How often do you Water Petunias. One can never be too sure how often one should actually water petunias.
If you water them too much and your weather conditions aren’t at their best, then you might be doing more harm than good.
We recommend deep watering as opposed to light watering because the plants will then be able to grow more roots that reach out for the nutrients and moisture the soil offers.
If your plants are grown in rich, moist earth with lots of fertilizer and water, there’s no telling how large they could grow. However, it is important to make sure that a fire hose is not used while watering.
The petunias would definitely die if they were subjected to such brutality by an overzealous garden owner who may very well use a water hose attached to their high-powered garden tractor.
How often do you Water Petunias
When your petunia plant’s top inch feels dry after you’ve stuck your finger in it, it means that it needs to be watered.
If you have hanging petunias, they will likely need to be watered twice a day during the summer because of the hot weather and strong winds.
Watering Petunia Seedlings
Petunia is a delicate little flower requiring some attention in order to grow into the beautiful plant they are meant to be.
Sow seeds indoors in the early spring and maintain a well-drained, neutral soil mix.
The seedlings will emerge in 14-21 days, depending on temperature and light conditions. Keep the soil moist until the seedlings begin to develop.
After this time, you can gradually begin to introduce them to stronger sunlight by leaving a portion of the pot uncovered during the day.
Overwatering can encourage fungal infections, so avoid saturating the pots with water.
Watering the garden beds
Plant petunias in well-drained beds. Avoid locations where water tends to collect after rain or irrigation, as petunias cannot tolerate soggy soils.
Newly planted petunias need evenly moist soil for the first few weeks after planting and watering can be reduced once a healthy root system has formed around three to four weeks later.
Once established, reduce watering to 1″ of water every seven days. Provide 1″ of water at each irrigation which is enough water to moisten the top 6″ of soil cautiously.
Petunias can tolerate mild drying – but too much will cause them to suffer from transplant shock, lose their leaves and die prematurely if they are not brought back indoors and watered sufficiently in no less than six hours.
Petunia container watering requirements
Plant beds more easily dry out than flowerpots as containers only contain a small volume of soil. This is a concern, as petunias require added moisture to thrive.
Clay pots are especially devastating when it comes to causing soil and plants to dry up quickly.
Smaller planters dry out faster than larger ones by evaporating the water they contain at an accelerated rate due to their size.
Consider checking the moisture of all planters daily, on top, or in the middle with your fingers or use a soil hydrometer tool, then ensure that the soil feels evenly moist throughout by watering until water dripping from holes under the plant.
Some petunias need twice-daily watering during hotter days during the summer months.
Molching petunias to keep their moisture
A mulch is a term used in landscaping to refer to any natural material used to cover garden beds and containers, and that helps control moisture in the soil.
Organic mulches, such as wood chips or bark nuggets are the best options because they provide nutrients to the soil while they break down.
When applied to garden beds, a 2-inch layer of mulch will help retain moisture so that your petunias stay healthy longer.
For container-grown flowers, simply apply a 1-inch layer of organic mulch when you transplant or repot your plants.
How often do you water petunias in pots?
Although you can water petunias once a week if growing them in the ground, they should be watered more frequently than that if they are planted in containers.
If they don’t get enough sunlight, they may grow lanky or experience stunted growth to name a few growing issues. Petunias need at least five to six hours of sunlight daily.
How many times a day should you water petunias?
Petunias prefer natural sunlight, so be aware that container plants may dry out more quickly during hot weather periods.
During such periods the plants require two daily watering insofar as they are situated indirect access to a source of water or near a running tap.
Bedded plants need water when the top 10-12 cm (4-5 inches) begin to dry and require at least one good drenching per week.
How often do you water petunias
Related Guides
