Most petunias are very rain-sensitive -- the flowers often get damaged
from rainfall but then grow back quickly. The are full-sun plants,
though, for the most part, so they might not be getting enough sun
where you've got them. Also, you say you are adding "a capful of
Miracle-Gro to the soil" -- is that directly to the soil (undiluted)?
If you are using the concentrate form, I would definitely stop doing
that. That stuff needs to be watered in using the correct dilution
rate.

Good luck -- hope this helps!

== pelirojaroja


Me Again wrote in message . ..
Hi all! Since buying a house about 6 months ago after living in
apartments for 10+ years, I've suddenly taken an interest in all
things green. I've planted some petunias of the Tidal Wave Cherry
kind beside the house and am having mixed results.

Probably within 2 days of first planting them, the flowers up and
died. Knowing next to nothing about how plants work, I considered
pulling the whole bit up but I'm glad I didn't. It turns out that the
leafy part was still alive, but the flowers had basically closed up
and shrivelled away as far as I can tell. About a week later, the
flowers were coming back and I thought great, maybe they'll start to
spread like I want 'em to. But no, about half a week later, those
flowers died, too.

This cycle has been repeating itself over and over since I first
planted the petunias about 2 months ago. What gives? Are they rain
sensitive? I've noticed the flowers tend to disappear after a rain.
Are they not getting enough sun? I planted them beside the house next
to the fence, they probably only see about 2-3 hours of sun per day at
most, the rest is shade. I don't think bugs are a culprit, there was
nothing growing in that plot of land for a good while before I put the
petunias and heather there. The soil is kind of 'clay-ish' but not
clay itself. I'm giving it some Miracle Gro plant food every 2 weeks,
one capful to the soil.

Or is this all normal and I'm not being patient enough?