rWe all love beautiful flowers. They blossom in our gardens and are a treat to our eyes. Their lovely colors, exquisite shape, and fragrance make us want them even more. If you are looking for something new to dazzle your guests, Night Sky Petunia is the right choice. They are sure to add to the wow factor in your garden and become the center of attraction.
Night Sky Petunia is a specific cultivar of the Petunia family. It bears bright violet flowers with white spots. The flower resembles a clear night sky embedded with sparkling stars. These plants are new in the market and will be quite common in your neighborhood. Another reason to grow them at your flower beds! After all, who doesn’t like unique flowers?
It is easy to grow the Night Sky Petunias in your gardens. You can either grow them in your flower beds, pots, or hanging baskets in your patios. These sun-loving annuals grow fast and blossom quickly. The flowers are available from springtime right through the autumn season. If this is your first time with Night Sky Petunias, you will need to know a few things about them. This guide on the Galaxy Petunias is sure to be helpful for newbies and seasoned gardeners.
Night Sky Petunias
The Night Sky Petunia is relatively a new plant in the petunia family. Its scientific name is Petunia cultivars. The horticulturists introduced it in the last five to seven years. Since then, it has become popular amongst petunia lovers. The Night Sky Petunias have purple flowers with white spots scattered on them. The plant can grow in US hardiness zones 9 to 11.
The Night Sky Petunia is a cross between two plants. It originates from Italy and the flower won the 2015-16 Fleurostar award. The plant grows to a height of 16 inches in height and 24 to 36 inches in diameter. It has small to medium-sized green leaves. The flowers are attractive and have a sweet smell. They attract a lot of pollinating bees around them.
The white spots on Night Sky Petunia depend on the temperature. The more the difference between the day and night temperatures, the more the spots on the flowers. As a rule of thumb, a day temperature of 100 °F and a night temperature of 50 °F produces beautiful flowers. The Night Sky Petunia thrives in dry conditions. It requires less soil moisture.
The Night Sky Petunia plants prefer bright sunlight throughout their life span. Since they bloom continuously during the season, they will do well in fertilized soil. More the soil fertility, the better. If you reduce the amount of soil nutrients, the plant will have fewer flowers. Or they will have faded colors.
Petunias in general are a group of 20 plants originating from the South Americas. Petunias are annuals. They complete their life cycle within one season and die. The various types of Petunias available in nurseries are cross-bred versions of the original ones. This makes them more attractive. Crossbreeding also enhances their properties such as their sturdiness and disease resistance.
The Night Sky Petunia is a cultivar. A cultivar is a collection of plants selected and classified for their characteristics. The classification is necessary to distinguish between the wild plants and cultivated plants. All cultivars have a unique code per the ‘International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants’. This helps in their unique identity.
The Night Sky Petunias has been available in the US market since 2016. Since then they have become popular. There are more than 4000 Instagram posts with tags like #nightskypetunia. People from all over the world have admired the beauty of this simple plant. They love looking at it and enjoy it for a long time.
Advantages Of Growing Night Sky Petunia
There are several advantages of growing the Night Sky Petunia in your homes. We list a few of them below:
They Look Beautiful: The Night Sky Petunia has gorgeous flowers. They look magnificent in their full bloom. Your Galaxy Petunias are sure to attract a lot of people around.
They Are Annuals: You don’t have to worry about caring for them in the winter season. Come spring and you will be ready to plant a fresh batch of Night Sky Petunias in your garden.
Easy On Resources: Night Sky petunias need basic resources and do well with them. Hence you don’t have to spend much on growing these Galaxy Petunias at home.
They Are Unique: Night Sky Petunias are new in the gardening circle. Hence you have high chances of having a rare plant in your house. You are sure to win admiration from all over.
Is Night Sky Petunia Harmful To Your Pets?
The Night Sky Petunia and the petunia species, in general, are completely safe for your pets. You don’t have to worry about your cats, dogs, and horses chewing a few Night Sky Petunias and falling sick. At the same time, it is better to look out in case your pets are digging up your petunia flower beds. Your cat may want to play around or your dog may want to hide a bone. Since the Night Sky Petunias are small, soft plants; they will get harmed by furious digging.
How To Grow Night Sky Petunia
Growing Night Sky Petunias at your home is easy. By following the simple steps mentioned below, you can grow Night Sky Petunias at your place.
Where To Grow
Night Sky Petunias need sunshine. They need at least six hours of sun every day. Choose a suitable place at your home to plant them. You can either grow them in flower beds, pots, or hanging baskets. The Night Sky Petunias don’t like extra water. So make sure to plant them in elevated beds. Or plant them in pots and baskets which have proper drainage.
When To Grow
The Night Sky Petunia flowers from mid-spring to the end of autumn. You will do well to start at the end of the frost. Start by planting the seeds indoors to develop the plantlets. Transfer them outside as soon as they develop roots and the spring comes. They will flower till the end of autumn and die at the first wave of cold air.
Soil Conditions
The Night Sky Petunias flower during their season. For doing so, they need well-fertilized soil. Use a 10-10-10 fertilizer to add to soil nutrients every three weeks or so. An NPK fertilizer is also known as a 10-10-10 fertilizer. It has a balance of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium elements in it. The pH of the soil should be acidic (between 6 and 7). Measure the soil pH in advance before planting.
Sunlight And Humidity
The Night Sky petunia needs a good amount of sun every day. They are annuals that thrive from the spring to autumn season. Ensure that they get at least six to seven hours of sunlight every day.
The Night Sky Petunia needs low soil moisture. They can survive drought conditions. The soil should be light and dry. Clayey soil is a big no. Make sure that your flower beds and pots have proper drainage. If your area receives heavy rainfall, plant your Night Sky Petunias over raised beds. Water your Galaxy Petunias when the top two inches of soil is dry. Water your potted petunias at shorter intervals.
How To Start Your Night Sky Petunias
Follow the step below to start your Night Sky Petunia plants at your home:
Plant The Seeds: Get good quality seeds from a reliable nursery. They should look healthy and be free from any kind of deformities. Plant them indoors or at your greenhouse if you have one. You will need to maintain the temperatures within 68 °F to 74 °F. Use a seed starter soil that is fertile and moist. Put the seeds about half an inch inside the soil. Water them regularly. The sapling will emerge in 10 to 12 weeks.
Shift The Plant In The Flower Beds Or Pots: Once the roots start developing, shift the plants to the flower beds. Plant each of the saplings 18 to 24 inches apart. This will give them enough space to grow and spread. Place the root-stem interface at the soil level. Water the plants as soon as you place them in outside soil.
Transplanting Galaxy Petunias: You can transplant Night Sky Petunia plants from the nursery. Buy them from a local nursery. You can get them in the early springtime. Dig a hole in the soil for the root ball. Then place the plant in the hole and fill it with soil. Water the plant.
Sunlight, Pruning, And Fertilizing Your Night Sky Petunias
These are the three main factors for growing beautiful Night Sky Petunias at your place. Petunias love the sun. They need it the most. They can tolerate arid conditions and do not need a lot of moisture. So select a place where they will get enough sunlight.
Prune your Galaxy Petunias often. Since these plants flower a lot, they need to conserve resources for them. Prune the leaves from the lower end. Remove any dead, yellow, or decaying leaves and flowers. It is better to have a weekly pruning schedule for the Night Sky petunia plants. Prune the plants to half their length.
Fertilize the soil regularly. It leads to healthy and colorful Petunia plants. Use an NPK fertilizer every three weeks. Mix it well with the topsoil and add water after the process. You can even use a liquid fertilizer to easily apply it to the plant.
Tips For Caring Night Sky Petunia
If you want to have a healthy bunch of Night Sky Petunias, follow the tips given below. Both first-timers and experienced gardeners will benefit from them.
Aphids And Slugs
The Galaxy Petunias are prone to pests. Aphids can ruin your Petunia flower beds within a week. If you see them around, use a suitable insecticide. For slugs, use slug bait.
Weeds
Since the Petunia soil will be rich in fertilizers, it may have weeds growing in it. The weeds will compete with the Galaxy Petunias for soil nutrients. To avoid the weeds, mulch the soil around the plants. Keep half an inch distance between the mulch and the main petunia stem into the soil.
Temperature Difference
You need to maintain a good gap in the day and night temperature. This will ensure lively flowers. Plant the Night Sky Petunias where they will get a good amount of sunlight in the day. During the night, move the potted plants indoors. For plants in flower beds, water them in the night instead of during the day. It will help reduce the surrounding temperature.
Avoid Excessive Watering
Do not water the Petunia flower beds daily. It will otherwise cause root rot and plant rot. Water them twice a week instead. The Night Sky Petunia is drought-resistant. Excess watering can also lead to Botrytis – a gray mold fungal disease. If you see it happening, immediately stop watering the plants. If the symptoms continue, use a light dose of suitable fungicide.
Conclusion
The Night Sky Petunia is a new, award-winning plant. It originates from Italy and is a hybrid of two plants. The plant blooms into vibrant violet flowers with white dots on them. Being annual plants, you can grow them at your place. You need to start before the end of the frost. They bloom once they reach the summers and continue till the end of autumn. The Galaxy Petunias need bright sunlight and rich soil to thrive. You don’t need to water them often.
We hope that our guide on Night Sky Petunia will help you start your Petunia flower bed. Do contact us for any comments or queries. All the best!
