In an astonishing occurrence, all of my Superbells Pomegranate Punch calibrachoas came through the winter of the weekly polar vortex. OK, I’ll admit I did take some to the garage. Those in the heavy pots that I left outside have come through with an incredible display of beauty.

Superbells Pomegranate Punch is like the garden’s version of antioxidants gone wild. They are loaded with vitamin C, that being color for the garden. You’ll find them oozing with two strains of vitamin E, these being Energy and Excitement via the deepest red blooms you will ever grow.

Obviously, this is a humorous analogy with the word pomegranate, the poster depiction of healthy fruit and juice chock full of antioxidants that are said to assist you with many ailments. This I feel certain: Once you see those bouquet-like displays of dozens of red blooms you will feel like a million bucks.

Obviously, you eat pomegranate fruit or drink juice and NOT the calibrachoa flower. On the other hand, the Superbells Pomegranate Punch calibrachoas are frequented by various swallowtail butterflies and hummingbirds. Are they getting antioxidants? Probably not, but they are getting nectar for the day’s journey.

Superbells Pomegranate Punch calibrachoa is a bestseller and an award winner. It will reach about 12 inches tall with a 2-foot spread. I have a 14-inch small yellow bowl blooming on an iron table. It had Superbells Pomegranate and Grape Punch calibrachoas along with Superballs Yellow. My bride Jan loves it as a color of cheer and asked me why did they just name it Yellow?

I posted the photo on my Facebook page and numerous gardeners asked how many plants I had in the pot. The answer is three, one of each color. They are just like blooming thoroughbreds.

I love them with white flowers like Superbena Whiteout verbena and Snow Princess sweet alyssum. The intermingling, however, with Lemon Coral sedum will steal your heart. If there was ever a flower that could go monoculture or standalone it would be Superbells Pomegranate Punch calibrachoa with its commanding presence.

I have grown Superbells in beds but it is so much easier in containers, boxes and baskets. If you can visualize your raised bed as an 8-inch-tall horizontal container with a rich organic mix, then you will be on an easy street there too.

Every year I get a barrage of responses that say you can’t grow petunias and calibrachoas together because of different water requirements. In the South we water the containers every day unless it rains. On the hottest days we may have to water twice a day.

A container with good potting soil and excellent drainage is the great equalizer. Everybody needs water and everybody gets water. If you look at Proven Winners recipes for Superbells Pomegranate Punch you will see a lot of them feature Supertunia partners.

All this summertime watering means more feeding too. Many of us like to use water soluble mixes every two to three weeks. A lot of the commercial teams that water using 250-gallon tanks on trucks keep a dilute fertilizer mixed for the daily watering.

Your happiness with Superbells and Supertunias will require a little cutting back. You will notice the plants may open up, look a little tired and weak. Cutting back will encourage new growth and more blooms. You will head into fall doing the happy dance

You will be even more ecstatic if you shoot photos and post them on your social media accounts. I hope you will follow me on my Facebook page @NormanWinterTheGardenGuy for more photos and garden inspiration.

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(Norman Winter, horticulturist, garden speaker and author of “Tough-as-Nails Flowers for the South” and “Captivating Combinations: Color and Style in the Garden.” Follow him on Facebook @NormanWinterTheGardenGuy.)

(NOTE TO EDITORS: Norman Winter receives complimentary plants to review from the companies he covers.)

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