Petunia seedlings at home

Growing petunias from seed indoors doesn't determine the flower's appearance. It depends on the plant variety. However, strong seedlings will certainly allow you to admire the beauty of this flower for a long time and smell its wonderful fragrance.

You can buy ready-made petunia seedlings at the store and plant them directly in your garden. However, they are much more expensive than seeds. In our climate, it's impossible to germinate seeds outdoors and wait for them to bloom. However, you can use a tried-and-true method: growing seedlings. To enjoy abundant petunia blooms as early as summer, start planting seeds for seedlings in early spring.

Containers for soil

Suitable containers are essential for growing this flower. They should be made of a material that conducts heat well. Therefore, metal containers should be avoided immediately. Containers made of wood, plastic, or ceramic are ideal.

Be sure to make drainage holes in the container where you'll be planting the petunia seeds. These holes are necessary to allow excess water to drain away, as petunias are plants that don't tolerate excess moisture.

Interesting! To grow petunia seedlings, you can use regular plastic food containers with lids, as well as yogurt and sour cream cups.

Soil preparation

To successfully grow petunias from seeds indoors for seedlings, you need to properly prepare the soil. It's from the soil that the plant receives the nutrients and microelements it needs to thrive.

We suggest adding some fine sand, organic matter, and peat moss to the soil mixture, in addition to soil. Adding hydrogel to the soil will reduce the amount of watering needed. Before adding the hydrogel to the soil, soak it in a fertilizer solution. When the soil dries out, the hydrogel begins to release moisture. This is an excellent way to prevent the soil from drying out, as a dry soil ball can negatively impact the growth of petunia seedlings.

This is important!

Petunias can be propagated from seedlings, but they can also be grown from cuttings. This is especially true for simple and easy-to-grow varieties, which can be sown directly into the ground for permanent growth. However, if you want beautiful double-flowered varieties or hybrids to bloom in your garden, starting from seedlings is the only suitable method.

If you look closely at the seeds of this plant, you'll notice they're extremely small and somewhat reminiscent of poppy seeds. When planting, the seeds should be evenly distributed throughout the container filled with soil. Experienced gardeners recommend first pouring the seeds onto a white sheet of paper and spreading them evenly across it. Next, wet the tip of a toothpick with water and, picking up one seed at a time, transplant them into the soil.

Once the seeds are planted, they need to be sprinkled with water again. Afterward, be sure not to water them, as this will ruin all the painstaking work of using toothpicks and transferring the seed to the soil. You can and should even mist the soil with a spray bottle. Afterward, use soft water at room temperature or even warmer for watering.

Once the seeds are planted, cover the boxes with plastic and place them in a warm place. During germination, maintain a temperature of 25-27 degrees Celsius. The process is similar to growing petunias from seeds in peat pellets. Instead of soil, use peat pellets with a diameter of 3 centimeters or more.

Lighting and watering

Three important factors for successful petunia seedling germination are humidity, temperature, and light. Light is essential for germination, while moisture and warmth are essential for seed germination. If there is insufficient light, as when seeds were planted in late winter or early spring, additional lighting will be needed. Table lamps are used. Ensure the light source is located away from the seedlings and does not heat them.

When the first shoots appear, which usually occurs 2-3 weeks after planting, remove the film and move the containers to a bright spot. Water the seedlings twice a day at first, but sparingly. Avoid condensation on the leaves, as petunias react extremely negatively to it.

To ensure strong petunia seedlings, you'll need patience and good care. The plant grows slowly, and only after three months will the young shoots be ready for transplanting into open ground. Until then, additional feeding twice a month is necessary.