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One type of vegetative flower that does not reproduce by seed is the Stormy Sky petunia. This is a semi-ampeloid plant with buds of unique colors. The culture is characterized by rapid growth and good branching, which allows you to completely fill the pots in a short time. A distinctive feature of the hybrid: the color of the flowers changes depending on the growing conditions.
History of selection
Vegetative petunia Stormy Sky was bred in 2018 by breeders from Germany working at Selecta Klemm GmbH & Co. In the same year, the culture collected all possible awards at the European Flower Exhibition. At the moment, flower growers know about 40 different types of petunias.
Description of petunia Stormy sky and characteristics
All petunias belong to the Solanaceae family. In the wild, they can be found in North and South America. Uncultivated species grow up to 1 m in length.
Petunia Stormy Sky is highly decorative. This is a compact plant, when planted in hanging flowerpots it can produce long, meter-long, strong shoots. Petunia bushes and grows well, branching is abundant.
The buds form continuously from May to August and densely cover the entire plant. The leaves are light green, soft to the touch, velvety. They densely cover the shoots, never exposing them. At this time, Petunia Stormy Sky becomes like a blooming ball of regular shape. In coverage, its size ranges from 35 to 50 cm.
If there is a lack of nutrients in the soil, green mass may prevail over flowering. The situation can be easily corrected by applying potassium fertilizers.
The description of Petunia Stormy Sky fully matches the photo. By purchasing a seedling from trusted producers, a flower lover will not go wrong with his choice.
The first flowers of the Stormy Sky are dark, almost black; over time, yellow diamonds begin to form in the center
The buds are dark burgundy, cherry, crimson, with small white spots, cup-shaped, their diameter can reach 8-10 cm. The petals are round, wide, there are 5 of them on a branch. With a large difference in night and day temperatures, white dots appear on the flowers. If you grow vegetative petunia Stormy Sky in direct sunlight, the cream spots appear more, merge, and the buds become almost beige, with a dark border along the edge.
Under the influence of light, the central part of the petals brightens, Petunia Stormy Sky looks different
The color of each flower of the Stormy Sky hybrid is unique. One may be completely speckled burgundy, another – half yellow, the third – almost black, velvet.
The culture is resistant to weather vagaries and does not stop blooming in 30-degree heat and prolonged rains. When it gets very cold in the summer, it is better to put the flower pots in a greenhouse or bring them into the house. Petunia Stormy Sky is not susceptible to diseases and pest attacks.
Withered buds are hidden inside the plant, which looks decorative without pruning.
The seed pods do not become attached to the shoots and do not spoil their appearance
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
There are practically no negative qualities identified in Petunia Stormy Sky. To obtain contrasting colors, it is necessary to maintain a significant difference between night and day temperatures. Ideally, this gap should be from + 10 in the evening to +30 ᵒin the afternoon.
Advantages:
- good adaptability to any climate;
- unique colors of buds;
- highly decorative;
- long and continuous flowering;
- unpretentiousness;
- moderate watering;
- resistance to pests and diseases.
The crop can be grown in flower beds, in balcony boxes, hanging pots and flowerpots.
Reproduction methods
Petunia Stormy Sky is a hybrid that does not reproduce by seeds. Seedlings are purchased for growing crops. At home, cuttings are separated from the mother bush.
For propagation, last year's queen cells and young plants are used. Spreading bushes with large flowers are suitable. At the end of summer they are brought into a cool room, the air temperature should be + 10-12 ᵒС.
Cuttings of petunia begin at the end of February. Cuttings 10 cm long are cut from the tops of the mother bushes. A couple of upper leaves are left on them, and they are shortened by half.
Petunia Stormy Sky is a capricious plant, it is difficult to propagate, and the experience is not always successful
Each cutting is placed in a rooting solution and soaked for several hours. After this, the sprouts are deepened 4 cm into loose soil or sand.The distance between seedlings is 2 cm. After planting, the cuttings are watered. The seedlings are covered with film and placed on a well-lit windowsill.
The room temperature is maintained at least + 20 ᵒC. The seedlings are watered daily, additionally sprayed, and the film is removed for half an hour for ventilation.
Using lamps, daylight hours are increased to 10 hours
After a week, the cuttings will have roots, and after another 7 days the leaves will hatch. Petunia is transplanted into separate containers as soon as the sprout develops 2-4 true leaves. First, thoroughly moisten the soil in the container, pry up the young plant with a stick, trying not to damage the root, and transfer it to a separate peat cup. The container is filled with loose soil mixed with sand, the care rules remain the same. Seedlings may not tolerate transshipment well. If the leaves begin to dry out and wither, they are sprayed with a spray bottle 2 times a day.
Growing and care
Petunia Stormy Sky grows well outdoors and in pots. Before planting in a flowerbed in early spring, the flower is hardened off by taking it out into the open air for an hour every day. Root the seedlings as soon as the night frosts pass (second half of May).
Planting is carried out in loose, well-drained soil. Petunia loves sandy or clay soils. A solution of compost or humus is first added to them, but the crop does not tolerate manure. This fertilizer promotes the development of fungal colonies in the soil.
An hour before transplanting, the seedlings are watered generously. As soon as the water is absorbed, the plants are removed from the pots along with the earthen ball.
When transshipping petunia seedlings, it is important not to injure the root shoots
When marking the flowerbed, maintain a distance between bushes of at least half a meter.A bed or container with seedlings is placed in a well-lit place; small, single flowers form in partial shade. It is important to protect Stormy Sky petunia from winds and drafts.
After rooting, the plant is watered abundantly at the root, and the next day the soil is mulched. The buds can be removed, this will stimulate the formation of new ovaries.
The plant does not need special care. It is necessary to promptly remove faded buds. In containers, petunias are watered as the soil dries, in open ground - less often. Be sure to regularly loosen the soil to prevent excess moisture and the formation of crust on the soil. If weeds sprout, they are uprooted.
From the beginning of spring until the end of budding, the Stormy Sky petunia is fed with water-soluble fertilizers for flowering crops. For these purposes, you can take nitrophoska, Kemira, Mortar and other complex mineral fertilizers. They are diluted at the rate of 25 g per 10 liters of water or according to the instructions. Nutrients are added a week after rooting. The procedure is carried out every 14 days.
Pests and diseases
Petunia Stormy Sky is resistant to pests and diseases. During the growing process, the bottom of the cutting may suffer from “black leg”. This happens at high air humidity. If diseased seedlings are detected, they are removed, the amount of watering is reduced, and the seedlings are treated with fungicides.
Blackleg is a fungal disease that can completely destroy seedlings
If the leaves of the Stormy Sky petunia turn yellow, the reason is a lack of nutrients, low or excessive acidity of the soil.
Application in landscape design
The Thunderstorm Sky hybrid is quite unpretentious and suitable for growing in all climatic zones of Russia. Petunias have long been used to decorate landscapes. They look perfect in the yard, on flower beds and hanging pots: the round, spreading bush leaves no gaps and completely frames the flowerpot.
Portable petunia stands will fit well into a garden landscape with a gravel path
You can install a pot with petunias near the threshold. They will perfectly decorate the entrance to the house.
Petunias Stormy Sky look good in flowerpots on external window sills, framed by white frames
The Thunderstorm and Night Sky varieties go well together. Several types of speckled petunias are planted in hanging pots.
New hybrids work well together, but there are not many options for using them
With the help of several types of petunias, you can literally transform a nondescript yard in the spring. Varieties with dark buds are combined with white-flowered and pink plants. Petunia seedlings are rooted in a flowerbed; seeds are not germinated in open ground.
It’s good to place the Stormy sky culture under the windows, a subtle floral aroma will hover in the yard and in the house
In floor flowerpots and elongated containers for window sills and balconies, the Stormy Sky hybrid goes well with pelargonium, fuchsia, lobelia, and sweet peas. In hanging structures, petunia is planted in combination with ivy, bacopa, viola, and verbena.
Conclusion
Petunia Stormy Sky has a unique bud color that changes depending on the conditions. Each flower on a round, densely greened plant is unique. The culture is suitable for growing in open ground and in pots.Abundant and long flowering from May to October attracts many florists; in a short time the hybrid has become popular in many countries.
