Monroe County town has gone pink, and locals wouldn’t have it any other way

MADISON, Mo. – Each spring and summer, Monroe County gardener Lorie Cullom transforms her property into a sea of vibrant pink blooms thanks to hundreds of Proven Winners Supertunia Vista Bubblegum petunias.

“I fell in love with them,” Cullom says. “They are so vibrant, easy to grow and bloom from spring until frost. Once I planted them, I was hooked.”

What began five years ago with just a few petunias has become an attraction that catches the eye of travelers on U.S Route 24 between Moberly and Paris. The flowers performed so well that Cullom added more each season.

To minimize weeding, she and her husband, Billy, started by planting the petunias in repurposed plastic icing containers from a local convenience store. As their flower display grew, they switched to using gutters, giving them more room to let the petunias spill and grow.

Today, the Culloms grow hundreds of Bubblegum petunias, investing $3 to $4 per plant when purchased locally. “It’s worth every penny,” Cullom says. “They not only bring so much joy to me, but to everyone who drives by.”

The flowers create a striking display that includes an old gas pump and a 1951 Ford truck converted into a planter. A ladder mounted in the truck bed adds height and visual interest, while a playhouse built in 2007 and a pergola by Lorie’s stepfather, Pat Whelan of Madison, reflect the entire family’s love of flowers.

Although the easy-care nature of Bubblegum petunias is certainly a bonus, it’s their vibrant color that truly captured Cullom’s heart. Their bright pink blooms are an instant attention-grabber, catching the eye of just about everyone who drives by.

The flowers thrive during Missouri’s summer heat, although they do need regular watering. Some are irrigated with drip lines, while others are watered by hand. Every Sunday morning, Cullom fertilizes and lightly trims the plants to keep them looking their best. “Honestly, it’s consistency with watering and fertilizing!” she says.

The Culloms enjoy watching visitors stop to admire the display, take photos and ask questions. “Billy and I enjoy making our home a place that people enjoy driving by,” Cullom says.

A mortuary school graduate, Lorie has worked at Agnew Funeral Home in Paris, Mo., for the past 26 years. She sees firsthand the meaningful role flowers can play throughout life’s celebrations and sorrows.

“I love that flowers have a way of making people smile, whether they’re celebrating something special, remembering a loved one or simply driving down the road,” she says.

New petunia varieties gain favor

Petunias are a favorite for gardeners, and new varieties are continually making waves throughout the petunia world, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.

The ‘Supertunia’ series, including Supertunia Vista Bubblegum, was probably the first of the vegetatively propagated petunias to hit the market. The series is part of the Proven Winners collection of plants. They are vigorous in growth habit and have  improved heat tolerance and an abundance of blooms.

“It must be noted, however, vegetatively propagated petunias usually are heavier feeders than common, and seed-propagated types and must be fertilized accordingly,” says Trinklein.

Some consider the ‘Surfinia’ series of petunia an improvement over the Supertunias in growth habit and ease of culture. Other companies have followed suit and, today, names like ‘Cascadia,’ ‘Sanguna’ and ‘Suncatcher’ are commonplace in the bedding plant world. Most are either trademarked or patented by their developers.

Trinklein says the outstanding, seed-propagated ‘Wave’ series of petunia provides spectacular garden performance, making them great choices for beds where a brilliant ground cover is desired. Unlike “regular” petunias, they flower freely all summer without the need to be trimmed. ‘Tidal Wave,’ ‘Easy Wavy,’ and ‘Shock Wave’ are relatively new additions to the series. Each has its own unique growth habit but all display superb garden performance

Petunias prefer full sun and perform well in a wide range of soil types. Best growth probably occurs in a well-drained, porous soil of medium fertility. A pH of between 6.0 and 6.5 along with high levels of phosphorus and potassium is ideal.

Soil porosity is important to facilitate the development of a vigorous root system and to help prevent root rots. To test for porosity, dig a hole 10-12 inches deep in your flower bed and fill it with water. The next day, fill the hole again and time to see how long it takes for the water to drain. If the water drains within 8 to 10 hours, the porosity of your soil should be adequate. If the soil takes longer to drain, incorporate organic matter to help establish greater porosity.

Before planting petunias, apply maintenance levels of fertilizer to the bed. Apply about 2 pounds per 100 square feet of a complete fertilizer such as 5-10-5 to the area to be planted. Make sure the fertilizer is well-incorporated into the soil before planting. An additional top-dressing during the summer of nitrogen in the form of ammonium nitrate at the rate of about 1 pound per 100 square feet is good. Water lightly after applying if rain is not forecast. This procedure might have to be repeated for the more vigorous and heavy-feeding vegetatively propagated petunias. “Plant vigor is a good barometer to measure fertilizer need,” says Trinklein.

Once established, petunias need little care during the growing season. Deadheading is not essential, but it does help to increase the attractive nature of the plants as well as to give increased flower production in certain cultivars.

If plants become excessively “leggy” and stop blooming, cut them back to a few inches from their base. Apply a top dressing of fertilizer at the rates given above. Petunias are relatively pest free. Root rot diseases and Botrytis are the major troublesome diseases, especially during wet weather or when plants are over-watered.

Their versatility, vibrant blooms and heat tolerance make petunias favorites for amateur and seasoned Missouri gardeners, says Trinklein.

Search the MU Extension website for numerous articles about petunias and their care.

Photos

Cullom 1065. Eye-catching, show-stopping Proven Winners Supertunia Vista Bubblegum petunias take center stage at the Madison, Missouri, home of Billy and Lorie Cullom. Photo by Linda Geist

Cullom 1066. From U.S. Route 24 at Madison, the home of Billy and Lorie Cullom attracts curious flower lovers who often stop to take photos of the Cullom home’s sea of pink. Photo by Linda Geist.

Lorie Cullom says Proven Winners Supertunia Vista Bubblegum petunias are her flower of choice to decorate her yard because of their vibrant color and easy care. Photo courtesy of Lori Cullom.