Petunias and I go back. Way back.
Long before I started my own plants in the potting shed in February, petunias were a staple in my parents’ garden. They were often planted in old tires that my father would cut, flip inside out, and paint white — instant, recycled planters.
Petunias were also in the lyric of a song my mother used to sing around the house: “I’m a lonely, little petunia in an onion patch.” I’m not sure if she ever sang the entire song, but the melody was way too chipper for a teary-eyed, solitary petunia in a planting of pungent bulbs.
Nevertheless, when it came time for a Florida garden, I had to decide if I wanted to continue with plants that I used in Zone 7a — or did I want to jump into the Zone 10b pool with both feet.
My first impulse was to go all-tropical — until I walked into a local nursery, filled with annuals for the mild months of a south Florida winter. While many of the tropicals were certainly exotic, there was something comforting — and perhaps even nostalgic — about the flowers I knew from New York.
Besides, I was curious to see how much these plants could tolerate before the Florida heat and humidity did them in. Could it be, I wondered, that plants I had known as annuals could now be perennials?
I began with New Guinea impatiens, now potted on either side of the rear door.
And then geraniums. I love geraniums. You really can’t go wrong with a geranium.
As I wandered through the rear of the nursery, I noticed a TLC section — and on the shelves were wave petunias for 25 cents. Let me say that again. Twenty-five cents — and all that was needed was water and some — well — some TLC.
Two came home with me that day, and I planted each in its own bowl shaped pot. I added water and kept them in a sheltered place until they were strong enough to leave my plant ICU.
It worked, and the stems and leaves stood taller and healthier and I moved them to a spot near the patio, overlooking the canal and where their little bells could spill over and fill an area around the base of a sundial. It was Long Island gardening in Fort Lauderdale.
Except for the iguanas.
Iguanas run free here. They’re an invasive species, most likely released by people who no longer wanted them as pets. Add a subtropical climate and a never-ending vegetarian food source, and you’ve got a population explosion.
I think of them as my reptilian squirrels.
When I placed my petunias in their new canal-side home, it was as if I had sounded the dinner bell. Salad was now being served. Bored with the abundant weeds in my lawn and the briny vegetation in the canal, the iguanas nibbled and noshed on each and every leaf and stem, reducing my petunias to ragged remains.
These iguanas, though, were slick — as if they knew they didn’t want to lose their sweet treat. Rather than chew the petunias into oblivion, they left just enough life in the plants for them to rebound. Left alone, the petunias returned once again from the brink. They were full and green and there were even some tightly wrapped blossoms nestled in deep.
I don’t know if it was a smell that only iguanas can sniff or if it was word of mouth among the creatures that live in and around the canal — but those rascally reptiles descended on my petunias as if the plants were an early-bird special.
My lonely, little petunias would have been better off in an onion patch.
I moved the pots back to my ICU, once again nursing them back to horticultural health. Fortunately for the petunias, the iguanas never explore beyond the backyard and the canal. My little plants were safe.
In time, I was I was able to discharge them and their pots to an iguana-free zone, also known as the front yard. Everything seemed fine until one of the petunias began to deteriorate. It was different this time. The leaves and stems were wilting, and the whole plant looked mushy.
At first I thought I had given the plant too much water, then not enough — but neither seemed to make sense. The other petunia looked amazing — and I cared for each equally.
Perhaps, I thought, it was bacterial — something in the pot. And then I wondered if this particular petunia had experienced one too many traumas. That’s what I was pondering as I gave the plant some water and moved it back to the ICU. As I lifted my poor petunia, it was closer to my nose and I smelled that odor.
To make a comparison, I smelled the healthier plant and inhaled the scent of fresh soil. Then back to the sicker plant — not fresh at all. It smelled as if I had traded my backyard iguana problem for a front yard feral cat problem.
There comes a time in every gardener’s life when he or she knows when it’s time to pull the plug on a plant that’s not going to make it. Despite my 25 cents and all of the TLC I could muster, this was that moment for my petunia.
Just like in that song, I now really do have a lonely, little petunia.
I try to keep it less lonely by moving my cheap-but-priceless plant to wherever I happen to be in the yard. It may not be in an onion patch, but it’s certainly under my ever-watchful eyes.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Man 
It sounds like your lonely little petunia would be better off in a hanging pot, far from the spraying cats and munching iguanas! However, I applaud you for nursing those 25 cent babies back to health. I can see Girlie smiling – she LOVED her petunias (and used to sing the same song when I was young!). Perhaps some red pepper flakes might deter those pesky critters from your yards! Good luck and I hope you can continue to enjoy your NY style plantings!
Hi Aunt Pat. Just getting caught up on my responses. I’ll give the red pepper flakes a try. That will either keep the iguanas away for I’ll learn that they’re a spicy species. 🙂
I loved how you described this “misadventure” to a tee! Love the new look on your blog, but I am noticing on my PC that the words are running into the photos. I will look on my I pad and give you a report from there. : ) Take my friend and eat healthy for your heart and soul! I am sure you do.
Hi Alesia. That’s odd about the appearance on your PC. I can’t even begin to figure that one out. If it continues, let me know and I’ll send an email to the WP gods for some advice. Happy travels! 🙂
I will face book you ! You aren’t on blog as much I see!
I’ve been off with the blog lately. Life has a way of doing that at times. 😀
I meant take care!!! MY typing is not keeping up with my brain….Imagine that….
🙂
The I pad version is good! Not sure why my PC is acting up. I plan to buy a new computer soon.
Don’t you just love technology? 🙂
Gets on my nerves! Lol
🙂
Sorry to hear all of this, animals can ruin a lot of plants ! Perhaps you can find ways to hang them or put them where the animals don’t come……have fun in your garden !
Hi Gwennie. So far, my only battle is with the iguanas — and they climb. So far, they rarely venture into the front yard — so that is my safe zone. I’ve also learned that they stay away from thick, leathery leaves. I’ve recently planted something called “Autograph Plant,” which fits the bill. More on that in a future post.
I never thought iguana’s could be so bad for the garden ! I thought they were insect and slugs eaters !
Gwennie. They’re primarily vegetarians. They might eat small insects — but they definitely like tender green leaves. A lot!
like rabbits then ! 😀
🙂
Hm, does that mean the Florida iguanas are the pest equivalent of the Long Island rabbits and/or deer? 😉
Hi Chatsworth Lady. Bingo! They are my reptilian deer. 🙂
I never realized zones were broken down further into alphabet subzones.
The healthy petunia is beautiful. Thanks for the flower pics–very much appreciated here in the Arctic
Hi Maria. I hope things are warming up for you — but each time I watch a forecast, it never seems to be happening. Oddly, zone 10 is having a bit of a heatwave, with March temperatures about five degrees above normal. As for the subzones, homeowners can even look around their yards for microclimates. Very often, there was one area of my LI garden where crocus would first appear — it was a sheltered and warm and the flowers were always a welcome sight. Be well!
Kevin, a question for you about your LI garden: was it south shore, north shore, or mid-island? 😉
Hi Chatsworth. The Long Island garden was smack dab in the middle, very close to one of the highest points on the Island. Hope this helps.
It’s always something, isn’t it? I applaud your will power for only purchasing two petunias. For that price, I would’ve been tempted to buy a couple more(which translates to twenty)
Brenda
Hi Brenda. Believe me — I looked through the whole rack, but most of the petunias were beyond a mere drink of water. I chose the two that I thought had the best chances of survival — and for that, the iguanas are quite satisfied. 🙂
I’d forgotten that song! I am quite impressed with your self-control. I would not have been able to hold myself to only two wave petunias for $0.24/ea. Two flats, perhaps, but not two plants. Even if Petunia Two didn’t make it, it got to have its day in the sun (ha! not intentional, but far too amusing to reword) because of you.
Reptilian squirrels…do they at least dig less?
Hi PD. I’m afraid that my reptilian squirrels dig, eat, climb, swim, and poop. I thought I could harvest that last item as fertilizer, but it’s not even good for that. They’re a nuisance. My only joy is watching them run — not exactly graceful. 🙂
Ha! Thank you for that amusing mental video. Our dog has learned that if he watches out the back door for squirrels and stands at alert when he sees one I’ll let him outside to chase them to the back fence. Then he does a proud dance…until the squirrels chastise him from the trees at which point he barks and presses the fence against the tree.
Hi PD. I have my own theory about squirrels. I believe they’re plotting for global domination. I applaud your dog’s efforts to fight for humanity. 🙂
Ha! Well he needs to make sure there’s someone around to make bacon grease and play tug of war.
I didn’t see that coming! Hail maybe, but not an invasive reptile attack….. You’ve done well though, even in the face of some extreme odds! Hopefully you can now see just how far a healthy petunia makes it into the Florida summer -assuming no more cat attacks.
Hi Bittster. If truth be told, I was hoping for a very cold snap to limit the iguana population. They’re an invasive species — and in this climate, they take over rapidly. Sadly, winter only lasted for about 48 hours here — not long enough to lower the population. Forecasters predict our next cold snap will be in December or January! It’s going to be a long, hot spring, summer, and fall — and iguanas love that.
Your lonely little petunia is lovely.
Hi Jean. Always great to hear from you. I’ve thought of you often during this winter of discontent. I hope the snow is starting to melt in your part of the world so you can begin to see some green.
Oh, no! Quite a funny story (I don’t hear too many ‘the roaming wild iguanas ate my plants’ stories), but poor petunia! I hope your other one makes it. When I was a kid, I had my own little garden made out of an old tire. I was allowed to pick four or five plants for it each summer, and I always chose one to be a petunia. A pretty, old-fashioned flower!
Hi Indie. Petunias do have that old-fashioned feel. We’ll see how long they last in zone 10. By the way, I applaud your tire garden (and your parents) — a great way to “plant” a love of gardening and nature in children.
Iguanas, heh? I have snails, back and front. They love everything and munch on it all. But their absolute favorite, I learned last year, is cilantro. I put out about 30 cilantro seedlings. By the next day I had stalks. The following day, the stalks were gone, too. I’ve learned not to grow cilantro.
Hi DK. Well, at least the snails have good taste. I know it’s disheartening when the pests beat us to the harvest. Perhaps, cilantro will grow indoors on a sunny sill. By the way, please check out my latest post on iguanas. They pulled a fast one on me!
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