Leslie Massey
Petunias are a colourful and relatively low-maintenance way to brighten up your Australian garden. They are sun-loving flowers that thrive in the warm and hot weather of summer, but are frost and cold-sensitive, so it's best to grow them as annuals that you replant each spring or summer. Petunias are easy to grow from seeds or seedlings, and can be planted in hanging baskets, garden beds, or pots. They come in a wide range of colours and forms, from large flowers to smaller trailing varieties, and are perfect for adding a pop of colour to your garden.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Height | 20-100cm wide by 10-40cm tall |
| Foliage | Green and downy with rounded tips |
| Climate | All areas |
| Soil | Well-drained, improved with compost |
| Position | Full sun or part shade (need at least 6 hours of sun) |
| Flowering | Year-round in warm climates |
| Feeding | Fortnightly with a liquid fertiliser |
| Watering | Daily in pots and while establishing; water when the soil dries out |
| Seedling care | Soak in a weak seaweed solution to reduce transplant shock and encourage root growth |
| Pests | Snails, slugs, caterpillars, aphids, loopers, cabbage white butterfly larvae |
| Colours | Red, purple, pink, yellow, white, or combinations |
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What You'll Learn
Choosing the right seeds, seedlings, or potted plants
Petunias are available as seeds, seedlings, or potted plants. They can be purchased from local nurseries or garden centres. If you want to grow petunias from seeds, you will need to cultivate them indoors for about three months or until they grow three leaves. Seeds can be sown into trays of seed-raising mix and kept in a warm place. Once the seedlings emerge, they should be fed weekly with liquid plant food and allowed to grow to about 5 cm before transplanting. When transplanting, ensure the seedlings are well-spaced—at least 30 to 40 cm apart.
If you want a quicker option, it is recommended to buy seedlings or potted plants. When purchasing seedlings, look for semi-advanced punnets that are ready to flower for instant colour in your garden. Soak the seedlings in a weak seaweed solution before planting to reduce transplant shock and encourage root growth.
When choosing petunias, consider the variety that best suits your space. Grandiflora petunias are larger and are best grown in hanging baskets away from the rain, while Multiflora petunias are smaller and more resistant to weather conditions. Petunias come in a wide range of colours and forms, so you can choose varieties that match your garden's colour scheme.
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Preparing the soil or potting mix
Petunias are sun-loving flowers that thrive in warm climates. They are easy to grow and can be grown in a variety of ways, including from seeds, seedlings, or small flowering pot plants. When preparing the soil or potting mix for petunias, there are several key steps to follow.
First, choose a sunny spot in your garden that receives at least six hours of sunlight per day, ideally in the morning to mid-afternoon. This will ensure that your petunias get the sunlight they need to thrive. If you are planting in hanging baskets, choose a spot that is sheltered from the rain to prevent waterlogging.
Next, prepare the soil by mixing in a small amount of compost or a soil improver, such as Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser or Scotts Osmocote Compost Premium Soil Improver. This will improve the quality of the soil and provide essential nutrients for your petunias. Make sure the soil is well-draining to prevent waterlogging and root rot. If you are using a pot, ensure it has drainage holes and fill it with a premium potting mix, such as Scotts Osmocote Premium Potting Mix.
When planting petunias, space them about 30 centimetres apart to allow for proper air circulation and growth. If you are planting in pots, you can space them slightly closer together for a fuller display of colour. Follow the directions on the plant label for specific spacing requirements, as some petunia varieties may require more room to spread out.
Finally, water your petunias regularly, especially during hot weather, but be careful not to overwater them. Petunias prefer moist, well-drained soil, but they are drought-tolerant and can bounce back from dry conditions. To encourage growth and flowering, feed your petunias with a liquid fertiliser every two to four weeks.
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Planting and spacing
Petunias are sun-loving flowers that thrive in warm climates. They are easy to grow and will flower prolifically. They can be grown from seeds, seedlings, or small flowering pot plants. If you're growing from seeds, plant them in trays of seed-raising mix, keep them in a warm place, and cover them with plastic wrap to retain moisture. Once the seedlings reach about 5 cm in height, they can be transplanted into your garden bed or a pot.
When planting petunias, choose a sunny spot in your garden and prepare the planting area by digging in some soil improver and plant fertiliser. If you're planting in pots, use a premium potting mix and ensure the pot has good drainage. When transplanting petunias, space them at least 30 to 40 cm apart in your garden bed or container. You can plant them slightly closer together in pots for a fuller display of colour.
If growing in the ground, plant petunias in clusters of three, five, seven, or more plants to create a bold statement. In pots or hanging baskets, petunias will spill over the sides in cascades of colour. They can also be used as a "spiller" plant in potted garden displays. Petunias prefer a full sun position with at least six hours of sun per day, but they will still bloom in partial shade. They need well-drained soil that has been improved with compost.
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Watering and fertilising
Petunias are sun-loving flowers that thrive in warm climates and are easy to grow. They are drought-tolerant and do not need to be watered every day, but they do require regular watering and careful maintenance of water levels. Water them daily when they are in the process of establishing themselves, and water them when the soil dries out. If your petunias are dying in the middle of summer, they have likely had too much water.
Petunias should be planted in a full sun position in free-draining soil that has been improved with compost. They can be grown in any size pot with good drainage, and they look beautiful cascading over the sides. If you are growing petunias in pots, use a potting mix and water them well. Top the soil with mulch to retain moisture.
To prepare the site for planting, mix a little compost through the original soil, using a garden shovel to turn it through the top 10 cm. Soak the seedlings in a weak seaweed solution to reduce transplant shock and encourage root growth. Give them a good soaking in a seaweed solution before planting them out in the ground or a pot to avoid transplant shock.
Petunias need to be fed continuously to encourage growth and flowers. Fortnightly to monthly feeding with a liquid fertiliser will provide the nutrients for petunias to remain constantly in bloom. They can also be fed with a liquid plant food every two to three weeks. Fertilise the flowers once a month, and twice as much for double-flowered cultivars.
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Pruning and deadheading
Deadheading and pruning are important parts of maintaining petunias. While not all plants require deadheading, petunias are one of many plants that benefit from the process. Deadheading redirects the plant's energy towards creating more blooms, instead of producing seeds. Deadheading also extends the blooming period, removes the seed source before it becomes weedy, and maintains the overall health of the plant.
To deadhead petunias, allow the plant to fully flower and for some of the blooms to die. Then, find a stem with several dying blooms and use a sharp pair of pruning shears or scissors to cut the stem just below the blooms. You don't need to cut off much of the stem—cut below the flower and above healthy-looking foliage. Cut up to half of the stem to encourage new growth. You don't have to remove all the dead blooms at once. Make it a habit to check for dead blooms and remove them as you see them.
Petunias can also be deadheaded by hand. Pinch off any dead flowers, or the growing tips at mid-summer if the stems are looking "leggy". This can be done by grasping the stem lightly and finding the thickest bud at the top of a set of blooms, then pinching it off between your thumb and forefinger.
Pruning petunias will extend the growing season. Tip pruning involves pinching out the soft tip growth using your fingers or a pair of scissors or secateurs. Pinch back after initial flowering to encourage compact growth and more flowering.
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