Anyone who has had experience of growing a beautiful petunia from seeds knows that the occupation is very difficult, because a capricious plant has a very fragile root system, can be damaged during transplantation and requires especially careful care. A good solution for those who are not afraid of difficulties, is the cultivation of petunia on seedlings in special peat tablets.
Separately, we should talk about peat tablets , which are an ideal medium for growing any seedlings. They are plates of compacted fine peat, additionally enriched with microelements, "clothed with a mesh. Depending on the culture chosen, the diameter of the tablets varies from 23 to 70 mm. Bring them to the "working state" is simple - just fill the workpieces with water, which is supplemented with a preparation like "Shining" or "HB-101". In a liquid, the tablets swell almost instantly, increasing in size, but only in height and form peculiar kegs into which seeds can be immersed.
Sowing petunia in peat tablets
As already mentioned above, peat tablets are the optimal environment for petunia seedlings, since they contain the maximum concentration of nutrients necessary for the growth and development of a strong full-fledged plant. One can not but appreciate the convenience - planting petunias in peat pills solves the problem of picking (it simply does not need it), as well as transplanting into open ground or pots, which is a serious stress for plants. In the case of tablets, all you need to do is to cut the mesh and plant the shoots straight into the ground or a prepared container. Thus, the stress of transplantation is minimized, and the nutrient medium of the tablet does not interfere with the development of full-fledged strong roots.
Planting petunia in peat tablets can begin as early as February, if there is the possibility of additional illumination. This plant is extremely photophilic, therefore it needs daylight for 12-14 hours. If the use of phytolamps is not provided, it is optimal to plan landing in March, when the light day will be longer.
The first thing to do before sowing seeds is to prepare peat pills. To do this, they should be placed in a shallow depth container, and pour water. Ideally, it can be a pallet for a mini-greenhouse, but the usual container for storing food is also suitable. If, as the tablets are absorbed, all the water is absorbed, it should be added, if the water on the contrary remains, you need to drain the excess.
Since the seeds of this plant are very small and it is extremely inconvenient to work with them, it is better to take the granulated ones. Seeds should simply be put on the surface of the prepared swollen tablet, without deepening them, as they can germinate only in the light. Then cover the container with a film or a transparent lid and put it in a well-lit place, the temperature in the room where the plants are kept should be 20-22 ° C. In addition to lighting, the most important condition for the development of petunia shoots is watering. Very important
After the petunia in the peat tablets sprout, strengthen and it will appear 2-3 leaves, the container can be opened. From the moment of landing to landing in the open ground, three full months must pass. In terms of weather conditions, the optimal time for petunia to land in the open ground is June.