are there drain holes ...

if so.. dampen some media ....

the fill pot with good potting media.. NOT DIRT ... and

insert plants.. roots down and water

do each bowl in a different manner.. and go from there ..

you seem to think there are rules for it all ... there arent ...

what i dont get.. is why you got two types of trailing plants ...

you might want to get a vertical plant for the center of each ...

good luck ..

ken

ps: if you dont want the plants to go too far outside the bowl ... then cut them off ...

Thanks-- Can't find what kind of petunia I have but this is the picture. Vinca has a sign saying "Titan".

"trailing plants"..yes that is the term. What kind of vertical plants would work here? I saw one called Zinnia, and it was vertical, but I didn't buy (too expensive.) Guess I should have.

I'll drill drain holes.

I looked up titan vinca and read that I have to space them 10-14".

Does this mean I plant one plant and then leave 10" and then plant another plant?

I only need about 5 plants to fill one 18" planter?

Not sure about vinca, since I don't grow it, but I put one petunia in a 10" pot, or an heirloom petunia in a larger pot. Three petunias in one window box, or two heirloom petunias. This year I'm growing some real scramblers, still seedlings now, but I'll put two or three of them in a 14" pot when I plant them. It's easy to overplant when they're still so small, but you certainly could to fill the pot up, and thin as they grow.

This is just personal taste, but if I had both vinca and petunia plants, I'd plant them separately.

OMG, I *thought* I should plant them as if I'm directly moving the whole bunch from a tray to a planter. That's why I bought a total of 144 plants thinking annuals planting is very expensive!
Now what do I do with the rest of 130 plants..haha

Another tray of Vincas I have is "Cooler". I managed to unknowingly pick up two different kinds.

I searched Cooler and Titan, and they both have the plant habit of being "Mounded, Upright". I also found that I don't have to water Vincas everyday.

I've decided to plant only Vincas on those planters and will find another place for the petunias. The label just says "Petunia" and nothing more..

Thanks for your help!

ttonk, you've missed the fact that these plants will all grow a great deal in quite a short time. Following the guidelines is usually a pretty good idea. You've got enough plants to fill a pretty large area.

I plant 5-6 petunias in a 10 - 12" hanging basket. I like them over flowing.

My petunias need more water and fertilizer than my vincas. My petunias decline before the vincas take off.
Vincas like heat; petunias not so much.

What do you do with the rest?
Is there anyway you can create some tiny mini beds? say 1 ft by 1 ft.
I always end up with too many plants since I grow from seed. But I stick one (or more) here and there. Different locations in my yard produce different results. Go ahead a crowd them in the ground; it's better than pitching them in the trash.
Problem is ground soil. If it is not good, the plants will survive, potentially, but not do their best. Plus all the work that comes with it, like daily watering.
If you do venture into mini garden spots, mix fertilizer into the soil first, say a tablespoon per hole and mix well before planting. One week after transplanting thoroughly drench with a water soluble fertilizer.
Last resort, call your local senior center and ask if you could give away your extra plants. Drop them off. They will be gone quickly. Bring them in plastic bags so not to leave dirt all over. Never bring a valuable tray or pot that you "will pick up later".
Good Luck,
Bob

This post was edited by bugbite on Wed, May 15, 13 at 9:51

Your in florida and therefore it is too hot for them. Up here petunias love the 95 degree summers we often see. Petunias and vincas can grow together. Vincas can tolerate petunias deva needs

Okay. Perhaps I could offer you a small planting plan? It is typical to plant closer together in pots than in the ground, but you still will have extra plants. We'll get to that in a minute.

As ken said, be sure you are planting in a good quality potting mix. The bag should say MIX, not soil. Fill your pot with soil leaving about an inch of empty pot space at the top so you'll have room to water.

Potting mixes usually have enough fertilizer in them to get your plants going, but it's a very good idea to add some more in the form of slow release fertilizer. Osmocote is the well known brand, but lots of stores like Walmart sell slow release fertilizers under off brands that are just fine. Sprinkle the recommended amount over the soil and then mix it in before you start planting. (Mix it just like when you are cooking. Use a trowel or your hands.)

Then, in your pot, put three vinca (plant whichever variety says it will be the highest in height) in the center in a triangle, about 3 to 4 inches apart. Then plant the petunias around the edge of the pot, about 4 inches apart from each other and from the vincas. When you are finished planting, give them a good watering and put them somewhere that they get at least half a day of sun. All day is beter.

To keep your pots looking their best, give them some liquid fertilizer every two weeks in addition to the slow release. Some kinds, but not all, would be Miracle Gro, Schultz, or the off brand copycats of Miracle Gro, etc.

As to your leftovers, you could plant them in your yard, or just take them back to the store for a refund.

Thank you all for detailed instructions!!!!!
You guys correctly sensed that I knew nothing! ;P

They'll be all in a spot with morning shade & afternoon full sun. I'll plant leftovers on my front mulch bed between boxwoods. Should I put the mulches back afterward or leave the potting/planting soil bare?

I also bought more planters but they are 16" deep. I read here that I can fill it up with plastic bottles or soda cans so that I can still lift it.

Those light conditions should be fine, as long as the plants are getting at least six hours of full sun. In your bed among boxwoods, pull the mulch back, plant, then push the mulch back, leaving about an inch of space around the crown (center stem) of the plants. If it's too close, it can cause rot.

You can use the soda can trick to decrease the volume of soil in the pot, AS LONG AS the plants you are putting inside don't need that deep of a root run. The flowers will be fine with 8 to 10 inches of soil. If you are planting tomatoes, say, you should fill it full of soil (and even that would be adeqaute for a patio sized tomato only).

Here is a patch of petunias I shoved together this year. Planted the Rainmaster petunia seeds close together; thinned to 3-4" apart; planned to do more thinning but just left it.
In comparison vinca seeds planted the same time are only 3" tall right now.
It is good that you bought plants; you will have a nice head start.
Now I am doing everything I can to keep them off the sidewalk.
Bob

This post was edited by bugbite on Thu, May 16, 13 at 18:12

teengardner (or anyone else in NY and above),
How many months is your growing cycle for petunias in your area, from time you plant the small plant to when you pull them?
Thanks

T he growing season for petunias starts during memorial day weekend and usuall end in early to mid october in the first frost. About 5 months

Thanks TG,
Mine is about the same, 5 months; Feb to late June. Although I had some go a lot later.
We now have variety called Laura Bush that goes all summer. Actually some of my others kept up with her and went late and self seeded.

Here is a link that might be useful: Laura Bush petunia

What an informative article, bugbite! I will be watching for this one next year! Petunias never last beyond June here either.

Hi Donna,
I got these from Wildseed Farms. Maybe the only place you can get them. They are inexpensive. Search for "laura".
It says "Blooming Period: April-First Frost " but when they self seed the following year they come up plentiful and early.
Want to see something beautiful, click the link below and sit and watch a minute as it shows the fields of flowers they grow. Keep watching past the tractor slides, also.
Bob

Here is a link that might be useful: Wildseed Farms

Lovely pictures!