29/08/2024 (Photo: Pixabay/Tieu Bảo Trương).
Surfinias can bloom continuously from spring until the first frost.These beautiful plants, which come from South America, can enjoy their colors for many months, provided they are properly cared for.One of the secrets of their lush flowering is a simple citric acid fertilizer that you can prepare at home.Thanks to its properties, even neglected surfinia regain their vitality and begin to bloom profusely.We will advise you how to care for surfinia at the end of summer and what are the symptoms of over-fertilization and lack of fertilizer..
How to care for surfinia at the end of summer so that they bloom for a long time?
Also known as cascading petunias, surfinis are popular balcony plants that can bloom from spring to late fall.However, for this, several important rules of care must be followed.These flowers grow best in full sun, but can tolerate partial shade.They are ideal for balconies and terraces with a south, southeast or southwest orientation.Surfinia prefer an acidic, permeable substrate with a pH of 5-5. 5.
The pots in which they are planted should be deep and there should be a drainage layer, for example, expanded clay at the bottom.In addition, do not forget that in hot weather you have to water the plants up to twice a day – morning and evening.The substrate should be constantly moist, but not wet.In order to stimulate the plants to bloom again and to prevent diseases, you must regularly remove spent flowers.By doing this every day, you allow the plant to focus its energy on producing new buds.
Surfinis are susceptible to fungal diseases such as powdery mildew.However, you can prevent this by using preventative fungicide sprays.Regularly checking the plants and removing diseased parts also helps to maintain the health of surfinia. At the end of summer, you can shorten the shoots by about 1/3 of their length. This stimulates the plants to produce new shoots and flowers.
How to fertilize surfinia? Symptoms of over-fertilization and lack of fertilizer
Surfinias are sensitive to insufficient fertilization, either too frequent or too infrequent. Symptoms of insufficient fertilization are relatively easy to recognize: the plant loses its color intensity, the leaves and flowers sag, and the stems are short and not very flexible.In this case, the amount or frequency of fertilization should be increased.On the other hand, symptoms of excessive fertilization are rapid shoot growth that becomes lush.The flowers develop more slowly and there are fewer of them.
How to properly fertilize surfinia? It is best to fertilize them once a week with your own nutrition rich in, among other things, potassium, which promotes flowering.Fertilization is continued until the end of September or the beginning of October if the weather conditions are favorable and the plants are still flowering.
Citric acid fertilizer for surfinia
You can fertilize surfinia with one simple ingredient that you often use in the kitchen. Citric acid helps dissolve phosphorus, making it more readily available to surfinia roots. It also acts as a chelating agent, i.e.j. converts minerals into forms that are more bioavailable to plants.This allows the surfinis to absorb essential nutrients more efficiently.
Citric acid fertilizer for surfinia is prepared in a ratio of 1:1. For every liter of water , preferably dehydrated at room temperature or rainwater, add 1 gram of citric acid.Five grams is equivalent to one level teaspoon.You can prepare a citric acid fertilizer in larger quantities because citric acid acts as a preservative and prevents oxidation of vitamin C in food.
