How to Transplant Mexican Petunia Plants
Mexican petunia plants are perennials that grow in USDA hardiness zones 7 to 9. They come in several varieties with either pink or purple flowers. Mexican petunias are resilient plants that can withstand transplanting. It is best to transplant perennial plants like Mexican petunias in the fall before their dormant season; however, you can transplant them anytime if necessary. It may just take a few days or a couple weeks for them to bounce back after transplanting.
Water your Mexican petunia plants the day before transplanting. The extra moisture will enable them to better weather any transplant shock.
- Mexican petunia plants are perennials that grow in USDA hardiness zones 7 to 9.
- It is best to transplant perennial plants like Mexican petunias in the fall before their dormant season; however, you can transplant them anytime if necessary.
Amend the soil in the new planting location, which should provide full sun or partial shade. The soil should be well draining, so if necessary, add a few inches of compost or peat moss to the planting site prior to digging and replanting.
Transplant in the evening when it is cooler, especially on hot days. This will give the petunias a chance to adjust to their new planting site before they experience the hot sun.
Water the plants one last time. Use a trowel and dig carefully several inches away from the base of your plants and at least 6 inches deep to clear most of the roots.
Replant the plants immediately. Keep the soil that is surrounding the roots when you dug them up and replant them as deep as they were previously planted. Pack down the soil firmly so there are no air pockets. Water again. Cover the area with a couple inches of mulch, especially if it is extremely hot.
- Amend the soil in the new planting location, which should provide full sun or partial shade.
- Keep the soil that is surrounding the roots when you dug them up and replant them as deep as they were previously planted.
Petunia Plants That Hang Down
Unlike standard upright petunias, spreading petunias are bred for their short stature -- under 1 foot tall -- and willingness to spread across nearly any surface, up to 4 feet. Spreading petunias attract butterflies. Spreading petunias are not vines, they just have extremely long stems coming from the plant's crown. About a month after the first blooms, start feeding your petunias weekly with a balanced liquid fertilizer -- they are voracious feeders. Water baskets of spreading petunias as often as twice a day in the heat of the summer to prevent them from drying out. The "Wave" series was the first, but was quickly followed by "Tidal Wave" and "Double Wave." Any of these cultivars hang over the edge of containers.
- Unlike standard upright petunias, spreading petunias are bred for their short stature -- under 1 foot tall -- and willingness to spread across nearly any surface, up to 4 feet.
- About a month after the first blooms, start feeding your petunias weekly with a balanced liquid fertilizer -- they are voracious feeders.
Related Articles
References
- Transplanting Perennials
- Cornell University Growing Guide: Petunia, Wave Hybrids
- Ohio State University: Petunia x Hybrida
- Washington State University Extension: Showdown Between Wave Petunias and Supertunias
- Colorado State University Extension: Pretty Petunias
- University of Tennessee Gardens: Goundcover Petunias
- Washington State University Extension: Hanging Baskets
Writer Bio
Melissa Lewis is a former elementary classroom teacher and media specialist. She has also written for various online publications. Lewis holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of Maryland Baltimore County.
