Petunias are a beloved choice for hanging baskets due to trailing habit. Gardeners who want to feed very vigorous plants often can add color, bloom, and charm to their outdoor spaces with hanging baskets and containers. When planted in hanging baskets, these petunia flowers and spent flowers make beautiful cascades of blooms that can turn any porch, balcony, or garden into a bright haven.
This guide will teach you everything you need to know about growing petunia hanging baskets, from picking the best varieties and how to plant them to giving them the care they need for new growth and coming up with creative ways to decorate them during the growing season.
Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a beginner, you’ll find valuable insights into choosing Petunias in hanging baskets. This guide will show you how to grow stunning displays of petunias that are full of flowers and will delight people all season long.
Hanging baskets overflowing with cascading flowers are a gorgeous addition to any outdoor space. And one of the most popular trailing flowers for hanging baskets are petunias. With their profusion of brightly colored blooms, petunias are perfect for creating a stunning floral display.
But not all petunias are well-suited for hanging baskets The best petunias for hanging baskets are those with a trailing or cascading growth habit that will spill gracefully over the sides of your hanging containers.
When selecting trailing petunias for your hanging baskets, there are a few top varieties that are recommended:
Wave Petunias
Wave petunias are one of the most popular options when it comes to trailing petunias. They are known for their vigorous, spreading growth habit and abundant blooming. There are a few different types of Wave petunias:
-
Wave: The original Wave petunia with excellent trailing abilities and a wide color range including purples, pinks, blues, and whites.
-
Easy Wave Very similar to Wave but a bit more adaptable and low maintenance
-
Tidal Wave: Perfect for large hanging baskets, with big velvety blooms and bushy, trailing growth.
-
Shock Wave: Smaller in size than other Waves but with abundant delicate blooms that cascade beautifully.
Surfinia Petunias
Surfinia petunias are another go-to choice for stunning hanging baskets. Like Wave petunias, they exhibit vigorous trailing growth but also have some added perks. Surfinias have excellent heat tolerance, bloom continuously without deadheading, and come in a diverse range of bright, vivid colors.
Double Wave Petunias
As their name implies, Double Wave petunias have double blooms that create a fuller, more textured look compared to single Waves. Their trailing habit is equally as vigorous, making them another fantastic option. Double Waves come in unique bicolor shades like pink and white or purple and white.
Supertunia Petunias
Supertunias are prized for their mounding, spreading habits and colorful, abundant blooms. They include both cascading and mounding varieties that work well in hanging baskets. Some top options include:
- Supertunia® Lovie DovieTM – Trailing pink blooms
- Supertunia® HoneyTM – Trailing yellow blooms
- Supertunia® BordeauxTM – Cascading deep red flowers
- Supertunia® Black Cherry® – Vigorous cascades of rich purple-black blooms
Million Bells/Calibrachoa
Million Bells, also known as calibrachoa, are exceptionally profuse bloomers that spill attractively over hanging baskets. Though technically not petunias, their tiny petunia-like blooms and trailing nature make them an excellent choice.
Growing Tips for Hanging Basket Petunias
To get the most out of your trailing petunias in hanging baskets, follow these tips:
-
Choose a location with at least 6 hours of direct sun daily. Petunias thrive in full sun.
-
Use a high quality potting mix in baskets to provide excellent drainage.
-
Water frequently, checking soil daily. Baskets dry out faster than in-ground plantings.
-
Select disease-resistant varieties when possible.
-
Combine colors for interest. Try purple with white or yellow with orange.
-
Deadhead spent blooms to encourage continuous flowering.
-
Apply a balanced fertilizer every 2-4 weeks.
-
Trim back any overly long trailing stems as needed.
-
Avoid overcrowding plants in baskets.
-
Add supports underneath larger/heavier baskets if needed.
-
Protect baskets from severe weather by moving indoors.
With so many gorgeous trailing petunias to choose from, it’s easy to create stunning hanging baskets that will dazzle all season long. Just be sure to select cascading varieties suited to spilling over the sides of your containers. With the right care, your petunias will thrive and provide nonstop color.
Best Petunias for Hanging Baskets
Wave petunias are great for hanging baskets, containers, and small gardens because they grow quickly and add lots of small flowers to the area.
Wave petunias require more fertilizer than is usually recommended for petunias. For best results, water all genetics twice or three times a week and use a balanced fertilizer at 300 ppm every other time. This will help your plants bloom more in the summer.
Wave petunias prefer direct sunlight . They will tolerate partial sun, but do not do well in the shade. Heat is not a problem as long as you water and fertilize them sufficiently. You can check the soil with your fingers and if it is dry there is a need for attention. Avoid locations where water tends to collect after rain or irrigation, as petunias don’t like soggy soils.
Calibrachoa (Million Bells, Superbells)
Calibrachoa plants have a trailing habit and will bloom all summer as long as their needs are met in a hanging basket. Keeping them happy is relatively simple: The critical elements are sun, fertilizer, soil, and water. The plant’s leaves with flowers perform best in a container or hanging basket with excellent drainage.
Use a water-soluble fertilizer every two weeks or add a slow-release granular fertilizer to the soil at planting time, replenishing according to instructions. Grow them in hanging baskets or use as spillers and fillers in container gardens.
They also work well in the garden when grown in well-drained soil. Use them as an edger, annual groundcover for small areas or colorful additions to rock gardens. It is a good choice for attracting bees and hummingbirds to your yard.
Trailing Petunia: Part 1
FAQ
Which petunias are best for trailing?
What are the best petunias for cascading?
What is the difference between wave and cascading petunias?
Which are better wave petunias and supertunias?