submitted to our "DoItYourself.com Community Forums". Dig a hole for the petunias that is as deep and wide as the pot was. If you planted your petunia and grew it correctly last year, it’s probably time to transplant it into a bigger pot so that it has clean, fertile soil and more room to grow. Transplant the seedlings into individual pots once they develop two or three true leaves. Seedlings that will be started sooner (like wave petunias) or grow larger (like tomatoes) get a 2 inch pot. home improvement and repair website. Remember to water them. The petunia plantlets are ready for transplantation within 8 – 10 weeks after sowing. If possible, transplant on a warm, overcast day in the early morning. You should wait until after the last spring frost to move them outdoors. We welcome your comments and Invasive Mexican petunias form large, horizontal roots that grow above and below ground, making them difficult to remove, and even small pieces that are overlooked can regrow. Some have a few large blooms while others have many smaller blooms; some have single-petaled and some have double-petaled flowers. Start your seedlings 10 to 12 weeks before you plan to plant them (early spring, is recommended, such as March in the northern climates). They grow well in flower boxes, hanging baskets, flower beds and many other containers. You may freely link If the soil is very dry, water the plant first before digging it up. In spring, garden shops are stocked with annual flowers (pansies, petunias,), vegetable plants (tomatoes, lettuce), perennials (hostas, daylilies), and shrubs (hydrangeas, roses). 2 Double and single blooms offer a selection of solid and multi-colored flowers. You can use any combination of these to make up your soil; that’s entirely up to you. Lift out individual plants with a wooden stick or butter knife, and transplant them into potting soil. To ensure our content is always up-to-date with current information, best practices, and professional advice, articles are routinely reviewed by industry experts with years of hands-on experience. I am about to switch out a furnace control board. Ultimately, you want the petunia as deep in the new pot as it was in the old one, so transplanting at the same depth they were when originally growing is an important thing to make sure of when you’re putting the rest of the dirt on the plant. Mexican petunias are resilient plants that can withstand transplanting. Thinning and transplanting are most successful when the plants are small, and have recently developed strong true leaves. Finishing time. Step 1. You can also start indoors 8 weeks before the last frost if … Once the young plants have between 4-6 sets of “true” leaves, it’s time to transplant them to individual pots or packs. Keep the fluorescent lights over the young plants as described above and continue to monitor for moisture. Petunias need to be started from seed around 10-12 weeks before you want to plant them outdoors. Transplanting petunias tends to be a necessary chore in caring for your petunias. Cascading petunias are ideal for hanging baskets. They are inexpensive, low … Soak the Soil. After frosting is over, and when the soil temperature measures 60 degrees F, transplant petunia plants in well-drained garden soil. Put at the bottom pebbles around 2 inches for sufficient aeration & porosity. I like transplanting to pots no smaller than 48 cell inserts for standard nursery flats. If the weather has been dry, … If you are transplanting the … The seeds can remain in the soil and germinate years after the plants have been eradicated. Turn the container upside down while holding the top of the soil – then gently squeeze the plastic cell sides to loosen it. Transplanting petunias tends to be a necessary chore in caring for your petunias. This is especially true … They are ready to transplant when they grow two sets of leaves. Transplant seedlings on a calm, cloudy day, if possible. This gives the plants a chance to settle into the soil without being instantly exposed to the intense midday sun. Website operating See, a list of blog articles covering the basics to help you with your garden in southwest Idaho. They come in several varieties with either pink or purple flowers. Late afternoon is a good time because plants can recover from the shock of transplanting without sitting in the midday heat and sun. First, fill up your pot with well-drained soil, like topsoil mixed with vermiculite, perlite, or peat. Select a bedding site that is full sun to part shade, and that has well-drained soil. The Mexican petunia (Ruellia brittoniana) is a beautiful addition to a flowering backyard retreat.As a hardy perennial (you only need to plant them once), the Mexican petunia is one of several desert plants that are recommended for warm, dry climates. When transplanting any plant at all, you should always prepare the new pot first because it ensures that the roots don’t sit out and dry, or break under the weight of being out of the pot and smothered in all that dirt. If you do that, you can enjoy your petunia all summer long. Log in. Yes, you can absoultely grow Mexican petunias as an annual in northern regions, even from seed, as long as you have 3 good months of frost-free weather (as zones 4 and 5 do) and a spot in full sun. This plant grows as … Seed capsules on the plants burst open when ripe, scattering seeds everywhere. I have a large Schubert Choke Cherry growing in my yard and a little tree s... Two large baskets of Calibrachoa ("mini petunias") hanging on a porch facin... hello i have a very old Rhododendron next to my house, its at least 20 year... What are good practices for switching out a control board? _____ Should I Plant Petunia Seeds Or Plants? Harden them before transplantation by placing outdoors in bright light during day time. Petunias allowed to go to seed will slow or stop blooming. Creating enough space between the plants lets each seedling get all of the sunlight, water, and nutrients it needs. Assuming you didn’t use a plastic container before, thumping the dirt loose probably won’t work too well (it will if the container’s plastic though) so you should start from the outer edges and work your hands and fingers down into the dirt, following the inner walls of the pot. and needs lots of light in order to germinate. suggestions. Read on to learn more about the cold tolerance of petunias . You can plant your petunia in the new pot now by gently setting the roots down in the divet you made in the new dirt. These leaves will look different from leaves that will grow later. All information is provided "AS IS." I have a raised bed garden with a dozen 4 year old asparagus plants. Although petunias are classified as tender perennials, they are delicate, thin-leaved tropical plants that are usually grown as annuals due to their lack of hardiness. Loosen the roots if necessary, which will also help the roots get rid of some of that old dirt that they were still holding onto from last year. Fill the pot about 2/3 of the way up, making a well with your hand in the center about 2 inches deep. Take a small pot preferably of around 36 inch dia, and around 10 inches deep. You’re all finished. True Leaves on a Seedling The general rule of thumb is that when a seedling has three to four true leaves, it’s large enough to plant out in the garden (after it has been hardened off). to this site, and use it for non-commercial use subject to our terms of use. problems contact webmaster@doityourself.com. You can grow petunias from seeds, but it is easier to grow them from transplants. When removing a plant from a seedling tray cell or other small starter pot, do not pull the plant by the stem to remove it. DoItYourself.com®, founded in 1995, is the leading independent Wait until the seedlings are 2–3 inches (5.1–7.6 cm) tall and choose a mild day to start thinning them out. A Few Tips on How to Transplant Seedlings. Although it can feel wrong to remove healthy plants, this prevents fungal and growth problems later on. Then they have enough top growth to help them through the transplant process, but not so much that the stressed roots will have a hard time sustaining while they get re-established in the soil. Questions of a Do It Yourself nature should be Flatten the surface of the soil and press lightly then water. Mexican petunia plants are perennials that grow in USDA hardiness zones 7 to 9. You’re ready to get your petunia prepared for planting. If you planted your petunia and grew it correctly last year, it’s probably time to transplant it into a bigger pot so that it has clean, fertile soil and more room to grow. Petunias grow either as a ground cover or as individual plants. Keep the soil moist but well-drained, and return them to under the lights until it’s … If transplanting more than one petunia plant, space the holes 12 inches apart. The plants grow readily from seeds, which are usually started indoors six to eight weeks before the last spring frost. Petunias aren't exactly easy to grow from seedlings, but it can definitely be done and it usually means that you can cultivate more petunias for cheaper! HOW TO SOW PETUNIA SEEDS – STEP BY STEP. These steps are essentially the same for transplanting outside, just remember that if you’re putting the petunia in your outdoor garden that transplanting after the last frost is the best way to protect your petunia from the cold snaps that happen in early spring. Whatever the type of petunia chosen, plant 3 seedlings per 10-inch basket. When you plant a seed, the first leaves to emerge are the cotyledons. Are petunias cold hardy? There are two ways to transplant; buy plants and transplant them or move plants from one place to another in your garden. Most of my seeds are started 6 to 8 weeks before planting out. Grow Petunias from Seed: Start inside 10-12 weeks before you plan to move them outside (after the last frost of your area and after hardening off). Space seedlings about 10 inches apart in a window box or planter. When the seeds sprout and begin to grow, keep 4 to 6 inches between the lights and the seedlings. Let others know about Daily Improvisations! Some of the links on this site are affiliate links, including affiliate links to amazon.com. All rights reserved. Wait until all the danger of frost passes before you put them outside. Petunia plants can be started indoors or grown using transplants from a nursery or garden center. The easy answer is no, not really. Place the petunia — in the current pot — in the location where it will grow after the transplant for a few hours at a time in the days before you actually move the plant to the new pot. If you are going to grow from seeds, start them indoors about 10 weeks before you want to set them outside. Shake off the old dirt, and turn to your new pot for planting. 1995-2018 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Your garden soil should be moist, but not soggy. Now wiggle your petunia gently out of the old pot. Petunia seeds are very small (dust-like!) To take the petunia out of its old container, turn it on its side and gently try to loosen around the plant with your fingers. 2. Then, holding the petunia straight up, backfill with the topsoil, gently pressing the dirt around the base of the petunia plant. Soak the soil around new seedlings immediately after transplanting in order to settle the roots. Copyright© Purchasing Petunia Plants. I very... Just trying to understand how this all works. View our Privacy Policy here. We recommend the Black Gold Seedling Mix and the 20 Row Seedling Flat. Hundreds of cultivars of petunias are available to the gardener for use in a range of garden designs. Knowing your frost dates can help you decide when to start your seeds indoors.