How to Make Patriotic Wave Petunia Planters for the Patriotic Holidays
Many garden centers make mixed planters of wave petunias of red, white, and purple and sell them for Memorial day and the Fourth of July. However, you can make your own patriotic wave petunia planters with some resources and a bit of planning. This article will expound on how to go about making the planters.
Materials needed:
Planter pot
Potting Soil
Petunia plants
Gravel for drainage (optional)
Start by procuring a fancy pot. Sources can include planter pots and pots from plants bought in the past. As the petunias will fall over the sides of the pot, you can use a normal pot and chances are nobody will notice what the flowers are in once they fall over the sides.
Place gravel or sand on the bottom of the pot for drainage. Although this is not necessary, it can save you on potting soil. Fill the remainder of the pot with a good potting soil; this can be bought at a garden center by the bag.
Next, plant the wave petunias. They can be bought in four inch or six inch pots at the garden center and are ready for planting. You will need red, white, and purple petunias; there currently are no blue wave petunias so the deep purple will have to suffice. Make sure to buy wave petunias rather than normal petunias, as wave petunias bloom better and need less deadheading. If the petunia trails over six inches or the tag says wave, then it is a wave petunia. If the petunia seems preoccupied with blooming rather than growing trailing or viney growth, it is probably a normal petunia.
Water the newly planted wave petunias and within a week or two, they will have grown into each other and naturalized, and your patriotic planter looks as good as the ones in the garden center and is ready for the Memorial Day or Fourth of July party. By putting your own planted together, you can usually save money as the materials are usually about three-fourths the cost of the finished planter.
If your objective is to save costs, first add up the costs of the materials and compare it to the cost of the finished product. Although garden centers usually charge more for the finished product, they sometimes offer it for less, either by means of a sale or through inconsistent pricing.