Petunia
Insists on full sun - shady spots produce leggy plants with few flowers. Once established it takes very little upkeep, but regular deadheading and fortnightly feeding keep the display going for months.
Something wrong with your petunia?
- Sun
- full sun
- Water
- moderate
- Spacing
- 30cm
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Grows in
- Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago, Invercargill / Southland
- Mature height
- 30cm
- Flowering season
- Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec
- Common diseases
- Grey mould (botrytis)
- Common pests
- Aphids
When to plant by region
In Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Napier / Hawke's Bay: July-September. In Hamilton / Waikato, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson and Tasman: August-October. In Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago and Invercargill / Southland: September-October.
Growing stages
Germination & planting
- Choose a full-sun position; shady spots produce leggy plants with few flowers
- Space plants around 30cm apart
Establishment
- Water moderately while roots establish; watch for aphids on soft new growth
- Once established, petunias take very little upkeep
Vegetative growth
- Compact, spreading growth to about 30cm
- Grey mould (botrytis) can develop in damp, crowded conditions or on faded flowers
- Aphids can build up on new shoots and buds
Flowering
- Regular deadheading and fortnightly feeding keep the display going for months
- Remove any grey mould-affected blooms promptly to stop it spreading