(HELP!) What happen to my petunias?

4 years ago

The Bottom stem of my petunias looks dry. When I cut some of those stem, the stem is hollow inside. Some of those branch leaves are yellowing and wilting.

This is the first time I grow petunias. So at first I just give them water and plenty of sunlight and I didn't deadheading those petunias (because I never knew that petunias need to be deadheaded). I also didn't prune those, which is why now the plant is so leggy.

It's raining almost everyday now, and I also once found some kind of black mold growing on the leaves (I cut it and immediately throw it away). I also find mealybug on it, but I immediately spray them with soap water.

Is that dry bottom stem just a sign of the end of petunia's life cycle? or is there another thing? because I heard that petunias are annual plants (and If u didn't deadhead, it will produce seeds and eventually die).

Note : I live in tropical countries. the temperature outside are about 25-32 C (77-88 F)

These are the photos of my petunia. I circle those dry bottom stem.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
4 years ago
note on the long stems.. where you have new young small growth .....

you can cut back the the old long maturing stems to just beyond those young parts... and they will trigger into new lush growth ... all other things being properly done ....

one might call it rejuvenating the plant ... or pruning back ...

and at the same time.. you will ... in essence ... be deadheading it.. by cutting all that old stuff off ... though i dont see any seed pods ....

ken
HU-648614084 thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
4 years ago
The covering on the outside of your plant's stems, the epidermis, is only 1 cell thick. As secondary growth (thickening) takes place, fissures and cracks appear in the epidermis, part of the epidermis dies and a corky material develops. What you are seeing is a normal part of your plant's morphology and no cause for concern. If the plant in question was a tree, it would be called bark.

Al
HU-648614084 thanked tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
Related Professionals
Bronx Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Oshkosh Landscape Contractors · Los Angeles Landscape Contractors · Tuscaloosa Architects & Building Designers · Mountain Home Architects & Building Designers · Raleigh Architects & Building Designers · Lafayette Architects & Building Designers · Wheeling Architects & Building Designers · Scottsbluff Architects & Building Designers · Hot Springs Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Owensboro Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Covington Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Galveston Landscape Contractors · Muskegon Landscape Contractors · Springfield Interior Designers & Decorators
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
You say you heard that Petunias are annuals. Actually they are perennials but they cannot withstand cold winters so are usually grown from seed each year. In your climate it might potentially live several years if kept nourished and dead headed/pruned. Whether it can withstand tropical heat or humidity I don’t know.
HU-648614084 thanked floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
HU-648614084
Original Author
4 years ago
UPDATE:

well, my petunias died 😂 but i secured some of those stems, tried to plant it and 2 of them grow...

This is my petunia right now (from stem cuttings). Hope it will grow well.

I already kill 3 pots of these plants already 🙄 1 because overwatered, 1 because overheat (the weather suddenly become extremely hot), and the last one, i dont know why it died...

The last one has similar symptomps, hollow stems.. But its not leggy, just hollow stem and the leaf start to wilt