Growing Petunias Surfinia's on from plug plants

vicky moore

Hello,

This summer I will be planting my first Surfinia Petunia hanging basket (from plug plants) and would like to know how many plants I should plant in it for a big mass of colour.

My hanging basket is 35cm / 14inches size.  

Some people have told me I will only need to plant 3 in a basket, but some websites say plant 1 plant per inch of the size of your basket?

I will be growing the Petunia's on from plug plants first as have been told this is best before planting the basket up (in case this matters?)  I would like to know how many I will need for my basket so I can then use the remaining plants to make some baskets for my friends.  

Many Thanks for your help,

Victoria

darren636

I just plant up the basket, keep it out of the cold but in the light until established, then hang em out.



About 8 - 10 plants per basket.

Oneofseven

Are you planning on only using petunias in your baskets?   I put 3 to a 14" basket, but I also use fillers such as cascading lobelia, alyssum, bidens, variegated nepeta, brachycome (Swan River daisy), scaevola, helichrysum, bunny tails grass and quaking grass, plus bacopa and creeping Jenny.   It makes for a longer show of interesting colour in the basket.   Oh, and mimulus as well!   I'm trying to work out how many plants I use, it's a minimum of 10, depending on the fully grown size of the plants.

Here's a couple of photos to show you

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Oops!   more than a couple!   The last photo is a basket placed on a stand - I was so pleased with the result I wanted to see it all the time, so placed it by the door, and admired it every time I went in or out!

Forgot to say, my plugs have all been potted on into 3" plastic pots and kept safe in the greenhouse.   Don't forget to add slow release fertilizer granules and also those water retaining crystals when you make up your baskets. 

Enjoy yourself!   I'm sure you and your friends will enjoy the results.

darren636

Damn you!



I was planning on not having baskets this year....

Oneofseven

vicky moore

What beautiful baskets!  If mine turn out like that I will be very pleased 

Yes, I was just planning on having a mix of pink, white, red and purple petunias - no filler plants, however, I do note your comment about the longevity of show and interest..  

I have also purchased some water crystals and fertiliser.  

Can I ask when / how big the plugs were when you actually planted the basket up?

Thanks again - and yes I will enjoy myself

vicky moore

Hi Darren636,

Thanks for your message.. I think I will grow the plugs on first before planting (mainly because I have already done the trip to the garden centre to buy the pots), however, I think I will try planting a few patio pots up using the plugs as they are, and see what result I get.

Thanks again!  

Oneofseven

Vicky, my plugs are well grown before I plant up my baskets.   This year I potted the plugs on in mid March, and have in fact been taking cuttings of the petunias and helichrysum to keep them in check and make them bush out.   If I had somewhere frost free to house them I would have done most of my baskets already, so am feeling a bit frustrated.   Everything is growing so well!  

Here's a photo of a basket planted up 4 days ago, with 3 x petunias, 3 x bacopa, 2 x brachycome, 1x helichrysum and some quaking grass.   I cover it with fleece at night, and so far, so good.   Does it help with showing you the size of the plugs?   You can do them much smaller if you want or need to.   I was just waiting for the frost risk to disappear.

If I were only using petunias I would use 4 plugs, 1 in the centre and 3 round the sides. 

 

 

vicky moore

Thank you that is very useful.  I received my first batch of geranium plugs yesterday so have potted them on.  I neither have a greenhouse so am considering your fleece idea, and if not putting my partner to work to build me a greenhouse'esque structure.

Thanks again I appreciate it