- Lots of sun and protection from rain and wind
- Safe from annoying pests
- Annual blooms with little effort
Petunias are now available in a variety of different colors and flower patterns, which can also enrich troughs in the garden or a grave planting. However, for a variety of reasons, the balcony is still the main show stage for the magnificently blooming petunias.
Petunias thrive on a sunny balcony
Lots of sun and protection from rain and wind
The petunias, which come from South America, love full sun and will thank you for the sunshine and warmth with countless flowers. Since higher balconies are usually not shaded by large trees or the shadows cast by houses, they are ideal for cultivating petunias. In addition, petunias in this country grow significantly better with a certain protection from wind and rainy weather and are less susceptible to diseases. The many different types of hanging petunias are also perfect for giving a colorful accent to already somewhat weathered balcony railings in summer.
Safe from annoying pests
In the garden bed, petunias are often the target of attacks by voracious pests such as slugs. Such a problem is much easier to deal with on the balcony, since snails are usually only brought onto the balcony with the plant substrate used. Aphids also appear less often on a balcony, but can be significantly reduced with the following means:
- with beneficial insects such as ladybugs
- through regular monitoring and early action
- by removing heavily infested shoots
- with special sprays or by spraying with a strong jet of water
Annual blooms with little effort
Many pure balcony gardeners appreciate the petunia for a circumstance that is actually usually seen as a flaw: the lack of frost resistance. After all, in most apartments without their own garden, there is no space inside the house for balcony plants to overwinter. Since petunias are cheap to buy as young plants in the spring or are easy to grow from seed, they are easily composted when the flowering period ends in the fall. During the summer season, regular watering and fertilizing, along with the occasional plucking of wilted flowers, is enough to see new blooms on the petunias throughout the season.
tips
Although petunias are not hardy outdoors or on sheltered balconies, they can be overwintered successfully after pruning in an appropriately tempered and bright winter quarters.