🌸 When to Plant Petunias

🌸 Flower
Warm Season

Prolific bloomers; deadhead regularly; trailing types for containers; full sun

📅 Planting Calendar by USDA Zone

Select your zone to highlight your exact planting dates. Dates are calculated from each zone's average frost dates.

Find my zone
Zone Last Frost Start Indoors Transplant Direct Sow
Zone 2A May 30 Mar 21 May 30
Zone 3B May 15 Mar 6 May 15
Zone 4A May 8 Feb 27 May 8
Zone 4B May 1 Feb 20 May 1
Zone 5A Apr 25 Feb 14 Apr 25
Zone 5B Apr 18 Feb 7 Apr 18
Zone 6A Apr 21 Feb 10 Apr 21
Zone 6B Apr 10 Jan 30 Apr 10
Zone 7A Apr 5 Jan 25 Apr 5
Zone 7B Mar 28 Jan 17 Mar 28
Zone 8A Mar 20 Jan 9 Mar 20
Zone 8B Mar 12 Jan 1 Mar 12
Zone 9A Feb 28 Dec 20 Feb 28
Zone 9B Feb 15 Dec 7 Feb 15
Zone 10A Feb 1 Nov 23 Feb 1
Zone 10B Jan 15 Nov 6 Jan 15
Zone 11A Jan 1 Oct 23 Jan 1

Petunias are workhorses of the summer garden — blooming nonstop from spring to frost with minimal fuss in sun or containers.

Top Growing Tips

  • Start indoors 10-12 weeks before last frost — tiny seeds need light to germinate
  • Deadhead regularly or cut back hard mid-season to rejuvenate blooms
  • Trailing wave types are spectacular in hanging baskets and window boxes
  • Grandiflora types have bigger blooms; multiflora types are more weather-resistant
  • Fertilize every 2 weeks with balanced fertilizer for continuous bloom

Companion Planting

Good companions: tomatoes, peppers (deter aphids), beans

Avoid planting near: Heavy shade

Harvest Timeline

Ornamental; deadhead regularly to extend bloom season