The best varieties of ampelous petunias and features of their cultivation

Ampelous petunia is a popular and easy-to-care ornamental plant that is used to decorate garden plots and balconies. It has flowing shoots, densely strewn with small but bright flowers. Thanks to its shape and abundance of flowering, petunia looks aesthetically pleasing both in flower beds and in flowerpots.

There is a huge variety of varieties of this plant. They differ in the size and color of the inflorescences, the length of the shoots, and the foliage of the bush. Read on to find out which varieties of petunias are the most popular and what makes them special.

What is ampelous petunia

Ampelous petunia is an ornamental plant that is used to decorate flower beds and balconies. To understand how it differs from other varieties of such flowers, consider its main characteristics:

1. Bush and shoots. The bushes are spreading. They have many shoots. The length of the stems varies between 30-120 cm. The stems are thin and fall in one direction.
2. Flowers. They are bell-shaped and relatively small in size. There are a variety of shades, and the outside is always lighter than the inside. Some specimens have a pattern or border of distinct color around the edge of the petals. The plant produces many flowers, which form in the axil of each shoot.
3. Leaves. The size depends on the age; the older the plant, the larger the leaf blade. The leaves have an oval-round shape, pointed on both sides.They are covered with light pubescence, making them soft to the touch.

Ampelous and cascading petunias are similar. The latter have more powerful and longer stems, which are raised at the root and fall apart in different directions. They have larger inflorescences, but flower less abundantly. Ampelous shoots grow downward, while cascading shoots grow first upward, then along the sides and only then downward.

This is interesting! Botanists have established that cascade petunia is a type of ampelous petunia.

Popular varieties of ampelous petunias

There are many varieties of petunias available for sale. They differ in the size and color of the inflorescences, the length of the shoots, and their resistance to negative environmental factors.

All varieties are divided into large-flowered and small-flowered (multi-flowered). The former are distinguished by inflorescences with a diameter of 8 cm, and the latter have inflorescences 5-7 cm in size. In small-flowered petunias, flowering is usually more abundant than in large-flowered ones, but in both cases the plants are almost completely covered with inflorescences.

It is believed that caring for and growing petunias with large flowers is more difficult than with small ones. The fact is that during prolonged heavy rains, inflorescences with a diameter of more than 8 cm fall off. Therefore, many gardeners grow such varieties only in flowerpots.

This is interesting! Mini-flowered petunia has appeared on the markets. The size of its flowers varies between 2.5-4 cm.

Velvet F1

Velvet is a hybrid variety of petunia. Belongs to the small-flowered type.

The maximum length of shoots reaches 100 cm, and the minimum is 80 cm.

The advantages of the Velvet variety include:

• low price of planting material;
• immunity to major diseases;
• resistance to pests;
• fast growth;
• high germination of planting material;
• possibility of seed propagation.

This series includes several crops. These include:

1. Parple Velvet. The shoots reach a length of 100 cm. The diameter of the flowers varies between 5-6 cm. The color is deep purple, with a dark (almost black) throat.
2. Salamon Shades Velvet. The length of the cascade reaches 80 cm. The diameter of the flowers is 7-8 cm. They have a pastel orange-pink (salmon) hue.
3. Rose Wayne Velvet. The length of the shoots is equal to 100 cm. The petals are light pink in color with a dark pink network of veins and vertical stripes of the same color. The diameter of the flowers is 5-5.5 cm.
4. Rosie Velvet. The length of the branches reaches 80 cm. Bright pink flowers have a light yellow (beige) throat. Diameter from 6 to 7 cm.

Avalanche

The Avalanche series of petunia hybrids is popular among gardeners. It earned the right to be called so thanks to the flowers that form in such numbers on the bush that the hanging hanging plant really resembles a colored avalanche.

The length of the shoots varies from 80 to 120 cm. The flowers have a diameter of 7 to 9 cm. This plant is often classified as large-flowered.

The group is valued for:

• possibility of reproduction seeds;
• abundant flowering;
• unpretentiousness to weather conditions;
• variety of shades.

The group of ampelous petunias Avalanche includes several varieties. They differ in flower color:

1. Red. A red petunia with a dirty purple throat and thin black lines down the center of each petal.
2. White. It has white flowers with a yellow-green throat.
3. Salmon. Salmon-colored flowers with a white throat.
4. Pink. Petunia is bright pink with a white throat.
5. Purple Star. Inflorescences are deep red in color with a star-shaped pattern and a yellow throat.
6. Purple. Dark pink petunia with a dark purple center.
7. Yellow star. White at the edges, with a distinct bright yellow veining from the center, resembling a star.
8. Blue Star. Petunia is purple in color with a white pattern resembling a five-pointed star.
9. Yellow whim. In cool weather it has a cool lemon tint. At elevated temperatures and sunny weather it takes on a soft pink tint.

Opera

Petunia Opera is a group of first generation hybrids. Belongs to small-flowered varieties. The length of the shoots is 80-120 cm. The diameter of each flower is 5-7 cm.

The main advantage is considered to be undemanding to lighting. The variety grows even in partial shade.

The Opera group includes:

1. Raspberry Ice. It has soft pink flowers with a crimson center and thin lines on the petals, reaching 6 cm in diameter. The length of the shoots is 1 m.
2. White. White petunia with a greenish throat. The length of the stems reaches 80 cm.
3. Coral. It has coral inflorescences with a tint and a light yellow throat. The length of the shoots is 1.2 m.
4. Red. Has a correspondingly rich shade. It is distinguished by the largest flowers of the series, reaching a diameter of 8 cm.
5. Blue. A plant with bright purple buds.
6. Parple. It has a muted pink color and a black throat.
7. Raspberry veins. The white petals are covered to the brim with bright pink veins.
8. Blue. Has blue double flowers.
9. Lilac. The pinkish petals have purple veins.
10. Pink. Pastel pink petals surround a white throat.

Success

Petunia Success is a large-flowered plant. It is distinguished by short shoots, the length of which varies from 30 to 70 cm.

Several varieties that are included in the Success group:

1. Deep pink. The shoot length reaches 30-45 cm. It has large crimson flowers 10-12 cm in size.
2. Burgundy.Dark crimson flowers with a diameter of 10-12 cm. The size of the stems is 35 cm.
3. Silver Wayne. The shoots reach a length of only 30 cm. The flowers are light pink with purple veins, 6.5-8 cm in diameter.

Features of cultivation

Growing ampelous petunia is not difficult. This is an unpretentious plant that requires minimal care.

Many novice gardeners think that all varieties of petunias have similar rules of agricultural technology.

In fact, in order to grow ampelous petunia, it is important to take into account several nuances:

1. Distance between plants. It should not be less than 30 cm, while a gap of 20 cm is left between bush varieties.
2. Lighting. Ampelous petunia is especially demanding in terms of lighting. If it is planted in a shaded area, flowering will be poor.
3. Formation. The ampelous variety requires more attention to formation than bush petunias. Not only do they pinch off the main stem, but also cut off the side shoots. In this case, parts of the stems are cut off, since pinching is ineffective.
4. Trimming seed pods. Unlike cascading petunia, the ampelous variety requires pruning of faded fruits and seed pods. Otherwise, few flowers will form.

Planting ampelous petunia and growing seedlings

Ampelous petunia is propagated by vegetative and generative methods. In the first case, cuttings are used, and in the second, seeds.

Vegetative propagation is convenient to use when you want to breed a certain variety of petunia. The generative method is used for new series.

Note! Self-collected seeds do not always retain their parental characteristics, especially if a hybrid was used.Therefore, it is recommended to purchase varietal petunias from reliable seed producers.

For any growing method, the planting technology will be the same. Petunia is planted in 10x10 cm holes without deepening the root collar. Maintain a distance of 30 cm between plants. After planting, water the flowerbed.

Seed method

Seeds are bought in the store or used independently collected planting material. As a rule, the manufacturer processes the goods in a factory.

Homemade seeds require preparation before sowing:

1. Disinfection. The seeds are soaked for 30-60 minutes. in a light pink solution of potassium permanganate. After this, they are washed under running water.
2. Growth stimulation. During the day, planting material is soaked in a growth stimulant, for example, “Epine”.

The store sells granulated seeds, which are large in size, making them convenient to sow. Loose ones are cheaper and there are more of them in the package, but they are small, which makes sowing difficult.

Before sowing the seeds, prepare a container (usually a large common box), drainage (expanded clay, artificial filler, broken ceramics) and soil. Buy special soil in the store or prepare it yourself from:

• 2 parts of garden soil;
• 2 parts peat;
• 2 parts humus;
• 1 part sand.

The soil, drainage and container for sowing seeds are disinfected. Use a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate or boiling water.

A 1 cm layer of drainage is poured into the container, and the rest of the space is filled with soil so that 2-3 cm are left free to the edge.

If granulated seeds are used, they are simply laid out on the ground at a distance of 1-2 cm from each other. Then they press it into the ground.

Bulk seeds are mixed with a small amount of sand and scattered in an even layer on the soil. Another option is to lay snow on top of the ground, and spread small dark seeds over it with tweezers or a toothpick.

Crops are moistened with warm water from a spray bottle. Cover the container with film and put it in a warm place, moistening the soil as it dries.

After the first shoots appear, the petunia begins to be ventilated, gradually increasing the duration of the procedure. When two true leaves appear on the plants, the greenhouse is dismantled.

Seedlings are watered daily in the morning or evening. In separate pots dive after the appearance of 2 true leaves.

note! Seeds for seedlings are sown in late February - early March.

Cutting method

For cutting propagation You will need a healthy bush of a hanging plant. Cuttings are cut from it at an angle, on which at least 2 internodes should remain.

A cut of the cutting is immersed for half an hour in a light pink solution of potassium permanganate. Then it is placed in a root formation stimulator.

The soil mixture for the cutting method is prepared the same as for seedlings. Some gardeners prefer to mix garden soil and hydrogel in equal proportions.

First, the cuttings are planted in a common container. They are buried so that they stand without support. Cover the top with a bag or film.

Rooting occurs in 1-2 weeks. After this, the seedlings are planted in individual plastic (preferably transparent) cups. Picking into a new container is carried out when the root system fills the old one.

Throughout the entire period growing seedlings are watered every day. The greenhouse is dismantled immediately after rooting.

Features of care for abundant flowering

In order for petunia to bloom profusely, it needs to be provided with the right growing conditions. Caring for the plant does not take much time.

How to care for ampelous petunia so that there are many flowers:

1. Watering. Petunia is watered every day with warm water at the root. It is important that water does not get on the leaves. The procedure is carried out in the morning or evening. The older the plant, the more water is used.
2. Feeding. Once a week, petunia is fed with fertilizers containing large amounts of phosphorus and potassium. At the stage of growing seedlings, fertilizers are added to the water, using humates for the first week, and potassium salts for the second week. Such intensive feeding is done before planting in a permanent place.
3. Formation. Even at the stage of growing seedlings, when 3 pairs of true leaves appear, the top of the ampelous petunia is cut off to stimulate the formation of side shoots. In order to have more inflorescences and make them large, shoots are cut at least once a week by 60% of their length.
4. Removing faded flowers. Withered flowers and seed crusts are removed. They inhibit the development of new flowers and make flowering less abundant.

Application in landscape design

With the help of hanging petunias, you will be able to create the most unusual compositions and bring your fantasies to life. After all, this plant takes root well both in the garden and on the balcony.

Flowers in pots are hung near the entrance to a house or gazebo, placed around the site, and hung on trees. The hanging petunia on poles looks interesting, imitating a flowering tree.

In open ground, the plant is used to create alpine slides. The flower looks beautiful as a frame for a flower bed.

Conclusion

Ampelous petunia looks great in flowerpots and in open ground.Its cascading shoots produce many flowers, making the plant look like a carpet of flowers. It is suitable for decorating a garden, balcony and window sill.

Growing petunia is not difficult. The main thing is to apply fertilizing in a timely manner, shape the plant and moisten the soil. It doesn't take much time, but gives impressive results.