Last Updated on February 14, 2022 by Guillermina
So, can you grow petunias indoors? Petunias are annual flowering plants belonging to the nightshade family. They’re quite related to peppers, potatoes, and tomatoes but these plants can grow beautiful flowers in the spring, which makes them a great addition to your indoor garden.
Although petunias are usually grown outdoors in window boxes, they can also grow indoors. They produce healthy plants if you place them near a sunny location inside your home.
Can you Grow Petunias Indoors And What Are The Steps For Growing Beautiful Flowers?
Now that you know the answer to the question “can you grow petunias indoors”, the next step is knowing the proper technique to grow the best petunias.
- Use the Right Soil
Petunias require a well-draining potting medium. A soilless peat mix could be ideal because it is also acidic. You can start planting using petunia cuttings. Plant up to 4 petunia stems in a 10- or 12-inches container. Keep the petunias at 4 inches deep like those in nursery containers.
- Give it Proper Lighting
Place the petunias in the sunniest window of your house. Like many other succulents, these plants need full sun outdoors to produce colorful booms. Ideally, you should expose your plant to 14 to 16 hours of sunlight every day. Keep your room warm. During the winter, a heat lamp can provide the warmth necessary for your plant to grow.
- Water Correctly
Give your plant at least 1 inch of water per week. Let it drain from the bottom of the pot to ensure you are watering deeply enough. This step is very important in establishing steady root growth. Manually inspect the soil before your next watering. If it still feels wet, that means you don’t have to water it yet.
- Fertilizer Accordingly
Fertilize the plants starting from the week of planting them. We recommend that you use general-purpose fertilizer to help it develop bushy leaves and flowers. To avoid mildew from forming around your plant, simply put ½ teaspoon per 1 gallon of water.
How Long Will Petunias Live Indoors?
So, can you grow petunias indoors? The quick answer is yes. However, you need to take note that petunias are short-lived in the warm regions especially in cold hardiness zones 10-12.
Petunias can grow easily in the right climate. When planted from seeds, they can germinate in about 12 weeks and are ready to be transferred indoors. By spring, you will find your petunia in its fully matured state. Petunias are popular garden flowers that can develop into a thick, viny plant with blue or pink flowers.
These flowers are quite fragrant, which makes them a great decoration for your home. You will also love the adorable trumpet-shaped blossoms that normally adorn the whole plant when given the proper care.
How Do You Keep Petunias Alive Indoors?
Keeping petunias alive indoors shouldn’t be too hard. The key is to give your petunia water as soon as the soil dries out. Give it enough water to moisten the soil. Otherwise, you could leave it undisturbed. Petunias are part of the succulent family, which means that they can grow with very little care.
As long as you follow the proper watering technique and use the right soil, your petunia plant will remain healthy throughout its life indoors. Before the first frost, you can take 2-3 inches of your plant to prune them. This helps encourage new growth.
Don’t put fertilizer on your plants during the winter as it may encourage root rot or growth of diseases. You may use a heat lamp to keep up with the temperature requirements during the cold season.
Do Petunias Need Full Sun?
The quick answer is yes. You can expose them to at least 5 to 6 hours of full sun to perform even better. Petunias can grow beautiful blooms when positioned in a sunny location. The more sun exposure, the more flowers they produce. Lesser blooms can be a result of poor sun exposure.
Assess the areas in your home and identify the best spots for your petunias. You can have them on your patio or second-floor balcony. Since petunias are capable of producing colorful flowers, you can use them as decoration for the ledge or any dull corner in your home. As long as it can receive sunlight in the morning then your petunia is good.
Avoid, exposing your petunia to afternoon sunlight could be harmful to your plants. The sunlight exposure during noon could be more intense, which might cause sunburn to your beloved petunias. Proper timing is also crucial for your plant.
Learn more about What Succulents Grow Well Indoors
Can Petunias Be Indoors?
Yes. Petunias can be planted and grown indoors. Take note, petunias grown indoors can be more prone to pest infestation.
Constantly checking the leaves, stem, and soil for signs of pest infestation is crucial for successful gardening indoors.
In midsummer, petunias grown indoors may get spindly in their quest for better sunlight exposure. All you have to do is to cut off the tip or pinch old blooms to encourage new growth. Don’t be hesitant to prune or cut your petunia.
In a matter of weeks, it will grow its beautiful flowers back. If you see moving specks on your leaves or webbing in the foliage, you might have aphids or parasites. Splash the plant with a premixed insecticidal cleanser, ensuring you target both the tops and undersides of leaves. In the worst-case scenario, you may need to replant your petunia and ensure that the roots are safe.
When replanting petunia, it is best to use a new set of pots instead of recycling an old pot. If the reason for replanting is root rot, disease, or pest infestation, reusing an old pot may not solve the problem.
Can you grow petunias indoors? Now you have your answer. For more information about growing petunias stay tuned for more entries. Feel free to use this article as a handy guide for your indoor gardening journey.
