Advice with Petunias?

[rodriguezpoultry]

I just bought some gorgeous black petunias from Lowe's. This is my first run with an annual. Do I Have to keep buying new black petunias? Can I keep the plant alive inside all winter? Do they reseed before they die?

Thanks for any help!

 

[lesa]

Oh, how fun! They sound neat... In my neck of the woods petunias will not reseed. Nor, have I ever known anyone to bring them in. But, perhaps someone in your zone, will be of more help.
Make sure you deadhead them, and they will keep blooming for you. Are you planning on planting them in the ground, or in a container?
Enjoy!

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

I was going to put into the ground if they would reseed that way. If not, was going to keep them in a container and bring them in under a grow light in the basement for the winter.

Sorry....I'm in PA now. Haven't changed my account yet!

 

[cwhit590]

I work at a greenhouse, and we happened to grow some of those Black Velvet petunias this year for Lowes and different places...I think they look pretty cool! Definitely something new and different.

Black Velvet is a 'vegetative petunia' that we started from cuttings that we had shipped in this spring.

Petunias are annuals, so I don't think they would last too long if you took them indoors in the fall....you could try it though...maybe the vegetative-type petunias would last longer...? You would really have to keep up with trimming and deadheading though to get a petunia to keep going. Personally, I would just buy new ones next year. You could try saving seed, but since Black Velvet is a newer hybrid, you may get mixed results from the seed. Up here in MI, petunias don't usually reseed on their own too well, but collecting and saving seed over the winter from the varieties that you like can work.

 

[journey11]

I've had petunias reseed a couple of times, but they always come back as something different than the one I planted. I'm not familiar with black velvet, but I imagine a lot of them are hybrids, especially the wave petunias. They also usually make it pretty far into the fall, blooming regularly. They can handle a little cold, maybe a light frost. Being an annual, I'm sure they'd peter out eventually if you tried to overwinter it indoors.

 

[chris09]

Reduce Energy
Scientific Name : Petunia x hybrida
Hardiness Degree : 32F (0.0C)
Blooming Season : Spring, Late Spring, Summer, Autumn
Plant Habit : Mounded, Upright
Spacing : 8 - 10" (20 - 25cm)
Height : 8 - 12" (20 - 30cm)
Width : 8 - 12" (20 - 30cm)
Exposure : Sun

They are a annual so you will have to bring it in before first frost.
I have had success keeping some annuals over in the winter, but that was in a greenhouse.
If you were to put your Petunia in a sunny south facing window I believe that you would be able to winter them over with success.

Note that Black Velvet Petunia ( also known as Black Cat ) seed can be bought through Burpee Seeds, and Jung Seeds.

Chris