Guide for perpetual Petunia blooms from spring to fall through deadheading
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Petunias, known for their vibrant colours and lush appearance, are a popular choice for hanging baskets and garden beds. One essential maintenance practice for these blooming plants is deadheading.
Deadheading petunias involves removing wilted flowers and the ovary behind the flower to stop seed production. This process is crucial as it redirects the plant's energy towards producing more blooms. The ideal time to deadhead petunias is when their flowers begin to wilt or fade, ideally checking your plants several times a week during peak bloom periods and removing spent blooms at least once a week to encourage continuous flowering.
To perform deadheading, the entire spent flower, including the seed pod, should be removed. This can be done by cutting or pinching off the bloom just above the next set of leaves. Using clean garden shears or scissors is recommended over just removing petals, as leaving the seed pod drains energy and delays new flowers.
The frequency of deadheading depends on the climate and growth speed. In warm, peak growing seasons, it's recommended to check more frequently (every 2-3 days) to maintain neatness and maximize blooms because the plants flower faster. In cooler climates or slower growth periods, weekly deadheading is usually sufficient. At the end of the season or in fall, deadheading can be reduced or stopped to allow seed formation for wildlife or seed saving.
It's important to avoid over-deadheading, which can stress the plant. Only remove spent flowers and avoid cutting large healthy sections.
Petunias can be grown by planting seeds or buying flats of flowers in the garden store. Growing petunias adds colour to the garden for one season only. Buying six-packs of petunia starts can result in quick blooming and thriving plants. Some improved varieties of petunias do not set seeds, so deadheading these varieties is not necessary.
The Felco F2 Classic Manual Hand Pruners are recommended for deadheading petunias and pruning other garden plants.
Teo Spengler, a master gardener and docent at the San Francisco Botanical Garden, has studied horticulture and written about nature, trees, plants, and gardening for over two decades.
In summary, monitoring petunias regularly, deadheading promptly when flowers wilt, removing the entire spent flower and seed pod by cutting above the next leaves, and adjusting frequency based on climate and growth speed can maintain optimal blooming throughout the season. Deadheading petunias can result in new flowers blooming all summer long.
Adding a touch of vibrant petunia blooms to your home-and-garden lifestyle, whether in hanging baskets or garden beds, can transform your outdoor space. When maintaining your petunia garden, incorporating the practice of gardening by regular deadheading to halt seed production and redirect energy towards new blooms is essential.
