There’s nothing more beautiful than a well-kept front door framed by two hanging baskets that are overflowing with flowers. Petunias are one of the most popular summer flowers because their bright, long-lasting blooms, vigorous growth, and ability to mound, spread, or trail make them great for hanging baskets.
Petunia flowers come in almost every color you can think of, so there are a lot of different ways to arrange them in a hanging box. These designs will give you ideas for your next project, whether you choose a single type of petunia or pair them in colors that go well together or with each other.
Petunia Hanging Basket Essentials
Light & Placement
Petunias need a lot of sunshine to grow and flower properly. Hang your baskets somewhere that gets at least six hours of direct sunlight every day.
Soil
Petunias do best in dirt that is rich and doesn’t stay soggy. Make sure you use a good potting mix to give your plants all the nutrients they need to do well in a pot.
Watering
They dry out a lot faster than plants that are planted in the ground. Keep an eye on your bags. It’s time to water if the dirt 1 to 2 inches deep feels dry. In hot weather, this might mean giving them water once or twice a day. When it’s cooler, cut back on the amount and make sure the dirt doesn’t stay wet.
Fertilizing
Petunias need a lot of food. Add a slow-release fertilizer to the dirt before you plant. Every third time you water, or once a week during the season, use a water-soluble fertilizer to keep the flowers blooming nonstop. To get more blooms, look for a formula that has a higher amount of phosphorus and potassium.
How Many Plants Per Basket?
Use 4–6 starter plants in 4-inch pots for a 12- to 14-inch basket. This gives the plants enough space to grow without being too crowded.
How to Keep Your Baskets Looking Their Best?
This is the best way to use trailing petunias, verbena, and calibrachoa because their flowers can be seen from below. To keep flower baskets full and nice all season:
- Pinch tips back regularly to encourage more branching.
- Trim leggy stems mid-summer by cutting back up to a third of the plant. Find a long, inactive stem and make a cut just above where a leaf meets the stem — that’s the point where a new stem will form. The more cuts you make, the more new growth the plant will produce.
- Fertilize consistently. A weekly water-soluble fertilizer schedule throughout the season keeps plants responding vigorously.
Many modern hybrid petunias clean themselves, which means they don’t need to be deadheaded to keep blooming, which is great for farmers who are always on the go.
The 10 Stunning Designs
1. Misty Seas
Mood: Cool, coastal, breezy
Use cool, soothing tones to make you feel like you’re on the beach. Hang Supertunia Mini Vista® Indigo, Supertunia Mini Vista® Violet Star, and Supertunia Mini Vista® White from a shepherd’s hook in a box. The range of blues, purples, and whites looks like water and sea foam, making the piece feel calm and peaceful.
2. Color Statement
Mood: Cheerful, feminine, vibrant
Putting Supertunia® Royal Magenta, Supertunia® Lovie DovieTM, and Supertunia® Silverberry in a hanging basket will give any outdoor place a bright pink theme. The play of deep magenta and soft blush colors makes for a lively and uplifting show that would look great on a deck or porch.
3. Hypnotic Potion
Mood: Bold, contrasting, dramatic
This design uses the power of colors that go well together. Supertunia® HoneyTM and Supertunia® Royal Velvet® both have warm, yellow-pink tones. Put them together in one box. The difference makes a beautiful pop that draws the eye. It would look great on a garden gate or wooden arbor.
4. Black Cashmere
Mood: Sophisticated, moody, elegant
Mix Supertunia® Black Cherry® and Supertunia® LatteTM for a sophisticated and unique look. Black Cherry’s deep burgundy-black color against Latte’s warm, neutral color creates a rich, velvety look. This makes for a beautiful, welcoming porch decoration that feels high-end and one-of-a-kind.
5. 🇺🇸 Main Street USA
Mood: Patriotic, festive, celebratory
A red, white, and blue color scheme that will always look good. You can add Supertunia® Really Red, Supertunia Mini Vista® White, and Supertunia® Royal Velvet® to your next Fourth of July party or any other summer event that needs a bright and fun show.
6. Gone With the Wind
Mood: Simple, romantic, elegant
There are times when less is better. In a hanging box, mix Supertunia® Trailing Silver and Supertunia® BordeauxTM for a simple but beautiful look. The rich wine-burgundy colors contrast with the silvery-lilac tones to make an effortlessly elegant display that would look great in an outdoor dining area on a warm summer evening.
7. Tropical Sunset
Mood: Warm, vibrant, exotic
Think of bright oranges, corals, hot pinks, and golds as warm petunia colors that you can mix to get the energy of a tropical sunset. Pair with Supertunia® Vista Bubblegum® for a bright, sunny look that will make any part of the garden look better. Add a few hanging stems of golden calibrachoa as filler to make the look even more lush.
Design tip: Trailing and spreading petunias work beautifully as the “spiller” element in a basket, while mounding or bushy forms serve as the “filler.” Layer both for maximum impact.
8. Pretty in Picotee
Mood: Whimsical, romantic, detailed
Petunias come in more than one color. The bicolor and picotee types are also beautiful on their own. Petunia ‘AmoreTM Queen of Hearts’ has five clear red love hearts on a pure yellow background. You can also look for patterned versions with softly contrasting edges. Stack different kinds of picotee to make a basket that looks like a flower arrangement that is alive.
9. Midnight Garden
Mood: Dramatic, bold, contemporary
Dark, moody colors will make your show stand out and be new. With its silky, almost-black blooms, Petunia “Back to Black” is the star of the show. This will make a classy dark basket that stands out against a white wall or light-colored siding when paired with deep plum or burgundy trailing varieties.
10. Cloud Garden
Mood: Soft, dreamy, airy
A simple scheme with only one color can be the most beautiful. Put white petunias in a large basket and add trailing Bacopa “Snowflake,” which has flower-covered stems that hang down more than 45 cm. This will create an all-white cloud effect that looks beautiful and airy at any time of the day. If you only want a hint of color, add lavender or pale pink petunias.
Best Petunia Varieties for Hanging Baskets
Pick mounding, spreading, or trailing petunias when you’re shopping for the best basket performance. Here are some that have worked in the past:
| Variety | Character |
|---|---|
| Supertunia Vista® Bubblegum® | Vigorous trailing, bright pink |
| Supertunia® Royal Velvet® | Deep purple, lush |
| Supertunia® Lovie Dovie™ | Soft pink, mounding |
| Supertunia® Honey™ | Warm yellow-pink |
| Supertunia® Bordeaux™ | Rich wine-red, trailing |
| Supertunia Vista® Silverberry | Silvery lilac, vigorous |
| Supertunia® Black Cherry® | Deep burgundy-black |
| Supertunia Vista® Fuchsia | Vivid magenta, spreading |
Companion Plants to Consider
Petunias pair beautifully with other basket favorites. Mix them with:
- Bacopa: delicate trailing stems that soften and add volume to any display.
- Lobelia: airy clouds of blue, white, or pink that provide a perfect backdrop.
- Calibrachoa: prolific “miniature petunias” that bloom non-stop without deadheading.
- Verbena: trailing foliage with gorgeous, compact color clusters.
FAQ
How long do petunias last in hanging baskets?
With proper care, petunia baskets will last from planting until the first frost.
When should I plant?
Wait until all danger of frost has passed. Petunias are heat lovers that thrive during warm summer months.
When can I put hanging baskets outside?
After the last frost date — this may be early May in warmer climates, or late May in cooler northern regions.
What do I do with baskets after summer?
Empty your basket of annual petunias and dispose of them at season’s end. If you’ve included any tender perennials, move them to a sheltered, frost-free place to overwinter — with a little luck, they’ll flower the following year again.