Why do you need to prune petunia in the middle of summer and how to do it correctly
Petunia is one of the most popular flowering plants. Lush bushes with white, pink, red, purple, spotted flowers are found in city flower beds, garden plots, and on the balconies of citizens. To prolong flowering and rejuvenate the bushes, gardeners prune petunias in mid-summer.
Why prune petunia
Petunia - an unpretentious plant that delights with its lush flowering. To maintain the beauty of flowers, a “haircut” is performed in mid-summer. If petunia is left unattended, the plant will begin to stretch and the flowers will become small and dull.
Petunias are pruned at the stage of growing seedlings. To do this, pinch the main branches, which stimulates the formation of lateral stems. Use your fingers or scissors to remove the tips of the stems, after which the shoots become thicker and the leaves acquire a rich color. In two weeks, the first buds will appear on the bush, dormant buds will become active and quickly begin to grow.
Trimming petunias is included in the list of mandatory procedures to give the bushes a neat shape. This method helps to create unusual shapes and change the direction of growth of stems. You can shape it into a ball or lower the branches in a beautiful cascade.
Important! The formation of petunia is carried out only if the stem was pinched in a timely manner during the growing season.
Proper pruning of the plant will help in case of stems stretching due to lack of lighting and improper care.Bush varieties are plucked without regret, leaving only 15 cm in length, ampelous cut if desired. After pruning, the plant begins to grow with renewed vigor.
Pruning or pinching is performed exclusively on adult bushes. This stimulates flowering and allows petunia to be propagated by cuttings. 3-4 weeks after the first procedure, the side stems are further shortened to add volume. Subsequent manipulations are performed as necessary, taking into account the condition of the plant.
Timing of the procedure
Pruning does not cause difficulties even for novice gardeners. The procedure is carried out depending on the stage of plant development. At the beginning of summer, the bushes are actively growing and gaining strength, looking healthy and attractive. At the end of the season, without proper care, the plant may dry out and flowering may stop completely.
The first pinching is done in early June, after which the petunia gains green mass and buds appear on the stems. The second pruning is carried out in July-August in order to form bushes and stimulate flowering.
Summer anti-aging pruning
In the summer, flower growers prune petunias to rejuvenate the bush, give it a beautiful appearance and stimulate flowering.
For abundant flowering
How to renew a plant? In July, petunia flowering decreases and the bushes thin out. To stimulate the appearance of new flowers, pruning is carried out. The work involves using garden pruners, scissors, or cutting off the stems by hand. If you ignore this procedure, the plant will begin to spend all its energy on ripening the seeds. To do this, shorten the central stem and lateral shoots.
Reference. It is not recommended to pinch only the tips of the stems, as the new branches will grow thin and weak.
The stems are pinched in places where there are almost no flowers left. Four leaves are left on the cut stem. Dry buds are removed manually or with nail scissors. Experienced flower growers advise pinch petunia once a month until the end of September.
To form a bush
In August, pruning is performed to restore the plant and lush flowering. The procedure is the same as in July.
As a result of intensive flowering, petunia quickly loses its strength. To renew them, the bushes are regularly sprayed and fed once a week.
After flowering, the plant is pruned if the bushes are grown for decorative purposes. If the gardener needs seeds, pruning is not carried out. When regular pinching does not give the expected results and the leaves turn yellow, it is recommended to trim the bushes by one third. The plant is removed from the pot along with the earthen ball and the root system is divided in half. A sharp knife will do for this.
After dividing the rhizomes, the petunia is transplanted into larger pots, filling them with fresh soil mixture. The containers are transferred to a dark place for a week and watered regularly. For three weeks, the soil is fertilized with nitrogen, then they switch to complex fertilizing. After such pruning, petunia will resume flowering at the end of August and will delight with new buds until September.
This is interesting:
Description of varieties and features of growing terry petunia
How to grow petunia from seeds at home: sowing seedlings, care, transplanting into open ground
How dangerous are aphids on petunia and how to effectively fight them
How to prune
How to prune correctly for lush flowering? The procedure is carried out in compliance with a number of rules. To do this, use garden shears or pruning shears.Instruments are first disinfected with a strong solution of potassium permanganate or medical alcohol.
Pruning rules
To make the bushes easier to bear pruning and quickly restore vitality, the procedure is performed taking into account the nuances:
- bushes must be strong and healthy, contain at least five large leaves on each stem;
- a container is placed in the working area to collect cuttings;
- on each stem, remove the top 3-4 cm long;
- The procedure is carried out in the morning or evening, when the sun is not shining so brightly.
How to prune petunia so that it blooms in a lush cascade
In order for petunia to bloom in a lush cascade, it needs to be rejuvenated, adhering to the general recommendations. Ampelous varieties are characterized by cascading thin stems that are cut to half their length. It is important to take into account the fact that if you cut it in July, the plant will not have time to grow long lashes.. Therefore, hanging varieties are pruned as soon as they lose their attractiveness.
The stems of cascading varieties grow upward. When pruning such petunias, shoots 15 cm long are left. If only the tops are removed, the petunia will begin to grow in width. This will create interesting flower shapes.
Important! Pruning is done before fertilizing so that the plant receives additional nutrition and activates lush flowering.
Further care
In order for petunia to continue to delight with lush flowering, experienced gardeners recommend following a number of rules:
- For intensive growth, bushes are fertilized with minerals and growth stimulants.
- During drought, the plant is watered daily, and in the evening it is sprayed with water from a spray bottle.
- Withered flowers are removed along with the stem.
Feeding rules:
- After planting the petunias in a permanent place, add 5 tsp to the soil. potassium monophosphate per 10 liters of water.Once a week, the plant is fertilized with Zircon (1 ampoule per 10 liters of water). To improve flowering, use the drug “Kemira Lux” with micro- and macroelements
- In mid-July, Kemira Lux mixed with potassium monophosphate and potassium nitrate is added to the soil every five days. For abundant flowering, the bushes are fed with urea (10 g per 10 liters of water). Nitrogen stimulates the growth of green mass and ensures lush flowering.
- In August, the plant is fed with Fertika and potassium monophosphate once every 7 days.
At the end of summer, fertilizing is reduced to a minimum. By this time, the bushes will have gained strength and will delight with prolonged flowering until the end of the season.
Conclusion
It is necessary to trim stems with dry leaves and wilted flowers regularly, starting in June. Flower growers pay special attention to pruning petunia in the summer. The first procedure is performed in June, subsequent ones in July-August. Garden shears, pruning shears, and sharp knives are used in the work.
The stems are pinched manually, and dried flowers are removed with nail scissors. Any pruning is stressful for the plant, so to replenish vitality, the bushes are fed with nitrogen and complex additives. Growth stimulants promote lush flowering and green mass. With proper care, petunia will delight you with lush flowers until the end of September.