From French the word "cache-pot" is translated as "hidden flower". Over time, clay pots, in which petunias are most often grown, become covered with white spots and lose their attractiveness. Then they are installed in a separate container, which performs mainly a decorative function. What can I make a flower pot for petunias with my own hands? Of everything that you have on your household and has ceased to be necessary for you. It can be old garden buckets, a wheel rim, old tires or suitcases, chairs, teapots and even all kinds of shoes. It would be a desire, free time and indefatigable imagination.
How to make a pot yourself?
If the pot is in a warm room, then the most suitable material for it will be wood, plastic or ceramic. For the street, a winter garden or an unheated veranda, more frost-resistant options are suitable: chamotte clay or faience. If you grow petunia in pots, then pallets are needed to help out during the watering period. The possibility of runoff for water should always be considered.
Honestly, it is not necessary to use this decorative device, but the aesthetic pleasure received with its help will never be superfluous.
You can make a decorative pot from practically nothing from beginning to end. And the flowers in it will be fine, and without flowers it will become a real decoration of any site. This is our ginger flower bed cat, the birth of which we will clearly demonstrate to you right now.
To work, prepare:
- a large bottle made of thick plastic;
- cement, gypsum, water and sand;
- wire and wooden slats;
- sand paper;
- paint and varnish.
The base of the flower garden will be a plastic bottle, but for this it will need to be cut. The cement mortar will be applied to the base. So that he does not slip on slippery plastic, you can densely wrap it with wire. The frame should be knocked out of wooden battens, after which a prepared container should be tied to it.
Knead the solution at the rate of 1 part sand to 1 part cement. The consistency of thick sour cream is needed. In no case do not add gypsum to the general solution, because with it the mass will instantly harden. We put on rubber gloves. We collect a handful of the solution in the hand and add one tablespoon of gypsum to it. Knead the mass in the hands, form a sausage or ball from it and attach it to the frame, creating the shape of the figure. We sculpt the face from the balls as if we were working with plasticine. Before placing small parts on the body, lubricate it with water.
It is necessary to polish the surface of the body of the figure with a hand dipped in water. Ready flower garden should not crack. To do this, it should be dried under cellophane for 3-4 days. On the first day of the drying process, it is better to moisten the figure several times. The surface of the finished cat is sanded with sandpaper. You can paint a cat with car or water-based paint, enamel. The finished figure is varnished. Such a garden planter is afraid of severe frosts. If it is protected and updated, it can last a very long time.
Types of petunias and their place in the garden
Recently, the fashion for petunias, which our grandmothers loved and appreciated, has returned. Once again we admire the lush and colorful clouds in elegant hanging planters, garlands falling and curling around the arbors, as well as bright flowers growing on the flower beds and along garden paths. This is a hybrid plant, the varieties of which are usually divided into groups.
Shrub hybrid groups
For flower beds, rabatok and borders, a long-term bush petunia fits perfectly. Small varieties can be grown in containers. The subgroup of Multiflora flowers is distinguished by a large number of medium-sized inflorescences. In the Grandiflora subgroup, flowers can reach 16 cm in diameter (Triumph variety). The most famous series are Fantasy, Dream, Titan, Polaris, Storm, Hit Parade and the early Ultra variety.
The formation of bushes occurs independently. If there is a desire to affect the appearance of the plant, it is enough to cut off its top at the level of the third internode, then the flower will begin to branch and become more magnificent.
Group of weather-resistant colors
The group is called floribunda. This is an average option, which in terms of its characteristics can be placed between Multiflora and Grandiflora. Mass plantings are often decorated with terry floribundas. The most popular are the cultivars of Celebrity and Sonya.
Picturesque flower thickets
Cascading groups can produce shoots that grow in all directions, forming dense flower thickets. This is a great decoration for gazebos, verandas and terraces. The scourges up to 1.5 meters are thrown by the remarkably beautiful varieties Typhoon, Rose, Cherry, Ramblin and Silver.
Live flower curtains
Unlike cascading species, ampelous shoots that shoot only downward. These varieties of petunias are ideal for hanging flower pots. However, planted on a flowerbed, they form a beautiful floral cover on the ground.
In detail about the varieties and the best varieties we offer to see the video material.
Planting and growing rules
So, we have a flower garden, we decided on the desired varieties. It is time to plant, grow and enjoy the result. You can buy seeds, but for beginners it is better to start with ready seedlings. Before you grow prepared seedlings of petunia in a cache-pot, you should make sure that positive temperatures are established at night, and that frost does not threaten your sprouts.
Simple landing rules
Abundant nutrition is an important part of the life of a healthy plant. Often, in order to impress the buyer, sellers plant three roots per liter pot. They will inevitably die due to nutritional deficiencies.
- Shrub species and floribunda need 1-2 liters of land per root.
- Cascade and ampelous are more voracious, and their need for land is 3-5 liters per 1 root.
- Tornado and Typhoon are powerful varieties that need 7-15 liters per root.
When thinking about how many petunias you will plant in a pot, consider: from one to another central stalk the distance should be at least 15-20 cm. Otherwise, the plants will simply strangle each other.
Choosing the right land
The problem with plain garden soil is that it is too heavy for delicate flowers. Between watering, it can go cracked. If it is not loosened constantly, then the roots will suffocate. Therefore, when you plan to plant petunias in a cache-pot, stock up with good soil. The following characteristics correspond to it: high friability, moisture permeability and lightness.
Pay attention to the soil, which is based on peat. A little vermicompost and sand will not hurt, and vermiculite and perlite will make it loose. Another option suitable soil is: garden soil, peat and baking powder in proportions of 3: 3: 0.5. Such land will be sufficiently nutritious, air- and moisture-permeable.
Do not forget about leaving
In principle, caring for petunia in a pot is simple. In addition to nutrition, you need to take care of watering, showering, cutting and protecting plants from diseases. If illness is a topic of a separate big conversation, then we should briefly talk about other components of care.
- Watering. The plant is watered twice a day: morning and evening. If this mode is beyond your power, use a hydrogel or autowatering. When watering in the heat, the roots can simply be welded, so this can not be done. In May and early June, when the evening hours are still cool, a second daytime watering can be ruled out.
- Shower. Spraying the bush allows not only to deliver moisture to it across the entire surface, but also helps in the fight against spider mites. It is impossible that drops of water fall on the leaves in the scorching sun. The flower may get burned.
- A haircut. Wilted flowers are removed, then the plant will delight you with new buds, and not engage in the formation of seeds. In mid-summer and autumn, shoots are sheared. Then they will always be lush and fresh.
In addition to all of the above, in plants there is still a need for fertilizers, which also needs to be satisfied. And we will certainly talk about it, but a little later.