I all,
I've started some of these from seed. Just transplanted them into 6 pks. HAve you tried them? Can you tell me what they like? I know sun, but hope to understand how best to get them to a nice transplant size in the next 2 months.
thank you
cynthia
Laura Bush Petunia
I admire anyone who can start plants from seeds! I love Laura Bush petunias, always buy them in 4" pots every year. I have one from last year that shrank back but did not die off over this mild winter, and is now growing back nice and thick. There also appear to be lots of seedlings in that urn, I'll leave them be so I won't have to buy more this year.
Wish I could pass on some advice, but I know there will be others who are good with seed propagation stopping in soon.
:-)
maggiemoo
Did you fertilize them?
c
Laura Bush petunias are one of the plants on the Texas SuperStar list?
http://www.texassuperstar.com/
According to the site these are a "... hybrid between VIP and old fashioned petunia ...
born & bred in Texas." It reseeds, is fragrant, vigorous, heat tolerant and doesn't mind alkaline soils.
The site recommends that the plant should be planted in full sun to avoid leggy plants w/ fewer flowers
Will tolerate light shade, but need a minimum of seven hours of direct sun. To enhance the trailing
habit trim periodically during growing season. The site states these petunias are "Texas Tough" and unlike other
petunias can be planted after April.
Regarding fertilizer, they recommend applying a slow release fertilizer, 19-5-9 @ 2-3 lbs one week after planting
and thereafter apply 1 x a month during the growing season.
I always fertilize my plants- I learned a lesson long ago: in my younger, more foolish days I thought that fertilizing was a waste of time and money, needless to say my garden and indoor plants were punny and not the specimens that I'd hoped for. Now I fertilize like crazy, trying all types of fertilizers and finally settling on a few that I continue w/. Some plants do need specific fertilizer- palms, acid loving, etc. Flowering plants generally need regular fertilizing so that they will continue to flower- they will flower w/o but not so much. Petunias are not too fussy a plant, you will enjoy them.
This message was edited Jan 23, 2006 11:46 AM
I fertilize all my stuff once a year with Ag Org PL (Agricultural Organic Poultry Litter). It's in a pellet form and breaks down slowly, does not burn plants I toss a hanfull at the bottom of the hole when I planting something new, otherwise broadcast it over the beds. During the spring and early summer I make compost and alfalfa teas, either water with those or use them as foliar feed.
When the roots start to grow a little out of the bottom of the 6-pack, transplant them into 4 inch containers and give them a half dose (dilute with twice as much water) of Peters All Purpose liquid fertilizer. Do not use Super Bloom or similar fertilizer that increases blooms because you want them to grow nice strong stems and lots of foliage at first so that they are strong plants. Keep them warm during days that are going to be really cold if you do not have them in a greenhouse. When you transplant them, do not plant in the ground too early because they may freeze back. Mine froze to the ground last year during a late freeze in the spring, but came back even thicker than before. Mine are coming up from self-seeding from last year and I have a couple that have only suffered a little freeze damage after continuing to grow all summer and fall. I had cut them back heavily in the summer and fertilized them with full strength liquid fertilizer. Then, I cut them back a few weeks ago so that I am able to cover them if a hard freeze is expected. I will fertilize them again when the weather warms up in March or April.
Great!
Thanks all
I was afraid that these were one of those weed-like plants that would resent fertilizer. I transplanted them into miracle-grow potting soil with fert and moved them out into the greenhouse to enjoy the sun.....and cool.
I've become a fan of Peters 20-20-20 with my brugs. I'll use a dilute of that once they take hold.
BTW I transplanted lots of poppies too. Wish me luck on them. We need them blooming for a late April wedding
smiles of appreciation
cynthia
Where did you find the seed?
Cynthia,
I to bought some Laura Bush seed from http://www.wildseedfarms.com/ I am planing on sowing them tomorrow following these instructions http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/1999/2-19-1999/petunias.html
Do you have any advice on germinating them?
I am starting from seed because I've never found started plants in this variety
Cynthia, if you transplant them into 4 inch containers that are filled with Miracle Grow potting soil with fertilizer, you won't need to fertilize them with Peters 20-20-20.
HI All
I got the seed from Wildseed Farm in San Antonio. You know, the big wildflower grower.
I prinkled mine on top of damp seed starting mix in a plastic covered container that I bought produce in. One caution, I also tried one batch in pure vermiculite and that did not do well. Seems they wanted that mix. Be sure you can water from below too. Not because of damping off, but to insure you don't flood.
Anyway, this is how I did it, then put it outside. They like it warm (70-80) to germinate and light. We had that outside in Jan.
Good luck!
cynthia
Thanks Cynthia :-) I'll try it.
The Laura Bush petunias do extra well for us. We live north of Conroe close to Madisonville and my Mom's are still blooming. I have some in pots on my front porch that look wonderful. I did not bring them in during the freezes either. Seems these petunias can stand a lot of cold and heat. My kind of plant. *g*
These plants were started last year from seed.
Lin
Maggie
Where do you get the Ag Org Pl- I have heard so many great things about that but have not been able to find it.
I buy mine mostly at Arbor Gate, but know other people carry it. There are several feed stores in Conroe that do. There is a list of Houston area retailers on this list from their website:
http://www.ag-org.com/retail.html
Laura Bush petunia's are so easy to wintersow. There is nothing to it and it is so much cheaper than buying plants.
I wanted to add this. These are wintersown Laura Bush petunias.
JuBabe
By winter sow, what exactly do you do? Hasn't it been too hot this year? Do you mean directly sow into the soil? Sorry for all the questions, I have been working hard to give them 70's to germinate, then some cooler temps to get stronger. Now I have movem the little guys into 6-pks in potting soil and they are living in my unheated greenhouse in the sun.
Please tell the ignorant but highly motivated just how you got yours so big bushy and jaw-dropping gorgeous
cynthia
I've winter sown many things over the past 3 years. We never have cold temps here in West Texas. Only at night.
I plant my seeds on plastic shoes boxes with holes in the bottom and I use those saran wrap covers that have elasticized edges. I cut slits in the saran wrap covers. I keep my plantings on the patio where they will only get part sun. The full sun will bake them. I can't put my little babies out in my greenhouse because they will bake there, too.
I fertilize every other week with plain Miracle Grow and pinch them frequently. Laura Bush petunia's will easily reseed for the next year.
What is too hot for germinating them?
I don't know about too hot, but the moisture gets depleted so quickly here.
Well on the otherside how cold do they get at night?
BTW your petunias look gorgeous.
I'm keeping mine in my plastic greenhouse.
It usually doesn't get below freezing here. By the time they start sprouting out good, it will be warmer than that. Thanks for your comment about my petunias.
I like it when I can keep petunia's in my greenhouse. They always smell so good!!!
One more question please, what medium to you winter sow in?
I think I need to fertilize mine, they are tiny tiny, I guess I winter sowed. I planted mine in the plastic containers with little holes that I bought produce in. I put them outside in mostly sun, but not in the GH because it was too hot this year. Some I sowed in seed starter mix, they did best. Others I sowed in plain vermiculite, they are way tiny and I'll move them out into potting soil today and hope for the best.
I bet that a plastic shoebox is better because it is deeper. I think this container is too shallow as well as just having vermiculite.
thank you
cynthia
Mine have started sprouting. Boy are they small! I also wonder when I should start fertilizing.
I have always used Miracle Gro to winter sow with. It is one soil that doesn't wind up like a brick. It seems to hold moisture longer.
I wouldn't fertilize until they have their first set of true leaves. When you do fertilize, make sure and dilute your fertilizer. You don't want to burn the little ones.