If you know how to grow petunias, you can give your garden a bright bloom.Petunias are well-suited for growing in flower beds, borders, window boxes, and other containers.Hanging baskets have cascading varieties that work well.
Step 1: Pick a type of petunia.
Although there are hundreds of named petunias, they tend to fall into four basic categories, which are determined by flower size and growth habit.Some of the types of petunias grow better in a container than in the garden.The most popular type of petunia is grandiflora.Some have single blooms while others are doubles and are available in both upright and cascading varieties.There are a lot of blooms in Multiflora petunias and they provide big splashes of color.Milliflora have small flowers.They work well as an edging plant because they are easy to control.From window boxes, ground cover petunias spread and trail along the ground, covering large areas quickly.This type needs more frequent watering.
Step 2: Pick yourunias.
Pick the petunias yourself after you've chosen the type you want.There are some things to look for when buying bedding plants.Plants with healthy leaves are a good choice.Plants with the most flowers are not the ones you should pick.Pick plants with a few flowers and bushy growth.Petunia plants will thrive in bedding that is not tall and leggy.
Step 3: Pick the right place to plant them.
All types of petunias need at least five to six hours of sunlight per day.The soil doesn't have to be rich in vitamins or minerals.In the garden, petunias work well, as well as in containers.You will want to use a soil-less mix if you are going to plant them in a container.
Step 4: The soil needs to be prepared for planting.
Make sure that the soil is loose and nice.You want to condition the soil to make it ready for petunias.If you're planting in the garden, make sure the soil has organic matter like baled moss, leaf compost, or well-rotted manure.The organic matter needs to be spread about two to three inches thick.The organic matter can be put into the soil by using a garden fork.This can help break up heavy clay soil and allow for better water drainage.If you want to fertilize your garden's soil, use a balancedFertilizer like 8-8-8, 10-10-10, or 12-12-12).The rate at which you want to do this is two pounds per hundred square feet.When the season changes early to mid-July, you'll want to give liquidfertilizer that's meant for flowering plants a try, at about every three weeks.You'll need to mix timed-releasefertilizer into the soil if you're using a window box or container.
Step 5: Correctly space them.
Most petunia varieties need at least 12 inches between plants.If you have to use a shadier location, you should go for several inches closer together.There are exceptions to this rule.Milliflora petunias can be placed close together with as little as six inches between them.Petunias should be spread as much as one and a half feet apart.
Step 6: They should be planted in the right season.
The plants need to be acclimatized to the outdoors in the early spring.If you're planting them in the ground, make sure to wait until after the danger of frost has passed, or you can cover them at night to protect them from frost.The soil temperature should be about 60 degrees F.The petunia won't grow if it's cold.Provide shade for the petunias if it is really hot.Too much sun can have an adverse effect on them.
Step 7: Start your plants.
You can grow more petunias for less if you grow them from seedlings.You should start your seedlings 10 to 12 weeks before you plan to plant them.pelleted seeds are easier to handle for inexperienced gardeners.Petunia seeds are large, so make sure you take that into account.
Step 8: The seeds need to be prepared for sprouting.
There are specific conditions in which to grow petunia seeds.They need somewhere warm and bright to be able to handle being outside.Spread the seeds on the moss.They don't crowd one another out if you spread them less.To wash them into the soil, gently press them in or water them with a fine mist.Store them in a bright warm spot until they begin to grow, which usually happens seven to ten days after planting.
Step 9: Take care of the newly sprouted plants.
The plastic film should be removed when the plants begin to grow.After sprouting, move to a cool spot.After you plant the petunia seeds, this happens about seven to ten days later.After they have sprouted, move them to a cooler spot.The best temperature is 64 degree F (17.8 degrees C), with the night temperature ranging from 55 to 65 degrees F.Every few days, water your petunias.
Step 10: The petunia seeds should be placed beneath the fluorescent lights.
The petunias should be at least four to six inches beneath the light fixture.If you put a timer on the lights, they will be lit between 16 and 18 hours a day.There is always at least four to six inches between the lights and the petunias when the seedlings grow.You don't need an expensive light fixture to grow plants.fluorescent light tubes work well.When you want the seeds to be away from direct sunlight, make sure the plants are directly beneath the lights.
Step 11: There are plants to transplant.
When they have three true leaves each, it's time to transplant the seedlings.It's time to put them in individual pots or packs that hold several plants.You can plant outdoors if the frost danger is over.Be sure to plant in fertile soil.
Step 12: Young plants should be hardened.
You can put the young petunias outside on sunny days.Bring them back inside when the temperature cools down.You can plant them outdoors after a few days of doing this.The hot sun can make transplant shock worse, so it is best to transplant on cloudy days.
Step 13: Encourage growth.
Depending on the type of petunia, you'll need to deadhead and pinching to encourage new growth.More flowers will be encouraged by this.To encourage the rapid formation of their flowering side shoots, pinch them back when they reach about six inches (15.2 cm) tall.If you want to spread petunias, avoid pinching millifloras.Pinch off faded blooms to maintain a constant bloom of your petunias.The entire flower structure, including the stem, should be removed.Multifloras don't need to be deadheaded.If the plant becomes too scraggly, you should trim it by a third.
Step 14: They should get the right amount offertilizer.
You want to make sure that your petunia is healthy.If the foliage of the petunia is healthy and vigorous, but the blooms aren't happening, you need to reduce the amount of fertilization.The best way to ensure good growth is to fertilize your plants monthly.Double-flowered cultivars should have a weekly dose offertilizer.
Step 15: Correctly water them.
When it comes to water, most petunia types are easy-going.Unless the weather is incredibly dry, a thorough watering about once a week should be enough.You want to soak for about six to eight inches (15.2 to 20.3 cm) each time.Petunias need to be watered more than once a week.Depending on the size of the container, petunias need more watering.Petunias in containers need to be watered frequently.You should allow at least one inch of soil on the top to dry before you water them again.
Step 16: Pests can be controlled in your garden.
There are pests that can destroy your petunias.The petunias will keep thriving if you get rid of them.If you see that you have aphids make sure to get rid of them by spraying the petunias with a strong blast of water.Continue until the aphids are gone.There are small black droppings and holes in the leaves of your petunias.Treat with an insecticidal pesticide.
Step 17: The water was evenly distributed.
The new flowers may not bloom before they are ready.You aren't watering them evenly when this happens.Allow the soil to dry out.Make sure to water at the base of the plant.
Step 18: Avoid diseases of the petunia.
There isn't much you can do about diseases like mold and soft rot.If you live in a rainy area, you might try planting the rain-resistant multiflora instead of the other petunias.It's important that you don't over-water.Soft rot and mold can be caused by this.