Springtime in Dixon: The petunias are planted

DIXON — Dixon’s trademark petunias were planted Friday morning, marking the start of spring for the community.

Eight volunteers from the Dixon in Bloom Committee filled 336 hanging pots with 20 petunias each – that’s 30 more pots and 294 more plants than in 2024. The petunias will spend about eight weeks growing at Nichols Greenhouse in Dixon before being hung up in the downtown area after Memorial Day on May 26, Shirley Vivian, a leader for the committee, said in an interview with Shaw Local.

“It’s gone really well today,” Vivian said. We’ve all been doing this for a long time, she added as she referred to the other volunteers.

Dixon in Bloom was formed in 2011 by Robin Canode, Shirley Vivian, Jan Matha, Terry Nichols and Bill Ost. The group was a “joining of forces” between the Rock River Garden Club, the beautification committee and the since-disbanded Dixon Area Garden Club.

Now, Vivian and Canode, chairwoman for Discover Dixon’s beautification committee, serve as the group’s leaders for the petunia project.

While the plants grow, volunteers will head back to the greenhouse several times to trim the petunia strands, a practice known as “pinching.” Pinching helps the plant to grow full and round rather than in long strands, she said.

In all, about 170 hours are spent on the petunias before they’re ready to be put on display, Canode said in a previous interview with Shaw Local.

All plants, baskets and hardware are bought through donations from individuals, Beautify Dixon and the Rock River Garden Club. Last year, the total costs added up to nearly $25,000, according to Canode.