Garden Petunia Fire Chief

Garden Petunia Fire Chief: variety and characteristics

Garden Petunia Fire Chief (Petunia × hybrida) is an annual flower of the nightshade family (Solanaceae). "Fire Chief" is the first true red petunia to be introduced, and of the 45 All-America Selections award-winning petunias before 1960, the only one still surviving.

A highly specialised petunia variety with large, vivid red trumpet-shaped flowers, not the pinks or near-purples that pass for red in other petunias.

It is simply red, bright enough to catch your eye in the flower bed. The flowers are noticeably more fragrant than those of other petunias, opening a deep red and fading to a soft pinkish-red shade.

The petunia is the queen of balconies — it flowers non-stop from May until the frosts, in almost every colour.

Key features

• Measured germination rate of the batch: 82%
• Pack size: 0.2 g
• Seed origin: India
• Sowing: April and May; seedlings
• Flowering: May – October
• Position: sunny spot

When to sow Garden Petunia Fire Chief

Garden Petunia Fire Chief seeds are sown in April and May. The plants flower in May – October. The months are a guide for a temperate climate — in warmer areas sow 1–2 weeks earlier, in cooler or upland areas, later.

How to sow and grow Garden Petunia Fire Chief

• Sowing method: seedlings
• Depth: on the surface (germinates in light)
• Spacing: 20–30 cm
• Germination: 7–14 days at 22–25 °C
• Position: sunny spot

Fill your seed trays or pots with a good-quality seed-starting mix. Make sure the mix is moist but not soggy. Petunia seeds are small, so sprinkle them over the soil surface. Do not cover them with soil, as they need light to germinate. Lightly mist the seeds with water so they settle into the soil. Cover the containers with cling film or a clear plastic lid to create a mini-greenhouse effect. This helps retain moisture and warmth. Check the containers regularly to make sure the soil stays evenly moist but not soggy. Mist the surface if it starts to dry out. Petunia seeds usually germinate in 7-21 days, depending on temperature and seed quality. Once seedlings appear, remove the plastic cover. Petunia seedlings need bright, indirect light to grow well. Place them near a sunny window or provide artificial lighting with fluorescent grow lights.

Sow in January–March — the seeds are dust-fine; scatter them over moist compost and cover with a lid. Feed regularly with a fertiliser for flowering plants.

Flowering and uses

Remove faded flowers.

Frequently asked questions

When should Garden Petunia Fire Chief be sown?

The recommended sowing months are April and May. Sowing method: seedlings.

What is the germination rate of the seeds?

The measured germination rate of this batch is 82%. The test was carried out under controlled laboratory conditions; in the field, emergence depends on soil, temperature and moisture.

When should petunia seeds be sown?

In January–March, 10–12 weeks before planting out.