Am I Taking Good Care Of My Calibrachoa?

Did you placed your calibrachoa somewhere where it can get at least 6 hours of sunlight?

Did you planted your calibrachoa in well-drained soil?

Do you allow the top of the soil to dry up before watering?

Do you feed your calibrachoa every couple of weeks during a growing period?

Do you deadhead faded flowers?

Do you keep your calibrachoa free of pests and diseases?

Calibrachoa plants bloom best with at least six hours of full sun, but they can tolerate partial shade—especially in warmer areas, where plants that get some shade are likelier to survive into the summer months.

Calibrachoa plants like fast-draining potting soil, so make sure your pot has good drainage. When you plant them in garden beds, make sure the soil is well amended with organic material and has good drainage.

Calibrachoa plants need to be kept well hydrated but not water-logged. Add water only after the top inch or so of the soil dries out. To check if your plant needs water, stick your finger into the soil up to the second knuckle. If the soil feels dry at your fingertip, water deeply until it drains out of the bottom of your pot. Don’t water again until the soil dries out again.

This plant is a heavy feeder and needs to be either given a slow-release fertilizer and/or fed a diluted liquid fertilizer regularly. Mix an organic, slow-release fertilizer into your potting medium and then give the plant a diluted liquid every couple of weeks. Be careful not to over-fertilize; follow the directions on the label of the plant food closely.

Calibrachoa are self-cleaning and require no deadheading. Pinch back tips occasionally to encourage branching, which will produce more flowers. To rejuvenate plants mid-season, cut branches to half their length and fertilize to stimulate new growth.

Good job! You are taking good care of your calibrachoa.

Overwatering can lead to root rot or infection from one of the Phytophthora species, which can kill plants. If plants are wilted after watering, this can be a sign of root rot. Heat stress can make plants susceptible to spider mites, and aphids. Prevention in the form of good air circulation, proper water management, and good soil porosity is the best defense.