Wondering when to plant petunias ? Here are some tips on how to care for your petunias for beautiful blooms all summer long!
Are you looking for an annual plant that is easy to care for and will provide a jolt of color to your outdoor area? Look no further than petunias!
Petunia Planting Tips!
These flowers may look delicate but with proper planting and care, they will provide you with long lasting blooms. Let me share a few helpful petunia planting tips!
When Should I Plant My Petunias?
The USDA has the country divided into various growing zones based on the average annual minimum winter temperature, divided into 10-degree F zones. The zones range from 1a (Alaska) to 13 b (Puerto Rico). The zones help gardeners determine which plants are most likely to thrive in which locations. You can pinpoint your zone by referring to this map https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/
Petunias are easy to start from seed. Start them indoors about 6-8 weeks before the last frost date in your area.
How Do I Care for My Petunias?
Regardless of where you have planted your petunias, water them regularly and feed (fertilize) them every few weeks. Proper watering & fertilizing helps them to provide beautiful blooms all season long!
Many petunias are considered self cleaning meaning they won’t require deadheading. Deadheading means removing the blooms after they have finished blooming. Occasional pruning might be needed if the petunias are becoming leggy.
Check your petunias for pests and diseases. Timely treating of any issues can help prevent the problems for spreading.
Take the thyme to care for your petunias and they will reward you with vigorous blooms throughout the growing season!
Now that you know when to plant petunias and how to care for them, let me share how to create an easy petunia patio pot!
Let’s Plant A Petunia Patio Pot
One of the big benefits, gardening wise, of living in Zone 10 a is that a number of the plants that were considered annuals in Illinois can actually be considered perennials here! I am super excited to see how well my personal favorite, Diamond Frost does year round. Diamond Frost is a Proven Winner plant. Its scientific name is Euphorbia. The picture below was supplied by Proven Winners.
Diamond Frost can be planted in containers or directly into your landscape although I personally have only used it as a container plant. I first became aware of Diamond Frost about 8 years ago when I had my flower shop, Petals & Porch Posts.
Unable to find it in the local garden centers in Florida, I did find it on line and finally ordered some. The plants arrived quickly via 2 day Fed Ex shipping. I ordered it directly from Proven Winners and it came from the same greenhouse in Michigan that I had ordered things from when I had the flower shop. It felt like old home week!
They were individually wrapped in a sleeve to protect them during shipment. They came in tall box and packed well. The box was marked that it should be kept upright and I think Fed Ex did a good job. There didn’t appear to be any damage to the plants and not much soil had been displaced.
In addition to the Diamond Frost, I also ordered 4 petunias. The picture below is of Black Cherry Supertunias by Proven Winners. The photo was supplied by Proven Winners.
The petunias look more red in the picture but when they arrived, they had more of a purple hue. They are still pretty but I was a bit disappointed in the color. Dave says I worry too much about that type of things…. Hello! I am a designer…. we worry about things like color and proportion.
The color difference isn’t quite as noticeable in the picture. The plants are in the 4.25 in container that Proven Winners calls the Grande.
I already had two matching pots.
I washed and sanitized the pots and then filled them not quite 2/3 full with fresh potting soil. The planters do have holes in the bottom so that excess water can drain thru the soil and not collect in the bottom of the pot.
After gently removing the plants from their pots and carefully loosening the roots, I placed them in the pot at a slight angle so that they were resting on the lip of the container. I used two Diamond Frost and one petunia in each pot.
The addition of enough potting soil to cover the roots was the next step. After carefully arranging the stems of the Diamond Frost to help cover any empty area , the pots were then watered thoroughly before being placed in the vintage wire planters in the lanai.
Save This Pin For Later!
After planting the patio pots, I used a remaining petunia to fill in an empty spot in a large pot of Diamond Frost. Doesn’t the petunia look like it is floating in a cloud of pure fluffiness? Diamond Frost sort of looks like baby’s breath.
Almost 2 months later, this is how the patio pot looked!
After 2 more months, the planters are still looking good! Especially the one sitting on the ground!
What a great guide for petunia lovers! I appreciate the detailed tips on planting and care. One additional tip I’d like to share is companion planting. Petunias can benefit from being planted alongside marigolds, as marigolds help deter certain pests that can bother petunias. It’s a great natural way to keep your blooms looking pristine! Thanks, Mike
Great tip! Thank you, Mike!
I remember my mom planting petunias in her beds when I was growing up. She has a green thumb, something I wish I had. Our boxwoods died and so we pulled them and I planted hydrangeas over the weekend. Keeping my fingers crossed I can keep them alive until the root. Planting and gardening is a real struggle for me.
I love hydrangeas! Our yard is practically all full sun so I don’t think I can grow them in Florida! I hope yours do well!