Re: Gardens 2026
Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2026 6:36 pm
Experiment - crazy woman counting out loud in her garden holding a watering can. But it's so I can spend money wisely next year, that I've been counting petunia blooms in the mornings. All have had about the same soil, sun, water.
I'm pretty sure petunias won't be one I'll start from seed next year - they're hard seeds to start, seeds of the hybrids won't be true anyway, plus the plants are such a value at nurseries because one hybrid plant can end up looking like 3 or 4 seed-started ones.
Bloom counts mid-summer, per plant:
Cool Jazz's small bloom and faint lilac color gets lost among others, so, not a keeper
Hoopla purple with white edges get attention, but only about 5 blooms a day each, so... ..
Bordeau purple/white are down to 9 blooms per plant a day, but was best earlier in the year
Saffron Finch yellow, complete turnaround, averaging 20 small yellow blooms per plant per day
SuperCal dark pink (cross of Petunia with Calibrachoa) over 20 a day, largest blooms
Jazzberry purple has gone completely uncountable - 30-plus small blooms daily, lush plants
Bubble Gum pink is uncountable - 30-plus of second-largest blooms, has the butterflies' vote
Anyway, ya'll don't worry - I'm still sane I'm pretty sure.
I'm pretty sure petunias won't be one I'll start from seed next year - they're hard seeds to start, seeds of the hybrids won't be true anyway, plus the plants are such a value at nurseries because one hybrid plant can end up looking like 3 or 4 seed-started ones.
Bloom counts mid-summer, per plant:
Cool Jazz's small bloom and faint lilac color gets lost among others, so, not a keeper
Hoopla purple with white edges get attention, but only about 5 blooms a day each, so... ..
Bordeau purple/white are down to 9 blooms per plant a day, but was best earlier in the year
Saffron Finch yellow, complete turnaround, averaging 20 small yellow blooms per plant per day
SuperCal dark pink (cross of Petunia with Calibrachoa) over 20 a day, largest blooms
Jazzberry purple has gone completely uncountable - 30-plus small blooms daily, lush plants
Bubble Gum pink is uncountable - 30-plus of second-largest blooms, has the butterflies' vote
Anyway, ya'll don't worry - I'm still sane I'm pretty sure.