Contents
Bush petunia is a popular ornamental crop that can often be found in parks, courtyards, and summer cottages. These flowers grow well not only in flower beds, but also in pots, hanging planters. Due to the abundance of varieties, they are often used in landscape design for landscaping. Each gardener can choose the variety with the most suitable bud color.
Bush petunia – a very bright and well-known representative of the Solanaceae family
Looks like
The main feature that characterizes the bush petunia is its lush, bright and long flowering with buds of various colors. Most often in gardens there are purple, white, black, purple, pink, red specimens. The plant is annual, but looks attractive throughout the season. Its shoots are green in color, rounded, the stems are erect, covered in the same way as the leaves with villi. The root system is located shallow.
Inflorescences, depending on the variety and its classification, can be either small – up to 4 cm in diameter, or large from 10 to 16 cm. They combine a pair of funnel-like flowers that are held on a short pedicel. The edges of the buds can be smooth or corrugated (wavy). The color transition is soft, gradual, gradient. The buds of some subspecies have a border or interspersed with contrasting shades. After withering, seed pods form in their place.
The plant is considered completely unpretentious. It can bloom even in dry weather, during heavy rains and mild cooling. The formation of bushes does not need.
Bush petunia is considered the most common type of this flower representative.
The story of
Petunia bush appeared on the territory of the South American tropics. Its first representatives were discovered in the 18th century. Initially, experts ranked the plant as a member of the Tobacco genus, but in the 19th century it was combined into a separate category, Petunia.
A few decades later, breeders began to successfully cross different types of plants, thanks to their work, its hybrid varieties began to appear. Later, in the United States, a container technology for growing petunia seedlings was established and planted in pots and planters.
Classification of bush petunias
Bush petunia is classified into several groups, among which are:
- Milliflora. It is characterized by compact bushes with small inflorescences, the diameter of which is from 2 to 4 cm. It is able to endure prolonged rains and high humidity.
- Multiflora. A low-growing plant, ideal for planting in small flower beds. Its buds are usually no more than 7 cm in diameter.
- Grandiflora. Large-flowered bush petunia with flowers with a diameter of 14 cm or more. The edges of the inflorescences are most often fringed or corrugated. There are varieties of two-color.
- floribunda. It is characterized by abundant flowering. Its buds are large, can have a spotted color, and tolerate adverse weather conditions perfectly. Often the variety is grown in flowerpots and long pots on balconies or loggias.
Depending on the classification and cultivar, bush petunia differs in size, shape and shade of buds
The best varieties of bush petunias
The variety of varieties of shrub undersized petunia is amazing. A great many subspecies of culture have been bred. All of them represent a rich color palette and are distinguished by their unpretentiousness, thanks to which they have earned great love among summer residents and flower growers. About the most popular varieties of bush petunia – further.
Limbo
Limbo, a long-blooming and profusely flowering petunia variety, is considered undersized. Its inflorescences can be presented in peach, pink, purple, purple, snow-white colors. The diameter of the buds is from 12 to 14 cm. The flowers bloom early. They have good resistance to bad weather conditions.
Petunia Limbo height no more than 20 cm
Storm
Variety Storm (Storm) is characterized by its resistance to strong winds, as well as high humidity, almost never gets sick. The flowers of this variety are large, round in shape, the bushes are rather tall, more than 30 cm. The color of the buds is white, blue, red, purple.
Petunia bush Storm exudes a pleasant aroma
Polaris
Petunia Polaris (Polaris) – a hybrid variety with high resistance to various ailments and bad weather. The height of the bushes is average, about 30 cm. The variety grows well both in closed and open ground.
Polaris bloom can be observed throughout the summer, right up to the cold weather.
Fantasy
Bush petunia Fantasy has a short development period. It is a bright wave-shaped buds, painted in different colors. The variety tolerates temperature drops well and retains a decorative appearance for a long time.
Fantasy begins to bloom in May, and ends closer to the second half of September
Triumph
Petunia multiflora Triumph blooms with large buds of various shades of pink. Flowers up to 16 cm in diameter. Their petals are corrugated, striped, closer to the center they have a darker color.
Triumph – one of the most beautiful varieties of spray petunia
Features of planting bush petunias
When planting a bush petunia, it is important to take into account a number of features of this procedure. The following must be taken into account:
- Choose the right size pot. It is better to use small boxes and planters. Only two crop bushes are allowed to be planted in a container with a diameter of 22 cm.
- Use light and loose soil. Bush petunia prefers adding peat and sand to the soil.
- Proper planting of seeds. The material is laid out on top of the ground, after which it is lightly sprinkled with soil mixture.
- Place the petunia in a well-lit area.
- Carry out watering with settled water.
Growing seedlings
Despite the fact that ready-made seedlings of bush petunias are on sale in a large assortment, some gardeners prefer to grow them on their own. Sowing seeds begins at different times, depending on the region. Most often, residents of Moscow, Moscow region and Central Our Country start work in late February, early March. Earlier sowing leads to the fact that the seedlings grow strongly, its roots are intertwined, it begins to bloom much earlier.
Since bush petunias love a lot of light, containers with their seedlings should only be placed on windowsills on the south side. In addition, organize additional lighting with special lamps.
Bush petunia grows in light, permeable soil, the acidity of which should be in the range of 5-6,5. The containers must have holes for draining water and a drainage cushion.
Sowing is carried out in moist soil. The seeds are laid out on its surface, sprinkled with earth, compacted, after which the container is covered with a film. The greenhouse is ventilated daily.
Seedlings are germinated at a temperature of +20 ° C, for 7-10 days, after which the shelter is removed. When 2-3 leaves appear on the sprouts, they dive and carry out further care.
Transplantation in open ground
Seedlings, which were purchased in a specialized store or grown on their own, are transplanted into open ground when the threat of a return of frost has completely passed, and the daytime temperature will be kept at +15 ° C. In most regions of Our Country, this happens at the very end of spring, closer to the second half of May.
Transplantation is carried out by transshipment, trying not to damage the roots of plants. Between each seedling leave an interval of about 30 cm.
Bush petunia care
Despite all the unpretentiousness of the petunia, for its bright, long and abundant flowering, you need to try to properly care for it. There are no features in care. You need to perform standard procedures: watering, fertilizing, pruning.
If the care is incorrect or insufficient, then you may encounter some problems:
- With a lack of lighting or adverse weather conditions, the stems of the bush petunia will begin to stretch, and flowering will become insignificant.
- With insufficient fertilizing, the plant will undergo fungal diseases.
- Neglect of pruning and removal of damaged and faded buds will contribute to the loss of the decorative qualities of the bush.
Watering
Flowerbeds in which bush petunia grows should be systematically moistened, but it is recommended to do this in moderation. Watering should be carried out in the morning or in the evening, strictly under the bush.
During heavy rains, petunias in pots are best brought indoors.
Additional fertilizing
Bush petunia needs frequent fertilizer. Once a week, organic fertilizers, mineral compounds and humate should be applied to the beds and boxes. The quality and intensity of flowering of the crop completely depends on the amount of nutrients.
Trimming
To increase bushiness and increase decorativeness, petunia needs regular pruning. It should be removed, faded buds and thickened shoots. In varieties of multiflora and grandiflora, the ends of the branches are cut off to enhance growth.
In addition, flower growers recommend pinching the petunia. Do this over the 4th or 5th leaf of the central shoot.
Reproduction
Most often, gardeners use seeds to propagate bush petunias.
Some summer residents prefer vegetative propagation by cuttings. If you follow the procedure correctly and take proper care of the seedlings, you can get an unlimited number of genetically similar plants.
Best of all, varietal characteristics are preserved by planting material purchased in a store.
Pests and diseases
Despite the fact that bush petunia is considered a fairly hardy variety and gardeners rarely encounter problems when growing it, sometimes bushes can affect diseases such as blackleg, brown spot, powdery mildew.
In addition, the flowers are attacked by insects, in particular, whiteflies, aphids and spider mites.
If any ailment is detected, one should immediately begin to take measures to eliminate it, for which use insecticides or other means recommended for a particular disease.
Conclusion
Bush Petunia is a popular flower that is loved by many flower growers due to its unpretentiousness and variety of shades. Varieties can represent buds of different shapes, sizes and tones. Every year, breeders bring out new hybrid forms of the plant, which are then used by gardeners and landscape designers to create magnificent flower arrangements and decorate flower beds.
Reviews about bush petunia
