Petunias are among the most showy and reliable summer bedding plants. You can buy petunia plants by trayfuls as excellent value-for-money plugs, or sow your own seeds to raise them at home with minimal care!
Where did petunias come from?
The petunias that we grow now come from just two species, one being Petunia axillaris. This tall plant can reach 2ft (60cm) and have tubular white flowers with sweetly scented nectar inside of it; its sticky leaves make up modern varieties like the ones you’ll see on your next flower bed!
The petunia violacea, is a well known flower, reaching 12in (30cm) tall and habit. The flowers come in dark rose or violet shades with broad shapes for easy observation from afar.
A great deal of hybridisation has been undertaken between petunias over the years. The plant, which was once a perennial raised from cuttings and now may be grown as seed-raised bedding plants in homes gardens by most people with little effort!
Where should I grow petunias?
It’s true that petunias need a lot of sunlight, but they can still produce beautiful flowers in partial or full shade. Even though many modern varieties have improved their resistance to wet weather and windy conditions, they can still be damaged if not protected from windy weather.
Some varieties have petals which are inherently more resistant to rain, while others solve the problem by opening new flowers very quickly. When it is wet, the plants still tend to produce beautiful foliage.
Petunias are a sunny plant and they appreciate the occasional rain, but it’s important to keep them well drained. They prefer an acid soil with excellent drainage qualities- not always realized by gardeners who often use too much sand in their pots!
The modern varieties have been bred through selection processes so that even those plants which don’t thrive under all circumstances can still bear beautiful blooms when grown correctly.
How to sow petunia seeds
Spring is the perfect time to sow petunias, but there are specific requirements that you need in order for them thrive. To produce bushy plants, plant them in early spring or late summer, but sow them in early spring.
For best results choose peat-free seed compost made with horticultural sharp sand or perlite mixed together into good quality potting soil.
To get the best germination results you should provide your seeds with an ideal temperature range of 65-75F (18-24 Celsius). This can be done in several ways, including using a heated propagator or if this isn’t possible then just making sure that there’s enough warmth from other sources such as lamps and heating pads.
Sow the seeds thinly and don’t cover them. They need light to germinate, so keep a thin layer of compost over them or your flower may not grow as well! Carefully monitor their moisture levels–you want it moist without being wet enough that they start drying out again once exposed at night time.
How to pot on petunias
Seedlings can be left in the seed pot until two true leaves are visible. They will suffer less if moved at this stage, so it may pay to use a tray rather than pots for your early plants!
If you want your plant to grow quickly and efficiently, make sure the temperature is between 50-80 F (10 – 25 C). That’s perfect for optimal growth!
The best way to avoid the hassle of waiting for your flowers is by taking matters into your own hands. By sowing early and keeping cool after pricking out, well branched plants will be produced that flower more effectively when planted outside!
The petunias in the greenhouse need to be overwintered and can’t withstand frost. As long as they’re not exposed, some plants might still manage to survive with support from their roots though!
Although not quite as hardy, they are still tough enough to be planted out once the last frost has passed. Mixing in a special petunia fertilizer with your compost at this stage will give you great results!
The petunia is a favorite among gardeners for its showy flowers. It can be used in beds, borders and pots as well as window boxes or hanging baskets depending on your preference- just about anything that needs stems with small colorful blooms!
Every year more varieties are introduced making it easier than ever before to find one perfect match when cultivating this cheerful flower.
The multiflora is an excellent choice for those who want to grow multiple flowers in their garden. It has smaller, pointier buds than the monoflora and more flowers on each plant!
Which variety of petunia should I choose?
If you’re looking for the best petunia to grow in your garden, Surfinia varieties are hard-to-beat.
For hanging baskets and elevated displays they outperform all other types with their trailing habit and rain resistance that makes them perfect during those rainy days when nothing else will do!
With colors like blue or red as well variegated flowers such as ‘Trailing Surfinia Purple’ there’s sure no shortage of gorgeousness here either.
Multifloras
Multiflora petunias can survive in spite of bad weather. Multiflora petunias are smaller plants with more numerous but smaller blooms.
The stems of these varieties will hold up better than that of grandifloras in windy climates, and they’re also healthier to grow during rainy times!
Grandifloras
Grandiflora petunias are a great choice for those who want to keep their flowers alive and well through summer.
These beautiful plants boast blooms that measure up to 5 inches (12.5 cm) across on bouquet-shaped plants, but they can get tired in midsummer when temperatures become too hot or humidified with excessive rain periods where this variety doesn’t perform as well due its preferences during optimal growing conditions: moderate summers without excess humidity.