times for more abundant flowering.
- Fertilizers can only be purchased at gardening stores.
- All decayed flowers and stems must be cut off.
- Petunia species with large buds are more resistant to climate change.
- You cannot mix different varieties.
- The soil must be cleared of weeds and pests.
It should be noted that pruning increases the plant's immunity, making it more resistant to pests. It is impossible to delay, it is worth carrying it out as quickly as possible. You need to leave a few petals, and cut off the shoot above them. The time for this procedure is once every two weeks. The first pruning is done when the culture is fully grown.
Pinching the plant step by step at different stages:
| Pruning stage | How to do it | Result |
| In seedlings | Complete removal of stems around 5th leaf | Activates the growth of side shoots, will be the basis for the formation of a bush |
| 5 days after transplanting to a permanent location | Pruning side shoots above the fifth leaf | Promotes wide growth and abundant flowering |
| Regularly, every month | Trimming excess tops, side shoots, plant adjustment | Stimulates profuse flowering, maintains a clipped crown |
Petunias ampelous: when and how to pinch a flowering plant
If the bush is already blooming in pots and boxes, the top is formed, and it consists in trimming the side shoots.
Basically, petunia bushes are planted in a pot (box), which were once pinched in seedlings, and now they vigorously release side shoots. It is desirable to be creative in the process of pinching, the plant can be given any desired appearance. It depends only on the gardener how long he wants to see the shoots falling in a variegated and gorgeous waterfall.
Petunia ampelous, when to pinch seedlings
The first pruning is carried out no earlier than 45 days after planting the seeds in the soil. The flower should have at least 5-6 true petals, which should be completely healthy. The work is done with sharp small scissors or a clerical knife. A large number of experienced florists have come to the conclusion that pinching with nails is prohibited.
Pinching result
This can cause the leaves to become friable, which increases the risk of infection and drying out. It is necessary to cut off the top of the plant by about 3-4 cm. In no case should the length of the cut off top be greater than the height of the entire bush. The correct ratio is 1: 3, where one part will be the removed tip, and the other three will be the remainder of the bush.
When to pinch ampelous petunia after germination
You need to pinch off the plant after sunrise on the 75th day of planting the seeds. Re-pruning is done so that the newly regrown side shoots give fresh branches, due to this, at the time of flowering, the number of flowers will increase. About a month should elapse between pruning. If you do not adhere to this, then the flower will experience stress, because of this, it will begin to grow poorly, and also will not bloom.
How to form an ampelous petunia
Only with the help of formation can the decorativeness of petunias be restored. The pinching is carried out in several passes. To begin with, cut off two shoots, after a week two more and then the remaining shoots. With this formation, old flowering shoots will constantly be on the bush and new ones will grow.
How to form an ampelous petunia correctly
Basically, ampelous petunia should be a lush bush. There is no need to form an adult bush, sometimes only cut off the faded buds. This is necessary in order for the flower to direct all its strength to create new buds and lush flowering. It is recommended to pinch the petunia at the seedling stage. Pruning the main shoot will help the plant to bloom more vigorously.
Flowering in a hanging pot
Most gardeners emphasize that in wet weather, due to the great splendor, fungal diseases form on the bush. Therefore, it is recommended to thin out the bush so that there is a good draft in it. This mainly applies to ampel varieties.
How to cut ampelous petunia
If the plant is not pinched, it will stretch out a lot, and small flowers of a pale tone will grow on it.If you properly cut (pinch) the tops of the bush, the growth of the lateral stems increases even during the cultivation of seedlings. And in just a few weeks, the first good buds will appear.
Why ampelous petunia grows up
So that there is no stretching of the petunia bush due to lack of light, it must be constantly illuminated with fluorescent or other specialized lamps. It is advisable to provide light around the clock.
In the dark, the light should be dimmed. The distance from the lamp to the flower is about twenty-five centimeters.
If the temperature is above 25 degrees and high humidity, then seeds grow well. But for a formed flower, such a temperature is lethal, it begins to stretch and then die. To solve the problem, place the bush in a cooler place.
It can also stretch out due to the wrong amount of moisture. Very often, novice gardeners, after the plant has sprouted, abruptly open the top cover or film. Doing this is strictly prohibited. It is recommended to lower the humidity gradually by opening the lid for a short time first.
Fertilization process
Very dense bushes must be thinned out, or the weakest plants must be removed. If there are few seedlings, then you need to cut it down. And then stick to a temperature of about 18 degrees.
In conclusion, it can be noted that only ampelous and cascading petunias need to be pinched, other plant varieties live well without constant pruning. You also need to remember that the plant needs a lot of space, so it is not recommended to plant it in small pots. Be sure to observe the climatic regime for the plant.
