Bad seedlings of petunia: why it does not sprout and what to do

Petunias are famous for their beauty and duration of flowering. They are grown at home in pots and in garden beds. Seed companies offer a huge variety of petunia varieties, with different colors and flower sizes. Each consumer can choose loose or granulated seeds. At the same time, regardless of the choice, the grower may encounter problems even at the stage of growing seedlings. So, often petunia seedlings grow poorly or its seeds do not germinate at all. Why is this happening and what should be done in order to grow good, strong seedlings of these wonderful flowers? Let’s try to find answers to these questions together.

Causes of non-germination of seeds

It is often possible to observe a situation when the petunia seeds sown for seedlings did not sprout, and they have to be sifted out again. This incident can happen for several reasons:

1. Petunia seeds “old”. So, for most varieties of petunias, the shelf life of seeds is 3-4 years, however, even during this period, the percentage of plant germination decreases over time. When purchasing petunia seeds in a store, you should pay attention to the date of their harvest.
2. Storage violations can also lead to loss of germination. For example, having collected petunia seeds on your own, they need to be stored until the next season in conditions with low humidity and room temperature.
3. deep embedment seeds and growing conditions.

Beginning flower growers should pay special attention to the last point. After all, improper sowing of seeds is the most common reason that petunia seeds do not germinate well. The thing is that petunias are very photophilous. Their seeds must be sown superficially, not embedded in the ground, and even the slightest layer of earth may not allow the seed to sprout.

How to sow seeds

Surface sowing of petunia seeds is quite simple. Conventionally, it consists of the following actions:

• in a container for growing seedlings of petunias, it is necessary to make drainage holes, and then fill it with nutrient soil;
• the soil should be watered and compacted, after which seeds should be sprinkled on its top layer without covering them with soil;
• it is recommended to install a container with crops in a warm, well-lit place with a temperature of + 22- + 26⁰WITH;
• cover the container with crops with protective glass or film.

It is worth noting that this surface sowing method is suitable for loose seeds and granules. At the same time, the granules are more voluminous and make it easy to maintain the interval between crops. Taking into account all the recommendations, observing the temperature and light conditions, seedling seedlings can be expected in 4-7 days, depending on the petunia variety.

Petunia seeds in granules can be germinated before sowing in the ground. This is especially true for planting plants in pots to decorate rooms, balconies, greenhouses. The following germination method is also suitable for growing seedlings.

To germinate petunia granules, you need:

1. Place a piece of paper towel or gauze on the saucer
2. Spread the coated petunia seeds on top of the napkin and cover them on top with another napkin or gauze.
3. Moisten the resulting “sandwich” and place it with a saucer in a plastic bag.
4. Place a bag of seeds in a sunny place with a temperature of + 22- + 26⁰C.
5. With the appearance of the first sprouts, remove the top layer of material from the seeds, and place the saucer back in the bag.
6. When the plants have cotyledon leaves, they should be dived into cups with fertile soil for further cultivation.

As the seedlings grow, petunias require periodic watering, however, excess moisture can lead to root rot. Therefore, watering seedlings of petunias should be as the soil dries. The root method of watering is also good, when containers with seedlings are placed on a substrate with water. Moisture in this case is absorbed into the soil through drainage holes. Other ways to water young seedlings are shown in the video:

Analyzing the above material, it can be understood that in order to obtain petunia seedlings, it is necessary to select “fresh”, last year’s seeds stored under proper conditions, and germinate them in the presence of abundant sunlight by surface sowing or germination of granules.

Causes of Slow Growth

The young shoots of petunia, of course, “pleasing to the eye” of the grower, however, in order for it to become a full-fledged strong seedling, a lot of time must pass. During the growing period, petunia seedlings require attention and adherence to certain rules of care. Otherwise, its growth slows down, and sometimes even stops. There may be several reasons for this anomaly.

natural cause

Young shoots, consisting of 2 cotyledon leaves, stop their growth for the development of the root system.

Low temperatures

Petunia is a thermophilic plant. Its seedlings should be grown in conditions with a temperature of at least +20⁰C, otherwise the growth of seedlings will slow down. Temperatures below +15⁰C can completely stop the growth and death of plants. It is worth noting that the growth of seedlings and temperature fluctuations slow down. So, the temperature difference between day and night for young seedlings should not exceed 10⁰C.

Such overheating of plants is typical when grown in a mini-greenhouse (under protective glass or film).

Fungus

Relatively low temperatures and high soil moisture contribute to the development of the fungus and, as a result, the formation of black leg, root rot and stunting of plants. You can fight the fungus with the help of special preparations, for example, Fitosporin. Also, in the fight against the fungus, you can use a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

Lack of nutrients

The first two weeks after the emergence of seedlings, petunia seedlings are not recommended to be fed. During this period, for natural reasons, petunia does not grow well. However, if in the future the seedlings do not grow, then it is worth feeding it. To do this, use universal fertilizers containing nitrogen, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, for example, Green Crystal, Florist-Growth, Agricola. Growth activator for seedlings of petunias are B vitamins (B1, B6, B12). They can be purchased at a pharmacy and used for spraying.

After diving into separate containers or after landing on a permanent place of growth, seedlings of petunias can also slow down their growth. In this case, it is recommended to use fertilizers that make the root more powerful and developed. An example of such a drug is “Yellow Crystal”. 

Conclusion

To cultivate healthy seedlings of petunias, you should know the rules for germinating seeds, watering seedlings, and feeding young plants. Only a competent, integrated approach in compliance with climatic indicators of humidity and temperature will help to avoid slow growth. In turn, farmers offer a wide range of top dressings and preparations to activate the growth of seedlings, however, do not forget that petunias a priori have a long growing season, so seeds should be sown for seedlings in February-March.