Polk County Master Gardeners
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Zinnias
For me, zinnias are a nostalgia trip. My mother’s garden always had
zinnias of all sizes and colors. And there are lots to choose from.
Zinnias are native to the Southwest United States, Mexico and Central
America. They are available in sizes from 6 inches to 40 inches high; flowers
are single or double and range from 1 inch to 7 inches across; some are
single-colored and some multi-colored; the range of colors seems endless. In the
tiny bed I can see from my window are pink, orange, yellow, red, and lavender
blooms, many of which have bright yellow centers.
Zinnias are one of the easiest plants to start from seed, and you can start
them indoors or outside. If starting them directly in your garden, wait for warm
weather because they will not do much growing if the temperature falls below
about 50 degrees. If you start them indoors, try peat pots because they do not
care for being transplanted. These are sun-loving plants, so make sure their
home is not under a tree if you want them to be happy and colorful.
They need reasonable fertile, well-drained soil and good air circulation.
They are subject to mildew if kept damp too much of the time. Like most plants,
they will thrive in soil that has been amended with organic material - compost,
peat moss, or the like. A mulch around the roots will help to conserve moisture.
Zinnias do very well in a cutting garden as they make long-lasting cut
flowers. If you change the water every other day and snip a bit off the bottom
of the stem when you do so, they will last even longer. You may want to consider
a mid-summer sowing to extend the blooming season into the fall.
For bushier plants, pinch the tops when they are 4 to 6 inches high. After
the plants begin blooming, remove the faded blossoms frequently to keep the
flowers coming. The taller varieties may need staking to keep them upright.
Very few insects and diseases seriously bother zinnias, and if all that
ease-of-growing is not enough reason for you to add zinnias to your garden, the
butterflies love them.
So visit your local nursery for plants or seeds, cultivate your own nostalgia
trip, and revel in the flowers you can mass in your house.
By Barbara M. Tobias
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