Petunia

Petunias are ornamental garden flowering plants. They are annuals with many different sizes and forms and some will flower all year. They are prolific bloomers. Petunias are available in two main types, 'grandiflora and multiflora' with grandifloras having larger but fewer flowers and multiflora having plentiful but smaller flowers and milliflora are also available which are mini plants with mini flowers.

Petunia flowers can be white, red, blue, pink, purple and yellow in color, as well as bi color and can be used as cut flowers. These flowers can have flowers as large as 4 inches in diameter and they have five lobed petals with varieties including double flowers and ruffled petals.

Petunias can be grown in the garden or in pots, and they prefer sunny conditions, and to keep them flowering dead flowers should be removed regularly.

How to grow Petunias:

You can grow petunias from seeds, but it is easier to grow them from transplants.

From seeds:

1) Mix the petunia seeds with some dry sand sprinkle evenly on the growing medium. Press them down lightly and sprinkle some water. Do not cover the seeds with soil, because they need light to germinate. Petunias germinate in 5-15 days.
2) Break up the soil in the garden by digging down 6-8 inches, mix in some organic matter and then smooth and level it.
3) Dig a hole for each petunia seedling. Carefully pop each one from its container and then fill in the soil around the roots, pressing gently.Water thoroughly.

From transplants:

1) It is best to buy transplants and plant them in light, well-drained soil in full sun.
2) Space the plants about one foot apart.
3) If you are planting petunias in containers, use a soil-less mix.

Petunias are moderately easy to grow from seeds and extremely easy to grow from commercially grown seedlings.