Growing
Alyssum Sown In Early Spring Should Germinate Quickly And Flower Later That Year
IN THIS GUIDE 1) Prepare The Seed Trays 2) Sow Alyssum Seeds 3) Prick Out Seedlings 4) Harden Off & Plant Out In May Known as Alyssum or ‘Sweet Alyssum’, Lobularia maritima is an attractive flowering plant that is wonderful for growing in pots or at the front of beds or borders. It works well amid other ornamental flowers and can also be a good companion plant for a vegetable garden by providing ground cover and drawing in pollinators and predatory insects to aid in pest control. Fortunately, this is a plant which is very easy to grow from seed. This is a great plant for new gardeners and for growing with kids, with a simple process and relatively quick rewards. Difficulty Easy Equipment Required Seeds, seed trays or pots, growing medium, unheated greenhouse or cold frame Alyssum is best sown inside in late February or March. To grow Alyssum from seed: Fill seed trays with a peat-free seed-starting compost. Sow Alyssum seeds indoors in early spring. Prick out and pot on your seedlings, allowing them enough space to properly establish. Harden off and plant out your Alyssum in May. Read on for a slightly more in-depth outline of this simple gardening job. 1) Prepare The Seed Trays Fill seed trays with a peat-free, seed-starting compost that is moist but free draining. You can purchase a seed-starting compost or make your own, but make sure that it is adequately aerated and light. Ensure that the seed trays have been cleaned thoroughly to reduce the chances of fungal issues taking hold. 2) Sow Alyssum Seeds Sow seeds on the surface of the tray and cover over very lightly with a thin layer of compost. Water the seedlings using a sprinkler rose on your watering can to avoid washing away the seeds. Place the trays in a light, bright location on a sunny windowsill and wait for germination to take place. Your seeds should germinate within 1-2 weeks at the most. Gardening expert Dan Ori shares that as the seeds are tiny, he likes to sow Alyssum in damp compost, covering it with a thin layer of vermiculite instead of compost. When he waters, he waters from below using a tray allowing the compost to soak up what it needs. 3) Prick Out Seedlings Prick out the seedlings when they are about 2cm tall and place them into individual pots in another covered seed bed around 5cm apart. 4) Harden Off & Plant Out In May Harden off and plant out the seedlings where they are to grow in the garden in May. Gradually move the plants for longer and longer periods to a cold frame or unheated greenhouse or polytunnel before moving them outdoors fully, to acclimatise them to the outdoor growing conditions. Plant out Alyssum in a spot with full sun in reasonably well-drained soil. Alyssum will make a good companion plant around the edges of a bed full of a range of spring vegetables. So, if you’ve never done it before, be sure to consider growing some of your own food a go at the same time as growing Alyssum from seed.
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Want Your Petunias To Flower Prolifically? Cut Back Faded Flowers Beneath The Bud
IN THIS GUIDE 1) Check Your Cultivar 2) Identify Faded Blooms 3) Cut Back Your Petunias 4) Dispose Of Debris 5) Repeat Throughout Summer Widely regarded as an excellent plant for novice gardeners, petunias are beautiful to look at and easy to grow. All they require to keep them looking at their best is plenty of sunshine, adequate watering with sufficient drainage and, of course, regular deadheading. Fortunately, deadheading is an extremely simple task to tackle, even if it can be slightly labour-intensive. Simply follow these instructions below and your petunias will be flowering prolifically all summer long: Identify your petunia cultivar to determine your regimen. Find the faded blooms on your petunia plant, which should start just a few days after the first flowers begin to emerge. Cut back faded flowers beneath the bud. Compost any debris. Repeat this process as required throughout the summer – this will help to maximise flowering. Difficulty Easy Equipment Required Secateurs and gardening gloves When To Deadhead Every 5-7 days during the flowering season 1) Check Your Cultivar Generally speaking, all petunias will benefit from deadheading, so undertaking it on a regular basis is vital to maintaining a pristine and impressive aesthetic in your garden. “I generally don’t do too much deadheading in the garden, preferring a naturalistic feel, but Petunias are one of the exceptions,” shares Master Horticulturist Colin Skelly. “Petunia flowers do not die gracefully but detract from the appearance of the fresh blooms. A regular weekly deadheading session will make all the difference as the summer progresses.” However, there are certain cultivars which have been developed to flourish even without deadheading, such as Wave, Tidal Wave and Supertunia. While you don’t need to deadhead these plants, it’s still a good idea to tidy up their fallen blooms to keep them looking their best. 2) Identify Faded Blooms Once the blooming season has begun in earnest, it will only take a few days for the first blooms to begin fading. At this point, you should begin the deadheading process to encourage fuller, more colourful plants. Fading blooms will be limp, drooping and crumpled, whilst spent ones may even be dry and crispy to the touch if they have been left there for too long or exposed to strong temperatures. 3) Cut Back Your Petunias A common misconception is that deadheading simply involves removing the spent bloom, but the seeds are actually stored in the stem just beneath the flower head. For that reason, you should make the cut just below the sepal (the little ringlet of leaves that encase the bud) to ensure that all the seeds are removed. You should do this for blooms that have already fallen from the plant as well. 4) Dispose Of Debris Take care to remove all discarded blooms and stems from the periphery of the plant and dispose of them in your compost heap. Not only will this improve the overall aesthetic of your petunia display, but you’ll also prevent the proliferation of pests and fungi. What’s more, you’ll get access to organic mulch for use elsewhere in the garden. 5) Repeat Throughout Summer To ensure your petunias perform to the best of their ability right through the entire blooming season, it’s advisable to repeat this task on a regular basis. Indeed, you can look for spent blooms every single day, but such an undertaking can quickly become tiresome. For that reason, I normally set aside time to deadhead all my plants (not just petunias) once a week, which is usually sufficient for keeping them looking trim and tidy.
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Petunias Should Be Pruned A Few Times Per Growing Season To Keep Them At Their Best
IN THIS GUIDE When To Prune Petunias 1) Prepare Your Tools 2) Deadhead Spent Blooms 3) Remove Leggy Stems 4) Compost Any Trimmings Low on maintenance needs but high on visual impact, petunias are favoured in gardens throughout the country for the profusion of colourful flowers they produce and the ease with which they can be cared for. With plentiful sunlight, water and drainage, they’ll thrive in any environment. Having said that, pruning petunia plants is a necessary means of maximising their appeal. As well as deadheading spent blossoms to encourage a longer and more prolific flowering season, you should also trim back long, leggy or damaged stems to help keep the plant’s shape and structure. While the plant will survive without regular pruning, it certainly won’t look its best, which is a shame given the undemanding nature of the task and the fantastic potential of petunias. Here’s how you can achieve that potential in four easy steps: Prepare your tools for pruning by sharpening and cleaning the blades of your secateurs. Deadhead spent blooms as often as you need depending on the cultivar. Prune leggy stems by half their length, being careful not to remove too much of the plant. Compost any trimmings and care for your petunias after pruning. I’ve clarified each stage in greater detail below and also explained a little more about the best times to prune your petunia selection. Difficulty Easy Equipment Required Gardening gloves, pruning shears or secateurs, fertiliser When To Prune July to September When To Prune Petunias Strictly speaking, it’s not 100% necessary to prune your petunias more than once during the growing season. However, I like to do so 3 times in order to encourage maximum performance and retain an optimum structure for the plant. My first pruning session takes place at the outset of July, once the petunias have enjoyed their early summer spurt of growth. I’ll then revisit the plant in mid-August and then in mid-September, following the same process each time. Be mindful that deadheading is a different proposition altogether and is a topic we’ve covered in its own separate guide. 1) Prepare Your Tools A bad workman may blame his tools, but a good gardener cares for his. Taking the time to sharpen and clean the blades of your secateurs or pruning shears can ensure you make clean cuts and prevent the spread of fungi or diseases. Personally, I like to disassemble my secateurs when sharpening them. Although this is not strictly necessary, it does make the job easier and safer. I then fix their position in a vice, before using a file to sharpen the blades. Finally, I’ll wipe them down with a clean cloth soaked in isopropyl alcohol to remove any impurities left behind and voila! They are clean and ready for use. “After every use of my secateurs, I clean off the sap before it dries on, use a fine sharpening stone to work the edge and then oil the blades and spring,” says Horticultural Consultant Colin Skelly. ‘Every month, I’ll use a coarser stone on the blades. This ensures a sharp cut, clean pruning cuts, and a quicker job that is easier on the hands and wrists – let the tool do the work!” 2) Deadhead Spent Blooms Petunias are one of the many types of flowering plants which will benefit immensely from deadheading on a regular basis. That’s because removing the whole flower, including the seed pod, diverts energy away from seed production and back into flowering. With that in mind, I recommend deadheading spent blooms as often as your chosen cultivar requires. See our guide to deadheading for more thorough information. 3) Remove Leggy Stems With your deadheading schedule underway, it’s time to tackle pruning properly as soon as July arrives. If your plant has had its needs satisfied thus far, it will have enjoyed impressive growth during May and June, so it’s a good idea to trim back long, leggy or drooping stems to keep it in shape. Once I have identified a stem in need of attention, I’ll normally strip it by half its length. This will ensure a tight and compact shape for the plant, contributing to an overall neat and tidy aesthetic. When pruning, take care not to strip a stem back to any less than 5cm from its base and do not remove more than 33% of the whole plant at a time, as this can be damaging. 4) Compost Any Trimmings Finally, you’ll want to leave the petunia plant in the best state possible to come back stronger. This means gathering up all of the stems, flower heads and foliage you have just severed and disposing of them in your compost heap. This will encourage better air circulation and reduce the risk of disease. You can treat the plant with an all-purpose fertiliser containing equal parts nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, spraying the soil to enrich its nutrient uptake. Failing that, I have found that mulching the base with manure or well-rotted compost is another effective way to promote regrowth after pruning.
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Leggy Petunias? Preventive Measures And Trimming Guidelines From Horticulturists
IN THIS GUIDE Preventive Measures Trimming Leggy Petunias If your petunias have become leggy and straggly with droopy stems and dying foliage, you might be wondering what to do with them. The types of petunias that have a tendency to legginess will likely develop it as a result of the following causes and factors: Overwatering Not enough sun Over-fertilising with a balanced or nitrogenous formula As such, try to avoid legginess instead of dealing with it later by taking the following preventive measures. Difficulty Easy Equipment Required Secateurs or gardening knife, potassium-rich fertiliser Preventive Measures Water with the appropriate quantity and frequency depending on the kind of petunias you have and whether your plants are growing in the open ground or in a container. Under no circumstance should the soil be soaked and remain overly damp. Be sure to site petunias in a spot in full sun that only receives a bit of light shade. “Legginess is most often due to being sited in a position that is too shady, forcing the plant to reach for light,” says Colin Skelly, a Horticultural Consultant. “Trim back the leggy stems move plants in pots to a brighter location and they should respond with bushier growth.” Feed petunias judiciously. Instead of a balanced formula, opt for a potassium-rich formula oriented to flowering annuals. Finally, if you are growing the types of petunia that are known to develop legginess or if you feel that yours could become leggy, proactively pinch the stem tips by a good 7-8cm in late June. Doing so will trigger side shoots and bushiness and will pre-empt legginess. Trimming Leggy Petunias If your petunias are becoming leggy, there is a quick and simple solution – trimming. However, only grandiflora and multiflora types should be trimmed. Use a pair of sterilised mini-secateurs to cut back all the stems on the plant by 30-50%. Ensure that each stem is left with some foliage, making the cut just above a set of leaves. After such a trim, water the plant and also fertilise it in moderation. Make sure you act in time, as trimming petunias too late in the season is of no benefit. If you act in a timely fashion by mid-July, not only will you solve the legginess problem, you will probably be rewarded with a second flush of blooms.
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Follow These 7 Tips From Gardeners For Perfect Potted Petunias
IN THIS GUIDE Can You Grow Petunias In Pots? 1) Choose A Large Pot With Good Drainage 2) Use Nutrient-Rich Compost 3) Grow From Plug Plants Or Seed 4) Pot Up In Spring 5) Watch Out For Overcrowding 6) Allow The Pots To Dry Out 7) Use A High-Potash, Liquid Feed Petunias are always a favourite among British gardeners. Boasting cheerful blossoms, a delicate aroma and lengthy blooming seasons, it’s not difficult to see why they’re a fixture in beds and borders throughout the country. However, while petunias perform impressively when planted in the ground, they can be just as easily cultivated in containers too. In fact, growing them in pots has the added advantage of being able to move them indoors during winter, which can help them to survive until the next spring. Although growing petunias in pots is remarkably similar to caring for them in the ground, there are a few key differences to consider. Difficulty Easy Equipment Required Pots, potting mix, plug plants or petunia seedlings, watering can, fertiliser Can You Grow Petunias In Pots? Whether you plan to place your petunias on a patio, balcony or in your home, growing them in pots is not only effective, but also easy to do. “By planting in a container, you allow most petunias to perform what I think is their best trick: their ability to trail,” shares Master Horticulturist Peter Lickorish. “They effortlessly fold themselves over the corner of containers. Whilst cascading or trailing types are best at this, even the more compact plants have a lovely ability to lap over the edge of their pots. “I always choose the single-flower types, rather than those with ruffled double blooms, to make life easier for our hard-pressed bees.” Just be mindful that soil in containers can dry out more quickly than soil in the ground outdoors, so you’ll need to factor this into your plans when caring for them. 1) Choose A Large Pot With Good Drainage The container in which you plant your petunias can be made from any material you like, whether that be plastic, terracotta, concrete or something else entirely. The only demand they do place on you is to ensure that there are plenty of drainage holes in the bottom of the container, since waterlogged soil is a recipe for disaster. You should also choose a container that’s large enough to accommodate your petunias. While the exact dimensions required will depend on the type of petunia you pick and the number of plants you wish to incorporate in the same pot, a general rule of thumb is to give each petunia a diameter of 5-10cm free space. 2) Use Nutrient-Rich Compost Petunias are generally quite easy-going in terms of their soil demands, but they do prefer terrain that is rich in organic content. For that reason, it’s a good idea to select compost with high nutrient levels and no peat content, or you can enrich your soil with well-rotted manure or organic matter. Petunias also demand excellent drainage. They enjoy a thorough soaking when being watered, but they’ll also perform better if the surface of their soil is allowed to dry out completely. As such, you might want to consider adding stones, sand or a perlite mix to your container to improve its drainage qualities. 3) Grow From Plug Plants Or Seed If you’re growing your potted petunias from seed, begin the process a few weeks before the last frost is forecast. Start with a seed tray and eventually move them on into their final container at the correct spacing. You must ensure they get plenty of indirect sunlight. This means sprinkling the dust-like seeds onto the surface of the soil and not covering them up at all. This will allow them to absorb the UV radiation and germinate more effectively. You can also aid this process by covering the pot or seed tray with clingfilm or another plastic substance to keep humidity and moisture in. At this stage, they won’t tolerate direct sunlight, but neither will they enjoy temperatures below 12-15°C. Keep them in a warm, well-lit environment and ensure the soil stays moist. Once sprouted, you can remove the plastic and position the petunias on a sunny windowsill. It is important the plastic is removed as soon as seedlings are spotted, to prevent rot. 4) Pot Up In Spring After the petunias have achieved sufficient growth (several centimetres in height and at least 2 sets of leaves), you can thin them out and move them to their final location providing, of course, that all chance of frost has passed. If the frost risk persists, prick them out into small individual pots or module trays, until they can go in their final container. On the other hand, you may wish to buy small plug plants from a nursery to bypass the germination stage. Very small plug plants should be planted in small pots or module trays before moving on to their final container, to bring them on. Otherwise, larger petunia plugs can be potted up at any point during the growing season, but I find it’s best to do so in spring, just after the last frost has passed. This will give their root systems as long as possible to establish themselves and also allow you to enjoy their blooms for a longer time. 5) Watch Out For Overcrowding As covered briefly above, the exact number of petunias which will fit comfortably in a pot depends on the type you have bought and the size of your container. Generally speaking, you can crowd quite a few bedding plants into the same space to achieve an impressive profusion of flowers during the blooming season. However, with the broad habit of petunias, it’s usually not a good idea to plant more than 3 plants in the same 30cm pot, since this can lead to overcrowding and could inhibit the overall growth and blooming performance of the plants. 6) Allow The Pots To Dry Out As I touched on previously, petunias will perform best when the top of their soil is allowed to fully dry out. This usually occurs on a weekly basis, but may happen much more often during summer. To check whether your petunias need a drink, you can insert one of your fingers into the top of the soil. If the top 2-3cm is dry, treat the plant to a thorough soaking and make sure that excess water drains freely through the holes in the bottom of the pot. Remember that container soil will dry out more quickly than that found in the ground. The timing and placement of the water is just as important as the amount. To avoid scorching the leaves, water the soil directly in the morning or evening and try not to get the foliage wet, since this can encourage fungal development. 7) Use A High-Potash, Liquid Feed Incorporate a liquid fertiliser into your care routine, administering it once a fortnight during the summer months. Choose a product that’s high in potash, such as fertilisers intended for use on tomatoes. You can switch to one high in nitrogen later in the year if your plant is looking tired or stressed. However, stop all fertilisation once the blooming season is over, as this is pointless if you’re treating petunias as annuals and counter-productive if you plan to overwinter them. Pruning back the plant is also a good idea to keep it looking trim and tidy and to promote bushier and healthier growth. This can be done effectively between major flushes of flowers, reducing the plant by a third to a half. Deadheading spent flowers will also divert vital energy supplies towards new blossoms and can extend the flowering season for as long as possible.
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Petunias Will Die Back At The First Sign Of Frost - Here's How To Help Them Survive Winter
IN THIS GUIDE 1) Take Cuttings To Multiply Your Chances 2) Prune Back By A Third 3) Dig Up Petunias In The Ground 4) Check For Pests 5) Wait For Dormancy 6) Monitor Over The Winter Months 7) Revive Your Petunias In Spring With their bright blooms, subtly inviting fragrance and long-lasting flowering season, petunias are a favourite in gardens across the country. Unfortunately, they’re extremely sensitive to the cold, which means they’ll die back at the first sign of frost. It is entirely possible to overwinter petunias, which may be an attractive option if you have splashed out on a more expensive hybrid or have a particularly fetching variety you don’t want to part with. If that sounds familiar, simply follow these steps: Consider taking cuttings from your petunia plant and multiplying your chances of successful overwintering. Prune back your petunias to at least one-third of their original size. Dig up any ground-growing plants and pot them up ready to be placed indoors. Check for pests on the leaves of your petunias. Move to a cool, dry location with constant temperatures where your petunias can hibernate in a dormant state. Monitor your plants throughout winter without mollycoddling them – be careful with how much you water them. Revive your petunias in spring by placing them in an area with more sunlight. That might seem like a long and confusing set of instructions for those unfamiliar with petunia care, but in actuality, overwintering petunias is not too tricky at all. I’ve outlined each stage in more detail to help as much as possible below. Difficulty Easy Equipment Required Gardening gloves, pruning shears, a cloth, isopropyl alcohol, trowel, plant pots, compost 1) Take Cuttings To Multiply Your Chances Although overwintering petunias isn’t rocket science, the best-laid plans often go awry. For that reason, it’s a good idea to insure against mishaps by taking cuttings when the plant is in a healthy state. You can do so by snipping off several stems that are 15cm or more in length and then stripping away the leaves from the bottom half. Place them into individual planters filled with compost and cultivate them indoors as you would when growing petunias from seed. “Cuttings of Petunia (and several other half-hardy perennials) are best taken as semi-ripe cuttings,” states Master Horticulturist Colin Skelly. “If taken as winter insurance, I’d take the cuttings in late July or early August to allow plenty of time for root development before winter. Once rooted, I’d put them into 6-9cm individual pots (depending on the size of the cuttings) using a potting mix with added grit to aid drainage when dormant.” 2) Prune Back By A Third Petunias will die as soon as the first frost hits, so, before that happens, it’s time to take action. Start by trimming your plant back, removing all flowers and cutting stems back by at least a third. You should also stop all fertilisation at this point. This will encourage the petunias to prepare for the winter by storing energy in their bulbs instead of promoting growth and blooms. 3) Dig Up Petunias In The Ground Of course, if your petunias are potted, you can safely ignore this step, since they can simply be moved to a more hospitable location. However, if they’re planted in the garden, you’ll need to dig them up. Gently do so, taking care not to damage or overly disturb the root systems. Wash or wipe away excess soil from the bulbs and separate them out. 4) Check For Pests It’s absolutely vital that you check for a pest infestation at this stage, since bringing them into your home could endanger the health of your other plants too. Be mindful that plants may appear pest free, but could have hidden eggs which will hatch. Look out for webbing, droppings or eggs and take appropriate action if you spot any. 5) Wait For Dormancy It’s now time to allow your plant hibernate for the winter months. To do so, place it in a container large enough to fit the root ball, then fill it with fresh soil around it. Ensure the pot has adequate drainage at the bottom. Leave it in a cool, dry location where temperatures won’t drop near freezing point such as an unheated conservatory or greenhouse. 6) Monitor Over The Winter Months For the most part, you can leave your dormant plant to its own devices. However, it’s a good idea to revisit every 3-4 weeks to make sure it’s still alive, particularly in the depths of winter. Don’t be alarmed if it loses its foliage – this is natural. Resist the temptation to water it, since saturated soil is deadly to the root ball. If the top few centimetres have become completely dry, you can give it a sip of water, but that’s it. 7) Revive Your Petunias In Spring Several weeks before the final frost, you can begin the process of coaxing your petunias back to life. Start by moving them from their dormancy location to a slightly warmer spot indoors which enjoys modest sunlight. You can also begin to water them more frequently. Once the plant displays new growth, you can repot them and place them on a sunny windowsill. After the final frost has passed and your plants are well and truly established, you can transplant them outdoors and care for them as you did the year prior.
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Trailing Petunias Are So Perfect For Hanging Baskets: Keep Them Out Of Reach Of Pests
IN THIS GUIDE Why Grow Petunias In Hanging Baskets? 1) Choose A Trailing Variety 2) Sow Your Petunia Seeds 3) Choose A (Well-Draining) Hanging Basket 4) Fill Your Basket With Potting Soil 5) Plant Your Petunias Together 6) Hang In A Suitable Spot 7) Water, Feed & Deadhead Regularly References Easy to cultivate and frequent bloomers throughout summer, petunias are guaranteed to brighten up any corner of the garden in which they’re placed. However, while they do make excellent additions to a mixed border or bed, they can perform just as well in hanging baskets too. That’s especially true for trailing varieties, which can teem over the sides of a container in dramatic fashion. Although growing petunias in hanging baskets is largely similar to cultivating them in the ground, there are a few key things to keep in mind. To keep matters simple, I’ve explained the process in seven easy-to-follow steps, as outlined below: Choose your petunia variety – you may want to opt for a trailing variety such as Sufinia or Wave for the full effect. Sow your petunia seeds and wait for them to germinate, or acquire plug plants from a local or online nursery. Select your hanging basket and consider the material you’d like to use. Fill the basket with potting compost. Plant your petunias and enrich your basket with organic mulch. Hang your basket in an area sheltered from the wind that still receives plenty of sunlight. Water your petunias regularly, feed as necessary and deadhead when required. For those still unsure about one or more of these steps, I’ve covered each in further detail below. Difficulty Easy Equipment Required Petunia seeds or plants, hanging basket, potting compost, watering can, fertiliser, trowel Why Grow Petunias In Hanging Baskets? As well as the aesthetic appeal of seeing your petunias spill over the sides of the basket, there are a few other practical benefits. Firstly, not everyone is lucky enough to have a huge garden at their disposal. Hanging baskets are a godsend in this respect since they can turn a balcony, patio or doorstep into an opportunity to cultivate beautiful blossoms. What’s more, hanging baskets have the added advantage of being further out of reach of pests. Slugs and snails and other creepy crawlies love to feast on petunias, but hanging them in baskets makes them less accessible and generally easier to care for. 1) Choose A Trailing Variety With more than 16 species of petunia to choose from (according to Kew) and dozens more hybrid cultivars, you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to selecting a variety for your hanging basket.1 Although mounding petunias will perform just fine in a hanging basket, I personally recommend choosing a trailing variety like Surfinia so you can achieve that impressive cascading effect. Supertunias and Wave varieties are also desirable because they are said to ‘self-clean’ – which basically means they deadhead themselves and therefore require little attention.2 “Petunias that shed spent leaves save time on deadheading but you will still need to remove the fallen flowers,” says Colin Skelly, a Master Horticulturist. “Spent flowers will turn into a slimy, slippery mess that can be a slip hazard, so remember to regularly sweep under your hanging baskets.” 2) Sow Your Petunia Seeds Whichever variety you settle upon, you’ll need to coax them into life from seed first. Of course, you can always acquire potted plants from your local nursery and skip this step. However, if you do plan on growing from seed, this is a job best done indoors that should be started around 10 weeks before you plan to move them outside into their final home. We have an entire guide explaining this process. Once your seedlings have gained a few centimetres in height and boast at least two sets of leaves, you can start hardening them off so they can acclimatise to the colder outdoor temperatures. Move them outside for a couple of hours each day so that they are able to adjust. 3) Choose A (Well-Draining) Hanging Basket While the seeds are working their magic, you can turn your attention to the hanging basket itself. Hanging baskets come in all shapes and sizes and can be made from wicker, wire and a variety of other materials. Whichever type you opt for, make sure it has adequate drainage holes and large enough dimensions to grow petunias. As a general rule, select a basket that’s at least 25cm in diameter so you can place several seedlings or potted plants in it at once. 4) Fill Your Basket With Potting Soil Because of their raised position, hanging baskets tend to drain much more quickly than even other potted plants. As such, the compost is important. Garden soil is not sufficient for the job, so you should select a specific potting soil instead. You can enrich the soil with organic mulch, which will help to retain moisture and boost the nutrient content. You can also add a slow-release fertiliser at this point, which will sustain the petunias over an extended period of time. 5) Plant Your Petunias Together With your petunias now sufficiently established to survive transplantation, it’s time to plant them in the basket. Make small indentations in the soil and place your seedlings in them, firming up the earth around them. Generally speaking, you should allow 5cm of breathing space for each seedling so that its roots can properly develop. As such, a basket with a diameter of 25cm should house no more than 5 petunia plants. 6) Hang In A Suitable Spot Next, it’s time to find an appropriate position for the basket itself. Petunias absolutely love sunlight, so choosing a spot which receives at least 6 hours of sunlight per day is crucial to their success. On the other hand, hanging baskets can be quite vulnerable to the elements. For that reason, it’s advisable to hang your basket in a spot that’s sheltered from the worst of the wind and rain where possible. 7) Water, Feed & Deadhead Regularly As mentioned above, hanging baskets tend to dry out more rapidly than other plants. Therefore, it’s important to water the soil on a regular basis, soaking it thoroughly so that it drains from the bottom each time. To test whether it needs a drink, you can lift the basket with your hand. If it feels light, it’s thirsty. Petunias will also benefit from fertilisation. In addition to the slow-release product mentioned above, you can also feed it with a water-soluble fertiliser every third time you irrigate. Last but not least, the importance of deadheading petunias cannot be overstated. Removing spent blooms diverts the plant’s energy away from seed production and towards flower generation, so deadheading every few days will ensure brighter blossoms for a longer period of time. To do so, simply snip or pinch off spent blossoms just below the bud, taking care to remove the seed pod as well. Repeat as often as you can for the duration of the blooming season. References 1. Petunia Juss. (n.d.). Kew Botanic Gardens. Retrieved May 25, 2023, from https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:331845-2 2. Supertunia® – What’s the Difference? (n.d.). Proven Winners. Retrieved May 25, 2023, from https://www.provenwinners.com/supertunia_differences
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Start Sowing Petunias At The End Of Winter - They Can Be Planted Out In Late Spring
IN THIS GUIDE When To Sow Petunias 1) Sow In A Seed-Starting Mix 2) Wait For Germination 3) Prick Out & Pot On Your Seedlings 4) Plant Out In Warmer Weather Petunias are popular bedding plants which can provide an abundance of colourful blooms in a garden. They can often bloom all summer long and can even last well into autumn, only dying back once the first frost arrives. Most typically, these popular flowering plants are purchased as plug plants or pot-grown plants. However, it is also possible to grow some petunia varieties from seed. To grow petunias from seed: Sow your petunia seeds onto the surface of a seed tray in moist, peat-free seed compost. Keep the seeds in a warm, well-lit place, maintaining temperatures of 21°C. Prick out and pot on the petunia seedlings. Harden off and plant out your petunia seedlings after all risk of frost has passed in your area. Difficulty Medium Equipment Required Seeds, seed trays, pots, growing medium, propagator When To Sow February When To Plant Out May to June When To Sow Petunias Petunia seeds should be sown indoors around February, towards the end of winter. Early indoor sowing will allow you to obtain young plants that can be planted out after the risk of frost has passed where you live. 1) Sow In A Seed-Starting Mix You can see from my image below that Petunia seeds are tiny! This does make it a little difficult to handle and separate the seeds into separate compartments – I actually used a sharp pencil to help with this. Alternatively, mix the seed with a small quantity of dry silver sand. Broadcasting this across the top of the compost in a seed tray helps you to see that seed is evenly distributed. 100-200 seeds could be sown in a tray the size of an A4 page. Prepare seed trays by filling them with a suitable moist, yet free-draining, seed-starting potting mix. Ensure there are no large lumps, and firm the compost down well. Sow your petunia seeds on the surface of this medium and do not cover them with potting mix, as these seeds require light for germination to take place. 2) Wait For Germination In order for the successful germination of petunia seeds to take place, temperatures should remain consistently at 21°C. Germination rates can be patchy if the conditions are not ideal. It can be easier to achieve successful germination if you use a heated propagator to control the conditions and the lid can also help prevent the seeds from drying out. After only a week in a heated propagator I found that each module in my seed tray had at least one tiny seedling. 3) Prick Out & Pot On Your Seedlings Once germination takes place and seedlings emerge, you should prick these out of the seed tray and place each one into an individual pot as soon as they are large enough to handle. Place them in a location with temperatures between 13-25°C. You should definitely make sure that temperatures do not drop too low as this could kill off the tender young seedlings. Of course, you also have to make sure that the growing medium remains moist but not waterlogged until it is time to plant out your young plants. “When handling delicate petunia seedlings, hold them by a leaf,” Peter Lickorish, a Master Horticulturist, recommends. “A leaf is expendable, if it should break, but if you grip them by the stem and it snaps, your petunia has met its end. “For planting out larger plants, after hardening off, a leaf won’t take the strain. Instead, grip them gently, for the same reason.” 4) Plant Out In Warmer Weather Once all risk of frost has passed where you live and the weather has begun to warm up, which is typically in May or June, you can plant out your petunia seedlings in your garden. Make sure that before you plant your young petunias, you take the right steps to harden off your plants. This simply means slowly acclimatising them to the outdoor conditions. Plant out petunias to the same depth that they sat at in their pot, in a location suited to their growing needs. Petunias need rich and fertile soil with plenty of organic matter or a good peat-free multipurpose compost when grown in pots. They will typically flower and do best in a position in full sun that is also relatively sheltered. So, whether you plan to grow petunias in the ground, in raised beds, in containers or in hanging baskets, make sure that you place them in a sunny position for the best results. Although petunias can be moderately difficult to get to germinate successfully, it is definitely worthwhile growing them from seed if you can.
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10 Sustainable Ways To Support Lathyrus Plants From The National Sweet Pea Society
IN THIS GUIDE 1) Wigwam – Bamboo Canes 2) Wigwam – Natural Branches 3) Vertical Canes Planted In Rows 4) Branching Twig Supports 5) Arch Trellis 6) Obelisk Trellis 7) A-Frame Support 8) String & Post Trellis 9) Chicken Wire Supports 10) Other Upcycled Materials Sweet peas are a wonderful option for new and old gardeners alike. They are relatively easy to grow and, as nitrogen fixers, can be useful in a vegetable garden as well as in ornamental schemes. If you decide to grow sweet peas in your garden, no matter where you choose to grow them, one of the questions you will have to answer is how you will provide these vining plants with support. “Ensure there is plenty of room for the roots to grow, do not plant too close together and give them enough support to grow up,” advises Carole Tate, Committee Member at the National Sweet Pea Society. “They are annuals and put on a lot of growth in the year.” Fortunately, sweet pea support ideas are numerous and varied. The supports do not need to be as strong and sturdy as they do for some other climbers that you might grow in your garden, as the plants are not too large, heavy or vigorous. There are many different support options that you might purchase for your sweet peas, but the most sustainable and eco-friendly options to consider are those that you can make yourself, from natural or reclaimed materials. Below is a list of just ten of the many sustainable support ideas for sweet peas that you might like to consider. 1) Wigwam – Bamboo Canes The first and most common option is to create a wigwam for sweet peas to climb up. To create a wigwam structure, many people will use a number of bamboo canes. The canes can be threaded together with natural twine to which the sweet peas can cling. As long as you create a cane wigwam of the right size, the structure itself can be entirely covered by the stems and flowers of your sweet peas and become an attractive feature in your garden. Bamboo can be a sustainable material, especially if you have your own growing in your garden to harvest. However, before you rush out and buy bamboo canes, remember that there are other natural materials that you might already have on hand. 2) Wigwam – Natural Branches Any natural branches pruned from trees or shrubs in your garden might also potentially be used to create a simple wigwam structure, as long as they are long and relatively straight. Hazel and willow are woods that are commonly used, since these can be coppiced or pollarded for a supply of thin, long and straight stems. You might also be able to use other branches that you happen to have access to in your garden. As above, these branches can be held together with a natural string or twine, but you might also go one step further and wind thin, pliable branches between the uprights to create a woven structure for sweet peas to cling to as they grow. 3) Vertical Canes Planted In Rows Wigwam-style supports can be a great choice for small spaces, but sometimes you might wish to incorporate sweet peas into your garden design in a way that allows them to sit alongside rows of common vegetable crops. When growing sweet peas in a row, you might simply create a row of canes or branches by inserting them into the ground. You might tie in sweet peas to these support stakes as they grow or string twine between these canes for the plants to cling onto. “I’ve got perennial sweet peas in my garden that don’t smell as good, but you can cut them and keep them and they come back every year, making them so easy to grow,” shares Humaira Ikram, a Garden Designer. Sweet peas growing in this way, as Humaira suggests, would be especially easy to cut back every year. 4) Branching Twig Supports Another idea that I enjoy for a more naturalistic feel is to use a series of twigs with many branches pushed into the soil or growing medium. The sweet peas can cling to the different twigs at different heights as they grow. This is a method of support commonly used for garden peas that we eat, but it can also work very effectively for sweet peas, giving a natural and rustic feel when these flowers are incorporated into the garden. 5) Arch Trellis Large or small, arch-type trellis supports are also a great choice for sweet peas and can look amazing when the flowers are in full bloom. Of course, if the arch is especially tall, the sweet peas will not likely grow over the entire arch. However, when combined with other flowering climbers like roses or clematis, you could create impressive displays with blooms over a large portion of the year if you choose your plants carefully. Creating an arch trellis that you can walk through will allow you to surround yourself with the sweet peas’ delightful scent. The arch might cover a pathway or be placed over the top of a seating area or other outdoor recreational space. 6) Obelisk Trellis If space is limited, obelisk-style support can work well in gardens of a range of different styles. Again, you do not necessarily have to go and buy one. These simple structures can be relatively easy and straightforward to make. You can make your own obelisk support with reclaimed wood and some very basic woodworking or joinery skills. By making your own, you can do the right thing and cut your consumption and your carbon footprint. 7) A-Frame Support Whether you use bamboo canes, natural branches, reclaimed wood or other materials, A-framed trellis structures are also a popular choice when growing climbing plants, including sweet peas. Remember, sweet peas can and should be grown on trellis supports not only on their own, but alongside a number of other climbing plants. You might use them alongside ornamental edibles for a display that is not only attractive, but also provides you with an edible yield. Of course, sweet peas themselves cannot be eaten, but you might grow them alongside runner beans, which can. Just make sure that your sweet peas get enough light by placing them on the southern side of the tall and vigorous beans. 8) String & Post Trellis No matter what size or shade of structure you create to support your sweet peas, creating a simple framework means that you can use taut string between these as support for your sweet peas. Remember to use a natural twine, which, if you are feeling adventurous and have the time, you can even make yourself using nettles or other fibre plants from your garden. 9) Chicken Wire Supports The upright supports in a structure designed for sweet pea vines might also have chicken wire or another mesh placed between them, providing plenty of places to which the vines can cling. Using pieces of reclaimed wire or mesh can be ideal, and, again, help you make sure that you do not need to buy anything new. 10) Other Upcycled Materials There are plenty of other cool ways to upcycle old materials and items to make support structures for the sweet peas in your garden. One example involves using old bicycle wheel rims and spokes to create a support structure for a small garden area or container garden. Use your imagination and look around you, and you may find plenty of other things that you can upcycle and repurpose to form support for sweet peas and other climbing plants. “Regardless of your chosen support, aim for 20-30cm between plants,” adds Horticultural Consultant Peter Lickorish. “I find it easiest to have one plant per cane, unless you have sown your seeds in small groups and prising them apart would cause too much disturbance. Remember, sweet peas hate root disturbance.”
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