AboutLong Island Gardener Expertise Decisions, decisions... If you can't make up your mind which Annuals to grow, you're not alone. Problem with your new flowering Annuals flats? I`ve been there, done that. Petunias, Sweet Alyssum, Larkspur, Marine Blue Lobelia -- they all grow here at my house on Garden Street on Long Island, N.Y.. Cutting and Cottage Gardens, Sun and Shade Gardens, White Gardens and Night Gardens, I`ve done them all. Annuals are the perfect summer flower, bursting with color June through fall's first frost. I can`t speak on Cactus or tender Tropical Plants -- they don`t grow outside in my Zone 7. I`m no Farmer, so I cannot guide you on Fruits and Vegetables. But whether it`s an Annual you want to start from seed, mail-order or pick up at your local garden center, I can help you grow amazing blooms this Summer. Yes, together, we can turn your neighbors green with envy.
Experience I have a lifetime of gardening behind me here on the North Shore of Long Island. While I have degrees in related fields, there's nothing like hands-on work to build real knowledge. I stay on top of current science -- there's a boom in research, and Kingdom Plantae is filled with surprises. By the way, I really do live on Garden Street.
Publications Gannett newspapers, The New York Times, and hundreds of others - but not on Annuals.
Education/Credentials B.A., botany; graduate credits in European Intellectual History and Political Science; minor coursework in related fields, docent training at our local botanical gardens (required for volunteers). I'm currently working on an advanced biochemistry degree.
Awards and Honors I could tell you, but then you'd know who I am.
Question I planted white and dark purple petunias in a big pot about 1 1/2 monthas ago.I think they are trailing petunias but I'm not sure.The white petunias are changing color, they coming out pale lavender or have lavender markings. What's going on?
Answer Color in flowers is a complex chemical mystery that yields new surprises every year. A scientist at the USDA explained some of the current work, including a reference to Petunias:
'A change in the acidity level of a cell or soil, for that matter, can trigger pigment color changes in certain flowers like Petunias and Morning Glories.'
Here's the full article, 'Cracking Nature's Color-Code for Flowers':
www.usna.usda.gov/Research/flowercolor.html
Now, I should also point out that especially with white Petunias, white petals tend to reflect surrounding color. Growing near trees more lush than they were a few months ago, surrounded by saturated lavenders and violets, your white Petunias may very well just appear to be changing color. Put them next to yellow Marigolds and you may see a different effect.
That said, you don't sound like you would be the kind of person who who already have looked under every stone to find the answer to this phenomenon before you wrote. If anyone is watching a soil-pH induced color alteration, it might be you.
Temperature also changes colors. With all this rain, planet Earth has been unseasonably cool this spring. When the temps start hitting the upper decibels you may see those whites looking whiter than ever. Watch. Let me know what happens.
