Petunias, popular annual plants that bring color to the summer garden, are a great candidate for containers—whether on their own or with other plants.

HOW TO CARE FOR PETUNIAS IN POTS

Petunia care in pots is similar to petunia care in the ground.

Pruning: Prune your petunias a few times over summer, cutting them back by about one-third. (See more: How to Prune Petunias)

Deadheading: Remove faded or spent blooms to promote new blooms. With Supertunia® petunias, however, deadheading isn’t necessary because they are self-cleaning. (See more: How to Deadhead Petunias)

Water: Petunias generally need frequent watering, and you’ll need to water petunias in containers even more frequently. Infrequent watering will cause them to dry out—and it’ll happen especially quickly when temperatures heat up. Make sure your container drains well—otherwise you may end up with soggy soil which leads to root rot and yellowed foliage. Additionally, it’s important to stay consistent with your watering schedule.

Fertilizing: Petunias are heavy feeders, and when planted in containers, they tend to need fertilizer even more often than when they’re planted in the ground. Feed them often enough so they thrive and look their best all summer.

The type of fertilizer you use depends on your preferences. Each has pros and cons:

• Organic fertilizer supplies a balanced diet but needs to be mixed in with the soil so it can break down properly.
• Liquid fertilizer is easy to apply but needs to be reapplied every 1 to 3 weeks or so.
• Granular fertilizer sprinkled on the soil around your plants lasts a little longer than liquid fertilizer (typically around 3 to 4 weeks) but can sometimes wash out of containers if they overflower during waterings.
• Slow-release fertilizer can last up to around 8 weeks, but this is often more expensive than other options.

Sun exposure: Petunias do best in full sun.

HOW DO YOU KEEP POTTED PETUNIAS BLOOMING?

Proper care, including pruning and deadheading in addition to giving them an adequate amount of water and fertilizer will keep your petunias blooming all summer long.

See above for more information on caring for your petunias.

WHAT TO PLANT WITH PETUNIAS IN POTS?

Petunias make great companion plants for other plants that like sun and regular water. Try a combination of petunias with taller plants such as grasses and medium-sized plants such as coleus.

Here are three ideas for making eye-catching container combinations:

Proven Winners has hundreds more petunia container ideas.

WHAT ARE THE BEST PETUNIAS FOR CONTAINERS?

The wonderful thing about petunias is that there are so many colors to choose from, and there are even several types that come in a variety of sizes: Supertunia®, Spreading or Wave® petunias, grandifloras, multifloras, floribundas, and millifloras. Learn more about the different types of petunias.

If you’re looking for a petunia plant that’s low maintenance, you’ll probably want to opt for Supertunias which are self-cleaning and don’t require deadheading.

Learn more about why Supertunias are an ideal choice for containers.

HOW MANY PETUNIAS PER POT?

The amount of petunias you choose to put in each pot depends on how large your pot is and how full you want your pot to be. When you plant your container, keep in mind that trailing petunias will spill out of the pot so you don’t want it to get too crowded. A pot that’s too crowded can sometimes lead to root rot, so you’ll want to be mindful of how crowded it’s getting.

Spacing ranges anywhere from about 12 to 24 inches for petunias in the ground, but for a full container display, you'll want to put them closer together. Generally, don't put more than three petunias in one 12-inch pot to avoid overcrowding.

HOW LONG DO PETUNIAS LAST IN POTS?

When cared for properly, petunias should last from early spring until first frost.

MORE ON PETUNIAS

RELATED READING