Summary of my experience getting petunias to explode with blooms - even beginners can grow them into a flowering ball that blooms nonstop

Petunias are practically a must-grow variety for every flower lover. Indeed, petunias are easy to grow and quick to show results, with a full range of flower colors, a huge number of blooms, nonstop flowering, and tolerance to both cold and heat. After reading the petunia tutorials by the experts, I believe everyone will be eager to give them a try. Now let me share my experience growing petunias.

Sowing: For this autumn sowing I sowed Easy Wave mixed colors, 4 out of 5 germinated, and Opera Ice Lavender, 4 out of 5 germinated. I used Fafard peat-based seed-starting mix, and you can add a little perlite and vermiculite to improve aeration, otherwise the peat mix holds water too well and easily yellows the seedlings. Petunias need light to germinate, so place them on a south-facing windowsill where there is no direct scorching sun at noon. Remember to keep plenty of water in the seedling tray and maintain 100% humidity.

Fertilizing: Petunias are heavy feeders, and the difference between using fertilizer and not using it is huge. My experience is: after 4 true leaves appear and up to the pricking-out stage (when the roots have filled the small cells of the seedling tray), apply organic nutrient solution at 2000 times dilution once a week. From pricking out to final planting, apply at 1500 times dilution once a week, and you can add a little slow-release fertilizer at pricking out. From final planting to the stage when the plant is full, apply organic nutrient solution at 1000 to 1500 times dilution twice a week (the concentration increases with the size of the plant). Add plenty of base fertilizer at final planting. From bud formation to full bloom, apply bloom-boosting nutrient solution at 1000 times dilution twice a week. Sometimes petunias lack iron, so you can add a little ferrous sulfate.

Pinching and pot choice: To form a flowering ball, you must pinch!! As for how to pinch, in the words of my little wife: cut evenly along the edge of the pot! Don't hold back and don't feel sorry, just snip decisively!! You have to give up something to get something, right? For the specific pinching method, you should still refer to the experts' operations. I feel I haven't fully graduated yet... As for pots, 20cm-25cm with one plant per pot is always right.

Watering and sunlight: Petunias love to drink, and once they've had enough water they aren't afraid of the sun! But you absolutely must remember to give them sun!! With insufficient sun, forming a flowering ball depends on your pinching skills. For autumn sowing, once the petunia has four true leaves it can take full sun, provided there is still plenty of water. My approach was to put them straight out on the terrace from the moment they sprouted, but after all, autumn temperatures aren't high, and I always kept enough water in the bottom tray of the seedling box.