By "deadheading" -cutting wilted/dead flowers-or pruning, flowering plants are prevented from producing seeds and encouraged to flower more. There are several ways to deadhead petunias, including hand pinching, to trigger the growth of new shoots (hand pinching) as well as pruning. Pruning every few weeks, or in mid-summer, will help the plant grow larger with a longer flowering period.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Pinching the Petunia Flower Clump
Step 1. Check the type of petunia you are keeping
Look for information about seeds/plant seeds-name of plant, species/cultivar, cultivation method, etc.-which is usually written on the container/package. If your petunia plant is a new breed, such as the Wave or Tidal Wave, neither of these requires a deadhead action.
- Many new breeds of petunia have been engineered to be low maintenance plants. The plant will grow large without getting any deadhead action.
- Wave and Tidal Wave petunias are more likely to be supplied by large nursery companies and gardening centers than by traditional agricultural markets.
Step 2. Start by picking the shoots on the clump of petunias
If you've never deadheaded a flower before, you may find it more comfortable to pick the flowers that need to be removed rather than cutting the plant. Use the next method as soon as you have a season or two of experience.
Step 3. Position yourself close to the plant, as if you were doing weeding
Blossoms that have faded may not be easily visible after a few weeks, so you will need to be fully involved in dealing with this. Avoid wearing thick gardening gloves, as you are more likely to damage the plant.
Step 4. Look for flowers that need to be removed that are on top of the new flower clump
Move up about 0.6 cm, or just above the bud. Grab and pluck the bud using your thumb and index finger.
Picking should be easy. Throw the dead flowers into the compost
Step 5. Repeat the above steps on each clump of dead flowers that are in one stalk
Next, move to another stalk. Herbaceous (herbaceous) plants such as petunias can have up to a dozen flowers on a single stalk. Therefore, plan to deadhead every few weeks during the growing season.
Step 6. Pick the growing shoots in midsummer
If you find your petunia plant to be “long and thin,” i.e. when each stalk extends and hangs down to the ground, you should pluck the growing shoots. Carefully grab the stem and look for the thickest bud at the top of the flower clump.
- Pick the shoots by grabbing them between your thumb and forefinger. In this case, you are picking the part of the plant that is actively growing, instead of the part of the plant that is dead.
- This type of deadead will encourage the blooming of new buds below the plucked part. The deadhead will also make the plant look thicker and healthier.
Method 2 of 2: Pruning Petunia Clumps
Step 1. Let your petunia plant begin to flower
To prune it you must wait after the plant has been exposed to sunlight for 6 hours or more and has filled with clumps of flowers. As soon as the flower clumps start to die, you can start deadheading.
Step 2. Use sharp scissors to trim
In contrast to the deadhead action by hand, it is best for the plant to prune it with sharp scissors.
Step 3. Carefully grab the petunia stalk
Choose one stalk that contains several clumps of wilted/dead flowers. Look for the part of the stem that is directly below all the dead flower clumps.
Step 4. Cut off the top 1/2 of the petunia stalk using sharp scissors
If possible, direct the pruning below the main flower clump to be removed.
While you'll need to cut off part of the healthy plant to trigger new, thick growth, pruning petunias will prolong the growth period
Step 5. In small petunias, prune one stalk each week, or 8 to 12 stalks for petunias in large hanging pots
Regular pruning will prevent you from pruning all at once, which can leave the plant looking bald for several weeks.
Occasionally, you may need to prune the stems of healthy plants that are in bloom. If the stems of the plant look long and thin and appear fragile with many dead flower clumps, ultimately sacrifice healthy flower clumps so that the flowering period on the plant will be longer
Step 6. Timing major pruning for midsummer, if you can't do it every week
If possible, do the pruning properly before you leave it for the holidays. So, when you come home from vacation, the petunias are again filled with clumps of flowers.
Step 7. Fertilize petunias with liquid fertilizer every 2 weeks
Apply fertilizer after pruning time to encourage new growth.
Tips
- Make sure the pot and/or soil you use has good drainage. Petunia plants will rot if submerged in standing water.
- Water the petunia plant daily during the summer when the sun is usually very hot. Watering and fertilizing will ensure the plant grows big after the deadhead action.
