ANNUALS > PETUNIA > HANGING - BASKETS
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PETUNIA GUIDES
Container GrowingDeadheadingHanging BasketsLegginessOverwinteringPruningSowingSurfinia
Easy to naturalise and frequent bloomers throughout summer , petunias are vouch to clear up any corner of the garden in which they ’re placed .
However , while they do make first-class additions to a sundry border or bed , they can perform just as well in hanging baskets too .
That ’s specially true for shack varieties , which can teem over the sides of a container in dramatic manner .
Although grow genus Petunia in hanging baskets is for the most part similar to cultivating them in the ground , there are a few key thing to keep in idea .
To keep matters simple , I ’ve explain the process in seven easy - to - follow steps , as outlined below :
For those still unsure about one or more of these step , I ’ve hide each in further detail below .
Why Grow Petunias In Hanging Baskets?
As well as the aesthetic collection of determine your petunias spill over the side of the basketful , there are a few other practical benefits .
Firstly , not everyone is lucky enough to have a Brobdingnagian garden at their disposal .
Hanging basket are a godsend in this respect since they can turn a balcony , terrace or doorstep into an opportunity to cultivate beautiful blossoms .
What ’s more , hanging baskets have the bestow vantage of being further out of reach of pesterer .
Slugs and snails and other creepy-crawly crawlies love to feast on petunias , but hanging them in basketball hoop makes them less approachable and in general easier to care for .
1) Choose A Trailing Variety
With more than 16 mintage of petunia to opt from ( according to Kew ) and dozens more intercrossed cultivar , you ’re spoiled for choice when it comes to take a variety for your hanging basket.1Petunia Juss.(n.d . ) . Kew Botanic Gardens . call up May 25 , 2023 , fromhttps://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:331845-2
Although mound petunia will execute just fine in a hanging hoop , I personally recommend choosinga trailing variety show likeSurfiniaso you’re able to achieve that impressive cascading effect .
SupertuniasandWavevarieties are also worthy because they are said to ‘ self - sporty ’ – which fundamentally have in mind they deadhead themselves and therefore require small attention.2Supertunia ® – What ’s the Difference?(n.d . ) . Proven Winners . Retrieved May 25 , 2023 , fromhttps://www.provenwinners.com/supertunia_differences
“ Petunias that spill spent leaves salvage sentence on deadheading but you will still need to remove the fallen flower , ” allege Colin Skelly , a Master Horticulturist .
“ Spent bloom will turn into a slimy , slippery mess that can be a slip hazard , so remember to regularly sweep under your hanging basketful . ”
2) Sow Your Petunia Seeds
Whichever diverseness you root upon , you ’ll need to coax them into life from seed first .
Of naturally , you may always produce potted plants from your local greenhouse and bound off this footstep .
However , if you do design on growing from seed , this is a occupation well done indoors that should be start up around 10 weeks before you plan to move them outside into their final home .
We havean entire guideexplaining this process .
Once your seedlings have gained a few centimetres in peak and boast at least two sets of leaves , you may start indurate them off so they can acclimatise to the colder outdoor temperatures .
Move them out of doors for a brace of hours each day so that they are able-bodied to adjust .
3) Choose A (Well-Draining) Hanging Basket
While the germ are work their thaumaturgy , you may turn your care to the hanging basket itself .
Hanging baskets come up in all shapes and sizes and can be made from wicker , telegram and a variety of other materials .
Whichever type you opt for , check that it has adequate drain hole and large enough dimension to produce petunias .
As a general formula , take a hoop that ’s at least 25 atomic number 96 in diam so you may locate several seedlings or potted plants in it at once .
4) Fill Your Basket With Potting Soil
Because of their raised position , hanging hoop tend to drain much more quickly than even other potted flora .
As such , the compost is authoritative .
Garden filth is not sufficient for the Book of Job , so you should take a specific potting soil instead .
you may enrich the grunge with organic mulch , which will facilitate to continue wet and boost the nutrient content .
you could also add a slow - release fertiliser at this point , which will sustain the petunias over an extended period of sentence .
5) Plant Your Petunias Together
With your Petunia now sufficiently established to survive transplantation , it ’s clock time to implant them in the basket .
Make small indent in the dirt and localise your seedlings in them , firm up the earth around them .
Generally speaking , you should allow 5 cm of ventilation place for each seedling so that its root can properly develop .
As such , a field goal with a diameter of 25 cm should domiciliate no more than 5 petunia plant .
6) Hang In A Suitable Spot
Next , it ’s time to find an appropriate position for the basket itself .
Petunias absolutely love sunlight , so choosing a spotwhich receives at least 6 hours of sunlight per dayis crucial to their achiever .
On the other hired hand , hanging basket can be quite vulnerable to the elements .
For that reason , it ’s advisable to hang your handbasket in a blot that ’s shelter from the worst of the wind and pelting where potential .
7) Water, Feed & Deadhead Regularly
As mentioned above , hanging baskets tend to dry out more rapidly than other plant life .
Therefore , it ’s important to water the filth on a even footing , inebriate it good so that it drains from the bottom each time .
To test whether it necessitate a crapulence , you’re able to lift the basket with your hand .
If it feels easy , it ’s thirsty .
Petunias will also gain from fertilisation .
In plus to the slow - waiver production mentioned above , you could also course it with a water - soluble plant food every third time you irrigate .
Last but not least , the importance of deadheading petunias can not be overstated .
remove spend blooms diverts the plant ’s vigour off from semen production and towards prime generation , so deadheading every few days will ensure brighter flower for a longer flow of time .
To do so , but nip off or tweet off spent peak just below the bud , postulate tending to slay the ejaculate fuel pod as well .
Repeat as often as you may for the duration of the flower time of year .
