Wave petunias... are they really that great?
lisa2004
12 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (6)
lisa2004
12 years agoRelated Discussions
Wave petunias suddenly die
Comments (11)The ones that died first this year are in a somewhat raised bed. They are planted at the edge, which is sloped, so the drainage is good. It hasn't rained here enough to count in three weeks, so they only get water from my sprinkler system (they are on a mister). I water well, twice a week. If they look dry I will hand water as well. Yes, I always loosen the roots of plants before planting. Our soil is heavy red clay, but when I created this bed I roto tilled it and amended with mushroom compost. This fall when I planted the waves I added a good soil conditioner. I haven't planted petunias in several years before last fall. When they died they didn't change color, just wilted and died. I can pretty much grow anything else. Just not petunias! If it is a fungus, is there a particular fungicide I can apply to the few that haven't died yet? Thanks for your help! Susan...See MoreDo you think all spreading petunias are Wave Petunias?
Comments (40)Michelle65, sorry, but I have to dispute most of your claims. First of all, Wave petunias are spreading petunias, not the other way around. Spreading (Supertunia series, Surfinia series, etc.) petunias grown from cuttings have been around for decades. The Wave series (introduced in 1995) was the first commercially successful spreading petunia that was propagated from seed. Your statement that "the ones that say spreading petunia is the exact same this without the pink pot" is entirely erroneous, as is your statement "greenhouse have only been able to buy Wave seeds for the past couple of years". You should also know that there are FOUR separate divisions of Wave petunias. Actually 5 if you include the vegetatively propagated DOUBLE Waves. Wave, Easy Wave, Tidal Wave and Shock Wave all have very distinctly different growth habits. Are you paying extra for the pink pot? Absolutely. If it is in the pink pot and says Wave on it, it is required to be a Wave petunia, however that is entirely up to the distributor if they want them in a POP (point of purchase) pot or not. Waves can be planted in any color of pot, and there is no law saying that they have to be identified as a Wave. However, if it is NOT a Wave, and the signage identifies it as a Wave, THAT is illegal. The difference you see in price at retail is a factor of a number of things. If it is a spreading petunia grown from a cutting, it will always be more expensive than one grown from seed. But....if is a seed grown spreading petunia (Wave, Avalanche, Ramblin', Plush, Opera, Explorer, Trilogy) and it has all of the marketing POP items associated with it, it drives the price up. All Kleenex are tissues, but not all tissues are Kleenex. All Waves are spreading petunias, but not all spreading petunias are Waves. And for the record, there are no "generic" spreading petunias. Everything has a specific variety name, you just don't always see it at retail....See MoreWhat is happening with my Wave Petunia?
Comments (12)If it is the regular wave petunia, it grows flat and will cover the soil in not too long. Easy Wave, a little more mounding. I buy them and had one mostly eaten by the slugs and it came back. They are tough. You can give it some shade by putting a board over it held up by plastic pots. That would block the noon sun and it could have morning and afternoon sun. To begin with it will take a bit more frequent watering because it's roots are in the top part of the soil in a tight little square. Once it can get a root to the bottom of the container it will be resilient. It is stressed and it needs babying for a short while....See MoreWave petunias are not waveing!
Comments (4)If understand you this is a raised bed not a pot. Do you over water? More petunias are killed by overwatering than anything else. If they've been overwatered they will appear fine one day and wilted the next and then die. This is especially true if you have clay soil. It may also be that you have a soil fungus so it wouldn't hurt to treat for that. Do you amend the soil? Every year or 2 dig in some compost and manure. It wouldn't hurt to plant something else there for this year. Pick a color scheme and then pick a variety of plants that fall in that scheme. Pay attention to the height and width of the plants. You can have taller ones in back and shorter ones in front or all the same size. The plant tags should give you all the information you need. It might take a little more thought than doing all petunias but who knows you might like it better....See Morecalliope
12 years agofranknjim
12 years agorhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
12 years agocalliope
12 years ago
Related Stories
WINDOW TREATMENTSGive Your Windows a Wave
Try ripplefold draperies for a fluid look that's fabulous on tall windows
Full StoryARCHITECTURERoots of Style: The 3 Waves of Italian Renaissance
The 15th-century study of ancient Rome delivered an important 20th-century style that is seen again today
Full StoryDECORATING GUIDESCatch the Wave of Boats Indoors
Canoes, sailboats and even speedboats have been finding berths inside the house, and the result is a captivating new take on nautical style
Full StoryVINTAGE STYLECatch the Wave of Decorating With Vintage Swimsuits
Bathing suits have migrated from the beaches of yore to the walls of today, framed as art and artifacts
Full StoryFLOWERS AND PLANTSRuellia Humilis Thrives in Rock Gardens and Along Boulevards
Plant fringeleaf wild petunia in central U.S. gardens for its large lilac flowers, compact form and drought tolerance
Full StoryLANDSCAPE DESIGN15 Great Ideas for a Lawn-Free Yard
End the turf war for good with hardscaping, native grasses and ground covers that save water and are easier to maintain
Full StoryFLOWERS AND PLANTSPanicum Virgatum, a Prairie Beauty Many Gardeners Can Enjoy
Switchgrass adds color through the year and is a natural ‘seed feeder’ for birds
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDES5 Great Plants for Borders and Screens
Get the effects of a shrub but in less time — and drawing more winged pollinators — with these herbaceous perennials
Full StoryGARDENING AND LANDSCAPINGGreat Design Plant: Pacific Coast Iris
Plant this West Coast native for stunning, intricate blooms from January through May
Full StoryRED FOLIAGEGreat Design Plant: Japanese Blood Grass
This dramatic, ruby-tinged grass bridges the gap between red and green, short and tall plants
Full Story
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7