I have that happening also. After taking a closer look at my shriveled up plants, I noticed that it had somehow gotten an injury at the base of the stem, as if it had been crushed, stepped on, ? .... I know I didn't do it, and just blamed the employees at Lowe's for hurting them. Now that you have posted though, I'm wondering if we just got a bad batch somehow?

Wave petunias need very good drainage, and are very susceptible to fungal problems/root rot if drainage is not good. At least, that's been my experience.

Wave petunias not only like sharp drainage, but poorish soil.

I've been doing some other reading on this and I'm beginning to think this is fungal-related.

I'm going to try a fungicide and see if that helps any.

It does seem that certain colors are more affected than others. In my case, it's the pale purple/pink ones that are getting attacked. I don't know if that species is just more susceptible, or just if those particular flats were exposed to the fungus or not.

The fungal problem can also strike the million bells, callibrachoe (or whatever they are called botanically), so don't overwater those babies either. Just learned that this weekend at BB.

I have found over the past several years that the original purple wave and the newer deep purple waves (royal purple) are much more vigorous than any of the whites or doubles (any color).
I won't buy anything except those two varieties. As far as regular or tidal wave, the tidal waves perform as well for me as the regular variety, but only in the "original" color.

"Wave petunias not only like sharp drainage, but poorish soil." Boy...mine should really go to town! But I've noticed the same die-off of some plants. I was just blaming it on my puppy who loves to dance in the flower beds.

By the way, all the Waves I planted last year came back this spring. And they are way stronger than the new ones I've put it.

I had some Purple Wave come back for 3 years that DH planted by the mailbox. The mailbox seemed like a death sentence for petunias -- very hot, dry (never watered), but they did beautifully!

I keep losing these darn things...one week they'll be healthy and going gang busters, then all of a sudden one (in a grouping of 5-6 that are doing great, will just start shriveling up.

I can't figure it out.

Do not know if the following will help anyone...but worth a try. First, it is important to begin treatment of fungus problems early when the plants are seedlings or just planted. Two suggestions to try:
1. Toss handfuls of cornmeal around the petunias and wet it down.
2. Do a 'search' on the Tomato and the Organic Forums for recent postings I have done on the "Aspirin Technique". Although I began using it on just tomatoes, I am finding it useful for controlling many plant problems.

If either of these work on your petunia problems, please post back so we all can learn.

I've grown 'Laura Bush' Petunias from seed sold by Wildseed Farms for the past 3 years. It's self-cleaning, fragrant, and showy with its magenta flowers.

I have, however, discovered someone else likes the plants because first thing in the morning I've find one or two plants broken off at the ground. One plant was even yanked out and had its little roots exposed. The culprit in my garden is rascally wabbits, I believe, but sprays have put an end to that.

Having the same problem with some of my Petunias.
I have some wave and some other kind. Some I got from lowe's this year and many are one's that have been comeing up on their own for years. I thought something must happen to their roots (maybe I keep the soil too wet). Most of my petunias are doing great.

Thanks for the posts everyone.

I can only guess it's a fungal problem due to poor drainage.

Here's what gets me though...the symptoms look exactly the same as wilting due to lack of water. With that in mind, sometimes when I water them at the sign of this, they perk back up, other times they continue on to their demise.

*If* I try waves again, I'll use a potting soil that drains better, if not partially sand. But, all of these are in well-draining pots anyway, so I dunno.

Well, I finally gave in and tried some Wave Petunias again this year.

Made sure that I put them in well-draining pots, or if in-ground that the soil was very well draining. Instead, I'm getting the exact same problem. It's hit or miss just like previous years. It's bizarre. At least HD has a good return policy, and I've learned to keep the pots these came in just for that reason.

This is very frustrating to me as I usually have very good luck with plantings...maybe not a "green thumb" but getting close to it. I thought these things were supposed to be easy?

How frustrating!!

I am still getting the best results from the Waves that reseeded and volunteered to come back - some are right spectacular! They really do seem to do best for me when they are growing out in the ground in full sun and poorish soil with extremely good drainage.

The 4 I bought for hanging baskets on the front porch look puny. In fact, I'm not sure they ARE Wave petunias as they behave just exactly as I remember plan old fashioned petunias doing - leggy growth, floppy flowers that fall off when it rains, constantly in need of deadheading. Can't say I'm all that pleased with 'em. In fact, next year I may go back to plain ol' petunias - more variety in color and they are less expensive.

Since Wave petunias are hybrids, are the ones that reseed for me (prolifically!) also Waves or are they reverting to a parent plant? They look just like the ones I bought and planted in 2004 and seem closer to the Wave description than do the new ones.

Yeah, Linda, it is very frustrating.

As for coming back, I have these in annual beds that I replace in the winter. So no chance of them coming back because I pull them up. If there is anything left to pull up! >:-)

I'm thinking maybe that they already had a fungus when I bought them from the store. Who really knows. I just think it's weird that these are supposed to be an easy, low-maintenance type of flowing annual and I'm having so much trouble with them.

Hi again Linda! Mrsig - I see you're in SC zone 8, too... I wanted to plant some of the Waves in containers but wasn't sure about how much sun they really needed... I've got mostly shade but some areas that get that super hot afternoon/late afternoon sun. The container I wanted to use got late, late sun and only 2-3 hours of it... I went with bocopa and ajuga which are doing really well (at least at this point!!)... I'm a bit of a novice gardener and haven't ever tried petunias - how much sun do they really need? I've got one more large container in a similar spot that still has pansies blooming, if that tells you anything... I'm sure they won't last much longer and I'd like to try the Waves. Thanks!

Claudia