petunia | In the Garden With Jera

We are in full swing spring bloom! Currently the work I am doing in the garden is simple maintenance. Weeding, fertilizing, trimming, deadheading, and watering have been the bulk of my to do list. We have a tent/garden party scheduled for May 7 and the goal is to have the garden in its best shape for it. Unfortunately, my irises are about a week ahead and the poppies are a week late, so there will be some bare spots in the landscape. I have been working very hard to keep up with the weeds. In addition, I have been using Scott’s Super Bloom fertilizer in every watering of pots and containers and window boxes to maximize the blooms. I believe that a healthy start assures a better bloom season. Once the containers are about a month old, I will fertilize once or twice a week.

Updates: The bog garden is slowly bouncing back and pitcher plants are forming roots. I still have one flat of winter started seedlings to find a home including scabiosa, salpiglossis, marigold, a six pack of vinca, and a few foxglove. I am still growing cleome, red and white double petunia, pineapple and chocolate mint coleus, zinnias, sunflower and silver falls dichondra.

New: This week a friend gifted me a Fleur Farm Dahlia gift certificate. I had watered her seedlings in her high tunnel a few weekends prior when she was out of town. While not necessary at all as she and I exchange plants often, it was a lovely gesture, I ordered 5 dahlia and am excited to see them in bloom. I ordered Zundert Mystery Fox, Jowey Martina, Arabian Night, Milena Fleur and Crème de Cassis. In addition to the dahlias I also ordered more dwarf zinnia seeds for the front of my summer borders from Swallowtail Seeds. I will start those as soon as they arrive. I love Zahara zinnias for their ability to fill containers, and spill, over the edge of my raised beds, so ordered a couple of those varieties.

All in all, the big work is winding down and the maintenance and enjoyment phase of the season is dialing up. Below are some photos of what bloomed this week:

If you’re looking for a petunia with heat tolerance, bounces back in the rain and can make it through mild winters look no further than the tidal wave silver petunia.

This plant is easily started from seeds-although they can get pricey. You can also start new plants from the tender growing ends of existing plants. Spring is the best time as woody plants in fall do not root! I propagate about 12 new plants a year by taking cuttings. I pull off the lower leaves and stick the cutting directly into moist potting soil. I set the pot in the shade outside and keep it watered. Within a few weeks I have 12 new plants to set in the landscape.

This plant spreads. My largest was 5 feet in diameter! It will also mound if planted in masses, and spill over containers and walls. I’ve had several overwinter but they will only live 2 summers which is why I continually propagate. Each of the photos below contain only one plant per photo, so you can see how large they can become. These are great all purpose petunias. What they lack in color they gain in being self deadheading and vigorous, easy plants to have in your garden.