For a pop ofcolor in your garden , you could do no wrong with some vibrant petunias from your local nursery . In summation to their beautiful comportment , they ’re also comparatively easy to grow and arrange . If you ’re wondering how to follow up their adorable flush into your garden , here are the ins and outs of petunia forethought .

What are petunias?

hone for hanging basket or mete , petunias are some of the most common summer blooms , but their omnipresence does n’t make them any less endearing . Native to South America , the petunia is a genus consisting of roughly 35 florescence species .

When it comes to color , their funnel - influence prime get along in virtually every color except blue . You ’ll be capable to find them in single and bivalent varieties , and some even do with chevron and vein . In terms of height , petunias are n’t too dispirited or high ; you ’ll usually find them around 6 column inch to 1.5 foot grandiloquent .

The grandiflora type tend to have larger and fewer flower , whereas the multiflora single have smaller but more abundant blossom — both seem great in hanging baskets . Ideal for containers or hanging basket , the milliflora varieties have even smaller flowers than multiflora rose , but are relatively hardy and easy to maintain . Spreading Petunia , or wave petunias , are fast growers that look serious as borders or ground covering fire , as they can diffuse around 4 animal foot .

How do you start petunias?

Starting petunia around spring is easy , but you should be cautious when start out them because they have midget seeds . cautiously empty a seed packet onto a blank or clear surface , and then spit your seeds onto a sterile growing sensitive divided into cells on a grow tray .

You do n’t need to cover the seeded player ; all you have to do next is H2O them consistently and give them plenty of Light Within . Keep them as warm as you could , as they generally commence germinating anywhere between 5 and 15 days . If you ’re transfer them outside , wait for them to produce a few inches and have a stage set of three leaves before settle them down into the ground or moving them into bombastic container . In the garden , space them around 8 to 12 inches apart .

How do you care for petunias?

Petunias are n’t mellow - maintenance plants , which is why it ’s so common to find them as hang basket plant or ground cover . That sound out , you still desire to give them the best care possible so that they continue growing and bloom for you . Below are some tip on how to care for petunia .

Light

Ideally , you require to give your petunias 5 to 6 hours of sunlight a day , as sunlight is critical for healthy flush development . Petunias flourish in full Lord’s Day , but you could also keep them in fond nicety . Too much shade , however , can make your petunias to become spindly .

Temperature

You might be wondering , “ Do petunias do back each twelvemonth ? ” Petunia are generally annuals in most place , but you may keep them as perennials if you live in the warmer regions of zones 9 through 11 . Their temperature gratifying spot is 55 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit , but some varieties can tolerate temperatures down to 40 arcdegree Fahrenheit . Just keep your regional temperature in head as you shop for unlike petunia variety show . If you experience hot summers , mulch your petunia with constitutional material to help with moisture retention and weed bar .

Water

Petunias typically have shallow beginning . While you want to consistently irrigate them , you do n’t desire to overwater them and give them wet groundwork . If you keep your genus Petunia in container , you need to water them more often than if you plant them in a garden bottom . While they can take some summer drouth , petunias will be the most prolific bloomers with moderately damp soil .

Soil

Petunias are n’t picky when it comes to ground type , as long as you could supply them with beneficial drain and a slightly acidulent pH. That sound out , they still do good from nutrient - full-bodied soil , so it ’s a good idea to fortify your garden stain with compost when you plant your petunia . If you keep your petunias in container , employ a potting mixture for right drain .

Pests

Petunias are generally dauntless and healthy plants , but you mayencounter the occasional pestwith these attractive heyday . From time to sentence , you may want to handpick caterpillars , pare off leavesinvaded by leaf mineworker , or shoot off some mites with water . Check your leaves , flowers , and soil often for any sign of an plague .

How do you keep petunias blooming?

Petunias bloom around late bounce to mid - fall . For prolific blooms , keep up with fertilizing your petunias . Petunias are , generally speaking , heavy confluent . They do well with a monthly software program of a balanced plant food ( or fish photographic emulsion or a bloom takeoff rocket , if you ’d like).Double - flowered types may benefit from a more frequent fertilizer cadence at every two week . At the height of summer , also seek to move your flowers into partial nuance , as mellow temperatures can put a pause on blooming .

Do petunias need to be deadheaded?

Deadheading is n’t a must for petunias to keep flower , but swipe back drained flower helps petunias put out as many blooms as potential . To help leggy Petunia blossom again , you’re able to also cut them back about half the size of their shoots and fertilize them on a regular basis . If you let petunias go to seed , they will stop flower .

For easy - go prime that ’ll like a shot gain vigor up any garden quad , look at classic petunia . No matter if you have them in bed or hanging basketful , these lovely flowers will brighten up your landscape painting as long as you give them spate of light and remember to water and feed them generously .