Zinnia is one of the most carefree and colored annuals you may grow . The plant life ’s blush are a pollinator favorite and make gorgeous cut peak .
Zinnia is an extremely toughened annual with varieties of many shape , sizing , and color . The plant ’s vivacious bloom are a pet among pollinators , such as hummingbirds , bee , and butterfly stroke , who love to hover around the blossom and drink their ambrosia . While marvellous old maid suit cottage andcutting gardens , the works ’s lower - growing , mounding , or scatter varieties work well in containers . Additionally , shorter cultivar are lower - maintenance than their taller twin , as they require less frequent deadheading . no matter of their meridian , zinnia plant life add graphic ocular appeal to any garden in demand of a bluff splash of color .
Where to Plant Zinnia
Tall old maid flower variety are perfect for the back of agarden borderor a cutting garden . gardener often grow clumps of several zinnia plant together for a stunning effect . unforesightful miscellanea have more of a mound appearing and are attractive front - of - the - border choice . disregarding of your chosen variety , plant zinnia in an area where it will receive full Dominicus . It can bloom in partial wraith but will produce fewer blooms and be more vulnerable to disease . Zinnia grows evenly well in a garden bed or a container , but the filth must be well - draining . If it is n’t , the flora will be susceptible to antecedent rot .
Zinnia ’s impregnable , recollective stem make the plant a fantastic candidate for cut flowers . Since old maid flower blooms come up in a rainbow of coloring material , they ’re enthral additions to floral arrangements . marvellous variety are particularly fantabulous for weakened bloom , with options like cactus- and quill feather - type blooms tout long , narrow flower petal and pom - pommy - type prime that front like little spheres .
How and When to Plant Zinnia
Zinnia are warm - weather annuals that do n’t like cold weather or inhuman dirt , so they should n’t be lay out or sown alfresco before the grunge warms in spring .
For an other starting , inseminate seedsindoors in pot meet with moist seed - starting admixture 4 to 6 weeks before thelast spring frost date . enshroud them with 1/4 column inch of soil and put them in a gay windowpane until they are ready to transplant . They burgeon forth in 7 - 10 daylight and should be at least 4 inches magniloquent before being transplanted outside . When working with zinnia , never cover the works by the stems — only by the rootball .
To successfully sow in seeds in a garden seam , await for warm atmospheric condition , then enshroud them with 1/4 in of soil . The seeds germinate in 7 - 10 days . Once the seedlings have grown to 2 inch tall , thin them to 8 to 24 inches apart , depending on the variety .
Peter Krumhardt.
Zinnia Care Tips
Zinnia is a relatively low - upkeep works when grow in its preferred conditions .
Light
Because the industrial plant start from prairie options , zinnia prefersfull sunshine . This environment nurtures the best salad days development and helps keep the plant dry .
Soil and Water
Native to grassland areas , established zinnia is a bad plant that plow drought well . However , young plants involve to develop in moist soil , so water deeply a few time a week , being careful not to overwater . Zinnia does n’t manage wet roots well .
Even though old maid flower grows best inwell - drained soilhigh in constitutional matter , it ’s broad of poor soils , including arduous clay . Amend poor dirt before planting for the skilful flower production .
Temperature and Humidity
Zinnia seed germinate between 70 ° F and 75 ° fluorine . After germination , the industrial plant ’s prefer daily temperature is 75 ° F to 85 ° farad , although 65 ° F at night is satisfactory . Zinnia is n’t fond of high humidity but will support it .
Fertilizer
In both garden bed and container configurations , zinnia benefits from a venereal infection of5 - 5 - 5 fertilizerwhen its flowers signifier . Fertilizer is particularly authoritative in container filled with a soilless potting medium . The periodic liquid fertilizer program helps zinnia bloom consistently throughout the growing season . In all cases , watch over the product instructions for the right quantity of fertilizer .
Pruning
Deadhead spent bloomsregularly to keep a tidy appearance and further additional zinnia bloom . To encourage branching and more flowers in tall varieties , twinge the growing tip from immature plant life . Note that pinched plant life will be short and may blossom afterwards . No extra pruning is need as zinnia is an annual that must be replanted every year .
Potting and Repotting
The short varieties of bedding zinnia are excellent container plants . Use a container at least 12 inch wide of the mark and 12 inches abstruse , and fill up it with well - draining garden grime enrich with compost . Sow a few seed outside in a container immediately after the conditions warms , thinning as needed later . Alternatively , go seeds indoors in a container , then move the container outside once the weather is warm enough . Avoid maturate the tallest zinnia types in pots .
Pests and Problems
One usual trouble with zinnia is ascendant rot , which is prevented by planting in full sun and not overwatering . When not planted in full sun , zinnias may also be afflicted by powdery mildew , which appear as a white powder on the plant ’s bottom leaf . While this pesky fungus probably wo n’t kill the flora , it does belittle their looker . The best control method for powdery mold is prevention ; calculate for resistant zinnia variety and calculate for plenty of flow of air space around the plant life .
Leaf spot and blight are two othercommon diseasesfound in zinnia . Similar to powdery mildew , these condition are because of kingdom Fungi . Control method acting are the same : Remove any junk from the base of the plants to keep them neat . to boot , Japanese beetleslove old maid . nurseryman have move around to beetle traps for years with mixed results . If there are just a few of these insects on your old maid , hired man - pick them off .
How to Propagate Zinnia
redeem old maid seeded player is an splendid manner to start next twelvemonth ’s flora . Zinniaseedsare often sold as mixes , so you do n’t have to worry about seedlings being identical to the parent plant . To reap your own seeds , get rid of the spent blooms from your zinnia and collect the small , arrowhead - shaped seeds from each petal by escape from the dried flower heads in a report bag . stash away the cum in a juiceless , fond area until the weather warms in spring .
Zinnia can also be propagated in water withcuttingsin about 3 to 4 weeks . In give , cut 4 to 6 inches from the steer of base and take away the leaves from the bottom one-half of the cuttings . Put the press cutting in a glass or jar with enough water to cover the bottom half of the cuttings , construct certain some leaf nodes are underwater . locate the container in a warm arena with bright brightness but not full sun . When a rootage structure acquire and the weather warms , transpose the Modern old maid to the garden .
Types of Zinnia
‘Benary’s Giant Orange’ Zinnia
Zinnia elegans’Benary ’s Giant Orange ' is an excellent cut flower with heavy , 4 - inch - wide , double orange efflorescence . This old maid flower assortment grow to 38 inches tall and 2 feet all-embracing .
‘Magellan Mix’ Zinnia
Zinnia elegans’Magellan Mix ' has double blossom in a wide range of a function of shades , include cherry , pinkish , yellow , orangish , and bloodless . It turn to 16 inches tall .
‘Parasol Mix’ Zinnia
Zinnia elegans’Parasol Mix ' gestate fully double , petal - filled flower in various spook . The industrial plant grows to 12 inches grandiloquent .
‘Cut and Come Again’ Zinnia
Zinnia elegans’Cut and total Again ' is especially free flowering and bears bivalent flowers in a range of bright colour on a 4 - foot - tall industrial plant .
‘Profusion White’ Zinnia
Zinniaelegans’Profusion White ' is an ahead of time - flowering selection with good disease resistance and bloodless flowers that flower all summer . It grow to 18 inch magniloquent and 10 in wide .
‘Scarlet Flame’ Zinnia
Zinniaelegans’Scarlet Flame ' offers twofold flushed efflorescence on a vigorous , 42 - inch - tall industrial plant .
‘Zahara Coral Rose’ Zinnia
Zinniamarylandica’Zahara Coral Rose ' gestate big efflorescence in a soft shadiness of pink . It ’s a disease - resistant , oestrus - bed plant that grow to 18 column inch magniloquent and wide-cut .
‘Zahara Starlight Rose’ Zinnia
Zinnia marylandica’Zahara Starlight Rose ' is a compact ( to 18 inch marvelous and wide ) , award - winning choice with bloodless blossom that have a discrete pink blush . It ’s very disease - resistant .
‘Zahara White’ Zinnia
Zinnia marylandica’Zahara White ' is a compact pick that grows to 18 inches tall and full with big bloodless bloom . It ’s a disease - resistant , heat - loving multifariousness .
‘Zahara Yellow’ Zinnia
Zinnia marylandica’Zahara Yellow ' produces magnanimous peak in a bright , sunny colour on a disease - tolerant , hotness - loving plant that grows to 18 inches tall and wide .
Zinnia Companion Plants
Spider Flower
Once temperature warm , spider flowersprouts to 4 feet or more , bud very quickly , and produces turgid egg of flowers with entrancing , long seedpods . The one-year typically ego - seeds prolifically , so you only have to institute it once . Because it develops surprisingly turgid thorns , it ’s best to keep spider flower aside from walkways . flora seedlings in springiness after all risk of hoar has passed . Spider flower does best in moderately rich , well - drained soil . Be careful about fertilizing , or you ’ll have extremely tall , floppy plants . Group wanderer flower plants in bunch of six or more for the skilful effect .
French Marigold
French marigoldproduces frilly flowers , and some boast a typical " crested heart . " The plant grows roughly 8 to 12 inches gamey with a bully increase drug abuse and graceful , disconsolate green foliage . Gallic marigold does good in full Dominicus with moist , well - drained soil and will bloom all summertime . The plant may reseed , returning year after year in spot where it ’s happy .
Salvia
Many garden have at least one variety ofsalviagrowing in them . All attract hummingbirds and are not bad weft for live , wry sites where you require stacks of colour all season . Most salvias do n’t like cool atmospheric condition , so plant them outdoors after all peril of Robert Lee Frost has croak .
Garden Plans for Zinnia
Butterfly Garden Plan
Thesebreathtaking flowersare resistless to butterflies . Blossoms offer up nectar to adult butterflies , while leafy foliation aliment the larva . Butterflies are sun - loving creature , as are the plants in this design , so be sure to site this garden where it will receive six or more hours of sun daily .
Hot Summer Garden Plan
Heat and humidness are no match for this red-hot - summertime garden architectural plan ! It features a intermixture ofannuals and perennialsthat flourish in steamy weather . Plus , their consistently blooming flower in colorful chromaticity seem to get shiny as temperature rise .
French Kitchen Garden Plan
Our French - style kitchen garden features a central diamond - regulate bed and four largerraised bedswithwide brick pathwaysrunning between them . The raised seam are fill up with amix of vegetables , herbs , and flowersthat are beautiful and bountiful . to boot , shrubs and perennials consist a hedge around the entire garden to complete the French - inspired design .
Frequently Asked Questions
Zinnia flush bloom in closely every color , with puritanical being the only spook the plant does n’t produce . Various hues of red , pinkish , blank , chicken , orangish , imperial , and even green are among zinnia ’s many blossom colouring material .
After they start flower , zinnia plants continue to flower until frost pop them . As yearbook , they die naturally after a year , even in region without frost .
Deadheading spent bloom or cutting the flowers for arrangements are two method for further old maid to produce more flowers and a bushier habit .
Credit: Graham Jimerson
Cut zinnia in the first light after the plant ’s blooming are fully open . Unlike many other prime , old maid do n’t continue to open after they are cut . Do n’t tailor open flowers too soon , though , or the fountainhead will wilt . Give the open blooms a wiggle examination — if the flower head sway on the stem , go out them in the garden for a while . If the flower is rigid on the theme , it ’s ready to abridge .
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Credit: King Au
Credit: Justin Hancock
Credit: Justin Hancock
Credit: Justin Hancock
Credit: Justin Hancock
Credit: Matthew Benson
Credit: Doug Hetherington
Credit: Illustration by Mavis Augustine Torke
Credit: Illustration by Mavis Augustine Torke
Credit: Illustration by Helen Smythe
