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How Long Do Petunias Last? (All You Need to Know)

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These gorgeous and colorful Petunia flowering plants are indeed the crowning jewel of your garden.

But you can’t enjoy the beauty of these classic Petunia blooms always as Petunias also have an estimated lifespan like any other flowering plant, so they will lose life eventually after an estimated period. Thereby, you may be wondering to know how long do Petunias last. 

So, read ahead the ratiocinations to learn the exact answer to your query about Petunias. 

How Long Do Petunias Last?

Petunias are actually perennial plants that have a lifespan of between 2 to 3 years when they are planted and growing up in a warm climate. Petunias generally act as annual plants in colder climates so they can’t survive the cold temperature in winter and may lose life if they aren’t well protected.

Naturally, the Petunia flowering plants are perennial plants which mean Petunias have the natural ability to last for about 3 years or more and these plants will grow bigger and reliably bloom every growing season in spring.

However, only if Petunias are seeded and growing in places with warmer climates, Petunias will come back with blooms every year and will last for 2 to 3 years or more like other perennial plants. 

Petunias in general, behave as annual flowering plants that only blooms in one growing season in spring and lose life in winter completing their lifespan in 1 year.

Particularly, Petunias that are being grown up in colder weather are the annual ones. Because Petunias are highly intolerable to freezing cold weather, therefore, they only last for one year.

Even the most common Wave Petunias last for one year, only during the growing season of Petunias in spring to early fall. They also eventually lose life in winter as Wave Petunias can’t endure the freezing weather of the wintertime.   

Petunias In The Garden: 

If your living place has warm weather then you can expect to enjoy the colorful bliss of Petunia flowers in your garden for at least 3 years or, even more depending on your caring process.

But if the weather of your living place is very cold, Petunias in your garden will not last more than one year or one growing season in spring because Petunias are cold intolerant. 

Petunias In The Pot: 

Regardless of being planted in pots or gardens, all Petunia plants usually last for about 2 to 3 years on average.

So the Petunias you have planted in the flowering pots will last for 2-3 consequent years if the plants get warm weather as Petunias thrive to the fullest upon getting warm weather. 

However, during the coldest time of the year, if you leave the potted Petunias outside on your balcony or lawn, they won’t last for another year rather will lose life after blossoming once like the annuals. 

Petunias In The Hanging Basket:

Your Petunias in the hanging basket will thrive for 2-3 years as well like the Petunias in the flowering pot and garden ones if they get a warm climate to live and grow. 

And like potted Petunias and Petunias in the garden, Petunias in the baskets will lose life in the freezing winter too. However, if you remove the Petunia baskets from outside and keep them inside your home in a warm environment, you actually can save the Petunias. 

Do Petunias Last All Summer Or All Year?

Petunia flowering plants do last all summer because they are one of the most famous summer bedding flower plants.

Therefore, this absolutely gorgeous Petunia will be seen thrive fully and healthily throughout the whole summer with colorful blossoms until the very first and intense frosts of autumn cover the environment. 

But if you can start protecting Petunias from the beginning of the frosty weather to another sunny spring, the Petunias will last for the whole year and will bloom in the next spring. 

Can You Keep Petunias Alive Over The Winter And How?

You can keep petunias alive over winter. Go through the shared tips below and follow them religiously to take care of your Petunias keep alive over the winter to enjoy robust Petunias in the upcoming growing season. 

Winterize As Dormant Plant: 

Trim the Petunias’ stems back to 2” above the ground and transplant them in the flowering pots with well-drained fresh soil. 

Then bring the Petunias indoors and provide them with full bright sunlight until the plants go into dormancy.

Gradually start to water Petunias less every week. Soon the leaves will fall off the Petunia plants which means Petunias have gone dormant but they are still alive and focusing their energy towards roots.

At that time, place the Petunias in the basement or your garage where the temperature is between 40-50° F. 

Do not prune, fertilizer, or overwater the Petunias during this time and check the Petunias thoroughly to ensure they are not infested before bringing home.

Winterize As Houseplants: 

Transplant the Petunias in well wrung-out sponge-like texture soil and bring them back indoors. Then keep the plants in spots where they can get direct and bright sunlight for at least 10 hours every day which will avoid dormancy.

If you can’t provide enough natural daylight, keep the plants under grow light every day until sunset. 

Keep the soil moist but not overwatered and fertilize once in 6 weeks and remove the dried leaves from the plants. 

Winterize Through Propagation: 

Before the first frost of fall hits the mother plant, cut a 6 inches or longer stem from the main flower bud and remove all leaves and buds from the bottom part of the cuttings. 

First, place the stem into water and then into powdered rooting hormones. After that plant the stem into well-drainage potting soil and place the pot in a sunny spot where it can get a minimum of 6 hours of sunlight to grow roots.

And these newly developed roots in winter will offer you new Petunia plants for blooming in spring. 

How Long Do Petunia Blooms Last? 

Since the Petunia plants behave as annual plants in most of the regions, every year Petunia blooms last from their growing season in spring to fall before the first frost hits the plants.

All year round, Petunia plants can thrive well even in winter if you keep the plants as houseplants but the blooms may not last

How Do You Keep Petunias Blooming All Year? 

The most effective tips have been included and explained below for you to enjoy your Petunias blooming all year round on healthy plants. 

Abundant Sunlight: 

Petunias thrive and bloom fully under bright and full sunlight.

So plant Petunias in your garden or keep the potted Petunias at such spots where they will get abundant sunlight or at least 8 hours each day so that Petunias’ full growth can be promoted to the maximum level and they bloom fully. 

Regular Watering: 

Petunias require regular watering to keep blooming, especially the Wave Petunias and Petunias in flowerpots.

Therefore, regularly water them and keep the soil moist and plants hydrated. However, don’t overwater them and make sure to have a good drainage system and well-drained soil. 

Fertilizing: 

Realizing Petunias is the biggest key to having consistent blooming Petunias. Petunias highly require frequent but light fertilizing throughout the entire growing season to keep blooming to the fullest with colorful flowers. So every 7-10 days, you should fertilize the Petunias lightly. 

Remove Older Flowers:

Remove any dried, faded, or older drying blooms from the Petunia plants so that they can use more energy in developing new flowers. 

Give Space To Grow: 

Petunia plants require sufficient space to grow above and below the soil. So if your potted Petunias are running out of space in the pot, immediately transplant them in a bigger pot or your garden. 

How Long Do Petunia Seeds Last And How To Store Them?

If stored properly, Petunia seeds last for about 2 to 3 years old after being collected but meanwhile they will lose a little viability. Here are the tips to store Petunia seeds properly. 

Store In Airtight Containers: 

After collecting fully dried Petunia seeds, put them in paper envelopes and store the envelopes in airtight containers. 

Add Small Packets of Silica Gel: 

You should add small packets of silica gels to the airtight container to soak up any moisture from the inside of the container.

Or as a silica gel substitute, you can make small envelopes of powdered milk by adding little amount of powdered milk in envelopes. And then place them in the container. 

Store In Cool Temperature: 

Keep the container in a place with a temperature between 32°-42° F. Or store the seeds inside the crisper drawer in the refrigerator. 

Final Thoughts 

As long as Petunia plants are being grown up in warm weather, they will last and bloom for at least 2 to 3 years, some Petunias may last longer if they are taken care of well. But as Petunias act like annual plants in places with cold weather, so they will only last for one year/one growing season.

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