Caring for Petunias in Pots
Petunia container care is very easy. Soil in containers is prone to heating up and drying out much faster than soil in the garden, but petunias are particularly hot and dry hardy. This doesn’t mean you should neglect your petunias, but you should allow the soil to dry out completely between waterings. Every few days, give them a long, slow drink. Wetting the flowers and foliage can promote disease, so water either from below or close to the surface of the soil. You don’t want to waterlog your roots either, though, so make sure your container has very good drainage. Petunias are heavy feeders. Apply a slow release fertilizer at the time of planting, then follow up with a liquid fertilizer every week or two throughout the season. Place your containers where they will receive full sun – six hours per day is good but eight is preferable for the fullest possible blooms.
How to Grow Petunias in Containers
You can purchase special trailing petunias, which will perform dramatically in containers. However, growing petunias in pots, regardless of their type, should not disappoint you, as long as you treat them right. When planting petunias in containers, be sure not to crowd your plants, limiting yourself to three per 12-inch (30 cm.) pot. If your petunias start to flag or grow leggy, cut them back and fertilize them. They should branch out with vigor. Cut flowers for bouquets frequently to encourage new growth and remove dead flower heads as soon as they appear.
