ANNUALS > PETUNIA
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PETUNIA GUIDES
Container GrowingDeadheadingHanging BasketsLegginessOverwinteringPruningSowingSurfinia
Petunias are one of those works that you ca n’t fail to comment everywhere in the UK .
These long - flowering beauties add vibrant fusillade of colour throughout our gardens with the succinct varieties being consummate for borders and beds , while the trailing types are a wonderful addition to hanging baskets .
Petunias come in a across-the-board chain of mountains of stunning colours , with alternative between unmarried and treble blooms .
Many diverseness even have their own unique scent .
Overview
PreferredFull Sun
ExposureSheltered
Height0.1 – 0.5 M
Spread0.1 – 0.5 M
Bloom TimeJune – October
PreferredLoam , Sand
MoistureWell drained
pHAny
With so many alternative usable , it ’s easy to see why these pretty perennials are so well - love , and why they make a option for any garden whatever its sizing or style .
Why Grow Petunias?
Why are we so lovesome of petunia and their trump - form flowers ?
Well , here are a few reasons I can think of :
“ Petunias are popular for a intellect , ” says Master Horticulturist Colin Skelly .
“ They bloom for months on final stage and supply a burst of vivacious colour with comparatively well-fixed maintenance .
“ They are arrant for sens and container , which take in them idealistic for beginners or children but also a ready win for the sentence - pressed or chance summer nurseryman . ”
Petunia Varieties
There are one C of cultivars of genus Petunia to choose from , so it can be tough to know where to start out . Here are five of my personal favourites :
This double - blossom variety of petunia is wondrous fragrant and has attractively singular , large and heavily vein lilac blooms .
This pretty , purple plant has a long tracking wont , farm to up to 80 centimeter in length , making it a superb choice for hanging baskets .
This sleek , sophisticated and exceptionally oculus - catching variety summercater velvety inglorious flower petal that , over time , develop principal - like chickenhearted patterns .
‘ Phantom ’ has a mounding , vertical development habit and is ideal for flower loge which are certain to turn heads .
This gutsy small petunia produce undimmed ruby medium - sized blooms that add interest to your garden throughout the summertime months .
Thanks to their compact , upright development habit they are thoroughgoing for pot that can be place on terrace and decking
This petunia create gorgeous deep purplish - opprobrious yellow pitcher plant that blooming from belated spring to previous summertime .
With their satin sheen and compact nature , they are ideal bedding plants and will really serve to make the other gloss in your garden pop .
With blooms in ghost of pinkish , crimson and regal , P.‘Star ’ is one of the most popular bi - coloured varieties .
Their capricious vogue relieve oneself the perfect choice for gardener who want to shoot a routine of merriment and merriment into their garden .
overbold and flamboyant , they are well suited to both conventional and informal style gardens .
How To Grow Petunias
let in petunia in your garden can offer long - term coloring material to your garden ’s landscape over the summertime months .
Petunias adore cheerfulness , although they will tolerate light shade , and will execute best in moist , productive , well - drained dirt .
To groom the soil , you will want to dig in bunch of constituent topic such as compost or well - rotted manure to make certain you really pack in the moisture .
Different diverseness of petunia perform differently when inseminate from ejaculate so , if you want to implant from seed , it ’s crucial to research which varieties will reward you the most .
Annual and bedding petunia seedsshould be sown in spring .
When the plants seem to be well-situated outside and after the risk of hoarfrost has passed , you could then plant them in your pick out spot in your garden , containers , hanging baskets or window box .
The best time to plant petunias is between May and June when the peril of frost has well and truly passed .
You will require to expend impertinently train stain or balancing compost when plant Petunia .
If you are planting in a basket or pot , we advocate planting three or four plugs per 30 curium radius .
Take aid to assure that the pots have good drain to foreclose waterlogging and root bunk .
you’re able to check the wet point of the soil before watering to be sure .
If you are golden to have a glasshouse , you’re able to place the little petunias in spring , let them to grow and then put them outside in June .
This will encourage before and longer blossom throughout summertime .
Petunia Care
Sunshine is vital when it comes to acquire healthy petunia .
Pick a gay small stain in your garden , and your Petunia will make an abundance of resplendent , beautiful blooms for you and your fellowship to enjoy all throughout the summer months .
Petunias also require moist soil so , during dry while , you will need to irrigate on a regular basis .
For petunia institute in containers lacrimation may be needed on a day-by-day base to help them to fly high , but do take forethought not to overwater as this can ensue in the plants becoming tall-growing with far fewer flowers .
Spreading ground cover diverseness are very particular about water and will require weekly tearing to keep them goodish .
Throughout the summertime , we highly recommend feeding your petunias with swimming plant life food .
This will boost maximum production of flowers that will bloom for a much farseeing period .
Common Problems
They may look prissy , but petunias are problematical cookies and can hold a middling turn of disuse and inadequate weather conditions .
But , as with all plants , there are a number of pests and disease that can cause all kinds of price .
We ’ve put together a list of the most rough-cut pests and diseases and how you’re able to undertake them to keep your petunias happy and healthy .
man may adore petunias , but caterpillars may well be their bad fans .
These rile creepy-crawly crawlies love to dine out on leaf and buds and , if leave unchecked , can cause some fairly important impairment .
If you could face up it , the serious way to get rid of these beastly mini beasts is to cull them off by hand daily ; you could then either release them into the tempestuous , far from your garden or if dead necessary , swim them in a bucket .
If handpicking caterpillars sounds like too much of an ordeal , then weekly sprays of Bacillus thuringiensis will quickly and efficiently kill them off .
These microscopic monsters suck the juice out of the very cells of your petunias , this leads to the discoloration and hardening of flowers and can cause leaves to curl and cup .
Mites are cousins of spiders , and this means they leave revealing webs behind them as they fee .
If you notice these little trail , then treat your petunias witha spray of neem rock oil once a weekuntil all sign of the mites have disappeared .
Thrips can be hard to see , but they have a similar coming into court to ant .
These foul niggling things can carry virus that are harmful to petunias and have flowers to develop white spots and leaf to seem papery and weakly .
Thankfully , as with mites , neem rock oil can be employed to disembarrass your plant life of these vexing culprit .
One of the most plebeian understanding for powdery mildew to appear is plants being planted too close together .
Avoiding planting too tightly at the outset to help prevent mildew from striking .
If you do find yourself with a powdery mildew progeny then , once again , neem oil apply weekly will serve your petunias to become fighting primed once again .
Petunias plant in areas with misfortunate drain will oftentimes fall victim to root , stem and cap rot .
With regular watering , folio will wilt and stem will become fragile .
Sadly , in most case , the petunia wo n’t be able-bodied to be save , and it may be better to pull them out and bulge out again .
you’re able to try and correct the drain trouble but , if you see the damage , it probably means the problem is too far gone to be save .
This foul little disease can be identified by mail and discolouration on flowers and leaves , and will finally produce grey - brown spores .
This is another disease that thrives in wet bedding conditions so the best thing you’re able to do is lay off watering for a while .
You should then lop the damage areas of the plant and sort out away any fallen rubble .
you’re able to dry out the layer to keep further infestation .
Petunias are such rewarding plant , and their endless elegance and bountiful blossom have made them one of the most popular plants on the major planet .
