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Planting and Growing Petunias

Image Credit:
Pilat66/Getty Images
Botanical Name
Petunia spp.
Grown as
Tender Perennial
USDA Zones
9a
9b
10a
10b
11a
11b
Toxicity
Non-toxic
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Water Needs
Moderate
Height
Under 1 foot
Spread
1–3 feet
Soil pH
Acidic
Bloom Time
Spring
Summer
Fall
Flower Color
Blue
Multicolor
Orange
Pink
Purple
Red
White
Yellow
Special Features
Container-Friendly
Attracts Butterflies
Attracts Hummingbirds
Attracts Pollinators
Resilience
Heat-Tolerant
Plant Type
Flowers
Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Pretty petunias are popular because of their exceptionally long flowering period. As with most annuals, they get leggy by midsummer, so you’ll want to prune the shoots back by half. See more tips on planting and caring for petunias to keep them blooming.

Petunias are treated as annuals in most areas but can be grown as tender perennials in Zones 9 to 11. The flowers come in many colors and patterns and bloom from spring until frost!

These colorful annuals can really add pop to a front lawn and are often used in borders, containers, hanging baskets, or even as seasonal ground covers. Some even have a slight fragrance. Their height can vary from 6 inches to 18 inches, and they can spread along the ground anywhere from 18 inches to 4 feet.

pink and white petunias

Planting

When to Plant Petunias

  • It’s easiest to buy young plants from a nursery that sells petunias in flats. Look for plants that are short and compact. Leggy petunias with tons of flowers already won’t settle in as fast.
  • If you want to grow petunias from seed, start the seeds indoors 8 to 10 weeks before your last spring frost date. (See your local frost dates.)
  • Plant young petunias outdoors after your last spring frost date, but keep a close eye on the weather forecast and protect young plants from late frosts. 

Where to Plant Petunias

Petunias need full sun, or they will become spindly. They don’t tend to flower well in shade.

The soil should drain well and not stay overly wet, especially in containers. It should also be moderately fertile to promote the best growth. Amend poor soil with finished compost prior to planting.

How to Plant Petunias

  • Petunia seeds are very small (dust-like!) and need lots of light in order to germinate.
  • When the young plants have three leaves, plant them outside.
  • Space the plants about 1 foot apart.
  • If you’re planting petunias in containers, use a container potting mix that will drain well.

Hanging basket of petunia flowers

Growing

Watering

Petunias are fairly heat-tolerant, so you shouldn’t have to worry about watering them frequently. A thorough watering once a week should be sufficient (unless there are prolonged periods of drought in your area). Avoid watering shallowly, as this encourages shallow roots.

Note: The spreading types of petunias and those in containers will require more frequent watering than those planted in the ground.

Fertilizing

Fertilize petunias monthly with a balanced fertilizer to support their rapid growth and heavy blooming. Double-flowered cultivars enjoy a biweekly dose of fertilizer.

What to Do With Leggy Petunias

  • By midsummer, most petunias tend to get leggy, producing blossoms at the tips of long, leafless stems. To keep petunias tidy and flowering, we prune the shoots back to about half their length. This will encourage more branching and more flowers.
  • After pruning, fertilize and water the plants well to force out new growth and flowers. The plants may look raggedy at first, but they’ll rebound with more color and blooms.
    • Older garden petunia plants can be pruned hard (within a few inches of the base) to re-encourage vigor, especially in cooler climates, but keep the remaining leaves.
  • Remove faded, old, or dead blossoms (a practice called “deadheading”) to both improve blooms and attractiveness, especially for the larger-flowered petunias. Deadheading prevents seed pods from competing with blooms for the plant’s food supplies. Clippings can be added to a compost pile to be recycled.

Pests and Problems

Petunia Problems

Petunias are generally easy to grow and have few serious problems, but poor growing conditions can affect their health and flowering.

If petunias become leggy or produce fewer blooms, they may not be getting enough sunlight. Petunias grow best in full sun and need regular deadheading to encourage continuous flowering.

Overwatering or poor drainage can also cause root problems and weak growth. Petunias prefer consistently moist soil, but they should not sit in soggy conditions.

Petunia Pests

Petunias have few serious insect pests, but aphids and slugs can sometimes cause damage.

Aphids are small insects that gather on stems and buds, sucking plant juices and weakening growth.

Slugs may chew holes in leaves and flowers, especially during damp weather.

To prevent pest problems:

  • Check plants regularly for insects
  • Spray aphids off with water if needed
  • Handpick slugs or use barriers around plants

Petunia Diseases

Disease problems are usually caused by excess moisture and poor airflow.

Fungal diseases can develop if foliage and flowers stay wet for too long, especially in humid weather.

Petunia Pests and Diseases
Pest/DiseaseTypeSymptomsControl/Prevention
AphidsInsectMisshapen/yellow leaves; distorted flowers; leaf drop; sticky “honeydew” (excretion) on leaves; sooty, black moldKnock off with water spray; apply insecticidal soap; inspect new plants carefully; use slow-release fertilizers; avoid excess nitrogen; encourage aphid predators such as lacewings, lady beetles/bugs, spiders
Slugs/snailsMolluskIrregular holes in leaves/flowers; slimy secretion on plants/soil; seedlings “disappear”Handpick; avoid thick bark mulch; use copper plant collars; avoid overhead watering; lay boards on soil in evening, in morning lift and dispose of pests in hot, soapy water; drown in deep container of 1/2 inch of beer or of sugar water and yeast sunk to ground level; apply 1-inch-wide strip of diatomaceous earth around plants

Types

Types of Petunias

Petunias are divided into different groups, mainly based on flower size:

  1. Multiflora petunias are the most durable and prolific. They have smaller but more abundant flowers and are ideal for summer bedding or in a mixed border (because they are more tolerant to wet weather).
  2. Grandiflora petunias have very large flowers and are best grown in containers or hanging baskets (because they are more susceptible to rain damage). These large petunias often do not fare as well in the south because they’re prone to rot during humid, hot summers.
  3. Floribundas: Floribundas are intermediate between the grandiflora and multiflora groups. Like the multiflora varieties, they are free-flowering and produce medium-sized blooms.
  4. Millifloras: Milliflora petunias are much smaller than any other petunias on the market. The flowers are only 1 to 1½ inches wide, but they are prolific and last all season!
  5. Spreading or Trailing Petunias: These are low-growing and can spread as much as 3 to 4 feet. Because the flowers form along the entire length of each stem, they form a beautiful, colorful ground cover. They can be used in window boxes or hanging baskets.

Flowers

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening, so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana.

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Tue, 06/02/2015 - 09:05

Hi, Sara: Unfortunately, you are describing a classic case of tobacco mosaic virus in petunias. This is usually caused by the plants being handled/touched by someone who uses tobacco products somewhere in the supply chain, whether grower, greenhouse, or garden. In any event, there is no cure other than to very carefully (so as not to contaminate elsewhere) and thoroughly remove/destroy the infected plants, soil, and anything else nearby. Sorry!

 <span>Anonymous</span> Sat, 05/30/2015 - 23:44
I am attempting to grow petunias for my wedding in August. I bought some beautiful hanging baskets at mother's day because they were the perfect color. They have gotten very large and I would like to continue to keep them healthy. Does anyone have any advice on how to do this? Will they even stay alive that long?
<span>Deb T</span> Thu, 06/04/2015 - 10:07
I have over wintered the same hanging petunias for the last two years. I did lose a couple of plants the first time around, possibly due to over crowding. I just started bringing the basket in at night, when the temps outside got colder. Once day time temps got cold, they just stayed inside in my sunniest window. I water at least once a week and give them a bit of plant food when I think of it. The plants will bloom less or not at all during the winter, but once the days lengthen flowering resumes.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Tue, 06/02/2015 - 09:28

Fertilize your plants monthly to ensure good growth. Also, remove faded or dead flowers to prolong blooming.

 <span>Sara Carnes</span> Sun, 05/31/2015 - 20:20
I'm not a gardening expert in any way, but my own petunia hanging basket has probably tripled in size since I bought it. I had good luck with splitting up some of the plants and re-potting them so they could continue to grow. We put half of them back in the basket and the other half in a big pot and everyone seems to be adjusting well to the move. I'm not sure how long they will last, though. You could try trimming them back if they're too big/long and they should continue to produce new blooms. Good luck and congratulations!
<span>Babybella</span> Tue, 05/19/2015 - 10:01
I just transplanted some petunias and begonias into the same pot about two months ago. They seem to be growing very rapidly and are loving the weather. I was just wondering if I needed to take the begonias out soon and if they would be taken over by the petunias???
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Thu, 05/21/2015 - 15:27

If you like the combination of petunias and begonias you can move them all to a bigger pot and keep them together. The begonia will probably get bigger and start shading the petunias in the smaller pot.

 <span>Tamre Jorgenson</span> Tue, 05/05/2015 - 15:46
How do I know when my petunias have out grown the pot their in? Thanks Tami
<span>Judy Perry</span> Wed, 05/06/2015 - 21:07
How do you know if plant needs bigger pot
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Thu, 05/07/2015 - 10:41

If your petunia needs water more frequently than before, if it seems to be top heavy in its pot, or if its roots are growing out from drainage holes in the bottom, your petunia may need to be repotted in a larger pot.