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 My petunias have a sticky feel to the foliage. The blooms do not seem to grow as large or full as they should when this sticky feeling is on them. Is this a disease or a pest and what can I do?
Answer The National Garden Bureau has a thing or two to say about this sticky problem you post: 'Petunias have naturally sticky leaves and stems, so don't panic and think the condition is disease- or pest-related.'
Disappointing flowers on the other hand MIGHT be a problem. Since these are annuals and not the same ones you grew last year, you may have expectations for Petunias you have grown in the past but did not get this season. Really, who looks at the Petunia hybrid label before buying it? Would you know a difference?
Fact is, in the U.S., TRAILING Petunias are the best-sellers, topping the B&B Petunias list -- 'Bed-and-Basket' Petunias. People love to put them in baskets and hang them over the porch rail.
Behind them are the NON-trialing Petunias. These grow UP, 18 to 21 inches if unpruned. Perfect for pots. Their blooms are big, splashy, billowy pillows that sparkle in the sun. This is the old fashioned Petunia. If you grew these for years, and then one day switched to a best selling trailer that trades quantity for quality, style over substance, you would be disappointed. And there's nothing you can do about it. It's in the genes.
But let's say you have those old fashioned REAL Petunias, and you want the flowers to be at their best.
They need Sun. This plant is the defintition of full sun specimen.
Most people over-fertilize and over-water Petunias. You probably know how to care for these. Feed them a fertilizer LOW in Phosphorus (the middle number on the N-P-K breakdown), which in Petunias has the negative effect of actually blocking off Iron, Calcium and Magnesium, and you will get a bigger Petunia bang for your buck. This is fairly new Petunia chemistry you can add to your repertoire.
Remember to pinch, remove spent flowers and keep them stocky, and you'll enjoy big beautiful blooms thru October frosts.
