How to grow Petunias in the UK
Trumpet flowers that pour over the edges of pots and baskets all summer.
- DifficultyEasy peasy
- WhereBeds or Pots
- Sunfull sun
- Grows to25cm
- Spacing25cm
- Time to first pickabout 4 weeks
- Typeannual
When to sow, plant and harvest petunias
| Plant | mid May to late June |
|---|---|
| In flower | early June to mid October |
Dates are for central England. Sow about two weeks later in the north and Scotland, and up to two weeks earlier in the south and south west. Get the dates for your postcode.
Planting it
- Water your new plants in their pots first
- Dig a hole a bit bigger than the pot
- Tip the plant out gently, holding the leaves, not the stem
- Pop it in the hole, firm the soil around it, and water well
- Space the plants about 25cm apart each way
Top tips for growing petunias
- Buy them as small plants in spring - much easier than seed.
Looking after petunias
- Week 2: Feed your petunias with tomato food every week
Soil and feeding
Poor soil - really!. Nasturtiums flower best in poor soil. Feed them and you get all leaves and no flowers.
Pests and problems
- Slugs & snails: munch seedlings overnight, worst in wet weather
- Protect young plants from slugs
Harvesting and eating petunias
Pick off dead flowers to keep new ones coming.
Saving your own petunias seed
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- Not one to save from - buy new plants or seed.
Where to buy petunias plants
Thompson & Morgan · Suttons · Amazon
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Petunias questions
When do I plant out petunias?
Plant petunias out from mid May to late June, once the last frost has passed.
When can I enjoy petunias?
Petunias is ready from early June to mid October. Pick off dead flowers to keep new ones coming.
How long do petunias take to grow?
Roughly 4 weeks from sowing or planting until the first harvest.
Are petunias easy to grow?
Petunias are rated 'easy peasy' for beginners, and can be grown in the ground or a raised bed or in pots and containers.
Plan your own garden: it tells you what to do and when, for your postcode.
Start growing - it's free