Planting. You can grow petunias fromseeds, but it is easier to grow them fromtransplants. If you are going to grow from seeds, start themindoors 10 to 12 weeks before you want to set them outside.Petunias can grow in partial shade, but they willhave fewer flowers.
And watering is critical. Petunias are subject toroot and crown rot, a result of uneven watering. “Likepansies,” she says, “petunias must never beallowed to wilt, either from under- or overwatering. Oncethey wilt, it's all over.”
Petunia seeds germinate in as little as three tofour days given the right conditions. Seedlings sprout within aweek of planting. They are ready to be transplanted about 14to 21 days after sprouting. You can tell they areready to be moved when they reach the “two leafstage.”
Soil Properties
Potting mix needs good drainage, which allows water torun through the roots of the petunias while pulling oxygendown into the soil. Petunias prefer fertilesoil with at least 25 percent organic matter, such as peatmoss, aged manure or well-rotted compost.Petunias have a base temperature of about39 degrees F and are considered cold tolerant; however, freezingtemperatures can kill petunias because the plants'cells need the sun's energy for photosynthesis.
Each week, you clip three or four stems in half, makingthe cuts above a node. The petunia plant will then producetwo new growing tips just below each cut, and those tips will beginflowering soon. Pruning petunias regularly from thetime you buy them will keep your plant gorgeous andhealthy.
Petunias are typically treated as annuals.Petunias, though, are actually perennials. Inyear-round warm climates, they survive and sometimes bloomthroughout the winter. If you want your petunias to growback in the spring, store them indoors during thewinter.
Groundcover or "spreading" petunias areonly about six inches tall, but spread so rapidly that theycover a huge area over one growing season, provided they're wateredand fertilized frequently. “Wave” petunias are acommon type of spreading petunia.
Don't just water them more, though! Wiltingpetunia flowers can also be a sign of too much water. Alwayscheck the soil around your petunias before watering –if the soil is still damp, don't water it. Certain diseases likewhite mold, gray mold, black root rot, and verticillium wilt canall lead to wilting leaves.
Caring for Petunias in HangingBaskets
This is a common question, and the answer is simple:water whenever the top couple of inches of soil feels dry to thetouch. Hanging petunia plants may need water daily duringthe summer, and maybe even twice during periods of extreme heat.Water deeply, then let the pot drain.The grandiflora types have large flowers —3 to 5 inches across — and can grow to 10 to 12 inchestall. Multiflora petunias have more abundant,smaller, 1- to 2-inch, flowers. This type will grow to beabout 8 inches tall.
Shake off excess water that is on the developingblooms of ground planted petunias; wet buds can rotaway before blooming. It is possible that thepetunias have been fertilized with a high nitrogen plantfood, resulting in lush foliage, but non bloomingpetunias.
Petunias can be grown all year round in mostparts of the country – the trick is to plant the rightvariety at the right time. “Grandiflora”Petunias have large, bold blooms and are ideal forplanting in autumn and winter in summer rainfallareas.
In general, water plants in hanging basketswhen the soil surface becomes dry to the touch. On hot, sunnydays it may be necessary to water once a day. Whenwatering hanging baskets, be sure to apply water untilwater begins to flow out the bottom of thecontainer.
Newly planted petunias need evenly moist soil forthe first few weeks after planting, to establish a healthy rootsystem. Once established, reduce watering to once every seven to 10days. Provide 1 to 2 inches of water at each irrigation,which is enough water to moisten the top 6 to 8 inches ofsoil.
Unfortunately, those colorful blossoms die off quickly,leaving you the job of deadheading petunias. Do youhave to deadhead petunias? Only if you want to avoidstraggly green stems without blooms for at least half of theseason. Keep your garden colorful and productive bydeadheading your petunias.
Poor light, insufficient soil nutrition and too littlewater can result in leggy petunias, especially withseedlings. Keep the soil moist and fertilize monthly whileproviding full sunlight to achieve the most compactplants.
As tender annuals, petunias needs lots ofsunshine and adequate moisture, and under the right conditions,they continue blooming all summer long and into the fall. If leftto their own devices, they may reseed themselves, but theflowers will be a different color from those of the parentplants.
The ASPCA makes it very clear that petunias arenot toxic to dogs, cats or other animals, but their websitecontains a very lengthy list of other, equally pretty plants thatare mildly or lethally toxic. For that reason, it's not agood idea to allow or encourage dogs to lunch onflowers.
Although most commonly grown from seeds, trailing andother cultivars of petunias also grow from cuttings.However, gardeners with the time and effort to invest in propercare can successfully root cuttings taken inmid-spring from actively growing petunias and producehealthy plants that bloom prolifically allsummer.
Know when to plant.
Begonias are annuals, so they won't grow backeach year. Therefore, each year you will have toreplant them, typically in mid spring. Begonias don't handlecold temperatures and frost well, so wait until at least one weekafter the final frost of winter to plant them.You can beat them up a bit and they come rightback. They are of course considered a perennial, but in manycold winter areas they are treated as an annual, or they are grownindoors. Geraniums for all their beauty can only endurelight frosts in the winter. If a hard freeze comes along,they will die.
Petunias come in a dizzying array ofcolors, from dazzling white to an almost black purple. Blueflowers are rare in the plant world, but petuniashave several shades from which to choose, along with dark crimson,salmon, yellow and pink.
Manure or coffee grounds can be added to theorganic matter to replace the 10-10-10 balanced fertilizer fororganic gardens.
Petunias are one of the most popular flowers inLouisiana. They can be planted in fall forcool-season color or planted in late winter or early springfor warm-season color. As with almost all beddingplants these days, you can find a wide assortment ofpetunias at local garden centers.
Petunias are one of the most popular gardenflowers for both borders and containers. They are prolificbloomers, although some forms require deadheading to keep themgoing. However, most petunia varieties will bloomthroughout the summer, except in extreme heat.
Your snapdragons will bloom most profusely infull sun to partial shade in the spring. Once thetemperature heats up, they may stop blooming altogether.Planting them in partial shade and keeping them well wateredwill help them make it through the summer andlikely bloom again in fall.
You can use impatiens flowers as beddingplants, border plants or in containers. They enjoy moist but welldraining soil and partial to deep shade. They do notdo as well in full sun, but if you would like toplant them in full sun, they will need to beacclimated to the harsher light.
