How to Plant and Grow Petunia

When you require loads of colorful flower all summer long , it ’s tough to shell these easy - tending annuals .

One of the most pop annuals , petunias add mountains of color to garden beds and containers . Thesetough plantscan produce gobs of bloom all season long and come up in a broad variety ofcolors and patternslike stripes , dab , and even hearts . Most petunias available today are hybrids , but new sort come out every year in novel designs . The blossom sizing natural selection is quite divers as well .

Whether you ’re looking for alow - growing groundcover , a mounding character for containers , or a rambling wild plant to meet up some infinite , there is a petunia for every situation .

Credit: Justin Hancock

Where to Plant Petunias

Whether you plant Petunia in garden beds or potbelly , they should get at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunshine daily . piece a placement with well - drained soil and a pH in the inert to slightly acidic range of mountains ( 6.0 to 7.0 ) .

works petunias in closely spaced group or drifts for the honorable ocular effect . Trailing petunias look best whenspilling over wallsor containers and hanging baskets . Wherever you plant genus Petunia in the landscape painting , make certain that they do n’t get shaded too much by other plants , and keep in mind that they acquire taller as the season progress .

How and When to Plant Petunias

Petunias can be embed when the soil has warmed to at least 60 degrees F , and there is no longer a risk of leaping Robert Frost . tease up the soil in the planting area anddig a holeat least twice the size of the root bollock for each plant . Place the plant in the hole and backfill with a salmagundi of soil and compost . Gently tamp down the soil around the base and water the plants immediately .

The spacing count on the variety and location . Multiflora and grandiflora petunias should be spaced about 12 in aside when planted in full sunlight and a duo of inches less when engraft in fond specter . drop back petunia should be spaced at least 18 inches aside . The heavyset milliflora petunias can be planted much denser , about 4 to 6 inch apart .

Petunia Care Tips

Light

It is essential toplant petunia in full sun . Partial shade , particularly in the hot afternoon hours , is acceptable in warm climates , but too much spook can pass to few blooms and lanky plant . In shady locating , the soil stays plastered longer after a rainfall , increasing the likelihood of buncombe .

Soil and Water

Petunias are unfussy about soil as long as they are plantedin well - drained soils . hapless drain , however , can conduct to moulder and fungous issues .

Petunias do not need lots of pee , with two major exceptions : pot petunia and go after petunias need frequent watering . In the absence of rainfall , in - basis petunias should be watered about once a workweek , more often during a hotness wave . Container industrial plant demand daily watering . In red-hot summer weather , Petunia inhanging basketsmight require to be watered double daily .

Temperature and Humidity

Petunias are heat - loving plants . blistering weather is not a problem for them but they do n’t handle high humidness well , so they are not the good option for locations where summers are red-hot and humid .

Fertilizer

Because petunia are such vigorous pratfall , they ask a substantial amount of nutrients to keep up their blooming magnate . Plant them in soilsrich in organic matterand fertilise them regularly throughout the growing season with a balanced , over fertiliser .

Pruning

Petunias are clean low alimony , but many older varietiesmay command deadheadingto keep up a never-ending display of blossom . Meanwhile , most new types are self - clean , so deadheading is unnecessary .

If they get too leggy , some petunias may also benefit from an episodic shearing back to serve encourage a new blossom of compact growing .

Potting and Repotting

Plantpetunias in potsfilled with well - draining potting mix and large drainage holes . Unglazed ceramic and terra - cotta pots are ideal because they let excess wet evaporate . Potted petunias can be implant more densely than petunias in garden beds , count on the variety show , you may fit up to 3 plants in a 12 - in tummy . They will need more even watering than petunias growing in the ground . Repotting is ordinarily not necessary as petunias conclude their liveliness cycle with the first declension rime .

Pests and Problems

alike toflowering tobaccos , a close relative , petunias can attract some pesky bugs , particularly during the heat of the summertime , but seldom in large enough quantity to be of worry . Keep an eye out for whiteflies and aphids , as they are the most likely to show up .

plant petunias in location with poorly draining , stiff filth , specially in partial refinement , can make plants more susceptible to fungal diseases .

How to Propagate Petunias

Most petunias are loanblend that do not come unfeigned from seed . Some nurseries offer petunia cum though the selection is much more special than when buy industrial plant .

Propagate from seed :

Propagate from cutting :

Cascadias Bicolor Purple petunia

Credit: Justin Hancock

you could propagate petunias from cut rent from non - patented salmagundi , so if you part a theme from your industrial plant , you could grow a newfangled plant . Here ’s how :

After 2 to 3 weeks , your cutting should begin to show new ontogeny .

Types of Petunia

Petunias have always been know for their vast choice of colors and patterns . The options seem almost sempiternal . Here is a tilt of popular types :

‘Cascadias Bicolor Purple’ Petunia

Petunia’Cascadias Bicolor Purple ' is a heavy - blooming variety bearingpurple flowerswith a white adept in the shopping center . It has a trailing drug abuse .

‘Cascadias Cherry Spark’ Petunia

Petunia’Cascadias Cherry Spark ' is a floriferous survival of the fittest with pink flowers veined in blue purple . It has a trailing drug abuse , making it undecomposed for hanging baskets .

‘Cascadias Sunray’ Petunia

Petunia’Cascadias Sunray ' is a trailing petunia with medium - size soft yellow-bellied flowers veined in rich yellowness .

‘Double Wave Blue Velvet’ Petunia

Petunia’Double Wave Blue Velvet ' bears double , purple - patrician flowers on vigorous plants that reach 6 inch improbable and 2 feet wide .

‘Dreams Fuchsia’ Petunia

Petunia’Dreams Fuchsia ' is a large - flowering petunia wear many bold fuchsia - pink flowersall summer . It grows 15 inches grandiloquent and 12 inches extensive .

‘Easy Wave Blue’ Petunia

Petunia ' Easy Wave Blue ' is a spreading petunia bearing piles of dark patrician - royal flowers . It grows 12 inch tall and 40 inch panoptic .

‘Easy Wave Coral Reef’ Petunia

Petunia’Easy Wave Coral Reef ' is a spread petunia with an abundance of dark coral - pink flowers . It grows 12 inches magniloquent and 40 in blanket .

‘Easy Wave Mystic Pink’ Petunia

' Easy Wave Mystic Pink’Petuniais a spreading excerption that bears creamy - soft pink flowers with a white center . It grows 12 inches tall and 40 inch wide .

‘Easy Wave Pink’ Petunia

' Easy Wave Pink’Petuniais a disseminate hybrid with bright pink flowers all summertime long . It grows 12 inches marvelous and 40 inches wide-eyed .

‘Famous Lilac Picotee’ Petunia

Petunia’Famous Lilac Picotee ' is a vigorous variety with a semi - trailing substance abuse and lilac - purple flowers edged in white . It grow 1 foot tall and 2 feet wide .

‘Fantasy Pink Morn’ Petunia

Petunia’Fantasy Pink Morn ' carry soft - pinkish blooms with a white pharynx on compact plant that grow 1 foot tall and wide-eyed .

‘Madness Yellow’ Petunia

Petunia’Madness Yellow ' is a floriferous excerption with cleanyellow blooms , great branching , and a season - recollective performance . It grow 15 in tall and 18 inches full .

‘Merlin Blue Morn’ Petunia

Petunia’Merlin Blue Morn ' offers rich purple flowers with a glowing white kernel . This award - win variety show grows 18 inches grandiloquent and wide .

‘Merlin Rose’ Petunia

Petunia’Merlin Rose ' produces beautiful pink blooms with a white and sensationalistic pharynx on plant life that grow 1 base tall and blanket .

‘Opera Supreme Pink Morn’ Petunia

Petunia’Opera Supreme Pink Morn ' stomach vivid pinkish peak with a lenient white center . This award - win variety grows 6 in tall and 3 human foot panoptic .

‘Orchid Daddy’ Petunia

Petunia’Orchid pa ' is an award - winning natural selection with 4 - column inch - wide lavender - pink blooms that bear dark vein . It grows to 1 base tall and wide .

‘Picnic White’ Petunia

Petunia’Picnic White ' is a mini petunia with an teemingness of smallwhite flowers . It grows 1 metrical unit tall and 2 feet wide .

‘Pirouette Rose’ Petunia

Petunia’Pirouette Rose ' bear frilly , double , pink - and - bloodless flowers on 1 - infantry plant . It ’s not as heat - tolerant as many other petunia varieties .

‘Supertunia Bermuda Beach’ Petunia

' Supertunia Bermuda Beach’Petuniais an easy - growing selection that produces an prodigious number of salmon - coral blooms . It grows 10 inch tall and 2 feet all-inclusive .

‘Supertunia Bordeaux’ Petunia

' Supertunia Bordeaux’Petuniashows off soft pink flowers with racy over-embellished - red mineral vein . It ’s a vigorous flora that bears a mess of flowers and maturate 10 inch grandiloquent and 4 base wide .

‘Supertunia Citrus’ Petunia

' Supertunia Citrus’Petuniais a vigorous pick with soft yellow flowers vein in rich yellowness . It ’s in force for give ear baskets and can trail to 1 foot .

‘Supertunia Lavender Skies’ Petunia

' Supertunia Lavender Skies’Petuniais a vigorous variety that covers itself in lovely lavender - blue flowers that seem to change colour throughout the day . It spring up 10 inches tall and 4 feet wide .

‘Supertunia Mini Blue’ Petunia

' Supertunia Mini Blue’Petuniagraces gardens with small , dark blasphemous - purple flush . It grows 8 inches marvellous and can spread to 6 foot .

‘Supertunia Pretty Much Picasso®’ Petunia

Rich purple flowers with deeper purple veins are edge in a bright pea green green .

‘Supertunia Raspberry Blast’ Petunia

A new color practice in petunias , ' Raspberry Blast ' has shiny pink blossom with a inscrutable violet edging for an interesting new burden .

‘Supertunia Royal Velvet’ Petunia

' Supertunia Royal Velvet’Petuniadisplays an abundance of rich , blue - purple heyday all summer long . The vigorous excerpt grows 10 inch grandiloquent and 4 feet blanket .

‘Sweet Sunshine Compact Lime’ Petunia

Petunia’Sweet Sunshine Compact Lime ' is a delicious double - flower genus Petunia with yellow green - yellow flowers all summertime long . It grows 14 inches grandiloquent and wide .

‘Sweet Sunshine Compact Nostalgia’ Petunia

Petunia’Sweet Sunshine Compact Nostalgia ' shows off beautiful , double flaccid - pinkish flowers touch with creamy yellow on a 14 - inch - mounding works .

‘Vista Silverberry’ Petunia

' Vista Silverberry’Petuniaoffers silvery pink flowers on vigorous , long - blooming plants that rise 2 feet marvelous and wide .

‘Wave Blue’ Petunia

' brandish Blue’Petunialiberally slush smart purple - gloomy colour through the garden , growing rapidly to 4 feet and blooming profusely all season .

‘Wave Misty Lilac’ Petunia

' Wave Misty Lilac’Petuniashows off silvery , soft - lilac flowers on a plant that grows 6 column inch tall and 4 substructure wide .

‘Wave Purple’ Petunia

' Wave Purple’Petuniais an prize - winning choice with Battle of Magenta flower on 4 - in - marvelous plants that can spread 4 feet wide of the mark .

‘Wild’ Petunia

Petunia integrifoliais aboriginal to areas of Mexico and bears magenta flush all summer long . It scrambles to 2 feet and often ego - ejaculate .

Petunia Companion Plants

Sweet Alyssum

Sweet alyssum , withits twee , fragrant flowers , is frequently used in container and hang field goal to pour forth over the edges , make a soft , frothy flavour . It ’s also a peachy edging flora because of its sizeable , compact habit . Regardless of how you habituate it , angelical alyssum does well in the cool conditions of natural spring and declension ( or use it for winter color in very strong mood ) . In cool - summer circumstance , such as in the northerly third of the United States , sweet genus Alyssum will bloom steady through the summer . It halts flush in summer in warmer areas .

Heliotrope

Even without its fabulous smell , heliotrope would be widely grownin the garden . The scent , somewhere between cerise Proto-Indo European , grape vine ice pop , and vanilla , makes it one of the most intriguingly odorous plants in the garden . As a bonus , this tropic plant , grow as an annual , bear big clusters of rich purpleness , drear , or white flowers . Heliotrope prosper in a spot with full Dominicus and moist , well - drained filth . It is also a great container works . For the strongest odour , group several plants together wherethey can get afternoon Sunday , which helps release the fragrance .

Salvia, Sage

There are few garden that do n’t haveat least one salviagrowing in them . Whether you have Lord’s Day or tint , a wry garden or peck of rainfall , there ’s an annual salvia that you ’ll find indispensable . All draw in hummingbirds , especially the red ones , and are great plectrum for live , wry sites where you want tons of semblance all season . Most salvias do n’t like nerveless weather , so plant them outdoors after all danger of freeze has passed .

Garden Plans for Petunia

Garden Plan for Partial Shade

This garden program combines easy , adaptable plants to add colour to spots that do n’t see full sun .

Tiny Corner Garden Plan

Banish front - thousand blahs by instal this easy street corner - fence garden of fast - growing flowers .

Frequently Asked Questions

One of the characteristics that makes genus Petunia such a valuable and commonly used flora is their slow - function nature . Modern variety require very picayune maintenance and are n’t too finical about growing conditions .

Petunias are n’t frost - Oliver Hardy so while they arebotanically perennials , they are mostly grown as yearly and discarded in the fall . In zones 10 and 11 , petunias can overwinter outdoors and come back the next year .

The difference between these two general course of petunias is that grandiflora petunias were bred for their large , showy blooms while multiflora petunias were bred for quantity over calibre , producing numerous little blossoms .

Cascadias Cherry Spark petunia

Credit: Justin Hancock

Petunias are n’t dangerous to animals , so they ’re secure to plant ingardens where ducky play . They ’re also good for children , so petunias are a great selection for introduce a young kid to gardening .

Updated by Nadia Hassani

Cascadias Sunray petunia