Storm damaged petunia

9 years ago

A storm swept through my area a couple of days ago. It damaged my mounding petunia. The plant has perked up but the winds took off almost every bloom. What are my next steps? It was a beautiful plant and I'd like to try to get it blooming again.

My sad little petunia:

Jennifer

Featured Answer

rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7

9 years ago

Give it an even haircut, maintain your fertilization routine, and keep the plant deadheaded.

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Comments (6)

Jennifer_in_KS
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks rhizo. I wasn't sure if I could trim it back.
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floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
9 years ago
If you otherwise wouldn't have clipped the plant over, the storm has done you a favour. Your plant will benefit and grow back bushier. If left alone they can get lanky.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
9 years ago
Floral is exactly right, Jennifer....petunias are one of those plants that greatly benefit from occasional all over trimming. Your plant won't stay compact and mounding for very long without some assistance from you.

This part of petunia care doesn't have to be done as often as dead heading, which should be done a few times per week. Here in the south, with the long, hot growing season, petunias begin to get leggy very soon and downright ugly. I've had to resort to clipping a petunia back by half or more by summer.

The response from the petunia will be very rewarding for you.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
9 years ago
it will take a few weeks to get its act together.. no matter what you do.. so be patient ...

i wouldnt give it a beatles hair cut.. as much as go in there.. and cut some pieces further back.. leave some longer.. etc ... and it doesnt have to all be done at once

and.. btw ... its about that time of year.. where this needs to be done.. storm or not ... they just start getting leggy.. and have too many seed pods on them.. and its easier to just cut back a whole branch.. rather than individually deadhead ...

if you look at any node ... where a leaf attached to the stem.. you should see some indication of a bud ... snip just above any of them ..

ken

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zLsaOgbqXc
Jennifer_in_KS
Original Author
9 years ago
Love this site!

Floral, you're absolutely right - the storm made me seek out your advice. It was growing so well I didn't even realize I didn't know how to properly care for it.

Rhino, This is the 1st plant I've really made an effort to deadhead and am very happy with the results. It was starting to get a bit leggy but the stems were also getting very intertwined, to the point of not looking right. When I trim it back I will also remove a few branches.

Ken, Thanks for the advice and the link. I'll be more strategic about the trimming that I had originally planned. And, yes, I should be more patient with many things!

I have a question about deadheading. In the youtube video, he only removes the blooms. I was under the impression I needed to remove the blooms AND the small stem leading back to the thicker branch. Am I deadheading incorrectly?