Plant Record

	Supertunia® Mini Silver
	Full sun	4 - 8
	Annual Petunia hybrid

Cultural/Growing Information

pH: A (5.5 - 5.8)

EC (2:1 Extraction Method): C (1.0 - 2.0)

Fertilization Recommendations: H (200-300 ppm)

Rooting Out: A (65-72°F or 18-22°C)

Growing On: A (55-65°F or 13-18°C)

Holding Temperature: A-B (40-50°F or 4-10°C)

Light Levels: High

Water Requirements: Moderate to Moist

Planting & Timing Information: Early Spring through Fall Finish. Standard PPP.

Finish Time 4-5": 4-6

Finish Time 6"/Gallon: 5-7

Finish Time 8": 7-9

Finish Time 10-12": 8-10

Pinching/Growth Regulators: For pots 6" and smaller pinch at transplanting only. For hanging baskets and pots larger than 6" soft pinch at planting and trim around pot just prior to hanging. 10-15 ppm Sumagic® or 1-3 ppm Bonzi® drench are effective at controlling growth. Apply as needed. Supertunia Minis may require higher rates of PGRs. Day Length neutral Supertunias will need less PGRs. Cold temperatures will also effectively control growth.

Pest and Disease Management: General pest and disease practices as listed in notes.

Grower Tips:

Grower Tips for Supertunia® -Requires high light in production. -Needs 250+ ppm fertilizer. -Watch pH and EC levels. -Mini Strawberry Pink Veined and all veined varieties are more sensitive to cold. Keep above 50º F. -Day-length neutral varieties need less PGRs. Cold temperatures also control growth. -yellow growth tips often indicate iron deficiency caused by high soil pH.

Special Notes: Mini Strawberry Pink Veined, Bordeaux and Mini Rose Veined are more sensitive to cold, keep above 50 F. Do not bring Supertunias in too early as they finish quickly. Many common problems with Supertunia can be avoided if proper crop timing and environment are provided. Bermuda Beach will have habit similar to Royal Velvet but with a smaller flower size.

Winter Flowering: Variety Specific, consult catalog for specific information

Spring Outdoor Finish?: A - First to go outside

	Supertunia® Mini Silver
	Full sun	4 - 8
	Annual Petunia hybrid

General Information

Description
The bestselling vegetative Petunias ever, the only thing better than 10 Supertunia varieties are two more. With their nonstop blooms, irresistible fragrance, and self-cleaning habit, these newest members of the family are destined for greatness in beds and containers from coast to coast.

Growing Tips
Self-cleaning no deadheading necessary, this is not necessarily true of all Petunias.

Late July and August is when plants should be at their best, but there is only one problem: The plants have run out of energy and the gardeners realize it too late to help the plants recover. This is especially true in raised containers and hanging baskets. Here is the best way to keep your Petunias in the Super category.

1. When you buy them in the spring, buy a slow release fertilizer to top dress the basket or container. If you plant your own basket, incorporate some of the slow release fertilizer in the soil as you plant. Follow the package directions.

2. In May fertilize with a water-soluble fertilizer once every two weeks. Mix up the fertilizer and water the plants just like you would if you were using clear water. It normally takes a good half of gallon of water
To really water a 10" wide basket or raised container.

3. In June as the weather starts to get warm to hot, fertilize weekly, again with a good soaking. If the weather turns really hot as it sometimes does in
Late June you may need to fertilize every third watering. By now the Supertunia is really growing and starting to tumble down from the basket or fill out across the flowerbed.

4. July is when the cutting back occurs. Around the 4th of July, (after your big party) get some of the slow release fertilizer that you bought in spring and re-apply across the top of the planter. At the same time, trim back
some of the longer branches just enough to bring the plant back in line with the bottom of the pot or basket. Don't remove too much at the maximum cut back 20% of the branches or 1 in five shoots. You can also just give it a general light trim. Your plant will be out of flower for a few days, but will come back stronger than ever. By now with July's heat you should be watering at least every other day and begin to fertilize every other watering. I know it sounds like a lot, but if you want a plant to grow like an elephant and be the most it can be, you got to feed it like an elephant!

5. August is, hot, humid, & sometimes with monsoons. Keep up the water and fertilizing, and again, if the plant starts to look straggly remove a few more branches but never more than 20% or give it a general trim as before.

6. It is September and the plants should still look good, start to back off the watering and the feed, but shape the basket with the last pruning of the season.

I know it sounds like a lot of work, but it really is a labor of love. I fertilize my baskets and my garden every time I water, and I water daily from mid July through August. I recently invested in the WaterWise irrigation system and let me tell you it really works. You will find that your Supertunias, along with all the rest of your plants will keep looking fantastic through September and perhaps with the luck of a gardener and a late frost maybe even into October.

Exposure
Full sun

Height
4-8"

Spacing
8-12"

Hardy Temp
30°F (-1°C)

Zone(s)
10

Uses
Plant alone or in combinations in all container types and landscapes

Features
Flowers all season; vigorous plants; low maintenance

Patent:
Petunia SUPERTUNIA® MINI SILVER 'Petwiblv' PP17247 Patented; 2594 Patented

Awards Won

2009 - Prairie Star
  -Kansas State University
2009 - Gold Medal
  -Champaign County Illinois Master Gardener Idea Garden
2009 - Top Performer
  -Kansas State University
2009 - Prairie Star
  -Kansas State University
2009 - Best Varieties
  -Penn State
2008 - Top 22
  -Mississippi State University
2008 - Top Performer in Ground
  -Kansas State University
2007 - Top Performer
  -Kansas State University
2007 - Top Pick
  -Cornell University
2006 - Top Performer
  -Michigan State University
2006 - Top Performers
  -City of Cedar Rapids
2006 - Best Varieties
  -Colorado State University
2006 - Top Consumer Rated Variety
  -Penn State
2006 - Superior Variety
  -Penn State
2006 - Best of Species
  -Penn State
2006 - Best of Show
  -Penn State
2005 - Gardener Selects
  -Penn State
2005 - Top Performer
  -Kansas State University
2005 - Way Hot 100
  -Garden Design
2004 - Best of 2004
  -Ohio State University - Columbus
2004 - Consumer Preferred Variety
  -Ohio State University - Columbus
2004 - Trial Coordinator Top Pick
  -Ohio State University - Columbus
2004 - Top Performers
  -Oklahoma State University Botanical Gardens
2004 - Top Performer
  -Missouri Botanic Garden