- Perennial blooms in the garden and on the balcony
- Proper care during flowering
- Towards the end of the flowering period: what to do with the petunias?
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Despite a certain susceptibility to diseases and pests, the petunias, which are available in many colors, are particularly popular as balcony plants. This is not least due to the high number of flowers, which are constantly being formed and thus ensure an extremely long flowering period.
Petunias bloom from May
Perennial blooms in the garden and on the balcony
The first flowers appear in the petunia in May or June, depending on the location and time of cultivation. If the plants are then sufficiently watered and fertilized over the summer, new flowers will gradually form in a sunny spot. This abundance of flowers usually only comes to an end in October or November, when the sensitive plants die off due to the first night frosts. If related species such as the magic bell are planted instead of the petunia, the opening and closing of the flowers can be observed with the time of day and the respective weather.
Proper care during flowering
Due to their origin in South America, petunias can definitely tolerate locations in full sun. However, the plants, which require a lot of water and nutrients, should be watered regularly in a hot and dry place. In addition, the following things are part of regular care for petunias:
- the at least weekly fertilization with suitable means
- Regular checks for common petunia diseases
- checking for aphid infestation by pushing the densely growing shoots apart
Towards the end of the flowering period: what to do with the petunias?
Since petunias are not hardy outdoors, they are usually composted in the fall. However, they can also be overwintered successfully in a strong pruning and in a suitable winter quarters.
tips
For aesthetic reasons and for the sake of plant health, wilted flowers of the petunia are regularly plucked off during the flowering period. But if you let the seed pods on some of the blossoms finish ripening, then you can grow petunias yourself from seeds on the windowsill for the new season from February.