Petunias are popular because they are easy to grow in sunny areas and container gardens, but they are not immune to disease and fatal cultural problems.
A hardy and versatile garden plant, the petunia is used not only as a bedding plant, but the annual adds immediate splashes of color in hanging baskets and containers. The trumpet-shaped blooms are available in a wide variety of solid hues. Striped petunias and flowers with blotches are also available.
The petunias most American gardeners are familiar with and call the common garden petunia (Petunia X hybrid) is a result of hybridization and breeding. In addition to the wide variety of colors and patterns, cultivars with double blooms are also available. To make it even harder to choose the petunia for the garden, some petunias have fringed or ruffled petals while others are smooth.
Garden petunias are hardy and easy to grow. They need little attention when planted in an area that receives at least 6 hours of sunshine a day. Insect pests cause little trouble for the garden petunia except for the disease carrying leafhopper. If problems do appear, a couple of gardening tips will allow the gardener to take steps to prevent the trouble from escalating and spreading throughout the garden.
Gardening Tips for Damping-Off
Before the garden petunia is removed from the greenhouse, and certainly before the seedling is purchased, it must be examined for signs of damping-off. If the stem is black at the soil line and water soaked, it’s possible that it has been attacked by the fungus Rhizoctonia solani. This fungus lives in the soil and will attack a germinating seed before or right after it emerges from the soil.
The leaves of the petunia will probably appear to be healthy and green right up until the stem of the petunia collapses and the plant dies. Damping-off cannot be cured, but it can be prevented by sowing the seeds in well-drained soil and not allowing the seedlings to become overcrowded. Greenhouse plants benefit when a fan is run to increase air circulation.
Gardening Tips for Stem Rot
Stem rot can affect a petunia at any stage. The root and stems of the plant will turn black and rot at the base, causing the plant to collapse and die. Caused by a variety of fungus that live in the soil, garden debris or mulch, stem rot cannot be cured, but new cuttings from a healthy area at the top of the stem of the petunia can be used for propagation. The rest of the petunia, including the soil, should be discarded. All tools used on the petunia with stem rot should be disinfected to keep the disease from spreading throughout the garden.
Gardening Tips for Virus Diseases
Virus diseases that affect petunias have no cure. Ring spot, mosaic, aster yellows and beet curly top can attack the petunia and leave it with stunted shoots, lines and dead spots on the leaves and dwarfed growth.
To keep virus disease at bay, work to keep down the disease causing insects like leaf hoppers. Remove diseased plants from the garden immediately and dispose of properly. Keep all gardening tools clean and eliminate areas in the garden where virus diseases may overwinter by doing a cleanup of the area in the fall.
Author Paul Linus
A hardy and versatile garden plant, the petunia is used not only as a bedding plant, but the annual adds immediate splashes of color in hanging baskets and containers. The trumpet-shaped blooms are available in a wide variety of solid hues. Striped petunias and flowers with blotches are also available.
The petunias most American gardeners are familiar with and call the common garden petunia (Petunia X hybrid) is a result of hybridization and breeding. In addition to the wide variety of colors and patterns, cultivars with double blooms are also available. To make it even harder to choose the petunia for the garden, some petunias have fringed or ruffled petals while others are smooth.
Garden petunias are hardy and easy to grow. They need little attention when planted in an area that receives at least 6 hours of sunshine a day. Insect pests cause little trouble for the garden petunia except for the disease carrying leafhopper. If problems do appear, a couple of gardening tips will allow the gardener to take steps to prevent the trouble from escalating and spreading throughout the garden.
Gardening Tips for Damping-Off
Before the garden petunia is removed from the greenhouse, and certainly before the seedling is purchased, it must be examined for signs of damping-off. If the stem is black at the soil line and water soaked, it’s possible that it has been attacked by the fungus Rhizoctonia solani. This fungus lives in the soil and will attack a germinating seed before or right after it emerges from the soil.
The leaves of the petunia will probably appear to be healthy and green right up until the stem of the petunia collapses and the plant dies. Damping-off cannot be cured, but it can be prevented by sowing the seeds in well-drained soil and not allowing the seedlings to become overcrowded. Greenhouse plants benefit when a fan is run to increase air circulation.
Gardening Tips for Stem Rot
Stem rot can affect a petunia at any stage. The root and stems of the plant will turn black and rot at the base, causing the plant to collapse and die. Caused by a variety of fungus that live in the soil, garden debris or mulch, stem rot cannot be cured, but new cuttings from a healthy area at the top of the stem of the petunia can be used for propagation. The rest of the petunia, including the soil, should be discarded. All tools used on the petunia with stem rot should be disinfected to keep the disease from spreading throughout the garden.
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Gardening Tips for Virus Diseases
Virus diseases that affect petunias have no cure. Ring spot, mosaic, aster yellows and beet curly top can attack the petunia and leave it with stunted shoots, lines and dead spots on the leaves and dwarfed growth.
To keep virus disease at bay, work to keep down the disease causing insects like leaf hoppers. Remove diseased plants from the garden immediately and dispose of properly. Keep all gardening tools clean and eliminate areas in the garden where virus diseases may overwinter by doing a cleanup of the area in the fall.
Author Paul Linus
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