How to pinch petunia to make it grow thicker. Is it necessary to pinch petunias? Ampelous petunia: pinching

Voluminous multi-colored bushes of double, ampelous, bicolor and single-color petunias have won the hearts of experienced gardeners and beginners. From mid-spring until the first frost, flowers of amazing variety and decorativeness decorate not only summer cottages, but also the balconies of multi-storey buildings, verandas of cottages, city flower beds, cafes and restaurants. The flowers are unpretentious, do not require professional maintenance or special conditions, but they respond favorably to the care of flower growers. The flower needs good care, which includes, in addition to traditional procedures, the formation of a bush by tweezing or pinching it. Petunia, which is not pinched but allowed to grow freely, can form an elongated bush that will fall to one side. If you form the crown of the plant correctly, you can get a lush flower with many flowering shoots.

Why do you need to pinch petunia?

Pinching (or tweezing) – breaking off/plucking off the top of a plant shoot with nails. After this, the remaining part of the stem becomes woody and begins to thicken, the leaves become more saturated in color, and the buds in the axils increase in size. In gardening, this process is done to produce strong new shoots and a more beautiful appearance. However, this method works if the pinching was done before the growing season ended.

It is not difficult to get a strong and pleasing living decoration from a small sprout; the main thing is to know how to pinch petunia correctly and strictly follow the rules.

Do all varieties of petunias need to be pinched?

Old amateur varieties that have been bred long ago or plants grown from seeds collected from their flowers must be pinched. As a rule, such petunia in its natural form is far from compact and lush.

Breeders place strict demands on modern hybrid petunia not only for the beauty and splendor of flowering, but also for the simplification of plant care.

Petunia of modern varieties or hybrids does not require pinching or requires minimal intervention in the formation of the crown.

However, even on modern varieties it is impossible to do without pinching. Often, when petunia seedlings are grown at home with a lack of light and in cramped conditions, at a temperature that is too high for it, the plants stretch out.

In this case, you can spray the seedlings with Atlet or another similar product (which is what is used in industrial greenhouses) or do pinching. Many gardeners are not in favor of using excessive “chemicals” even on flowers and prefer to pinch petunia.

The rapid formation of side shoots is facilitated by lower night temperatures.

What is needed to pinch petunias?

To carry out this manipulation you will need the following:

• convenient scissors or pruning shears;
• strong seedlings with 4 – 5 large leaves at the top;
• container for collecting removed cuttings.

How and when to pinch petunia

Pinching petunias should be done twice - at the seedling stage and after planting in open ground. If the second pinching can be neglected due to lack of time, then pinching at the seedling stage is mandatory. It is carried out when the young seedling has 5-6 leaves, maybe a little less, but not more than this amount. The algorithm is quite simple. Using a miniature pruner, scissors, or just your fingers, you need to pinch the stem of the young plant above the 5-6th leaf. In order for the seedling to recover faster after this procedure, you can water or spray it with a growth stimulator such as Epin or Zircon.

A month later, when new side shoots begin to grow, you need to tweezer again. Now it is carried out not only on the central stem, but also on the side shoots, which after this procedure will sprout third-order shoots. After repeated pinching, foliar and root feeding is carried out with complete mineral fertilizer and growth stimulant. It is advisable to pinch ampelous varieties every 3-4 weeks.

What to do after pinching a petunia

With regular shortening of shoots and increased growth of petunia, constant feeding with a growth stimulant and complete mineral fertilizer is required. Otherwise, many thin stems will develop. It is possible to achieve returns from the plant only with constant watering and proper care.

We remember that we need to pick off wilted flowers in a timely manner (not pull them out, but pinch them off from the branch with the peduncle). By forming seed plants, they take away strength from the plant.

Incidental propagation of petunia by cuttings after pinching

The tops of petunia shoots, plucked or carefully cut with nail scissors, are used as cuttings for further propagation of the plant.

The roots that appear on green cuttings placed in water serve as a signal that they can already be planted in the ground, having cleared the lower part of the stem of leaves, leaving a couple of leaves at the top. Young plants can be planted quite densely, often watering and spraying them, feeding them, and also using a growth stimulator as necessary.

Petunia grown from seeds at home, as well as seedlings of inexpensive varieties purchased from retail chains, must be subjected to regular pinching of shoots protruding from the general bush. Elite varieties grown in special nurseries can develop well without pinching, but they are more capricious, sensitive to sudden changes in humidity and temperature, and suffer from exposure to rain and wind.

• Do not use the operation for seedlings in boxes and young immature shoots, do not mix different varieties and rid the soil of weeds and pests in a timely manner. Remember, petunias, like other ornamental species, need constant attention and care;
• After pinching, the removed shoots (3-4 leaves) can be placed in a jar of water and after small roots appear, use them to grow new petunia bushes;
• Throughout the season, it is necessary to remove faded flowers in a timely manner, this will help the plants form new buds.

Pinching is a simple and at the same time important manipulation that allows you to improve the quality of flowering and form a certain shape of the plant. To correct the shape of the plant, you need to pinch the petunia regularly, skipping a month between this procedure. If you follow these rules for caring for petunia, you can grow beautiful bushes of this flowering plant, which will be no worse than in the photos given in this article. If petunias are allowed to grow on their own, they will simply stretch out and the flowers will be small. Petunia lovers are constantly finding new ways to decorate using unusual varieties, and it looks simply amazing.

Petunia wins hearts with its beauty, brightness, long decorative period, and unpretentiousness. The plant does not require much care; however, one of the necessary procedures is pinching.

This simple operation allows you to grow a compact, lush bush, strewn with bright, multiple flowers. Let's find out how to properly pinch petunias and what conditions are necessary for the procedure.

The pinching procedure is also called pinching and involves breaking off/pinching off/cutting off the apical part of the shoots. Translated from German, the word “pincing” means “to remove the end,” and this translation perfectly reflects the essence of the procedure.

The purpose of the operation is to awaken the lateral buds on the shoots, which are dormant before pinching.

After the procedure and healing of the cut site, the remaining stem thickens, sometimes becomes woody, becomes stronger and stockier. The shade of the foliage changes for the better - it becomes brighter and more saturated. The axillary buds swell and become larger - as a result of this, the flowers that then bloom from them delight with their large size and splendor.

Pinching in general is required to produce stronger shoots, a fuller bush and more beautiful, vibrant flowers and foliage. This procedure is aimed at increasing the external attractiveness and decorativeness of petunia.

Benefit

Let's find out why you need to pinch petunia.

Crown formation

This is the main purpose of the procedure. Pinching makes it possible to turn a small sprout into a compact and lushly flowering plant, pleasing to the eye for a long period. A well-groomed and correctly formed crown always looks much more neat.

Stopping the growth of apical shoots

Due to the fact that pinching removes the top of shoots growing upward, the lateral branches begin to grow more actively. As a result, the petunia does not stretch out, but becomes a round small bush, which looks more attractive.

In addition, the more side branches there are, the more flowers will appear, not to mention the increase in bushiness.

Lignification of the lower part of the shoots

Although petunia is essentially a herbaceous plant, the lower part of its shoots, after pinching, becomes very strong, almost lignified. Thanks to this, the plant will be stronger, stronger and more resilient, able to withstand weather disasters.

When to pinch, what conditions are needed?

Pinch petunia when the seedlings begin to actively grow. And this is a clear sign that it is better not to delay the procedure - otherwise the seedlings will stretch out and the bush will turn out ugly. By the time of the first pinching, 40-50 days should have passed from the moment the seeds were planted.

Only healthy plants are pinched: it is advisable to remove weak and defective shoots immediately so as not to waste time and effort on them. What condition should the plants be in: at the time of the procedure they should be grown, strong, and have several leaves (no more than 5-6).

You will need garden shears or a small pruner, as well as a container in which you will put the cut off apical parts of the shoots. Next, you will learn how to pinch petunias step by step.

Process description

In short, pinching a petunia is removing the top of the shoot above the fifth or sixth top leaf. The procedure is carried out with pruning shears, and some gardeners simply use their own fingers, breaking off the shoot in the right place.

Due to the fact that the main shoot is broken, a new active growth point is formed in this place, from which side shoots will branch in different directions. Please note that immediately after the procedure, petunia seedlings slow down their development, but quickly recover and begin to grow even more actively.

If the seedlings are intended for planting in open ground, the procedure is also carried out after rooting the seedlings in a new place. However, after transplantation, several days must pass for the plant to adapt.

When grown in greenhouse conditions, pinching is usually carried out after picking, since before - there is no point.

Step by step guide:

• find the very bottom of the sprout;
• count 5-6 leaves from the bottom, maybe 4;
• We pinch the part of the shoot located above the counted leaf with pruning shears (fingers, scissors);
• Sprinkle the cut area with wood ash.

A month after the first procedure, a second pinching is usually performed.

Attention: no more than one-fifth of the plant shoot can be removed in one procedure. Some gardeners are late and then immediately cut off a third of the shoot, or even half: such crude intervention does not benefit the plant, and can even destroy it.

How to pinch for abundant flowering

In order for petunias to enjoy lush and long-lasting flowering, ideally you need to pinch them twice: at the stage of appearance of 5-6 leaves and the second time after transplanting into open ground.

Particularly responsible flower growers also carry out a third procedure, when the petunia is already actively growing after transplantation. And such triple pinching allows you to achieve the most successful and impressive results in the form of a lush-flowering, bright petunia bush.

How to pinch different types of petunias

Gardeners grow several popular types of petunias:

• cascade;
• ampelous;
• bush;
• terry

Let's look at the features of pinching all these varieties.

Cascade

This plant must be pinched two to three times during the growing season. The procedure will allow the plant to bush more actively and become more luxuriant. When pruning cascading petunia, you need to imagine how it will look later, since this type of flower is especially difficult to shape. It is important to achieve a uniform shape, symmetrical on both sides.

Ampelnaya

This plant is already initially, at the genetic level, designed to form a lush, well-flowering bush. Therefore, many varieties (especially new ones) of ampelous petunia do not need pinching at all. However, pinching the seedlings for the first time is still advisable - it will guarantee that the bush will be well branched.

Bush

The plant is pinched in the traditional way to achieve the correct and lush shape of the bush.

Terry

Since all terry varieties are hybrid and selection, they rarely need pinching. Initially, they form lush bushes with abundant leaves and flowers, so the procedure can be neglected. An exception is made if the seedlings stretch strongly to one side.

We will tell you in detail about the important nuances of the procedure and caring for petunia after it.

To minimize injury to delicate seedlings, carry out the procedure carefully and only with clean tools.

If the shoot is weak, you should not pinch it too much, much less tear off the leaves. Such a specimen must be treated with care, since otherwise it may not survive the procedure or may become ill.

It is best to carry out the procedure in the evening, when the sun sets below the horizon: at this time the rays become less scorching and aggressive than during the day.

When you pinch petunia not at home, but in the open ground, choose a dry and warm day for the procedure - this way the cuts will heal faster.

To make the buds larger and brighter, do not forget to fertilize the petunias with suitable minerals when caring. The plant responds very gratefully to feeding. After the next pinching, feed the petunia - it will recover faster and grow more actively.

Proper care should also include watering, spraying, and removing faded buds. Such care will have a positive effect on the health and appearance of the plant, making it lush, decorative, and pleasing to the eye.

To make side shoots grow faster and become more branched, it is useful to lower the air temperature at night.

Blooming petunia can also be pinched. However, no more than 2-3 shoots from the plant are removed in one procedure. Additional spraying with succinic acid will allow the plant to survive the operation more easily.

There are cuttings left - what to do with them?

After the pinching procedure, strong, high-quality and healthy shoot tips are usually left - complete planting material. Thus, with the help of the remaining tops, you can make your petunia population even richer.

To germinate such a cutting, you need to remove its lower leaves. Otherwise, they will rot in the water as the roots grow. After removing the foliage, the cutting is placed in a container of water. Then you need to wait a while for the roots to appear. And after their appearance, the cuttings are planted in the ground in the usual way (see photo).

Don’t forget to pinch the cutting when it actively grows and begins to stretch.

What varieties of petunias are pinched?

Not all varieties of petunias require a mandatory pinching procedure, but only:

• old varieties, bred long ago;
• amateur varieties;
• flowers from your own seeds.

All these types of petunias are not very decorative without pinching, so they must be pinched absolutely precisely. If you allow such varieties to grow as they please, you will end up with elongated, non-compact bushes with sparse flowers and stunted foliage. And you won’t be able to wait for abundant flowering.

However, there is good news - and these are new hybrid breeding varieties. Scientific developments are aimed at developing varieties of petunias that would require minimal care and still bloom luxuriantly.

Therefore, most varieties bred in recent years either do not require pinching at all, or require minimal pinching. However, it is necessary to pay attention to the conditions in which the cultivation takes place - in low light and in cramped conditions, the plants will still begin to stretch upward.

If a similar problem happens to a hybrid petunia, you can eliminate the elongation with chemicals such as Athlete. However, for most gardeners, a formative mechanical procedure in the form of pinching is better than using “chemistry” once again.

So, we learned how to properly pinch petunia so that it blooms long and luxuriantly. The procedure is absolutely necessary - when planning to grow petunia, keep this fact in mind. Without pinching, the bush will turn out to be inconspicuous, shapeless, and there will be few flowers.

Watch the pinching procedure in the video.

Petunia is a fairly popular flower. However, it requires care if there is a desire for this plant to bloom regularly. You need to pinch it in time and at about the same time trim off excess shoots that have grown too much.

You shouldn’t stop controlling the growth of the flower, as it will only grow upward. As a result, creating a bush will be very difficult. And this negatively affects the external shape and beauty of petunia in general.

Time to pinch petunia

Has the plant started to grow actively? This is a sure sign that you need to start pinching the bushes. This phenomenon is associated with the process of growth along the stem. First you need to find the bottom of the branch. Four or five leaves are counted from it. The upper part of the shoot is called the zone where the flower begins to grow. It should be plucked off with your fingers. After this, growth “in length” slows down somewhat, however, the activity of additional lateral parts of the shoot is activated. After such a simple operation, more flowers appear. This method should be repeated after one month.

Tricks to consider when working with petunia

How to pinch petunia?

To consolidate the result, it is better to carefully examine the petunia several times in thirty days. If possible, pinching is done more often.

But the cut off shoot is not thrown away. It is placed in a plastic bottle with clean water. After a while it will give new roots. You can grow a new petunia from it. This is one of the methods of flower propagation. It is recommended to cut off all excess leaves, leaving only those located at the top.

Growing petunias has become a very popular activity. Many factors contribute to this. Firstly, varieties and hybrids of exceptional beauty and variety of shapes, shades and types have appeared on the market. Secondly, growing this flower is quite simple; you don’t need to be an inveterate gardener: with regular care, it pleases the eye with bright colors until frost. And thirdly, if an annual plant is brought into a warm room, it can easily become a perennial and produce cuttings for vegetative propagation in the spring. This is how all the features of hybrid forms are conveyed when it is impossible to find seeds of the variety you like.

A little about the amazing transformation

The familiar petunia is no longer the shy one with monotonous small flowers that was familiar to us a couple of decades ago. During this time, breeders have developed a huge number of varieties and hybrids of the most fantastic colors, which also exude an amazing aroma. A previously unknown ampelous variety of petunia has appeared, a variety with huge double flowers.

In its homeland, Montevideo, this ornamental perennial grows and blooms almost all year round. In our conditions, this riot of colors is interrupted by the first frosts. Petunia does not always survive until autumn in such a well-groomed condition, as in illustrations in landscape design publications, where it looks like a ball, seemingly consisting of only flowers. However, every amateur gardener can form it in this way.

Why is bush formation necessary?

In order for petunia to begin flowering as early as possible, it... Before flowering, the seedlings will have to live indoors for 2-3 months. Conditions do not always allow you to create the necessary microclimate for tender sprouts or find enough space and light sources. The seedlings stretch out, become fragile, lean to one side, and their decorative qualities suffer as a result.

Pinching, or pinching, is one of the most common techniques in floriculture. It is used to stimulate the growth of side shoots and make the bush more leafy and compact. Pinching is used not only by flower growers, but also by gardeners and gardeners. For example, if you pinch the central shoot of cucumbers, the most productive side shoots will grow. And pinching the stepsons on a tomato will help it not waste energy in vain, but use it to form fruits.

How and when to pinch?

Pinching petunias should be done twice - at the seedling stage and after planting in open ground. If the second pinching can be neglected due to lack of time, then pinching at the seedling stage is mandatory. It is carried out when the young seedling has 5-6 leaves, maybe a little less, but not more than this amount.

The algorithm is quite simple.

1. Using a miniature pruner, scissors, or just your fingers, you need to pinch the stem of the young plant above the 5-6th leaf.
2. In order for the seedling to recover faster after this procedure, you can water or spray it with a growth stimulator such as Epin or Zircon.
3. A month later, when new side shoots begin to grow, you need to tweezer again. Now it is carried out not only on the central stem, but also on the side shoots, which after this procedure will sprout third-order shoots.
4. After repeated pinching, foliar and root feeding is carried out with complete mineral fertilizer and growth stimulant.
5. It is advisable to pinch ampelous varieties every 3-4 weeks.

All instruments for this operation must be, if not sterile, then at least sharp and clean. When growing an annual plant in greenhouse conditions, the formation of a bush is carried out after the picked seedlings have taken root completely.

What to do with cuttings?

If the size of the branches separated from the mother plant is large enough, they should be used to propagate the plant you like. To do this, the cuttings must have at least 5-6 leaves and a fairly strong stem. It is advisable to use planting material for propagation after repeated cuttings, when the bush becomes stronger and its stems larger. They will quickly take root in a container of water, in which, for greater success, you need to dissolve a little root growth stimulator.

Be sure to trim off the lower leaves that come into contact with water to prevent the plant from rotting. Only the top few leaves remain on the cutting.

When young roots form, you can carefully plant the petunia in a container with light, fertile soil. If you took cuttings from hybrid seedlings, the new specimen grown from the cuttings will completely retain the characteristics and appearance of the original one, which is impossible when propagated from seeds collected by yourself.

To form a highly decorative plant, pinching alone is not enough. If you do not take care of an adult annual, then no matter what capabilities the breeders put into it, it will not show what it is capable of.

It is worth remembering the main points of qualified care.

1. Regular root and foliar feeding with microelements and minerals to increase vegetative mass.
2. Careful selection of nutritious soil for pots and balcony boxes - it should be light and fertile.
3. Adding iron to the fertilizer mixture to prevent chlorosis.
4. Regular abundant watering (up to 6 liters of water per balcony box).
5. Removing faded buds to stimulate lush flowering.
6. Treatment against aphids with a strong stream of water or pesticides, although pests do not settle on healthy, well-groomed plants.
7. Treatment with sulfur preparations in rainy weather to prevent powdery mildew.

If you carry out the correct pinching and follow the rules of care, you will admire the long-lasting flowering of this amazingly beautiful plant for a long time.

Voluminous multi-colored bushes of double, ampelous, bicolor and single-color petunias have won the hearts of experienced gardeners and beginners. From mid-spring until the first frost, flowers of amazing variety and decorativeness decorate not only summer cottages, but also the balconies of multi-storey buildings, verandas of cottages, city flower beds, cafes and restaurants. The flowers are unpretentious, do not require professional maintenance or special conditions, but they respond favorably to the care of flower growers. The flower needs good care, which includes, in addition to traditional procedures, the formation of a bush by tweezing or pinching it. Petunia, which is not pinched but allowed to grow freely, can form an elongated bush that will fall to one side. If you form the crown of the plant correctly, you can get a lush flower with many flowering shoots.

Why do you need to pinch petunia?

Pinching (or tweezing) – breaking off/plucking off the top of a plant shoot with nails. After this, the remaining part of the stem becomes woody and begins to thicken, the leaves become more saturated in color, and the buds in the axils increase in size. In gardening, this process is done to produce strong new shoots and a more beautiful appearance. However, this method works if the pinching was done before the growing season ended.

It is not difficult to get a strong and pleasing living decoration from a small sprout; the main thing is to know how to pinch petunia correctly and strictly follow the rules.

Do all varieties of petunias need to be pinched?

Old amateur varieties that have been bred long ago or plants grown from seeds collected from their flowers must be pinched. As a rule, such petunia in its natural form is far from compact and lush.

Breeders place strict demands on modern hybrid petunia not only for the beauty and splendor of flowering, but also for the simplification of plant care.

Petunia of modern varieties or hybrids does not require pinching or requires minimal intervention in the formation of the crown.

However, even on modern varieties it is impossible to do without pinching. Often, when petunia seedlings are grown at home with a lack of light and in cramped conditions, at a temperature that is too high for it, the plants stretch out.

In this case, you can spray the seedlings with Atlet or another similar product (which is what is used in industrial greenhouses) or do pinching. Many gardeners are not in favor of using excessive “chemicals” even on flowers and prefer to pinch petunia.

The rapid formation of side shoots is facilitated by lower night temperatures.

What is needed to pinch petunias?

To carry out this manipulation you will need the following:

• convenient scissors or pruning shears;
• strong seedlings with 4 – 5 large leaves at the top;
• container for collecting removed cuttings.

How and when to pinch petunia

Pinching petunias should be done twice - at the seedling stage and after planting in open ground. If the second pinching can be neglected due to lack of time, then pinching at the seedling stage is mandatory. It is carried out when the young seedling has 5-6 leaves, maybe a little less, but not more than this amount. The algorithm is quite simple. Using a miniature pruner, scissors, or just your fingers, you need to pinch the stem of the young plant above the 5-6th leaf. In order for the seedling to recover faster after this procedure, you can water or spray it with a growth stimulator such as Epin or Zircon.

A month later, when new side shoots begin to grow, you need to tweezer again. Now it is carried out not only on the central stem, but also on the side shoots, which after this procedure will sprout third-order shoots. After repeated pinching, foliar and root feeding is carried out with complete mineral fertilizer and growth stimulant. It is advisable to pinch ampelous varieties every 3-4 weeks.

What to do after pinching a petunia

With regular shortening of shoots and increased growth of petunia, constant feeding with a growth stimulant and complete mineral fertilizer is required. Otherwise, many thin stems will develop. It is possible to achieve returns from the plant only with constant watering and proper care.

We remember that we need to pick off wilted flowers in a timely manner (not pull them out, but pinch them off from the branch with the peduncle). By forming seed plants, they take away strength from the plant.

Incidental propagation of petunia by cuttings after pinching

The tops of petunia shoots, plucked or carefully cut with nail scissors, are used as cuttings for further propagation of the plant.

The roots that appear on green cuttings placed in water serve as a signal that they can already be planted in the ground, having cleared the lower part of the stem of leaves, leaving a couple of leaves at the top. Young plants can be planted quite densely, often watering and spraying them, feeding them, and also using a growth stimulator as necessary.

Petunia grown from seeds at home, as well as seedlings of inexpensive varieties purchased from retail chains, must be subjected to regular pinching of shoots protruding from the general bush. Elite varieties grown in special nurseries can develop well without pinching, but they are more capricious, sensitive to sudden changes in humidity and temperature, and suffer from exposure to rain and wind.

• Do not use the operation for seedlings in boxes and young immature shoots, do not mix different varieties and rid the soil of weeds and pests in a timely manner. Remember, petunias, like other ornamental species, need constant attention and care;
• After pinching, the removed shoots (3-4 leaves) can be placed in a jar of water and after small roots appear, use them to grow new petunia bushes;
• Throughout the season, it is necessary to remove faded flowers in a timely manner, this will help the plants form new buds.

Pinching is a simple and at the same time important manipulation that allows you to improve the quality of flowering and form a certain shape of the plant. To correct the shape of the plant, you need to pinch the petunia regularly, skipping a month between this procedure. If you follow these rules for caring for petunia, you can grow beautiful bushes of this flowering plant, which will be no worse than in the photos given in this article. If petunias are allowed to grow on their own, they will simply stretch out and the flowers will be small. Petunia lovers are constantly finding new ways to decorate using unusual varieties, and it looks simply amazing.