Wave Petunia's

I live in the Chicago area and had a wave that was really flourishing. All of sudden it looks dry,spindly and sparse. I feed it every 2 weeks with miracle grow. Am I doing something wrong or is this the nature of the flower. Any help would be appreciated. I am new to this. This flower is not in the ground but in a pot. Thank You.

BeeSuite, Check the petunia for signs of aphids. I lost two hanging baskets before I realized that they were invested with aphids. Usually petunias are not bothered by aphids but with the cooler, wetter weather - - aphids are super bad this year.

If the plant had aphids, and they've left - - there will be signs of the white castings. Cut the plant back - - stray with an insecticide, and treat with TLC. I would suggest that you stop fertilizing and put the plant in full sun. I was able to save one petunia, as I caught the aphids before it was too late. But it took 2 weeks before it started to perk back up.

i have lots of petunias,Waves included in my pots. This year I have holes in the petals. This is a first. No aphids but what? Beesuite, Petunias are one of my favorite annuals because they are so beautiful with all summer blooms, assuming you deadhead regularly. In August I usually have to cut them back a bit as they tend to get leggy.

I know those little green cats love petunias and are hard to see. Try Bt on them. It takes care of them immediately and it is environmentally safe.

Speaking of `tunias....mine are blooming but they are not growing, they look all.......shrivled...the blooms are tiny too. I used miracle grow on them as well as mushroom composte.I have never had a problem growing them before.The same thing is going on with my squash too!.......anyone know what gives?....it hasnt been very sunny lately, alot of rain and pretty overcast......you think that's the problem?

no I don't know but it sure sounds like you have a problem. but those plants are fast growers and big bloomers. They should repond readily to MG. Could be the lack of sun. I just do not know. Sorry!

Petunias appreciate a bit of iron from time to time and like Miracid fertilize. We kept getting yellow leaves and small flowers on ours at the gh, and Flower Fields told us about the iron and also to use acid fertilize like Miracid.
Snails and slugs love them, so that could be what's eating your flowers.

Gosh Suzz, you just know too much! I will buy some miracid soon. And give them a pinch of iron! LOL

Two of 150 wave petunias got that dry sparse look. Since it's so near seasons end I thought those two plants were just finished.

The rest stayed nice for another couple weeks now I am starting to wonder. I checked for bugs and found nothing???.

I'm about to give up on petunias. I love to start them from seeds - the deep blues are my favorite. But the past two years they got Tobacco Bud Worms which destroyed them. Previously, they've survived year-round for me in hanging baskets. This year, as soon as they started getting eaten, the plants went brown and shrivelled and I just yanked them and let them go. :o(

BT was supposed to prevent the TBWs so I used it every 2 weeks - since we got them last year. Didn't work. :o(

Judith

butchpoodle, I have had a beatle of sorts but no Tab.Bud worm, I don't think. What is BT that you used? I love petunias. The new Waves are gorgeous!

BT is supposed to be a 'good bacteria' and you have to apply it every 10-14 days or something. We thought maybe because our hanging baskets were near the outside lights, moths were using them for breeding - the tobacco bud worm problem ... but this year we moved them away from the light(and we've moved to a whole new location!) - and still they ravished the blooms 'til I have up. :o(

SAFER, one of my favorite product lines, sells BT. I'm sure others do too. I wish it had done the trick for us!

:o) Judith

Please people....What's BT???
Also, do you know how to save my impatients? They've been attacked by mealy bugs? I've sprayed them 3 times already with a spray labeled for mealy bugs to no avail and now the little monsters are spreading to my jade plants. All of these are outdoors. HELP!

BT is Bacillus thruingiensis. It is great. One spray and no more cats.
Glad you brought this up again. I had forgotten all about Miracid for my petunias.

The only thing I know to use on them is Bayer Tree and Shrub, a systemic soil drench. LOL, I think I told you this on another thread

Kell: Thank you lots. I'm off the my gardening store. I've sprayed 2 gallons of alcohol (rubbing, that is) on my plants with the mealy bugs but I've got a bigger problem than this. Now I find them on a large Pink Puff shrub, on the Penta's and moving onto the Gardenias! Monsters.....MONSTERS I tell ya.

I have never been able to bring myself to spray alcohol on my plants!! Let me know if it works and none show back. Sounds like you have the perfect conditions for them.