Why does petunia dry on the balcony?

Disaster: petunia dries out

This year there was just a disaster on my balcony, for the first time in so many years! But everything happens for the first time. About 3-4 years ago, I stopped sowing seeds for seedlings, and began buying seedlings in the store, and tried to buy them later, when the flowers became cheaper. And I never expected that such an unpretentious plant would cause so much trouble.

3 times, three terrible times, I changed the soil this year, washed the containers with laundry soap, bought new flowers and planted them on the balcony. The result is the same. Petunia is drying up!

Second planting of petunia

At the same time, on the same balcony

Features of growth

Often, a plant is grown through seeds, which is undoubtedly considered a significant feature of the flower, because it is from the seeds that healthy, hardy and strong bushes are formed with a large number of inflorescences.

The seeds of this plant are very small, so the process of sowing these seeds is quite complicated. From planting to planting the plant takes approximately 3-4 months. For sowing these seeds, ordinary soil may be suitable, which you can purchase at any gardening store. The seeds are first planted in a special container. The sown seeds are covered with a film or bag, after watering the soil. The most important thing is that the seeds sown are completely covered with soil. To prevent condensation from forming on the seedlings, it is important to carefully monitor the soil moisture level and also ventilate the container.

If planting is done correctly, within two weeks you will see flower sprouts. According to some opinions and experiences of successful gardeners, if you haven’t seen sprouts in a couple of weeks, you don’t have to wait for them anymore. Otherwise, such plants will grow very weak and require constant and additional care.

When the sprouts grow, they need to be transplanted into different containers, for example, small plastic cups, as they need good lighting and space. Therefore, after transplanting them from each other, provide the sprouts with sufficient lighting, and when the weather is warm outside, this is about 3.5-4 weeks, you can plant the plant in an open space. Don’t forget to fertilize the soil with mineral fertilizers after the picking.

Why does petunia dry out - possible reasons

These are symptoms of several reasons at once:

The first is fungal diseases

Fungi infect the vessels of the root, grow in them and block the access of nutrients from the ground to the upper parts of the plant, as a result of which the plant dies from lack of nutrition and moisture.

The second is nematodes

Nematodes are small worms that suck out the sap of the plant and the plant withers and dries out. Some nematodes form from their saliva something like light balls on the roots, from which you can determine that it is a nematode. But they remain in such a noticeable state for only 18 days, so identification of the pest can be mistaken.

Don't get confused!

Read HERE about the secret of yellow balls in the earthen coma of plants.

Some manufacturers add fertilizer to the soil, which looks scary to amateur gardeners. This fertilizer looks like parasite eggs.

When you see these balls for the first time, you get really scared.

Third - late transplantation of seedlings

The main reasons for the deplorable condition of the flower

To save and revive petunia, it is important to detect the reasons for its deplorable condition in time. Sometimes these are agricultural mistakes: excess or lack of moisture and fertilizing, improper pruning, non-compliance with planting rules. External conditions also influence flower growth: temperature, lighting, amount of precipitation. Often the reason for poor development lies in insect pests and diseases.

Errors in care

Before planting a perennial plant, gardeners study the intricacies of care. Petunia does not tolerate waterlogging or watering with cold water . Before the procedure, it is recommended to warm it up in the sun. Water should not get on the leaves, otherwise fungal diseases may occur, so watering cans or garden hoses are used for watering.

Inexperienced summer residents make another common mistake - they feed perennials only 3-4 times per season, as they are used to doing with vegetables. The flower needs to be fertilized regularly, about once every 5-7 days. Gardeners alternate organic and mineral fertilizers, and use complex fertilizers 2 weeks before flowering. Petunia flowering is stimulated by a solution of dry wood ash, urea, double superphosphate, and potassium salt.

The plant stops growing if pruning is done incorrectly . Every year, gardeners shorten it by 10-12 cm, and sprinkle the cut areas with charcoal. For the procedure, disinfected garden shears are used. If you neglect this, you can introduce an infection with dirty equipment and the plant will get sick. This will affect the appearance of the perennial.

Attention! Sometimes gardeners make mistakes even at the stage of preparing seedlings: they use dirty containers or soil with insect larvae and lumps of clay, and do not treat the seeds before planting. Because of this, diseases develop, insects multiply, and the flower does not have the strength to grow.

Unfavourable conditions

Petunia is a long-day plant, so it is planted in an open area . This rule applies to both planting seedlings and moving seedlings into open ground. Light is especially necessary within 6 weeks from the moment the plant is transplanted - the duration of flowering depends on this. If petunia grows in a greenhouse, summer residents organize additional lighting using lamps. Shade or partial shade is not suitable for growing a flower.

Daytime temperature should be at least +23°C, night temperature - +10°C . Frosts can harm the plant, petunia will lose its ability to flower and die. This factor is especially paid attention to in cold regions of the country and, if necessary, cover the petunia with polyethylene or bring it into the house (if the plant grows in pots). Before emergence, the recommended air humidity is 90-95%, after - up to 65%.

Diseases

Young and adult plants are susceptible to diseases . Some diseases are infectious, others are viral or fungal. Common causes: contaminated soil, plant debris and weeds, sudden changes in weather.

Among the diseases, summer residents note:

Black neck . The causes of infection are waterlogged soil, sudden cold snaps, and lack of microelements. The black neck first affects the stem, then spreads to the leaves - they dry out, curl and fall off. The petunia stem becomes black, soft and covered with rot.
Powdery mildew . A common disease of many garden plants. Transmitted by air or soil, affecting young flowers. Petunia becomes covered with a white coating and metabolism is disrupted. If you don't treat her, she will die.
Gray rot . A fungal disease enters the plant through damaged roots. Light brown spots appear, which become larger over time. The leaves are covered with a fluffy gray coating.
Iron chlorosis . Signs of the disease are small leaves, changes in the shape of buds and flowers, drying out of the apical shoots. Chlorosis appears due to iron deficiency. In addition to petunia, the disease is often found on azaleas, lemons, and hydrangeas.

Pests

Pests enter the garden with poor-quality seedlings, dirty garden tools, or are carried by wind and rain from neighboring garden plots. A frequent guest in a flower bed with petunias is the spider mite . Due to its small size, it is difficult to notice with the naked eye - the length of the pest’s body does not exceed 1 mm. Spider mites live in colonies and quickly move to neighboring plants. They suck out the juice, which disrupts the process of photosynthesis. The leaves become covered with large white spots, dry out and fall off. Ticks become more active in rainy and cool weather.

Aphids are dangerous - white small flying insects . They live on the inside of the leaf and multiply quickly. There are dozens of species of aphids. The affected leaves become deformed and the buds dry out. On the bushes you can also see thrips - small brown insects. White stripes are noticeable on the leaves, and the plant slowly fades.

A case of fungal infection of petunias

One of these lesions may be Fusarium wilt. It is practically impossible to save the plant, unless you do a root transplant. The difficulty is that recognizing an incipient disease is very difficult.

It looks very much like the plant has simply withered in the sun. And you think: well, I’ll water it and recover overnight. And in the morning he was no longer alive - he had completely sunk. Moreover, the flower is the last to wilt, so it is doubly difficult to believe that trouble has come.

It’s a pity for the calibracha; in the spring I planted a red large-flowered petunia next to it. I removed Petunia a long time ago, and now the calibrator is giving up.

In what cases does petunia need to be revived?

Petunia is unpretentious in care. For lush flowering, summer residents follow the rules of planting and fertilizing, pruning and loosening . If petunia does not have enough nutrition, gardeners see it immediately: the flower grows weak, the shoots are thin and sluggish, the buds are small. Sometimes flowering is delayed or does not occur at all. They also think about restoring petunia if the flowers are pale in color. This suggests that petunia needs additional agricultural techniques. The reason for restoration and special care is waterlogging or drying out of the flower.

What happens when transplanting seedlings late?

Too hot for seedlings

The night air temperature when transplanting petunias should be about 13-16 degrees. This does not mean that you need to replant at night, just at this night temperature, the temperature difference between night and day is less.

Weak plants cannot tolerate sudden changes. A healthy adult petunia loves the sun, but a small and fragile petunia that has survived, as experts say, a “transfer” from soil to soil, will not tolerate the heat.

Since this year the spring was not even warm, but simply hot, my late plantings led to the weakening of young plants. Even with a small amount of fungal spores on the balcony, my petunia had no chance to survive.

The root of the seedling is injured

When replanting petunia, the root must not be damaged. When I bought petunias later, I got plants with a fairly large root system that sat tightly in a plastic cup.

While I was waiting for the seedlings to become cheaper, the roots compacted in the cup and sprouted into the holes. When removing the plants from the cup, I could damage the roots.

General description of the flower

Petunia came to us directly from across the Atlantic Ocean, or rather from South America. The Frenchman Jean Baptiste Lamarck found it and brought it to us. The name of this flower comes from a mistake. From the Brazilian language, the word “Petun” is translated as “tobacco”, and the leaves of this flower are very similar to the leaves of the tobacco plant, and only 10 years later, after more species of this flower were discovered, the mistake was recognized. As a result, a whole separate genus Petunia was developed.

Petunia is an annual or perennial plant, quite unpretentious. It surprises with the combination of its beauty and simplicity at the same time. The plant has a strong immunity to diseases and pest attacks, and is quite tolerant of sudden weather changes. It has an excellent decorative appearance. It has conquered almost all countries of the world with its merits and is now an excellent decorative decoration for flower beds and flower beds. Widely used for decorating balconies, window sills, terraces and verandas. There are several varieties of petunia: ampelous, bush, calibrachoa, floribunda and cascade. This flower has a large number of varieties, more than 20. Thanks to this, you can choose the one that suits you.

Other causes of petunias wilting

Old soil

The fungus could have infected the plantings both through the air and by watering with contaminated water, and the fungi could have remained on the containers from last year, because they are not afraid of frost. I don’t change the expanded clay when I plant flowers in the spring, but leave it year after year at the bottom of the containers, which could also do a bad job.

During the first planting, the plants did not all die at once. They grew and bloomed well, then I saw one withered plant and thought that I had crushed it when I protected it from the rain, and then they all died in turn. In principle, this is how children in kindergarten get sick. First one or two, the weakest ones, and then they all came together in a crowd.

Compatibility of vermiculite with fertilizers

During the operation to save the plants, I found information that vermiculite, which I added to the soil this year, reduces the acidity of the soil, and petunia likes neutral or sour, so I rushed to water it with acidified water. By the way, the exact value of the acidity level necessary for plant growth still cannot be achieved using such old-fashioned methods, and as it turned out, petunia does not react in such a painful way to the acidity level.

Another point is the compatibility of epin, a product used for rooting plants. I didn’t use it, but I found out along the way that

Epin is compatible with growth regulators (cytovit and ferovit), vitamins and fertilizers, with the exception of drugs with an alkaline reaction. However, if you are going to mix drugs, you need to check their compatibility.

Epin is not compatible with zircon, houseflower and siliplant.

Preventive measures

Observe temperature and watering conditions.
Do not overfill the flower or spray it. And at the same time, avoid drying out the petunia.
If the cause of wilting is fusarium, we recommend using pre-treated seeds with antifungal agents for planting.
If the plant is infected, it should be disposed of along with the soil, and the container itself should be treated with disinfectants.
Use soil treated with fungicide for planting.
It is best to buy seeds and soil in specialized stores.

If you want petunia to always delight you with its beauty and aroma, then follow simple conditions for its maintenance. Carry out preventive maintenance of the plant and then the beauty will delight you for a long time.

Prevention of diseases in which petunia dries out.

Transplantation should be done on cool days, preferably cloudy ones, when night temperatures fluctuate between 13-16 degrees. (The threat of frost has passed, but the heat has not set in.) If it’s a sunny day, be sure to shade the seedlings.
When replanting, do not injure the root of the plant; do not loosen the earthen ball.
Scald containers with boiling water before planting.
Change the soil in containers every year.
Water the transplanted plant with a solution of manganese (dark, rich color) 1-2 times a week. If you notice the frailty of the plant, water it with a solution of an antifungal agent (I was advised to use foundationazole) according to the directions on the package. You can mix it, that is, dilute the powder directly in a manganese solution.
Do not allow water to stagnate in the container. If the container has a fixed tray, you may not see that water has accumulated at the bottom.
Do not spare expanded clay for the bottom. Helps prevent rotting.
Fertilize once every two weeks.
Plant tagetes (marigolds) on the balcony. The nematode really doesn't like him.

PS Last year in our city there was a massive nematode infestation in city flower beds. The landscapers removed all the petunia and planted tagetes in its place. The city was very elegant.

What to do?

When you have carefully assessed the situation and figured out the cause of the plant’s disease, act slowly.

If it is a lack of sunlight , then find (if possible) another place for the petunia. This mainly applies to plants that have been grown in a pot. Move it to the sunny side of the balcony, window sill, terrace or flower bed. Just don’t overdo it; in the hot summer from 12:00 to 16:00, it’s better to darken the flower to avoid thermal burns.
If it's not watering correctly – correct the situation by decreasing it or increasing it. You need to water once every four days, not more often. Plants in hanging pots are most often subject to drying out, because it is not so easy to see almost in a pot that is suspended higher than human height. Check the soil with your finger, if it is dry and has moved away from the edge of the pot, it is time to water the petunia. Remove the pot, water it and place it on a tray of water for a while.
Excessive watering can cause rotting of the roots and the flower needs urgent help - just change the soil in the pot, do not wait until the soil dries out on its own.
Before replanting, remove the rotted roots of the flower and let them dry. And maintain the correct temperature of water for irrigation. Use water at room temperature.
Pests . It is easy to detect aphids; green bugs do not hide under leaves or flowers; they are always in plain sight and brazenly spoil petunia. To get rid of aphids, you need to dilute a weak soap solution (300 grams of laundry soap per 10 liters of water) and treat the leaves of the plant with it. The same solution helps get rid of spider mites. The tick, in turn, hides in the leaf, rolling it up.
It is necessary to combat fusarium with the help of preventive work . Before planting, treat the seeds with a weak solution of copper sulfate or manganese. An adult plant can be transplanted into another soil by fertilizing it before planting and removing diseased parts of the petunia.

Situation No. 4. Petunia seedlings turn yellow

Yellowness on petunia seedlings not only looks unsightly, but is also a sign that not everything is in order with the plants. If the upper, young leaves turn yellow, and not evenly, but between the veins (the veins remain green), then this is chlorosis - a lack of iron. The seedlings stopped absorbing this microelement and began to turn yellow and weaken. Chlorosis occurs when the soil becomes alkalized, due to its poor quality or excessive watering.

Usually, external application of iron in a form accessible to the plant – chelate – helps correct the situation. Iron chelate is included in all drugs against chlorosis, for example, such as “Ferovit”, “Iron Chelate”, etc.

Chlorosis sometimes occurs due to pest damage, for example, during a spider mite infestation

If the lower leaves are affected by yellowness, then the problem is an overflow or lack of nitrogen. Start feeding the seedlings well with nitrogen-containing complex fertilizers or adjust the watering.

Prevention

It is better to prevent any disease than to treat it. To prevent petunia leaves from turning yellow, the following measures must be taken:

Never use hard water for irrigation. The water should be soft and settled for at least 24 hours.
Watering should be done only after the top layer of soil has dried.
Avoid the formation of stagnant moisture, that is, make sure that the drainage holes are not clogged with soil, and excess moisture can leak out.
Use hydrogel.
Monitor the temperature. If it is cool outside, then it is better to bring the petunia into a warm room. Fortunately, doing this in a flower pot won’t be difficult at all.
Apply fertilizers correctly and on time.
For preventive purposes, iron-containing fertilizers should be applied.
Inspect plants for the presence of harmful insects.

Diseases associated with excess moisture

Why do monstera leaves turn yellow - diseases and pests

Growing a flower is not difficult if you adjust the watering regime. Then there will be no problems with diseases associated with excess moisture:

rotting of the root system;
Petunia leaves turn yellow due to excess moisture;
the bush begins to fade and shed its buds and leaves.

Diseases due to watering

By adjusting watering, you can get rid of negative manifestations.

The seedlings have outgrown and died

A common problem is that petunia seedlings are already ready to be planted in the ground, but the temperature outside is still below freezing. By the time the last frosts pass and consistently warm weather prevails, the seedlings will have time to greatly outgrow, and the stems will droop from the weight of the leaves and buds. In such conditions, the lower leaves will begin to turn yellow, and there will be a risk of developing fungal and bacterial diseases.

Attention! The last time petunia is planted in containers of 200–250 ml, this volume is enough for seedlings no older than 2.5 months. In adult seedlings with long stems, the needs increase, the roots require a larger area of nutrition, and in old containers the plants weaken greatly.

They don’t wait for warm weather; the main stems of the seedlings and side branches are cut off by a third of the length, leaving the same feeding regime. If this is not done, the stems will become thin and weak; overgrown bushes will take a long time to take root after transplantation and will bloom only at the end of summer. After pruning, petunias will quickly recover, become lush and stocky, and their immunity will increase.

How to revive petunia

If it was not possible to save the petunia, it is important to take timely measures to restore it. They depend on the age of the flower, growing conditions, and the causes of a particular problem.

Procedure depending on the reason

If the plant is sick, gardeners begin to treat it immediately , using folk or store-bought remedies :

against powdery mildew - garlic infusion (50 g per 2 liters of water) or the drug "Bravo";
gray mold is combated with the help of “Topaz” or mustard infusion (add 2 tablespoons of powder to 10 liters of water and infuse for 4 hours);
get rid of black neck with the help of “Fitosporin-M” or a solution of Bordeaux mixture.

If pests are found, use acaricides “Demitan” or “Neoron”. They are used in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, observing safety rules. An infusion of medicinal dandelion is used as a folk remedy. It prevents the appearance of aphids, thrips, mites and other insects.

Attention! If the petunia does not feel well due to an inappropriate planting site (lack of sun, low humidity), it is replanted. To do this, prepare a container with nutrient soil. The plant is watered, carefully removed from the ground along with the lump and placed in a new container. Place the pot in a sunny and well-lit place. Water again and feed with organic matter.

What to do if petunia is flooded with rain

Due to rain, the roots of petunias are in damp soil, which can lead to blackneck infestation. Fertilizers are also washed away, and the plant does not have enough strength to grow and bloom.

To prevent petunia from suffering during the rains, experienced gardeners recommend pinching the tops . This will accelerate the development of side shoots and the adaptation of petunia to unfavorable climatic conditions.

If rain has flooded a perennial, gardeners remove damaged leaves and flowers . Watering and fertilizing are stopped for 10-15 days - this time will be spent on recovery. If the plant is more than 2 years old, the shoots are cut almost to the base, leaving 5-7 cm. After 2 weeks, a new flower will appear in the pot. It is recommended to loosen the soil and add Glyokladina tablets - they strengthen the roots.

How to revive a flower after drying

It happens that there is no rain for a long time, and there is no time for daily manual watering. Petunia dries out and loses its attractiveness. In this case, gardeners transplant the plant to a new location and water it abundantly with warm water . It is advisable to transplant the petunia into a new pot with drainage holes, adding gravel to the bottom. The container is placed in a tray with water for 3-4 hours. Pre-cut all dry flowers and leaves. If the petunia has dried out completely, it will not be possible to revive it.

Common causes of diseases

Any petunia disease is the result not only of improper care, but also of negative external influences. The most popular causes of disease are:

temperature violation;
incorrect watering regime;
lack of iron in the soil.

Healthy examples of flowers

To prevent the plant from being exposed to various types of diseases, you need to know the basic rules of flower care.

Temperature violation

The plant will not be able to bloom if the temperature regime is disturbed. The ideal interval for normal flower development is from 20 °C to 30 °C.

Important! Initially, it is worth choosing an area in the flowerbed so that it is well lit to ensure normal temperature.

If the weather is rainy and cloudy all summer, the greenery of the bush will lighten, and the buds will not form at all. When the summer is too hot, the flowers will dry out and fall off at the very beginning.

Violation of watering rules

If the bush begins to change color, shape, or fades, then you need to adjust the watering regime. The first sign of improper irrigation is yellowing of the above-ground parts. What not to do:

use ice or cold water for irrigation. It is advisable to use only settled water;
Fill the flower with water if the top layer of soil has not yet dried. After irrigation, it is necessary to loosen the top layer of soil;
young seedlings will die immediately; if you pour them from a bucket, it is better to spray them.

Watering becomes a simple task if you consider these three basic anti-rules.

Iron deficiency

If the colors of the bush become duller, then you definitely need to add iron to the soil. This element is vital for petunia. You need to feed the flower by spraying or watering.

Diagnosis of the disease: why does the flower dry up?

Some people do not attach much importance to such an alarming symptom as wilting and discoloration of leaves. And this is wrong. Dried foliage is an alarming signal indicating a deterioration in the health of the indoor plant. A careless attitude towards this problem leads to loss of decorativeness, blackening of the trunk and even death of the geranium.

That is why, at the first signs of drying of the leaves, you should identify the cause and do everything possible to help the plant regain its original beauty.

Read in detail about the most common causes of geranium diseases here, and from this article you will learn about diseases of the plant’s leaves.

The leaves are affected from the edges in a circle

In order to correctly make a “diagnosis” and accurately determine why the foliage is drying out, you should carefully examine the bushes. So, if the leaves dry in a circle, this happens for three reasons:

Lack of moisture. Irregular or scanty watering leads to the appearance of a dry yellowish-brown border on the leaves, easily visible to the naked eye.
Inappropriate temperature conditions. The optimal temperature for geranium growth is +20 degrees. If this indicator changes sharply upward or downward, the leaves will dry out and fall off. It is noteworthy that the dry border first has a reddish tint, and then becomes light yellow (why do geranium leaves turn red?).
Cramped pot. A small “house” also causes the leaves to dry out. The loss of healthy color begins gradually - the edges turn yellow first, and then the process spreads over the entire area of the leaf plate.

In fact, not everything is as bad as it might seem at first glance. Drying leaves are easy to treat. The main thing is to accurately determine the cause and choose the right measures to combat this unpleasant phenomenon.

Partial and complete death of leaves

The question of why leaves dry out has several answers. Here are situations when the natural beauty of geranium is disturbed by partially or completely dried leaves.

Large, or vice versa, insufficient amount of light. The plant does not tolerate direct exposure to sunlight or lack of lighting. In both the first and second cases, the leaves begin to dry out and turn yellow, the stem becomes very elongated, and flowering stops.
Water stagnation. Excessive watering, as well as a lack of life-giving moisture, leads to unhealthy bushes. The leaves become watery and lethargic, the roots rot, which subsequently leads to the crown drying out.
Excess or deficiency of fertilizers. When applying fertilizing, you must follow the instructions. Otherwise, the leaves may also turn yellow.
Unsuitable soil. For effective growth of geraniums, light and fertile soil is required. On heavy and poor soils, the fragrant beauty develops poorly.
Adaptation period. If you change the environmental conditions of the plant (transplant it into a new pot, move it from the windowsill to the street), then the leaves also sometimes turn yellow. After the end of the adaptation period, the previous color is restored.
Drafts. Another common cause of dry leaves. You need to eliminate it, and everything will work out on its own.
Diseases. Some diseases, such as gray rot, Alternaria and rust, cause leaves to dry out. In this case, other signs of damage appear on the crown - brown spots, velvety coating, brownish dots.
Pests. If you notice that the geranium leaves have dried out and turned yellow, then you need to inspect the plant to identify parasites - whiteflies or aphids.

Withering and dying of buds

Geranium buds dry out for the same reasons as leaves. But the most common are three.

Deficiency of microelements, in particular phosphorus.
When purchasing specialized fertilizers, you must ensure that they contain phosphorus. The lack of phosphorus can be compensated with boric acid (1 g) diluted in a liter of water.
Little light.
For full formation of buds, light is needed. If it is not enough, then flowering will be poor - half of the buds will dry out. Solving this problem is simple - just organize the lighting and everything will immediately fall into place.
Heat. If the thermometer rises to an abnormally high level, the buds will not withstand this and, most likely, will dry out.

Attention! Sometimes the drying out of buds lies in the species characteristics of geraniums. Some varieties, such as rosebud geranium, bloom in the third year; in the first 2 years, buds form but dry out.

In addition, the buds dry out due to improper watering, sudden changes in environmental conditions and diseases

In addition, buds dry out due to improper watering, sudden changes in environmental conditions and diseases.

Folk remedies for protecting petunia from powdery mildew

An attentive gardener, having noticed the early manifestations of petunia disease, can use proven folk remedies to combat them:

soda ash solution: 3 tbsp. l. Dissolve the substances and a tablespoon of soap shavings in a liter of heated water; mix thoroughly and add settled water (4 l).

A liter of fermented milk whey is combined with water (10 l).
Copper sulfate (10 g) is poured into settled water (1 l); add 9 liters of lukewarm water and 3 table for viscosity. spoons of grated soap.

Decoctions of tansy, marigold, calendula (200 g of herbs are poured into a liter of hot water, brought to a boil, cooled; filtered and combined with 2.5 liters of settled water).

All prepared products are used once a week to spray flower bushes and root zones. The procedure is carried out in cloudy weather or in the evening, after which it is advisable to shade the plants.

Situation No. 3. The stem of the sprout becomes thinner at the base and breaks. Seedlings fall

Many novice gardeners have a question about why petunia seedlings are falling. Most likely, the seedlings suffered from a serious disease with an interesting name - “black leg”. It manifests itself like this: a dark area forms at the base of the stem, which softens and begins to rot. Very soon the sprout ceases to support its own weight, falls, and the stem breaks.

The stem of the sprout turns black and breaks - this is how the “black leg” manifests itself.

Blackleg is a fungal disease, that is, its causative agents are soil fungi. They live in any substrate, but behave entirely peacefully. However, in some situations they begin to become harmful and destroy green spaces. This usually happens at high air and soil humidity. Some gardeners like to create “greenhouses” for their seedlings, arranging extreme humidity there at 100% and at the same time forgetting to ventilate them. In such a climate, “black leg” is practically guaranteed! Greenhouses need to be ventilated every day, the covering material (film, glass) should be wiped clean from drops of condensed water. High humidity is the main reason why petunia seedlings fall. Thickened plantings and excessive use of nitrogen fertilizers also contribute to this disease.

If you notice signs of “black leg” on your seedlings, immediately get rid of the affected sprouts - there is nothing you can do to help them. Let's try to save what's left. To do this, it is very desirable to completely change the soil, but this is not always possible, and particles of soil and fungal microorganisms will still remain on the roots of the sprouts. Therefore, it is more realistic to simply disinfect the soil. A 40% formaldehyde solution is very effective in this regard. You can also use a strong solution of potassium permanganate or any fungicide, for example, Maxim.

Situation No. 5. Petunia seedlings stretching out

Petunia seedlings are stretched due to lack of light and heat (relative, of course, for seedlings and 25°C is already very warm). Therefore, it is not advisable to sow petunia in February if you do not have good lighting. Natural light is still very scarce, and the batteries are burning with might and main. The seedlings will stretch.

If this happens to your seedlings, do not despair. First, trim (pinch) the tops of the sprouts and bury the stems at the cotyledons, and then either provide enough light for the seedlings or reduce the temperature at which they are kept. Then the appearance of your little petunias will return to normal.

An elongated petunia needs to be pinched and the lighting improved, then it will begin to develop correctly and will soon fluff up

Plant in a pot

A flower living in a flower pot is more sensitive to changes in microclimate. Due to changes in temperature and humidity, its chlorophyll production decreases. This leads to chlorosis. To prevent petunia from being damaged, manure or sphagnum is added to the soil when transplanting. If it has been moved quite recently, but the soil has not been acidified, then the petunia needs to be watered with acidic water. Then, the next time you replant, it is important not to forget about acidifying the soil. Among fertilizers, it is worth choosing those rich in iron.

The first thing to do is make sure that the petunia has enough natural light. If there is not enough light, you need to install a fluorescent lamp next to the plant and increase the illumination.

Yellowing of only the upper leaves indicates a lack of nutrients. The solution is obvious - either increase the dosage of fertilizing or its frequency. But don’t overdo it – too much fertilizer will cause the petunia to stop blooming.

If you have identified chlorosis by characteristic symptoms (death of the tops and weak roots), the petunia needs to be fertilized with Uniflor-Micro or analogues.

Additional treatment

If the proposed methods have been tested, the soil has been replaced, fertilizing is carried out, the temperature and light conditions are maintained, and the seedlings practically do not grow, the sprouts are stimulated using B vitamins.

Method 1

Ampoule B1 (B12) is dissolved in a glass of water. The solution is taken into a pipette or syringe and applied 1-2 drops to young seedlings. Adult sprouts are sprayed with a spray bottle. The procedure is carried out weekly, and vitamins B1 and B12 alternate.

Method 2

One ampoule of B1, B6, B12 is dissolved in 1 liter of water. Seedlings are sprayed with this composition once every 10 days.

It is no coincidence that people call stimulating formulations based on B vitamins “secret weapons.” After such treatment, even the weakest sprout comes to life. The drugs are purchased at the pharmacy.

So, if the reasons for the growth arrest are found, you can get rid of the problem. But this will require a lot of effort. In the future, you need to take into account the mistakes made and use the recommendations. And then, without any problems, it will be possible to cultivate high-quality seedlings, which in the future will delight you with the magnificent flowering of bright and beautiful petunia.