Prune 1 stem weekly on a small petunia plant, or prune 8 to 12 stems in a large hanging basket. How to grow petunias in a garden. Ideally the soil should have a range of 6 – 7.5 of pH. By using our site, you agree to our. But they also dont like wet feet. They produce flowers in a broad range of colors including pastels, bright neons, and blends. Could this be from overwatering them? Now, if you're using a window box, or container, you'll need to mix timed-release fertilizer into the soil. Plant petunias in a sunny location in your garden. There’s no need to spend intense effort on soil prep. References They are not only beautiful and aromatic but also easy to grow Petunias and care for. Petunias have a mounding growth habit and reach 18 inches high. Let the seeds dry out and then plant them in a new area in the springtime. Once established reduce watering to once a week, giving them a couple of inches (5cm) of water to moisten the top few inches of the soil. Here’re some petunia care tips you need to follow to grow the best petunias in containers! Petunias grow in flowerbeds and pots and range in a wide variety of colors. Keep reading to learn how to grow petunias in containers. Ordinary fluorescent light tubes work just fine. If it is really hot, make sure to provide some shade for the petunias. They are easy to control and thus work well as an edging plant. This type will need more frequent watering. Move them to a brighter, cooler spot after they have sprouted. Producing some of the largest possible single blooms, we adore their bold and bright colours. Double-flowered cultivars, however, should have a biweekly dose of fertilizer. Keep doing this until the aphids are gone. The blooms are wide trumpet shaped with branching foliage that feels sticky and hairy to touch. Do I Need to Add Top Soil Before Laying New Sod Down? Pinch petunias as you plant to encourage branching. Creating a fabulous Hanging Basket display. Apply a slow release fertilizer at the time of planting, then follow up with a liquid fertilizer every week or two throughout the season. You can grow petunia flowers in containers, hanging baskets, regular flower beds, and as borders in the flower garden. If you’re planting in a container and want to try the Thriller, Filler, Spiller effect, plant small upright petunias around a tall, striking plant or add a trailing one to soften the container’s edge. This can make them more difficult to grow together. The Supertunia® series of petunias, part of the Proven Winners® plant line, are extremely vigorous bloomers that have the advantage of being self-cleaning, so no deadheading is needed. Tuck petunias in between evergreen shrubs to brighten the area. That was just a little intro about the type of Petunias; now let’s learn how to grow petunia from seed: The first and the most important thing is the soil. Water your petunias gently every few days. Petunia Star is one the most popular bi-colour Petunias. This can help break up heavy clay soil, allowing for better water drainage or increase the ability of sandy soil to hold nutrients and moisture. We recommend planting three or four plugs in a 30cm diameter basket or pot for a full display come June. Pull them up and replace them with a cool-season plant. Prepare the site. Multiflora petunias have smaller flowers but have masses of blooms and provide big splashes of color. According to Nature Hills Nursery, you can potentially get three or more years out of one plant before it stops performing. She has been a home gardener and professional gardener since 2008. You can even opt for the full collection of veined Petunia for a complementing display. Milliflora grow close to the ground and have small flowers. Give plant of water which will settle the soil nicely around your new petunia plant. Most petunias are annuals, which means that they are only meant to live for one season. I used to buy them to plant in a flower box in our terrace. Feed them with a slow release liquid fertiliser every 7 to 10 days throughout the growing season. Any one of those factors could be enough to kill a plant. Use a high-quality potting soil for pots and hanging baskets. Cascading varieties work especially well in hanging baskets. Petunias can take summer heat in even the warmest regions, but you’ll need to water plants consistently to keep the flowers coming. It’s best to transplant on cloudy days because the hot sun can make transplant shock worse. The 3-inch-wide flowers spill over the sides of a hanging basket in wild profusion. They need a sunny spot and grow best with regular watering, plus a liquid plant food every two to three weeks. Plant them in hanging baskets, window boxes and patio containers, where they will produce masses of colour all summer long. Whether in hanging baskets or containers on tables or a front porch, growing petunias in pots brings vibrant color throughout the summer to whatever area you choose. Thank you. Petunias can begin to bloom a few days after you've planted the seedlings or even while they are still in punnets if the weather is hot and they are watered well. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Or, you can try planting the seeds directly into the ground. However, if you're going to plant them in a container you will want to make sure that you use a soil-less mix (a soil-less mix is composed of things like peat moss, composted pine bark, or coir, as well as inorganic components like sand). It should be well mixed with peat. The … Plant the petunias in individual pots. As annuals, petunias will only grow well for one growing season. Garden petunias like a balanced fertilizer such as 8-8 … The compact milliflora types produce generous quantities of small flowers 1 to 1 1/2 inch in diameter. Cascading varieties work especially well in hanging baskets. In all these growing choices, you will get to enjoy fragile, magnificent blooms in spring or summer season. Plant in a hole deep enough to accommodate the plug. To ensure that the soil has proper ventilation, till organic matter like compost into the first eight inches or so with your hands. Ideal for gardeners who want something classical yet a little bit different this year. You can take some cuttings and keep them in water over winter, but it's usually best just to start fresh and re-plant each spring. Start the seeds on heating pads or on top of your refrigerator. Petunias look great in hanging baskets, in patio containers or pots, and in borders. Lawn Basics. Petunias can become established plants with very little difficulty and they will flower prolifically all the way from June to October in most areas of the country. Most varieties should be planted about 10 inches apart in a garden bed for a beautiful lush display. Approved. Or you have a particular petunia you love and want more of it. Note that petunias also do fine in partial sun, which is considered to be 3-6 hours of sunlight per day. Soil . In this case, 85% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. Make sure that the plants are directly beneath the lights (unlike before they sprouted when you want the seeds away from direct sunlight). These Mixed collections are a great value way of filling your summer baskets with the excellent Tumbelina series. Planting petunias in containers is a fantastic way to showcase them. This article has been viewed 117,191 times. Start indoors.To get a head start on planting petunias, start seeds indoors about two months before the last frost date.Fill peat pots with a seed-starting mix (a finer blend of nutrient-dense potting soil available at any garden center or nursery), and place in a tray. Multiflora petunias have more abundant, smaller, 1- to 2-inch, flowers. Like most plants, petunias need fertile, well-draining soil with a slightly acidic pH—6.0 to 7.0, which is achieved by incorporating organic materials or fertilizer as needed. Petunias will produce from spring to mid-fall. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Petunia container care is very easy. Cover the trays with a Propagation Dome and keep them warm (70-85 degrees F soil temperature). Search our blog for tips, tutorials and the top varieties of the season. % of people told us that this article helped them. The plant soil in the containers is very hot and starts drying, the plant needs water to dry the spell, However, these are … Incorporate the organic matter into the soil by using a garden fork to about the depth of eight to ten inches. Since my source for inexpensive 6 packs of annuals is no longer I have relied on grocery store choices and I even picked up petunias at Wal-Mart. How to Water and Feed Petunia. Many of our mail-order catalog partners sell Wave petunia seed packets, and you often can find unique colors you may not find in stores. Planting and Spacing Petunia. When you want your petunia to bloom more you need to cut the stems (with the flowers on it) off. The creamy-white flowers have delicate coffee coloured veins and a rich dark foliage. Spread the tiny seeds on top of fresh damp potting soil or sphagnum moss. ", http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/flowers/growing-petunias/, http://www.finegardening.com/choosing-right-soilless-mix, http://www.garden.org/subchannels/care/soil?q=show&id=679, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Petunias can be grown in the garden or in containers including hanging baskets. Keep your potted plants in a spot that receives full sun. To start with, water every three to five days, take care not to get the foliage wet when watering as this can damage the plant and promote disease. Petunias can be planted outside from early May, once all danger of frost has passed. Although petunias are not selective about their soil quality, they will enjoy the addition of organic matter to their soil. There are so many colors and sizes from which to choose. Use freshly prepared soil or a balance potting compost when planting. Start flowering a bit later than other petunias, usually in the early summer, but will continue right into fall. Often petunias in containers need to be watered as much as once as day. If you're buying petunias at a garden center and the type isn't listed on the container, ask the staff for clarification. Petunia seeds can be difficult to handle, because of their size, so make sure you take that into consideration. Planting petunias in hanging baskets is a cinch, as long as you use a sturdy container with at least one drainage hole. They come in a myriad of colors and availability. Use all-purpose potting soil and keep the petunias planted at the same depth as they were outdoors. If you are growing petunias in a pot, aim to have up to 3 plants in a pot that measures 10–12 inches (25–30 cm). There is a Petunia for every type of summer display and they are available in every colour and colour combination imaginable. Then, water your petunias weekly and fertilize them monthly, making sure to pinch off the faded blossoms as necessary to encourage new growth. Vegetable Garden . For the best performance, plant petunias in full sun (at least six hours a day). Planting Petunias in the Ground Plant in full sun after the danger of frost has passed. Mexican petunias can be started from seed, planting them inside several months before the growing season. Although there are hundreds of named petunias, they tend to fall into four basic categories, which are determined by flower size and growth habit. Petunias do not like to grow in stagnant water. Personally, I mist my petunias with the hose at least twice a day for 10 seconds, which seems to help a lot. Note that petunias also do fine in partial sun, which is considered to be 3-6 hours of sunlight per day. Soil prepared before planting petunias should have well-composted organic matter worked in. If you are growing petunias in a garden, space them out about 3 inches (7.6 cm) apart. Pick petunia plants for bedding that are compact (not tall and leggy) because these will thrive better. Place in a sunny or partially shaded location. Katherine Gohmann is a Professional Gardener in Texas. They love warmth and sunlight. Milliflora petunias can be placed closer together than the other types with as little as four to six inches (10.2-15.2 cm) between them. Colder than that and the petunia won't flourish. Ensure drainage is good to avoid waterlogging and rotting the roots, check the wetness of the soil beforehand so that you do not overwater them. How can I distinguish between an upright and trailing petunia plant? are considered an annual garden flower, but they are really a tender perennial winter hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 and 11. They love lots of sunlight to get the most blooms. Katherine Gohmann is a Professional Gardener in Texas. Transplanting petunias tends to be a necessary chore in caring for your petunias. They will be happier in warmer, drier soil, so wait to plant if the weather has been wet and chilly. If you have potted petunia plants, place them on a sunny balcony or window sill. Petunia is easy to grow where you get sunlight. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/a1\/Grow-Petunias-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Grow-Petunias-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/a1\/Grow-Petunias-Step-1.jpg\/aid1382454-v4-728px-Grow-Petunias-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"