You’ve invested a lot of money and effort into decorating your balcony and then the petunias start to fade. wither and lose its color. It doesn’t matter if they are hanging petunias or not. Instead of bright blue, they are now simply whitish. What could be the reason and what can be done about it? We have asked an expert.

Why are my petunias losing their color?

Nature is sometimes mysterious: you buy a colored petunia and after a short time it withers and ends up losing its color completely. But There are reasons why petunia has lost its color.

Possibility 1: Your petunias have too little light

If petunia flowers lose their color, it may be that the plant is in the wrong place. Petunia is one of those plants that likes the sun, so the best place to put it is one where it gets enough sunlight, says plant specialist René Wadas: «If a flower does not receive enough ultraviolet light or certain wavelengths are not present, then some colors cannot develop.»

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If it is a hanging petunia, It is advisable to hang it in a place with plenty of sun and little wind.

Possibility 2: your plant is short of nutrients

Petunias, like all balcony and flower bed plants, are among the large consumers of nutrients.

This means that they depend on regular application of fertilizers (every three weeks, for example), since They have a high mineral requirement.

Slow-release fertilizers are not an option, Wadas says, because they wash out quickly. Instead, it is advisable use a good liquid fertilizer with high iron content once a week.

The choice of fertilizer is crucial. Cheap products should be avoided, explains the expert: «It is not necessary to buy the most expensive fertilizer, just medium priced fertilizers«. An ecological organic fertilizer rich in iron It’s ideal. It is important that the label highlights that it contains iron, since petunia especially needs this mineral.

Possibility 3: You are watering it too much.

Plant watering is directly related to the absorption of nutrients, including iron. Especially on hot days, it is advisable to water petunias more frequently, but this also It can cause them to lose their color.

The more often you water your plants, the more nutrients will be removed of the soil, says Wadas, therefore the plant will need more doses of fertilizer.

More tips for caring for your petunias

In addition to adding iron periodically so that the petunia does not lose its color, it is important to monitor your plant. Petunias are always somewhat susceptible to aphids, so keep an eye on them.

«If the petunia is infested with aphids, you can sprinkle it with a little black tea, That way they won’t multiply as much,» explains Wadas.

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You shouldn’t forget to prune them either. It is essential for them to bloom throughout the summer. If you look at your petunias, in many varieties you will notice that they only form flowers at the end of the stems. To keep plants leafy and without overgrown stems, You should prune stems that exceed 20 cm just below the withered flower.

Furthermore, every week Cut three or four stems in half. The plant will produce two new buds that will begin to bloom soon. This way you will keep the flowers throughout the plant.

How to multiply petunias

You can root the stems you cut in fresh, moist soil after applying rooting hormone.

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Keep the pots away from direct sun, but in a bright place, and the earth humid. Your cuttings should root in two to three weeks.

When they start to grow, cut off the tip to make them branch, plant them or place them in a new pot and start fertilizing them regularly.

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