Pretty #Purple #Petunias! #flowers #flowerpower #purpleflowers

We live in the Mid-Atlantic area of the U.S.A. It rarely goes below 20 degrees in the winter. We have Petunias in containers that self-seed and return year after year! Here a 7 tips to get free Petunias every year:

1. After the first hard frost, when the temperature goes below 32 degrees, do not cut back the plant. Leaves and stems provide nutrients to the plant during the fall/winter months, so keep the dormant foliage throughout the fall/winter months.
2. In early spring, fertilize lightly with an organic fertilizer. Our favorite is Espoma FT4 4-Pound Flower-tone 3-4-5 blossom booster Plant Food.
3. Make sure the soil stays moist. To learn more about watering plants, click here.
4. Keep an eye on the pot/container. You are looking for the first sign of plant growth. You will notice tiny, oval-shaped leaves. The color of the tiny leaves will be lime green. They can be mistaken for weeds, so don’t pull them until you are sure! Most likely, they are Petunias.
5. After you notice the plants growing, you can cut back or gently remove the dead foliage/stems.
6. Continue to fertilize lightly every few weeks. To learn more about fertilizing annuals, click here
7. As the plants grow, they will begin to look more like Petunias. Follow these tips year after year and you will never have to buy Petunias again!

Petunias have beautiful blooms that attract butterflies to your garden! They can take full sun all day long!. In mid-summer, when Petunias are not blooming as much, cut them back to about 6 inches long. This will encourage the Petunias to bloom again. Petunias will continue to bloom until the first hard frost, temperature below 32 degrees overnight. Bonus tip for the beginner gardener: The key to growing petunias is keeping them hydrated and in full to partial sun.

Check your local Home Depot, Lowes or online Burpee Gardening for their selection of Petunias! To learn how to plant, fertilize and prune your way to a gorgeous garden, subscribe to our YouTube channel!