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All novice gardeners may encounter a situation where petunia does not bloom. The crop is usually planted in flowerpots and flower beds for long-lasting lush flowering. But sometimes it happens that the desired result cannot be achieved, and even with a healthy appearance, the plant does not have flowers. There are several reasons for this, and each case has its own solutions.
How many days after planting does petunia begin to bloom?
Petunia is a popular garden and indoor plant, has a long flowering period and is unpretentious to grow. Many gardeners plant it on their plots every year and use it to create landscape design.
In order for petunia flowers to appear as early as possible (late May - early June), it is important to know that it has a long growing season. Depending on the variety, at least 2.5 months must pass from the emergence of seedlings to flowering.For this reason, it is advisable to start sowing the plant for seedlings in winter, in the second half of February. But in this case, it will be necessary to provide the sprouts with additional lighting. Daylight hours should last about 12 hours. If this is not possible, the seeds are planted at the end of March, but then the first flowers should be expected by June.
Frequency of feeding – 2 times a month
How petunia blooms
The culture has the form of bushes, the stems are densely branched, erect or creeping. The height of the plant depends on the varietal characteristics and varies from 15 to 70 cm. Petunia flowers are single, funnel-shaped, double and regular. The coloring is varied. The flowering period is from the end of May until the onset of frost.
Why doesn't petunia bloom?
Sometimes it happens that petunia does not bloom after planting. There are several reasons why, at first glance, such a non-capricious plant may not form buds. Even the slightest failure to follow the rules of caring for a crop can slow down its growth and lead to a lack of flowers.
Poor quality soil
An important rule for growing petunia is to provide it with suitable soil. If the foliage of the bushes turns yellow and there is no flowering, then the soil in which they grow is probably not of very high quality. For this crop, fertile and loose soil is considered the most suitable. Loams should be enriched with sand, fertilizers, compost or humus. Sandy soil needs the addition of black soil and peat.
If the soil is selected correctly, then the reason for the lack of flowering lies in something else.
Nutrient deficiencies
Petunia loves fertilizers very much.Experienced summer residents say that for abundant flowering it is advisable to feed it 2-3 times a month. The culture responds best to mineral complexes (Kemira, Pokon, Agricola, Forte). During feeding, it is advisable to alternate watering with useful solutions and spraying.
Rain and lack of sunny days lead to a delay in the development and growth of petunia
Adverse weather conditions
Often petunia growing in open ground blooms poorly due to bad weather. The number of buds is greatly influenced by rain, lack of sunny days, and low air temperature (+20 degrees). Such factors can lead to a stop in development, and even to a lack of flowering.
Lack of light
The plant often suffers from insufficient light, especially for petunias grown at home. With short daylight hours, its bushes gradually begin to stretch out and form very small buds. The culture requires diffused lighting, lasting at least 12 hours.
Why don't petunias bloom in flowerpots?
Typically, problems with flowering appear in petunias that grow in flowerpots or pots. The reason for this is insufficient strength for growth. The crop has a branched and powerful root system and requires a large volume of soil for normal functioning. To grow one strong plant, you need a pot of 5 to 8 liters. Moreover, so that the flowers do not suppress each other, the containers should be placed at some distance. If you grow petunia on a balcony, then as it grows you will have to replant it, cutting off the roots:
- the plant, after the first wave of flowering has passed, is taken out of the container;
- roots and stem are removed by 1/3;
- After pruning, the seedling is placed in new soil and a larger pot;
- sprayed with a growth enhancer and watered.
Potted petunia often does not bloom due to the small container
Why did petunia stop blooming?
Sometimes it happens that petunia, which bloomed well at the beginning of the season, stops setting buds by mid-summer. This can be caused by several factors that are usually associated with improper care. If mistakes are corrected in a timely manner, flowering can be restored.
Neglecting to remove faded buds
If you do not pick off flower stalks that have faded in time, you can damage the flowering petunia. The plant will begin to form seed pods, causing new buds to form slowly.
Lack of nutrition
If you do not apply fertilizing on time or give it in insufficient quantities, petunia will quickly exhaust the soil resources. This will lead to its poor flowering or its cessation. Gardeners advise alternating watering with water and fertilizers, and use:
- for growth - fertilizing with nitrogen;
- for planting flowers - solutions with phosphorus and potassium;
- for a flowering bush - mineral complexes.
Not enough space
Often the reason for the inhibition of cultural development is a small amount of land. Petunia should not be planted close to each other. And if grown in a pot, one bush must be provided with at least 2 liters of capacity. If the planting becomes very dense, the plants should be thinned out. If there is insufficient space, development will slow down and flowering will stop.In addition, strong specimens will suppress weak ones.
It is necessary to avoid dense plantings
Pests and diseases
The plant may stop blooming due to disease or pest attack. Most often, petunia is susceptible to the following ailments:
- Powdery mildew. Signs of the disease are the appearance of a white coating with a specific odor on the leaves. As the disease progresses, they begin to wither, curl and fall off. Petunia does not bloom and dies. To cope with the disease, it needs to be treated with special drugs (“Sulfarid”, “Topaz”, “Topsin-M”).
- Spider mite. A dangerous insect that leads not only to a lack of flowering, but also to the death of the plant. It should be combated with insecticides - “Neoron”, “Aktellik”, “Fitoverm”.
- Whitefly. A pest that feeds on plant sap. Fitoverm or Aktar can help in the fight against the parasite.
- Aphid. It infects the flower with fungal diseases, which lead to the buds drying out and falling off. Folk remedies and ready-made preparations help get rid of insects.
How to make petunia bloom
In order for petunia to bloom long and profusely, you need to plant the plant and care for it according to the following rules:
- Provide enough space for the root system. Adult specimens have spacious roots, so when planting seedlings, it is important to maintain a distance between each bush of at least 15 cm. When planting hanging or cascading varieties, the volume of soil for one plant should be at least 10 liters.
- Plant petunia in good quality soil. The plant requires breathable, loose soil that can transmit and retain moisture. It is good to add wood ash, humus and peat to the soil.
- Carry out regular watering. Petunia does not like the soil to dry out.Bushes that grow in pots or flowerpots need to be watered daily, in flower beds as needed. The water should be warm. Watering is carried out strictly at the root.
Warning! Overmoistening and stagnation of moisture should not be allowed. Petunia boxes must have drainage holes. - Add fertilizer. The crop will bloom well only with frequent (once a week) fertilization. You can use complex additives that contain potassium, phosphorus and some nitrogen. In addition, it is worth adding “Ferovit” to the soil 3 times per season.
- Form bushes. Almost all varieties of petunias require a neat shape. Cascading and ampelous species are pinched, bush species are trimmed.
- Removing faded buds. To ensure that petunia blooms abundantly, you should regularly pick off flowers that have wilted. If you allow them to form seed pods, then the plant’s forces will be directed not to flowering, but to the development of seeds.
Petunias love spraying with weak solutions of complex fertilizers
What to do if petunia doesn't bloom well
If the bushes have poor flowering, then you should correctly determine the cause of this deficiency and try to eliminate it:
- When a flower grows in a small pot, it needs to be replanted in time.
- For dense plantings, it is recommended to thin out the flower bed.
- If there is a lack of sunlight, petunias need to be provided with additional lighting or moved to a brighter place.
- If there is a lack of nutrients, feed the crop with potassium fertilizers.
Conclusion
Petunia does not bloom most often due to improper care. If you follow all the tips for growing it, then there will be no problems with flowering.The plant cannot be classified as a capricious crop, but in order to obtain beautiful, healthy and abundantly flowering bushes, certain rules must be followed when breeding it.
Good afternoon The petunia leaves have turned yellow and covered with a whitish coating. Is it chlorosis or powdery mildew or both? Are there any folk remedies to combat this?