Petunias
have been one of the most popular annual flowering plants. They are quick
growing and known for beautiful blooms. Blooms are available in pink, purple
,red, white and yellow color. Petunias
are very easy to grow and care. It is not a heighted plant, growing 6 inches to
4 feet max. They are perfect choice for hanging baskets and planters. You can
tuck Petunias in between shrubs to add a pinch of color. Wave petunia has made
this plant more popular. Follow the below tips for successful growing.
Propagation
Petunia is propagated
from seeds as well as cuttings. Petunia
likes warm weather so sow seeds in warm months to increase odds of
success. March – April will be good for
starting Petunia. Petunia seeds are very small so one need to take extra
efforts while sowing. Prepare potting
mix/ soil before sowing the seeds. Water the container / Pot thoroughly and
allow it to drain. Sprinkle seeds on well drained soil and gently push them
down. Do not cover Petunia seeds with
soil as they need light to germinate.
Seedlings will come out within two weeks in warm climate.
Or take softwood ( not
matured , green stem ) cuttings in spring or summer. Remove most of leaves but
2 leaves on the top. Remove all the buds as they drain all the energy. Push
cuttings down in soil / Potting mix. Cover the container having cuttings with
plastic bag to save moisture for plant. Moist the soil if it dry out.
Container
You can use small sized
container as Petunia are low grower. It doesn’t need much space to grow. Make sure container is having drainage holes
for better drainage space.
Soil
Use normal purpose
garden soil enriched with good quality compost.
Light sandy soil is ideal. Petunia like neutral to slightly acidic soil
( pH 6.0 – 7.0 ).
Sun
/ Temperature
Petunia like warm
weather and thrives in full sun. Also
grow in partial shade but bloom in less number. So keep the container in the
sunny location.
Watering
Keep soil moist. Allow
soil to dry out between waterings. When leaves get droop, water the plant,
after watering Petunia will be again standing straight. Do not overwater as it
will induce root rot and invite bacterial and fungus infection.
Fertilizer
Use a liquid fertilizer once in a month and every
two weeks for heavy feeder varieties.
- Shared by Jay Vadi, Gandhinagar
Jay Vadi is a gardening enthusiast and regular visitor of Design Green India from Gandhinagar. Plant biotechnology is his field of interest. He has grown many plants using tissue culture at his home.
