| Blue
petunias are among the hottest plants at your
garden center this year, buy them when you see
them. |
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It’s
time to get your blues on -- and hurry. I am not
referring to music, but the most sought-after color in
the garden. Lime green or chartreuse is still hot from
the standpoint of foliage, which, by the way, acts as
the perfect foil for blue but lasts a little longer on
the shelf.
I’ve
been watching closely, and it seems any plant that is
blue, especially petunias, are flying off the shelves.
No offense to you Pink Wave petunias, it is the Blue
Wave that seems to always be down to the last three
plants whether they are at the big-box store or the
mom-and-pop independent garden center.
It’s
not just the Waves -- it is the same in virtually every
series. In the vegetatively propagated Suncatcher
series, which every gardener should try, it is the
riveting Midnight Blue that disappears off the shelf in
a nanosecond. If you find these, don’t dare walk to
the other side of aisle or you will miss out.
The
Sanguna series has always had some of the most stunning
blue petunias in the market and the Atomic Blue is
absolutely breathtaking. If you happen to be at a
progressive garden center that has these available don’t
even take your hand off the tray.
The
point is if you want blue petunias don’t hesitate.
When spring comes to your area and the day you see blue
petunias make that the day you buy. There is slim chance
that they will be there 3 days later. Then you will be
left with pink.
When
you get your petunias home, choose a site in full
sunlight for best performance. Prepare your beds by
incorporating 3 to 4 inches of organic matter and
fertilizer at the rate of 2 pounds per 100 square feet.
I prefer a slow release blend such as 12-6-6 with minor
nutrients, but that is just me.
Till
the organic matter and fertilizer to a depth of 8 to 10
inches or do what we did and bring in a load of a
prepared landscape mix. Plant them at the same depth
they are growing in in the container and remember to
space accordingly for variety. Remember one of the great
things about many of the Wave selections is their
spreading ability.
I
wanted blue petunias for the Columbus Botanical Garden,
and when they arrived at the garden center, I bought
them by the flat and held them at my house until the
beds were prepared. We are using them to give the
illusion of water in dry stream beds. In one area they
are actually planted running into the rocks, partnered
with Cuban Gold duranta bordering the stream. Nearby are
Black and Blue salvias and an abundance of butterfly and
hummingbird plants.
In
another are we are using them again like flowing water
but this time dropping off into a sunken wishing well.
The well is flanked by a red Abyssinian banana, several
dwarf curly topped papyrus and a couple of flats of the
flamboyant SunPatiens Compact Orange, New Guinea
impatiens.
Though
the beds are young in the season we are already getting
visitors to stop and take photographs and ask questions.
As pretty as the beds are I know it is the blue that is
catching their eye. It can happen in your garden, but
only if you get your blues on too.
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