petunias

You all are going to laugh at me, but I've never grown petunias. Lots of tropical plants and ferns considered somewhat difficult but no petunias! Impatiens for the few winter months before the summer heat, but no petunias! Well I picked up 4 of them multi colors the other day and they are doing just fine. In deadheading petunias, do I just take the flower that pulls off so easily or snip the whole head off? I got another six pack and have yet to plant them. How many can I put in a 6" pot? Do they need room to fill out like impatiens or can they be a bit cramped from the first to look full. I don't think I have much more time with them as I don't think they like our hot humid weather. And how do you show offs get those beautiful globes almost of blooming petunias? To fertilize with a bloom formula or not? Thanks! Next week I shall start earlier.

hi dale, planting petunias in our warm climate are successful when they are planted in the fall. The "Madness Series" are okay to plant now, they will tolarte the heat a little more.

.....>In deadheading petunias, do I just take the flower that pulls off so easily or snip the whole head off?
I usually snip the flower off just under flower called the recptacle. It is the part where the stem meets with the flower.

.....>How many can I put in a 6" pot?
It depends on the varity you have. Some petunia spread more than others. Look on the tag, if it has one, and it will tell you how far to space it. The tag also should name the series, example: madness, wave, tidal wave, sunbright..etc..
For fertilizer, I use the a time released one so I don't have to be bothered with it.

I hope this helps!

Dale, everybody here grew something for the first time so we are not laughing. Petunias make such a nice splash of color. I can't help much with your questions because my climate is hot and dry and I am challenged to keep things watered, but I do wish you success. I have grown the madness ones, they have done well for me planted 9 in a half whiskey barrel, 3 each of red, white, and blue. I fertilized them with my house plant fertilizer mixed in water but the slow release is my choice for this year, much easier.

Hi Dale. This is my first time for Petunias too, in fact my first year for any plants! Other than Miracle Grow Potting Soil and Osmacote I had no idea what to do with them but they survived in spite of me (grin). I go out every morning and pull off the finished flowers and in this dry, windy weather I usually water them because they are in containers. I am posting pictures because I'm so PROUD of them.

The white and red are the first ones I grew. They are in tiny little baskets but don't seem to mind. The deep purple one has the most wonderful smell, it is like cinnamon.

I'm personally a fan of the wave petunias....
they reseed as the wild petunias you see on old homesteads around here.

drew

Drew, other than reseeding, what is the difference between the "regular" Petunias and the Wave? Also, if I deadhead the plants they won't have any seeds? If I stop deadheading will they stop blooming? Sorry for so many questions but I am just learning.
Pati

Pati...nice job...they are just beautiful! I don't understand why our garden centers here don't get petunias until March...but these will have a couple of months to look pretty! And you're right! We've had terrible dry winds as well.

Pati, The Wave Petunias are a new hybrid that can take the heat better than old fashioned petunias, don't require deadheading, and they spread out in a vining fashion. They are also don't get that ragged look that some petunias get after rain.

They do equally well planted in the ground or in containers.

I just got back from a local nursery that had Proven Winners Supertunias in stock. http://www.provenwinners.com/catalog/search.php?keyword=supertunia&page=1 These are some of the best petunias that I have ever grown.

Here is a link to finding a retailer in your area.
http://www.provenwinners.com/growers/retailer/retail_list.php?findwhat=US

Thanks loads. I found two retailers in Stuart, just down the road from me. That is a beautiful website and I LOVE the container ideas. In the past year I have just planted everything I saw that I liked at Home Depot and Wal-Mart. It has been a learning experience and now I know what I have luck with and what goes down the drain. Petunias, Begonias, Impatience, Portulacas and Marigolds have been wonderful. I didn't start with plants until September, now I'll find out what will survive the heat. Of course most people use Mexican Heather and Dusty Miller for borders, but they grow so fast and BIG here that they overpowered my containers. I pulled them out and threw them over the fence into the woods where they are STILL growing. (LOL) Now I'm starting on vines to cover the fence.
Pati

Pati...What nursery in Stuart? I visit my folks in Jupiter and love to have a field trip alone now and then. I go to a great privately owned nursery on Center Rd I believe in Jupiter...I know how to get there, but get the names confused...Giodarnos or something like that. They have great healthy plants and unusual plants too at reasonable prices.

DALE, here are the two Stuart nurseries:

Big Pine Nursery
800 SE Salerno Road
Stuart, FL 34997 - US

Cove Gardens
5801 SE Federal Hwy.
Stuart, FL 34997 - US

If you go to the second link that Nathalyn posted and put in your zip code, there might be something closer to Sarasota.

Good luck
Pati