If you want beautiful bursts of color in your garden then planting Petunias is the way to go.
These sun-loving plants produce beautiful flowers throughout the summer and to do this they need lots of water.
Petunias grow well in pots, containers, hanging baskets, and directly in the earth. But wherever you choose to grow them, you must make sure that they have adequate drainage.
Because if your Petunias don’t dry between waterings, then overwatering can become a problem.
But how does an overwatered Petunia even look lik?
Well, let’s find out!
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How does an overwatered Petunia look like?
An overwatered Petunia will look sad and depressed. You might find white spots on its leaves caused by edema. And its leaves may also turn yellow and fall off prematurely. In severe overwatering cases, your Petunias may also wilt.
Symptoms of Overwatered Petunias
If a plant has too much water in its soil then it cant absorb oxygen and nutrients properly. So if your plant starts to look a little bit dull and depressed, this is the first sign that it’s being underwatered.
If you continue to overwater your plant then eventually its leaves will start to yellow and become brown around the edges. And these affected leaves will start to drop off.
When your tomato takes absorbs too much water over a long time then it will develop edema too. And evidence of this is can be found on its leaves.
Edema will cause small white spots or blisters on your plant’s leaves. This is where the water bursts out.
In severe cases of overwatering your plant might wilt. Wilting is one of the most common signs of underwatering too.
You can find out if your plant is wilting from over or underwatering by sticking your finger in its soil.
If the soil is dry, then your plant is wilting because it hasn’t had enough water. But if your plant is wilting and the soil is wet then chances are, your plant has been overwatered.
And unfortunately, wilting in an overwatered plant is a common root rot symptom. This is a deadly fungal disease that invades your plant via its roots.
How to save Overwatered Petunias
If you catch the symptoms of overwatering in the early stages then you have a good chance of saving your plant.
However, if you suspect root rot then the chance of saving your Petunias is low.
In all cases of overwatering, you’ll have to stop watering first. You should dry it out again before resuming with the watering.
To help potted Petunias dry out, move them to a sunny place in the garden. And for Petunias in the ground, you can help them dry out by aerating the soil with a fork or aeration tool.
If your plant has more severe symptoms of overwatering, such as wilting, then you need to check its roots.
You can do this by removing your Petunia from its pot or digging a little bit into the earth if it’s in the ground.
Healthy roots should be white but if your plant has root rot, the roots will be brown, slimy, and maybe even a bit smelly.
And if your petunia’s got root rot, act quickly to attempt saving it.
When it comes to treating root rot, the first thing you must do is remove all the soil from the plant’s roots. For petunias in the ground, you need to dig them up with a fork to do this.
Next, you need to remove all of the affected roots from your plant with a pair of sterile clippers. Once you’ve done this, you can put your Petunia back into a pot or the ground.
For Petunias going back into the ground, make sure you put them into a different spot in the garden.
This is because the place you removed your plant from will still be infected with fungus.
If your plant is going back into a pot or container then you must sterilize the pot first. This will stop your plant from getting reinfected.
Make sure that your Petunias pot has lots of drainage holes. And ideally, you should plant them in a well-draining but moisture-retaining soil.
Petunia Watering Tips
To avoid any problems with overwatering in the future then you must get your watering levels just right. And you should consider your Petunia’s living environment as well.
Petunias enjoy full sun so if they spend a lot of time in the shade then they won’t dry out very well. So make sure that your petunias have a south-facing window in the house or spot in the garden.
Petunias in the ground will need less water than those that are in pots, containers, or hanging baskets. This is because water evaporates much quicker from containers.
You should never water your Petunias while the soil is still wet. Wait until the soil’s top 2 inches are dry out before watering them.
And when you do water them, it’s worth noting that Petunias do better with a deep watering once a week. As opposed to several light waterings.
In most cases, watering once a week is usually enough for Petunias. But you should water them more frequently during hot spells or strong winds.
Petunias are pretty tolerant of drought and dry spells so don’t worry about letting them get too dry.
And finally, try not to get water on the leaves and flowers of your petunias this can cause scorching or rotting, depending on its conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions About Overwatered Petunias
Do Petunias need lots of Water?
Petunias need lots of water to grow and produce flowers. However, they don’t mind drying out. So this means that it’s better to give Petunias one deep watering, rather than several light ones each week.
How can I tell when my Petunia needs water?
You can tell if your Petunia needs water by sticking your finger in its soil. If the earth is wet then you don’t need to water your plant. However, if the top two inches of soil are dry then you need to give your Petunias a drink.
Daniel has been a plant enthusiast for over 20 years. He owns hundreds of houseplants and prepares for the chili growing seasons yearly with great anticipation. His favorite plants are plant species in the Araceae family, such as Monstera, Philodendron, and Anthurium. He also loves gardening and is growing hot peppers, tomatoes, and many more vegetables.