Petunia grows in the form of small low bushes. Their height varies depending on the species: from 15 to 30 cm. Also bred tall varieties petunias, but they are less common in our regions. The leaves of the plant are dark green and oval in shape. The colors of the inflorescences are varied. The flowers range in size from 5 cm to 13 cm in diameter, they are expressive and delicate.

ATTENTION: Foreign breeders divide petunia into 2 types depending on the growth form. The first is trailing plants. This is a creeping form when the width is greater than the height. The second type is ampels. These varieties are used for hanging containers.

In 90% of cases, the appearance of white spots or plaque on the leaves is explained by the progression of a dangerous fungal disease. White plaque looks like white dust on petunia leaves. At the initial stages, only the lower leaves turn white, then all parts of the plant become infected. Later, it fades and curls.

What are white spots on flowers? Fungi invade the cells and begin to absorb the nutritious juice from the petunia. The leaves atrophy and dead areas turn white. If the infected area grows, the process of photosynthesis is disrupted (emergency measures are required).

Whitish spots are a symptom of a disease such as downy mildew. Distinguish this disease from the real one powdery mildew can be done by analyzing the spots on the leaves. With a false form, the spots on top have a pronounced fluffy light coating. Also, diseases differ in the conditions of development: real diseases appear due to high humidity, false ones - due to lack of water.

With chlorosis, white spots are caused by an excess of calcium. The element negatively affects the general condition of the plant. White spots on the leaves are areas where maximum number microelement.

More details about white, as well as gray and sticky coating on Petunia you can read.

Causes of diseases

With proper and regular care, powdery mildew fungi do not attack the plant and do not provoke the development of white spots. Among the main reasons for this problem, gardeners identify:

• the soil contains a lot of nitrogen;
• the pot is too small for petunias;
• inappropriate moisture regime, frequent watering or drying out of the soil (white spots are the result of impaired immunity and the onset of diseases);
• watering with water contaminated with fungi.

Why does the plant lighten and become pale green?

This condition is caused by a complex of factors: low temperature and high humidity. The problem is complicated by untimely removal of affected or fallen parts of the petunia. The plant becomes infected through the smallest damage to the leaf blade. Pale green spots are also a result of nutritional deficiencies. If petunia lacks useful elements and fertilizing, its leaves lose color and become covered with pale spots.

All affected leaves must be cut off, healthy parts treated with special preparations. Previkur, Topaz, Fundazol, Fitosporin are suitable for these purposes. The dosage depends on the number of affected leaves and the general condition of the plant. A strong or weak solution may be needed. See the instructions for the exact dose.

Among folk recipes that have proven their effectiveness include the following:

Bright and varied in color petunias are a godsend for lovers beautiful flowers on summer cottages and flower beds. The plant is surprisingly unpretentious when grown, although it often has problems. Why do petunia leaves turn yellow - enough frequently asked question flower growers, regardless of experience.

The main causes of yellowing leaves

Flowers do not know how to talk about their problems, but they report all changes to their appearance. Yellow leaves - the right way convey your message to people.

Please note! Often, noticing that the leaves of a petunia are turning yellow, there is a desire to feed it. It must be remembered that the reasons may not be in short supply nutrients.

Experts identify the following reasons for the appearance of yellow leaves:

• excess or lack of moisture;
• fungal infection;
• sudden temperature fluctuations;
• deficiency of micro- or macroelements;
• pest attack.

For the same reasons, petunias wither prematurely, their leaves dry out and curl.

Having discovered yellow leaves on your pet, you must first carefully examine the plant and the soil underneath it in order to determine exactly why the petunias turned yellow.

Excess moisture

Petunia is not considered a particularly moisture-loving plant; it is easier for it to survive insufficient watering than redundant. Thin roots do not have time to absorb the additional portion that is unnecessary for them and begin to rot. If the overflow is regular, root system rots completely.

Note! In addition to the yellowness of the leaves, excess moisture is indicated by a loss of stability; the bush falls to the ground and stops its development.

If petunias turn yellow from overwatering, what should you do? To correct the error, the soil is dried using any available funds: dry calcined sand, filter paper, loosening. Watering is stopped for this time. In severe cases, plants require replanting with removal of damaged roots and treatment with fungicidal preparations.

Lack of moisture is the easiest case to correct; it requires a little care and a change in the watering schedule.

In any case, all yellow dry leaves and wilted stems are carefully removed, and the sections are disinfected. Why do this? To restore the natural beauty of the flower, to prevent the development of possible diseases.

Lack of moisture

Fungal infections

Most common fungal disease- powdery mildew. The development of the disease is facilitated by a large amount of foliage at the base of the bushes and wet ground underneath them. The leaves are covered with a white dusty coating. The lower leaves of petunia turn yellow first. What to do in this case:

• remove all affected parts of the plant;
• disinfect sections;
• treat with colloidal sulfur or any available fungicide, for example Topaz, Fitosporin;
• it is advisable to replace top layer soil, if the plant is in a pot, then treat the new soil with fungicides.

Seedlings infected with blackleg are treated by sprinkling the substrate with dry, disinfected sand and wood ash.

Fungal infections of petunia

Temperature fluctuations

A large range of daily temperature changes is common at the beginning and end of summer. Yellow leaves are removed, the cuts are disinfected with hydrogen peroxide, and light night shelters are provided for the flowers. Potted petunias are simply brought indoors as evening approaches.

Eating disorder

A lack of essential nutrients for petunia leads to chlorosis. Feature yellow leaves of plants suffering from the disease - preservation of the original color of the veins with pale leaves.

Important! The causes of chlorosis are iron deficiency, less often magnesium, sometimes excess calcium due to hard water, alkalization. Lack of iron negatively affects chlorophyll synthesis. This is why petunia leaves turn pale.

What to do for treatment:

• soften water for irrigation;
• feed with microfertilizers in chelated form.

Please note! Gardeners often classify citric acid as a liquid fertilizer. Its use is fraught with acidification of the soil, which petunia really does not like.

Pests

If inspection of flowers reveals the presence of unwanted guests on the leaves, use appropriate medications against them.

Aphid

Forms colonies on bottom surface leaf, feeds on plant juices. A small amount is washed off with water or a damp cotton swab. Large colonies are treated with insecticides (Aktara, Aktellik, Akarin). A small amount can be dealt with using folk remedies.

Aphid on petunia

Spider mite

Frequent Malicious Inhabitant potted plants. Invisible to the eye, it betrays its presence with a thin web entwining the stems, leaves, and buds. Best friends ticks - dry air and heat. Natural enemies are moderate humidity, regular spraying of petunia on hot days, and good neighbors- calendula and violets.

Important! Folk remedies help little in getting rid of the pest. It is better to spray the plant with acaricides, for example, Akarin.

Whitefly

Whitefly petunia

Other Possible Causes

Constant exposure of plants to the sun is also the reason why petunia turns yellow, and the entire plant turns yellow, including the bright flowers. It is better for a flower to grow where the sun “works” in a gentle manner - until lunchtime. If there are no such places or it is impractical to keep pots there, you can make lightweight portable screens or use umbrellas. Lack of light also leads to lethargy, yellowness, and poor growth.

Drafts and cold air currents are the reasons for the yellowness of indoor petunia. They are eliminated by moving the container with the plant to another place, blocking it with a dense screen for ventilation.

With a general deficiency of nutrients, the upper leaves of petunia turn yellow. The situation is corrected by foliar feeding; it will quickly deliver nutrients to the suffering organs.

Petunia Nutrient Deficiency

Please note! As any plant grows and develops, the lower leaves gradually die off, starting the process with yellowing. This natural cause is characteristic of all plants and does not indicate the presence of a disease.

Traditional recipes for petunia

Replacement chemicals against diseases and pests using home remedies that are harmless to people and small animals - hot topic. So, how can you help petunias without chemicals:

• Fertilizers during the flowering period, incl. per leaf with infusions of nettle, onion peel, and ash. At the same time, they will protect against diseases and pests. The special value of herbal remedies is the possibility of their regular use. These fertilizers can be applied once a week.
• To treat powdery mildew, whey, solutions of potassium permanganate, ash, garlic or mustard infusion are used.
• For insect pests, decoctions of dry herbs are used: tansy, wormwood, calendula, marigold.

Correct placement of petunia in a flowerbed or in hanging planter, compliance with watering and fertilizing schedules is a guarantee of flower health. Simple, but high-quality care will not burden the gardener with the problem of yellow leaves, searching for the reasons for their appearance, or eliminating problems.

Advice from Lyudmila.

Why do petunia seedlings stretch?

Petunia seedlings are stretched due to lack of lighting. The problem can be solved by illuminating the seedlings with fluorescent lamps.

Why chlorositis petunia?

One of the reasons for chlorosis in petunia is non-compliance with the “dry-wet” agricultural technology, when the soil in cups with petunia seedlings does not have time to dry out between waterings and turns sour.

Why did petunia leaves turn blue-violet?

If there is a lack of phosphorus, petunia leaves may turn purple. If measles is good, then this is not the reason. If there is a difference in day and night temperatures in winter, petunia leaves can also turn purple.

What to do if petunia leaves become chlorotic (yellow)?

Typically, the problem of chlorosis in petunias is dealt with using iron chelate, which is used to treat the plant either on the leaf or at the root. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't. It all depends on the manufacturer of the chelate and the expiration date. A very convenient and less expensive method is to water chlorotic petunia seedlings with citric acid at the rate of (1 tablespoon per 10 liters of water) or (1 g per 1 liter). After two weeks, the pale, yellow seedlings become green again. However, keep in mind that yellowing of leaves is not always an indicator of iron deficiency or inability to absorb iron. This may be a lack of manganese, nitrogen and other trace elements.

From a lack of nitrogen, small and yellow leaves. From a lack of iron, light yellow or white leaves are formed, the apical shoot is affected. From a lack of magnesium, which manifests itself on the lower leaves, the leaves become variegated in color, turn brown and fall off. How to calculate watering plants with citric acid to prevent chlorosis? Usually, a concentration is used to prevent chlorosis citric acid at the rate of 1 tablespoon per 10 liters of water. If you have few plants, then it turns out to be 1 g per 1 liter. 1 g is approximately several crystals of limnic acid.

How to prepare iron chelate yourself? Dissolve 12 g of citric acid in 3 liters of cold boiled water. 7.5 g of iron sulfate is added to this solution. The result is a complex salt of ferrous iron of a light orange color. This solution is suitable for spraying a diseased plant and for feeding the roots. The remaining unused solution can be poured under garden flowers.

Is it possible to preserve petunia in winter? Petunia can be preserved in winter. Many people think that petunia is an annual, and on packets of seeds they often write that petunia is annual plant. However, it is possible to extend the life of our beauties up to next year. To do this, at the end of August, cuttings are taken from beautiful pets and rooted. These cuttings, which will have time to grow stronger and grow a root system, will overwinter. Petunia should overwinter in cool conditions. It is advisable to leave it on a cool balcony with positive temperature. If this is not possible, you can bring the petunia into the room and place it on the coldest windowsill. In the room due to dry air in winter, petunia may be damaged spider mite, therefore, periodically (a couple of times a month) you need to treat the mother plant with phytoverm or actophyte. In the spring, cut cuttings from the mother plant of petunias and root them. These cuttings will become new plants. Rooting of cuttings will take about 2 weeks, in contrast to sowing petunia with seeds, which will take more than 2 months.

When do petunias take cuttings?

You can cut petunias at any time of the year if you have the opportunity to illuminate them with phytolamps

When can you take cuttings from petunia that have just taken root to produce more seedlings?

After rooting the cutting, if it has taken root well after 2 weeks, you can safely cut off half of this cutting for a new one. By doing this, you will force the plant to sprout new shoots from the leaf axils and get another seedling.

What to do if petunia seedlings have outgrown (stretched out)

If petunia seedlings have stretched out, there are two ways out of this situation. The first is to pinch them. The second is to transfer the seedlings into large cups. For example, if the petunia was 200 gr. glass, pour it into 500 gr. glass and add earth. Petunia, like all nightshades, tolerates replanting and transshipment normally.
How to inhibit the growth of petunia seedlings?

You can slow down the growth of petunia seedlings by changing the temperature regime. How to achieve a large head of flowers in an ampelous petunia? The more soil and feeding, the larger the head of flowers the petunia will grow. When will bush petunia planted at the end of February bloom? Bush petunia sown at the end of February with additional light on 14 -16 hours and temperatures above 25 degrees will bloom by the end of April.

Why do the lower leaves of petunia turn yellow?

Lower leaves Petunia usually turn yellow from overwatering, lack of nitrogen or a small volume of soil. Petunia is affected by whitefly. What medications should I take for whiteflies? For whiteflies, you can use Aktara, which is sprayed on petunia and spilled. Aktara is good because it has almost no smell. Please note that the whitefly development cycle is about 21 days; the larvae themselves cover themselves with a waxy coating, therefore they are well protected from external influences (unlike ordinary aphids).

How to use foundationol?

Before sowing, it is necessary to spill the cassettes with petunia seedlings with water, and then water them with Fundazol so that the soil is saturated. Why have petunia seedlings stopped growing? Growth may stop due to a lack of boron, which results in the death of the apical growth points. To solve the problem, you can spray the petunia with a solution boric acid(7 grams per 10 liters of water). The result should appear in 10 days. What can be done to ensure that the plants take root better when picking? After picking petunias into other containers, the root system may be damaged. Therefore, after a week, it is better to give the plants monophosphate or fertilizers with a high phosphorus content so that they take root better. 19:11 Why do they pick off faded flowers from petunia? Those flowers that have bloomed from petunia are picked off not only for aesthetic purposes, but also to stimulate flowering. Why create humidity air near the petunia growing on the balcony?

Petunia that grows on the balcony should be frequently sprayed with a fine spray bottle. This should be done early in the morning or best in the evening. Thanks to spraying, you will not only save the flower from the heat, but also prevent the appearance of spider mites. How often should you water petunia growing on the balcony? Petunia loves to drink. Therefore, petunias on the balcony need regular watering once or twice a day. The top soil lump should not dry out completely. On hot days, water the flower generously. Petunia easily tolerates too much watering. The only thing that can have a negative impact is stagnation of water. Regular watering of petunias will provide you with luxurious flowering and lush bushes

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What water to water petunia with?

For watering petunias great value has the acidity of water. Petunia prefers acidic water. As you know, most of us have hard water. Therefore, there are two options: either acidify the water for irrigation, or simply plant the plant in an acidic soil mixture.

How often to fertilize mature plant petunias?

In order for petunia to delight with beautiful flowers, an adult petunia plant must be fertilized at least every 10 days.

How to cut petunia?

Petunia can be cut in different ways. The success of rooting petunia cuttings is an earthen mixture. It should be airy. You can prepare the following mixture: 2 parts moss + 1 part vermicult + 1 part terra soil, a little sand. Wet the earth mixture and insert it into chekrenka cups. The cuttings are deepened by 1.5 cm. Lower leaves Tear off the cuttings. Cover with cellophane to create a greenhouse effect. After 10-12 days, depending on the variety, the first roots will appear.

I advise you to write it down. All this will be useful.

Petunias - luxurious annual flowers, which can be used to decorate flower beds, flowerpots and balcony boxes. The variety of petunia varieties is amazing; new items are released every year. Petunia has earned its popularity among flower growers for its long, abundant flowering all summer and the ability to grow in containers, flowerpots, boxes, which allows you to decorate terraces, courtyards, verandas and even the walls of houses with flowers.

Secrets lush flowering petunias are revealed in this article. Petunia is grown through seedlings, with early sowing in February or March, about

Petunia seedlings are planted in late May - early June, when the threat of frost has passed. In order for petunia to bloom profusely all summer, planting seedlings and further care Take care of plants according to the following rules:

1. Space for roots. Petunia has thin branched roots; adult plants form a rather voluminous root system, so when planting flower seedlings in flowerpots or balcony boxes, keep in mind that 1 plant should be filled with a volume of soil of at least 3 liters, preferably 5 liters. Thus, in a 10 liter balcony box you can plant 2 or 3 plants, no more.

Many gardeners, when planting petunia seedlings, do not believe that these small plants will soon turn into lush bushes, so they thicken the flower plantings. Of course, when frequent landing The petunia will quickly close and bloom, but soon the plants will begin to oppress each other and the flowering will weaken.

To plant large cascading or ampelous varieties of petunias, at least 10 liters of land is required for the plants to show the full force of their flowering.

2. Quality land - the key to rapid and healthy development of the root system. Petunias need a loose, breathable substrate that will not compact after frequent watering, and that can simultaneously pass excess water and retain moisture. To achieve such properties garden soil mixed with peat and humus in a ratio of 3:2:1. It is useful to add a little wood ash to the soil for planting petunias.

3. Petunia needs to be watered regularly , this flower does not tolerate drying out of the soil, and with a lack of moisture, flowering and the growth of new shoots weaken. Petunia growing in flowerpots and balcony boxes under a canopy, in hot weather Water thoroughly every day or every other day. If the soil in the container has dried out after morning watering, you can repeat watering in the evening. In the flowerbed, petunia is watered according to the condition of the soil and depending on the weather.

Petunia does not tolerate waterlogging and stagnation of water in the ground., so make sure that the flowerpots and balcony boxes have drainage holes in the bottom and the first layer is filled with expanded clay to drain excess water after watering.

Water the petunia at the root so that water does not get on the flowers, as they will immediately deteriorate; the sprinkling method is not suitable for these flowers. Water for irrigation should be settled, at the same temperature as the air temperature.

4. Regular feeding of petunia is necessary to maintain its flowering all summer long. . Only when good nutrition the plants will be strewn with bright large flowers. To feed petunias, complex fertilizers are used. flowering plants, in which phosphorus and potassium predominate, but also contain a small dose of nitrogen.

Petunias also need microelements, especially iron, a deficiency of which causes petunia to develop chlorosis or yellowing of the foliage. During the season, it is recommended to feed petunia with iron chelate or liquid fertilizer “Ferovit” 3-4 times.».

Petunia loves foliar feeding or spraying the leaves with a weak solution complex fertilizer. The flowering of petunia increases after spraying with potassium monophosphate.

It is useful to spray petunias once a month with any stimulating drug (Epin Extra), to keep plants in good shape and reduce the impact of unfavorable conditions on them - heat or drought.

Start feeding petunia regularly when the first flowers bloom. The fertilizer is diluted according to the instructions and watered on moist soil, fertilizing is done every week. Petunias are “voracious” flowers; they need constant feeding, especially when grown in boxes or flowerpots, where the volume of soil is limited and frequent watering is carried out, leaching away nutrients.

5. Formation of plants . Petunias, depending on the variety, take different forms during growth - bush, cascade or ampelous. At the ampelous and cascading petunia long stems grow. To make hanging flowers look beautiful, they are grown at height in balcony boxes, hanging flowerpots, and they perfectly decorate walls. These varieties do not form; stems that are too long are pinched so that they begin to produce side shoots.

Bush petunias are pinched at the beginning of growth so that they form as many branches as possible. Pinching during the period abundant flowering, may reduce the number of buds. Sometimes bush petunias by the end of July they lose their decorative form, fall apart, their flowering becomes weak. In this case, a haircut will help restore the attractive appearance of the plants. Just cut the stems in half, and then water and fertilize the plants well, in 1-2 weeks it will appear fresh herbs, new buds and flowering will begin with renewed vigor.

6. Prolong flowering and maintain a neat appearance Flowers will benefit from constant removal of faded flowers. Do not allow plants to form seed pods and their forces will be directed only to the formation of new buds, besides hybrid varieties they still don't set seeds.