The Wave Crew Wave Petunias | Cool Wave Pansies
Phyllis in Lanesville, Indiana, tackled her first Wave Petunia project this spring.
She’s filling a very wide planter box (51 x 12) and before she got started, she reached out to our experts for some advice. Here’s what our teammate Steven Engel had to share...
Phyllis' planter seen above.
“I would recommend Phyllis use our Easy Wave® Petunias, as they have the best color range AND work best in a planter with the dimensions she has. As far as number of plants, I suggest Phyllis plant them about 6-inches apart, and I would stagger them (vs. planting them in a straight line) in the container since it is a long container.
“In a 51-inch box, I would suggest 8 to 12 Easy Wave petunias. She could use a 6-pack or a larger 4-inch pot (depending what her local store has for sale). If Phyllis wants to achieve a faster fill-in, she could plant them closer together (then add an additional plant or two to help it mound and spill).
It's a good idea to stagger your plants as shown.
“As far as soil and fertilizer: The soil is going to be key when planting the petunias. In a container like this, I would mix a high-quality bag of potting soil and a bag of compost. This is a good consistency and help the plants root well. (Do not use “top soil”.)
“For feed/nutrition, add a slow-release fertilizer such as Osmocote when you plant the petunias, and incorporate it into the soil as you fill the bed. (Read the label for how much to use.) For the best success, Phyllis will want to use a fertilizer designed for blooming plants or something similar to a 14-14-14 formula. With the slow-release, some are a three-month feed and some are 6-month.”
Did you know? We have a Planting Calculator to assist in your gardening plans. Find out how many plants you’ll need to fill your space with this handy resource!
We also invite you to share your own customized projects and upload your photos at our Wave Fan Club Photo Showcase today. It’s that time of year, Happy Planting!