Petunia Seeds (N C Mix)

Petunias are one of the easiest ways to get a run of colour across a balcony railing or window box — the mix brings a spread of shades from a single packet, and the plants trail nicely over the edge of a pot. They're grown for the display rather than anything edible, which makes them a good pick for anyone who wants flowers without managing a harvest. Seeds are sown very shallow, about 0.5 cm deep, and sprouting takes 7-14 days with the soil kept lightly moist rather than wet. Full sun of 5-6 hours a day keeps flowering strong. Thin seedlings to 20-25 cm apart so plants have room to spread and trail rather than tangling into each other. It's a slower bloomer than some balcony flowers — figure on 70-85 days before you're seeing a proper flush of colour.