Planting, Growing, and Caring for Million Bells
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Million Bells, a vibrant and prolific flowering plant, is a popular choice for hanging baskets and containers. Known for its abundance of small, colorful blooms, this trailing beauty adds a splash of color to any outdoor space. Learn how to grow Million Bells. With proper care, this plant will reward you with nonstop blooms throughout the growing season.
About Million Bells
Ring out! Commonly referred to by its trademarked name ‘Million Bells’ and also sometimes known as “mini petunia” for its abundance of 1-inch-wide blooms and resemblance to that annual, trailing petunia belongs to the Calibrachoa— not Petunia—genus. If given the attention it needs, this plant will pour forth hundreds of colorful flowers on stems up to 30 inches long from spring to first frost. The colors of its blooms range from blue, bronze, magenta, pink, and red to violet, white, and yellow. The plant is well suited for hanging baskets and containers.
Nate Dalman of the West Central Research and Outreach Center says, “They are a fairly new ornamental, introduced in the 1990s, and rapidly gained popularity with the gardening world.”
Million Bells is a tender perennial that is winter-hardy in Zones 9 to 11 and treated as an annual elsewhere.
Growing
Million Bells require full sun (at least 6 hours per day); while they tolerate light shade, their production diminishes as shade increases.
Water regularly to keep the soil moist but not soggy. Trailing petunia is somewhat drought-tolerant but check it often in hot, dry weather by pushing a finger 1 inch into the soil: If it is dry, water enough to be damp to moist. Between waterings, allow the soil to dry out. Wilting can be a sign of root rot, caused by overwatering.
Fertilize every 2 weeks with a balanced product.
Pinch back tips to encourage branching and flowers. Deadheading is not necessary, as Million Bells cleans itself. In midseason, if desired, encourage new growth/rejuvenation by cutting back branches.
Numerous collections and series of trademarked trailing petunias have been produced, including the ones listed below. When purchasing, always be sure that you have the “trailing” type.
- Calibrachoa Aloha Kona series ‘Pineapple’: yellow flowers
- C. Cabaret series ‘Good Night Kiss’: pink-purple flowers
- C. Cruze series ‘White Pink Eye’: white flowers with pink throats
- C. Kabloom series ‘Denim’: blue flowers
- C. MiniFamous Neo series ‘Vampire’: red flowers
- C. Superbells series ‘Lemon Slice’: white-and-yellow pinwheel flowers
Jennifer Keating
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