Planting guide
When to plant petunia
Big trumpet blooms that spill from pots and baskets all summer. In Melbourne it goes in Sep–Dec.
- Start as
- Seedling or Seed started indoors
- Flowers in
- 10–14 wks
- Spacing
- 30 cm
- Depth
- 0.1 cm
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hours)
- Water
- Regular
- Effort
- Some care
- Colours
- pink, purple, white, red, blue, multi
- Frost-tender
- Yes, plant after the last frost
When it goes in
● means petunia can go in that month, ○ means wait. Worked out from each town's climate zone and season, the way planting guides do it. Pick your town for the full list for that month.
| Town | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Melbourne | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Brisbane | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Perth | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Adelaide | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Gold Coast | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Newcastle | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Sunshine Coast | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Canberra | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Central Coast | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Geelong | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Wollongong | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Hobart | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Townsville | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Cairns | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Toowoomba | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Darwin | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Ballarat | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Mandurah | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Bendigo | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Launceston | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Mackay | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Rockhampton | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Coffs Harbour | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Blue Mountains | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Bunbury | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Bundaberg | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Alice Springs | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Mildura | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Port Macquarie | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Town | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Wellington | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Christchurch | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| London | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Manchester | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Edinburgh | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Dublin | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| New York City | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Los Angeles | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Chicago | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Seattle | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Austin | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Toronto | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Vancouver | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Cape Town | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Johannesburg | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Singapore | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Mumbai | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Paris | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Berlin | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
How to plant petunia
- Sow dust-fine seed on the surface and keep warm and damp.
- Plant out after frost into rich, well drained soil or a basket.
- Feed fortnightly while flowering.
- Trim back leggy plants mid-season.
Petunia varieties
Classic varieties are the reliable, widely grown ones. Adventurous ones are heirlooms, odd colours and rarities.
- Dwarf Mix Classicdwarf · mixed · pot-friendly · 10–14 wksMixed colours
- Fire Chief Classic10–14 wksSold by Happy Valley, The Seed Collection
- Red & White Star Classic10–14 wksSold by Happy Valley, The Seed Collection
- Rose of Heaven Classic10–14 wksPink flowers
- Alderman Classic10–14 wksSold by The Seed Collection
Where to buy seeds
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Shops shown are for Australia. The chooser picks shops for your country.
Petunia by month
Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov · Dec
More to plant
Poppy · Pansy and viola · Nigella · Celosia
Not sure petunia is right for your space? Answer a few taps and see everything that can go in this week.
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