Wave Series Spreading
Petunias: Growing On to Finish
Detailed Ride the Wave Lighting Chart

Important Notes for Producing Top- Quality Wave Plants
-Wave petunias are long-day plants. See Growing On to Finish – Photoperiod/Light for specific details.
-Because of their very vigorous growth, Wave petunias require a higher rate of plant growth
regulators than standard petunias. See Growing On to Finish – Growth Regulators for specific details.
-Tips for finishing larger liners. See below.

Plug and Larger Liner Production
Refer to the separate Wave Spreading Petunias Plug and Liner Production Grower Facts for complete details.

Growing On to Finish from Plugs
Container Size
Containers should be 4.5-SVD (11-cm) or larger.
4.5 to 6-in. (11 to 15-cm) pots: 1 plant per pot.
10-in. (25-cm) baskets: 3 plants of Wave Purple,
Wave Pink Improved or Wave Misty Lilac, or 4 plants of Wave Blue, Wave Rose or Wave Lavender per basket.

Media
Use a well-drained, disease-free, soilless medium with a pH of 5.5 to 6.3 and a medium initial nutrient charge.

Temperature
Nights: 57 to 65°F (14 to 16°C)
Days: 61 to 75°F (16 to 18°C)
If properly acclimated, Wave petunias can tolerate temperatures several degrees below freezing.

Photoperiod/Light
NEW! Ride The Wave petunia lighting requirements vary by location, variety and production week. Refer to the Supplemental Lighting Chart on the following page. Light Easy Wave until February 15. Light Wave until March 15. Start long-day or night-interruption conditions at 5- leaf count or earlier. Continue long-days until plants have a minimum of 12 leaves or until proper natural daylength is reached. When producing Wave petunias early in the year when days are short, decrease crop times by continuing to use supplemental lighting. Day extension or night break (providing a 4-hour night interruption from 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.) are acceptable. Both HID and incandescent lights are equally effective for flower induction. For initiation, light levels of 10 f.c. (100 Lux) at 10 ft. (3 m) above plant canopy is recommended. However plants grown under incandescent lights will stretch more and need more PGRs to control plant size. Incandescent lights will also affect plant habit by causing shoots to be more upright than under short days, particularly for Wave Rose and Wave Misty Lilac. Plants will resume their normal spreading habit under natural light conditions in the garden. Keep light levels as high as possible while maintaining moderate temperatures. High light levels or PGR applications may cause white “splashes” or star patterns to appear on the blooms of Wave Misty Lilac.

Fertilizer
Wave petunias require more fertilizer than is usually recommended for petunias. For best results, apply a balanced fertilizer with every second or third irrigation of 300 ppm for all genetics. For light feeders, skip first application. To assure consumer satisfaction, an optional top dressing with slow-release fertilizer can be applied 10 days before shipping.

Growth Regulators
The following growth regulator schedule is used for growing on Wave petunias at the PanAmerican Seed Co. Elburn, Illinois (Midwest) research facility. This “recipe” results in 6-in. (15-cm) pots of heavily branched Wave plants with a spread of approximately 10 to 12 in. (25 to 30 cm) when flowering begins – the perfect look for point of sale. For Wave Rose and Wave Misty Lilac, the pots will be covered with blooms. For Wave Blue, Wave Pink Improved, Wave Purple and Wave Lavender, the first flowers will appear closer to the center of the pot.
6-In. (15-Cm) Pots Apply a B-Nine spray at 2,500 to 5,000 ppm 7 to 10 days after transplanting. Repeat 7 days later. Use a Bonzi drench one time (5 ppm for Wave Purple, Wave Misty Lilac and Wave Pink Improved; 2 ppm for Wave Lavender, Wave Rose and Wave Blue), 3 to 4 weeks after transplanting or when shoots have reached the edge of the pot. Follow with a Bonzi spray one time at 15 to 30 ppm one week later for additional control. Somewhat dry conditions during the finishing stage will also keep Wave petunias more compact; allow plants to wilt slightly between waterings. If plants are grown pot-tight, PGR applications must be done more often or at higher rates than plants that are spaced over time. High temperatures or a moist growing regime may also necessitate greater PGR application rates to produce the best product.

Hanging Baskets
Option 1: Apply a B-Nine spray at 3,000 to 5,000 ppm 7 and 10 days after transplanting. Repeat 7 days later. Use a Bonzi spray one time at 30 ppm, 3 to 4 weeks after transplanting. If necessary, a second Bonzi spray can be done.

Option 2: A Bonzi drench at 3 to 5 ppm may be used as an alternate application. Repeat Bonzi drench if holding plants longer than desired. B-Nine improves branching, but may delay flowering about 1 week. Bonzi does not appear to affect flower timing. Plants grow out of either plant growth regulator almost immediately after transplant to the landscape.
NOTE: Be sure to check local regulations regarding the use of plant growth regulators.

Common Problems
No major problems will occur if using good cultural and IPM practices.

Crop Scheduling
Sow to transplant (392-cell plug): 5 to 6 weeks
Transplant to flower:
Spring: 7 to 10 weeks under long days
Summer: 4 to 7 weeks under long days with high light and minimum night temp. of 65° F (18°C).

Total Crop Time:
Spring: 12 to 16 weeks
4.5-SVD (11-cm) pot 1 plant per pot 12-14 weeks
6-in. (15-cm) pot 1 plant per pot 12-14 weeks
10-in. (25-cm) basket 3-4 plants per basket 13-16 weeks
Summer: 9 to 13 weeks
4-in. (10-cm) pot 1 plant per pot 9-11 weeks
6-in.(15-cm) pot 1 plant per pot 9-11 weeks
10-in. (25-cm) basket 3-4 plants per basket 10-13 weeks
Wave Lavender, Wave Blue, Wave Misty Lilac and Wave Rose flower up to one week earlier than Wave Purple and Wave Pink Improved.

Growing On to Finish from Large Liners
Photoperiod
Natural day during Spring when daylength is longer than 11 hours.

Growth Regulators
One or more (if grown pot to pot) Bonzi 30 to 60 ppm spray based on temperature, weather conditions and cultural practice. All other environmental conditions follow the normal production.

Crop Scheduling
Sowing to transplant: 6 to 7 weeks for direct sowing; 7 to 9 weeks for transplant from small plug.
Transplant to flower: 5 to 6 weeks from 50-cell liner (1 more week for Wave Purple and Wave Pink Improved); 5 to 7 weeks from 72-cell liner (1 more week for Wave Purple and Wave Pink Improved).

Hanging Basket Tips
At the end of production, maintain fertilization and utilize PGRs. Do not eliminate fertilization to control growth just prior to shipping. Apply fertilizer at half rate and, to hold plant habit, utilize PGRs. Provide good air circulation at the plant level. This reduces potential for disease and die-off. Do not allow plants to wilt. Maintain moderate moisture levels. This will provide better plant performance and color in the center of the basket.

Handy Tips For Retailers
Be sure to ask your grower for Wave petunias in the easy-to-find Ride The Wave? Pink Pots!
Keep Wave plants fresh and healthy at point-of-sale:
-Display Wave petunias in filtered sunlight – in direct sun, the plants dry out quickly and require more frequent watering.
-Keep Wave petunias watered. The soil should never dry out completely.
-In the display, space Wave petunias with the leaves just touching between the plants.
-Feed the plants with a liquid fertilizer once a week at the ratio recommended on the label.
-Remind home gardeners that Wave petunias grow rapidly. These annuals can quickly fill in a square yard of garden space in just a few weeks.