This will encourage more branching and more flowers. To keep petunias tidy and flowering, we prune the shoots back to about half their length. By midsummer, most petunias tend to get leggy, producing blossoms at the tips of long, leafless stems.Double-flowered cultivars enjoy a biweekly dose of fertilizer. Fertilize petunias monthly with a balanced fertilizer to support their rapid growth and heavy blooming.Note: The spreading types of petunias and those in containers will require more frequent watering than those planted in the ground.Avoid watering shallowly, as this encourages shallow roots. A thorough watering once a week should be sufficient (unless there are prolonged periods of drought in your area). Petunias are fairly heat tolerant, so you shouldn’t have to worry about watering them frequently.If you’re planting petunias in containers, use a container potting mix that will drain well.When the young plants have three leaves, plant them outside.Petunia seeds are very small (dust-like!) and need lots of light in order to germinate.Plant young petunias outdoors after your last spring frost date, but keep a close eye on the weather forecast and protect young plants from late frosts.If you want to grow petunias from seed, start the seeds indoors 8 to 10 weeks before your last spring frost date.Leggy petunias with tons of flowers already won’t settle in as fast. Look for plants that are short and compact. It’s easiest to buy young plants from a nursery that sells petunias in flats.Amend poor soil with finished compost prior to planting. It should also be moderately fertile to promote the best growth. The soil should drain well and not stay overly wet, especially in containers. Petunias need full sun, or they will become spindly. They can be used in window boxes or hanging baskets. They form a beautiful, colorful groundcover because the flowers form along the entire length of each stem.
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