Gurgaon Gardener: Petunia, Petunias

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Petunia, Petunias

(Easy Wave Coral Reef Petunia) is a spreading petunia with an abundance of dark coral-pink flowers. It grows 12 inches tall and 40 inches wide.

It's no wonder petunias continue to rank among the most popular flowering annuals. They're bright and lively, bloom from spring until frost, and scent the air with lovely fragrance. Best of all, they're amazingly easy to grow, both in the garden and in containers.

(Easy Wave White Petunia) is a spreading hybrid with bright white flowers all summer long. It grows 12 inches tall and 40 inches wide.

Petunias are fail-proof favorites for gardeners everywhere. They are vigorous growers and prolific bloomers from mid-spring through late fall. Color choices are nearly limitless, with some sporting beautiful veining and intriguing colors. Many varieties are sweetly fragrant (sniff blooms in the garden center to be sure.)

(Petunia 'Cascadias Cherry Spark') is a floriferous selection with pink flowers veined in dark purple. It has a trailing habit, making it good for hanging baskets.

(Petunia 'Cascadias Bicolor Purple') is a heavy-blooming variety bearing purple flowers with a white star in the center. It has a trailing habit.

Wave petunias have made this plant even more popular. Reaching up to 4 feet long, it's great as a ground cover or when cascading from window boxes and pots. All petunias do best and grow more bushy and full if you pinch or cut them back by one- to two-thirds in midsummer. Because of their profuse blooms, petunias are excellent in hanging baskets and containers.

(Easy Wave Purple Petunia) is a spreading petunia bearing tons of dark blue-purple flowers. It grows 12 inches tall and 40 inches wide.

(Bermuda Beach Petunia) is an easy-growing selection that produces an exceptional number of salmon-coral blooms. It grows 10 inches tall and 24 inches across.

Growing Petunias

Light:                Full Sun, Part Sun
Type:                Annual
Height:             From 1 to 5 feet
Width:              1-4 feet wide, depending on type
Flower Color: Blue, Pink, Red, White, Purple, Coral Pink, Dark Purple, Dark Blue, Deep Red
Foliage Color: Chartreuse/Gold

Double Wave White Spreading Double Petunia

Surfinia Deep Red is a trailing variety of Petunia that performs well in full sun or part shade and flowers all Spring till April.

Growing Notes from Seeds:
Petunias do best in full sun, but can handle partial shade, especially in hotter areas. They are very slow to grow from seed. If starting from seed, begin at least 10 to 12 weeks before planting out date.

Petunia seed needs light to germinate, so don’t cover the seed. Sprinkle it on top of the soil and pat lightly, for good contact. They also prefer warmer temperatures for germination. Start the seeds on heating pads or on top of your refrigerator. Once the seed has germinated, move them from the warm area and let them grow on in cooler temperatures.