Dwarf zinnia planting and care. Zinnia: cultivation and care in the open field

Zinnia is flowering perennial, which in our latitudes is cultivated as annual plant. It is not capricious and is very easy to care for, so you can grow it yourself without any problems. And if you set out to decorate your backyard in the best possible way, then it would be far from superfluous to find out exactly how zinnia is planted and cared for in open field.

Zinnia can be bred in two ways, and whichever one you choose, it will not require much effort and time.

zinnia seeds

Most in a simple way planting is considered seed. And first, let's find out what zinnia seeds look like. They are of three types: in the form of shields, with a subulate tongue and spear-shaped.

On a note! It is worth noting that all three types of seeds can be found in one seed basket, and at the same time, plants belonging to different varieties! For this reason, it is better to decompose each species separately immediately after collection!

What kind of flowers can be obtained from certain seeds?

If the seed is in the form of a shield, then simple zinnias grow out of it, even if it was collected from double flower.
simple zinnia seeds
Spear-shaped seeds give semi-double or double plant species.
Semi-double and double zinnia seeds
From seeds with an awl-shaped tongue (they will be the darkest), you can get the most luxurious flowers - terry.
Terry zinnia seeds are usually located in the outer row of the basket

Undoubtedly, terry inflorescences are the most spectacular. However, it must be remembered here that they will become such only with proper care. If you are not sure that you can devote enough time to your zinnia, then in this case it is better to stop at semi-double or simple varieties. In addition, the latter are much less susceptible to diseases, relatively calmly endure the vagaries of the weather and forgive quite a few mistakes for novice growers.

Reproduction by seeds

So, if you decide to plant zinnia seeds in open ground, then you should remember that this requires a certain climate, and during severe long winters this method of reproduction is not suitable. Planting seeds immediately in open ground is possible with soft climatic conditions- if your personal plot is located in a warm region.

The procedure is as follows:

we sort out the seed, wrap the selected seeds in a wet piece of clean cloth and leave for a couple of days - we will plant those grains that will germinate during this time;
we dig the site, make small grooves, each with several holes, arranging them in such a way that there is a distance of at least 35 cm between them;
pour a few seeds (4-5 pcs.) into each hole, immerse them in the substrate by about 1 cm and sprinkle sand on top.

Sowing zinnia in the soil should be carried out in the first half of June - by this time the earth will warm up enough and the young shoots will not die

Growing seedlings

For the climatic conditions of our country, the most acceptable method of growing zinnia is seedling. So the plants take root better and begin to bloom much earlier.

So, planting zinnia by seedling method and caring for it is carried out in the following way:

we prepare the seeds according to the scheme described above - we wrap them with a wet towel and after a few days we select those that have sprouted;
fill small pots with moistened peat and place 2-3 seeds in each;
On a note! Sowing zinnia seeds for seedlings is best in April. If you do this earlier, then the seedlings may turn out to be too elongated, and, accordingly, the plants will be very fragile!
we fill the seeds with peat by about 1 cm and water a little;
we transfer the seedlings to a well-lit place, while the air temperature should be within + 22..24 ° C.

After the emergence of seedlings, we water them regularly and by the first decade (for the northern regions - by the last decade) of June, the seedlings will be completely ready for "relocation" to the soil

Preparatory measures before planting seedlings in open ground

In general, planting and caring for perennial zinnia special work do not constitute, however, before determining seedlings in open ground, it is necessary to carry out certain preparatory measures.

If you decide not to grow seedlings, but to purchase it in a store, then its choice should be approached wisely:

it is better to buy ready-made seedlings in agricultural firms or specialized points of sale;
preference should be given to plants that are planted singly;
seedlings should be strong, and their stems not too long;
buy those varieties that can grow and produce strong flowers in the climatic conditions of your particular area - exotic species may be too delicate and demanding.

Place to land

Zinnias are unpretentious, but, despite this, the site on which they will grow must meet certain requirements:

since the plant is thermophilic, it is desirable that the bed is located on sunny place, which at the same time will be protected from drafts;
it’s good if this site is located on a small hill - this will provide good drainage, and it is precisely such soils that zinnia prefers;
do not forget to focus on the planned picture - low-growing varieties look best in small flower beds, tall ones are usually planted singly or make group plantings, dwarf ones are suitable for balcony pots and will perfectly cope with the role of ground cover plants.

When planting zinnias, you can combine them with other flowers - this way the composition will turn out to be as colorful and expressive as possible.

Soil selection

As mentioned above, zinnia prefers to grow in well-drained soil - this way moisture will not stagnate and the plant will not rot. However, this is not the only condition:

the land must be fertile, saturated with nutrients;
it is better to give preference to a substrate with a neutral pH level;
before planting seedlings, the bed must be dug up by about 40 cm - this way you saturate the soil with oxygen and remove weeds;
while digging into the substrate, it is desirable to add compost or humus.

Advice! Site preparation is best done in the fall!

How to plant zinnia?

The technology for planting young seedlings is as follows:

Features of care

So, we figured out the planting of zinnia, now you should pay attention to the features of care. This flower definitely needs to be given some attention - this is the only way you will get profusely flowering plants that will become the best decoration your site.

Agricultural technology is simple.

Watering. Zinnia does not like excessive moisture, and therefore it should not be watered too often. Otherwise, the root system of plants will begin to rot and the flowers will simply die. Watering is done rarely, but at the same time regularly and in large portions. A stream of water should be directed under the root, trying not to touch the buds.
On a note! Zinnia tolerates drought much more calmly than waterlogging the soil. However, watering too rarely is not worth it, as the plant will begin to fade - the leaves will wilt, and the petals will lose their bright color!
Loosening. It also needs to be carried out regularly, while removing all weeds. Loosen the soil very carefully so as not to damage the stem. It is advisable to do this immediately after watering, so that the earth becomes lighter and does not retain moisture.
Mulching. This procedure helps to reduce the amount of loosening and significantly reduce the number of weeds. Dry peat is usually used as mulch.
Top dressing. By feeding zinnia throughout the entire growth period, you can achieve its maximum active and lush flowering. Fertilizers are applied a couple of times during the cultivation of seedlings. In this case it is better to use mineral supplements with reduced nitrogen levels. Adult plants are fertilized two more times during the growing season, with the first time - a month after planting in the ground. Here you can already apply complex fertilizers or a solution of manure. The second time, strengthened zinnias are fed in the bud formation phase.
Topping. This is done in order to get a lush branched bush. Some flower growers prefer to pinch zinnia at the seedling stage - when the fifth true leaf is formed. However, it is not at all necessary to rush in such a hurry - you can pinch the plant even after it is planted in open ground. If you have chosen tall varieties that are needed exclusively for cutting, you do not need to pinch them.

Pruning is to remove wilted buds and thanks to it, zinnia will be able to bloom even more abundantly.

Pest control

Zinnia is prone to diseases such as:

Spotting is a rather serious disease that is incurable. At the first sign of damage, damaged areas of the plant should be removed immediately. If the bush is completely damaged, it is dug up and destroyed.
Powdery mildew is the most common disease for zinnias. The main symptom is white spots on the leaves and stem. It is treated with fungicides, for example, Topaz.
Gray mold is another disease that can be cured with one of the fungicides. In this case, Fundazol is most often used.

When planting zinnias, you should not combine them with branched flowers, such as petunias, as they require a lot of light. The best neighbors will be carnations, asters or ageratums.
During prolonged downpours, bushes can strongly lean towards the ground, due to which the roots will break out from under it. To protect the plants, they must be tied to a trellis, and the substrate should be diluted with peat - so the water will penetrate much better.
Cut zinnias can stay fresh for up to a week. And in order to extend the life of the bouquet, it is recommended to dip its ends in hot water.

The beautiful zinnia was brought to Europe in the 18th century from Mexico, she immediately won the love of gardeners, and has been successfully using it to this day. Diversity colors amazing, shades from white to ivory, from lavender to bright crimson, as well as juicy red, and orange. For an even richer color variety, breeders have bred hybrid varieties of mixed, variegated colors.

Zinnia is an annual herbaceous plant of the Asteraceae family, with rounded, wide and narrow-leaved leaves, pointed towards the edge, covered with hard villi.

Bushes can be either erect or branched. The height of the plant ranges from 20 centimeters to one meter. The stalk of zinnia is quite powerful, covered with a hard pile, inflorescences in the form of single baskets. The flowers are from 3 to 15 centimeters in diameter, the arrangement of the petals is single-row in the form of a camomile, or tiled in the form of pompons, and semi-pompons with a convex core. They plant both seeds and seedlings in the ground, most importantly, the plant absolutely cannot withstand frost, so zinnia is planted in the ground only after the warm weather has settled.

Despite the fact that there are more than twenty varieties of zinnia, only four varieties are used by gardeners: graceful, thin-flowered, linearis and angustifolia.

Zinnia graceful has several subspecies very fond of gardeners.

pom pom group: low, compact bush about 55 centimeters in height, with very well developed lateral shoots having about four centimeters at the ends of the inflorescence. Blooms profusely, almost all flowers bloom at the same time. The flowering period is from July to the coldest.

Photo of pompon-shaped zinnia flowers:

Dahlia group: has a shrub with very branched stems covered with large round leaves, large inflorescences, separate from each other in the form of hemispheres of various colors.

Photo of dahlia zinnia:

Gorgeous and unusual dahlia zinnia Graceful Queen LIME

Group "Fantasy": medium-sized shrub framed by large foliage, loose inflorescence baskets reach 10 centimeters in diameter.

Photo of the Fantasia group:

Zinnia angustifolia: has oblong, elongated leaves pointed towards the ends, this variety mainly has smaller inflorescences with a diameter of up to six centimeters. Shrubs up to sixty centimeters high, fairly branched, but due to small foliage, not too voluminous.

Photo of narrow-leaved zinnia:

Zinnia thin-flowered: this small shrubs up to sixty centimeters high, having fragile stems and small inflorescences with a diameter of three to five centimeters.

Photo of zinnia thin-flowered:

Linearis: these are the shortest representatives of this variety, from 25 to 35 centimeters high, the stems are thick with small rounded leaves. Flower rosettes are small framed with an orange border around the edge of the petals. This variety of zinnia looks great on the border and in pots, in combination with petunias and marigolds.

Photo of zinnia Linearis:

Zinnia Linearis can be an alternative to daisies

Growing zinnia from seeds at home

Zinnia seeds are quite large, if the seed is fresh and of high quality, the first shoots will appear in 3-5 days, but if not very fresh, then the emergence of seedlings can be delayed up to 10 days. Sowing zinnia for seedlings is carried out about a month before planting in open ground (mid-April), if sown earlier, the seedlings will stretch and be too large, even possibly with already formed buds. Overgrown seedlings take root much worse, and can also be too damaged during planting, it will hurt for a long time, so you will have to wait longer for good flowering. The packages have detailed description growing zinnia from seeds, and when it is best to plant it in seedlings.

For sowing we need

Zinnia seed;
Capacity for seedlings with a height of 10 - 15 centimeters;
Universal primer or peat tablets;
Drainage;
Tools for work.

Pour drainage and soil into the prepared container (loose soil is required), the seeds are planted at a distance of 3-5 centimeters, since a large seed is deepened from 0.5 to 1.0 centimeters. It is this planting of zinnia for seedlings that will help to avoid picks, if sowed thicker, the plants will be thickened and stretched to the top, which will lead to weaker sprouts. Pour the soil well and cover with a film or glass. After germination, it is better to remove the film in order to avoid excessive waterlogging. It is also possible to plant seeds in separate peat tablets, which also facilitates the cultivation of seedlings, because when planting in open ground you will not have to injure root system plants. However, if, nevertheless, the seedlings are planted densely, upon reaching its ten centimeters, a pick is made into separate pots.

Tip: In order for the bush to be lush and bushy after the appearance of the fifth leaf, the top should be pinched, this will provoke the growth of additional branches.

Features of watering seedlings and lighting

Zinnia does not like constant moisture, this leads to rotting and fragility of the plant, and can also develop bacterial contamination of the soil, so watering should be moderate. Water only after the soil has dried with settled water. room temperature. Containers must have drainage holes to allow excess fluid to escape.

Zinnia is very photophilous, it is better to install boxes and containers on well-lit window sills, or put them under additional lighting.

Tip: Two weeks before planting, the seedlings begin to harden off by taking them out to the balcony or street, the hardening time is increased daily. Hardened seedlings adapt much faster after planting in open ground.

Seedling feeding

Basically, top dressing is not required, but if the soil is not new and is taken from the site, then it is better to feed the seedlings on the 10th day after germination with humus-based preparations (Gumaks, Ideal, Gumistar). Also, top dressing is carried out if the plants are weak, turn yellow and lag behind in growth.

You should not overfeed zinnia too much, so if the seedlings look good enough and are healthy, it is better not to feed.

Growing and when to plant zinnias from seed outdoors

You can plant zinnia on the street not only with seedlings, but also by sowing directly into the soil, this will save time and eliminate the hassle of seedlings. It has already been said earlier that zinnia is very thermophilic, therefore, sowing in open ground is carried out after frosts have passed, because a temperature drop of even one degree will destroy the plant. Zinnias are usually sown in mid-May, shoots will appear on the tenth day. This method of planting seeds will delay flowering for a couple of weeks, but you will not need to mess around with seedlings and hardening them.

Make grooves one centimeter deep, and sow the seeds at a distance of ten centimeters from each other. After germination and development of seedlings, you will see if thinning is needed or not. After each watering, the next day, it is advisable to loosen the ground to adequately provide the root system with oxygen.

Tip: Thinned seedlings should not be thrown away, they can be planted in places where there were poor shoots.

Planting and caring for zinnia in the open field

Choosing a place for planting zinnia

In order for zinnias to please the gardener, it is necessary to place a flower bed in a very well-lit area, even the sun is not so terrible for zinnias as shading. The more illuminated the flower bed, the brighter and more saturated the colors of the flowers will be, the buds are larger, and the branches are wider and stronger.
The soil must be well-drained and ventilated.
In order to prevent the soil from hardening after watering, it is better to mulch the ground around the seedlings. (you can lay small gravel on top, this will be an additional decor for the flower bed)
It is worth considering in advance the variety of zinnia, its location in the flower garden will depend on this. Tall varieties are planted in the center and near the fences, medium and undersized in combination with marigolds and look good along the edge of the flower garden and in the design of the border.

Landing in the ground

Now let's take a closer look at when and how to plant zinnias in the spring in open ground.

Since zinnia is a rather bushy plant, it needs a certain space, seedlings ready for planting are planted at a distance of 25 - 35 centimeters from each other, this technique will enable the zinnia to develop well and bush. Too densely planted seedlings will stretch and will not be able to gain enough green mass, respectively, flowering will be much weaker than on a developed shrub. It will also aggravate sufficient ventilation of the stems and root system, which can lead to diseases and decay of the lower part of the plant.

Tip: when planting seedlings, pinch the tip of the main root of the seedling, this will help increase the amount of root system.

Watering

Zinnia should be watered as it dries, in hot weather abundant watering every other day or two. In moderate heat, twice a week will be enough, watering from above over the foliage is better not to apply it can cause burns. Be sure to remember to loosen between waterings. Rare watering leads to burnout of foliage and flower color, as well as to faster wilting of inflorescences. Too frequent will result in decay, and oppression of the root system.

Fertilizer in the open field

It is quite enough to fertilize zinnia twice a season, it can be a mineral complex (superphosphate, potassium sulfate, nitrophoska), as well as organic top dressing in the form of solutions of diluted mullein, or rotten chicken manure directly under the bush. The first time is fertilized two weeks after planting the seedlings, the second one a month later. If the summer is too hot, it is better to feed the plant three times a season, with an interval of a month between top dressings.

Diseases and pests

Zinnia is rarely susceptible to disease, but still in very dry summers, it can be affected by powdery mildew, this disease causes a gray coating on leaves and flowers, subsequently inhibition of growth and wilting. To fight with powdery mildew you can use drugs "Topaz" and "Skor".

If the summer is very rainy, or you water the plant too often, the stems and foliage may appear gray rot, looks like a fluffy mold, spreads throughout the green part of the shrub. If you do not immediately respond, the plant will die. In the fight against gray rot, and various fungal diseases, such fungicides will help you: "Fundazol", "Maxim" or colloidal sulfur.

The main pests of zinnia are slugs and snails, eating the green part of the bushes worsens the healthy development and nutrition of the flower. You can fight both with chemicals ("Thunderstorm", "Meta"), and manually, collecting pests.

Tip: To reduce the number of slugs and snails on the site, it is recommended to scatter on the territory wood ash. This will not only reduce the number of pests, but is also a good mineral fertilizer.

At the beginning of summer, in rainy weather, aphids may appear on zinnia, this pest sucks the juice from plants, and with strong reproduction completely inhibits growth and vegetation. For destruction, such drugs are used - "Fitoverm", "Aktara". As soon as you see aphids on zinnias, or on other plants in the neighborhood, it is best to apply treatment immediately.

Seed harvesting

Having chosen the desired varieties of zinnia, you must:

Mark the bush with a ribbon or thread corresponding to the color of the flower.
Leave no more than five buds on the bush, subsequently cut off the newly formed ones.
After the start of flowering, wait 1.5 - 2 months until the seed box is fully ripe.
If the weather is damp, you can dry the seed box indoors by putting it in a warm, dry place.
After complete drying, gut the box, select the fullest seeds located closer to the core. Most best seeds trihedral and awl-shaped.
Be sure to label the seed bags, then you do not have to puzzle over what kind of variety and type it is.

The zinnia seed retains its germination capacity for 3-4 years. Store seeds in a dry place in paper bags.

Making flower beds with zinnias

Zinnias will fit perfectly into any flower bed, the design of the alpine slides, looks great in pots and garden beds. Zinnia makes a wonderful color contrast against a hop-covered hedge. Undersized varieties red and orange shades go well in a bouquet with snapdragon, ageratum, and marigolds.

Higher varieties look beautiful with cosmea and rudbeckia. And framing tall dahlias will further emphasize the center of the flower garden.

To achieve a multi-colored carousel in the flower garden, best solution there will be a mixture of young annuals with mature perennials.

If you want to make your flower bed unique and bright, be sure to plant this beautiful flower. Juicy colors, unpretentiousness in breeding and care will leave the most favorable impressions of zinnia.

Variants of zinnia in the garden photo design flower beds:

Thyme or thyme? Or maybe thyme or Bogorodskaya grass? How right? And it’s right in every way, because under these names the same plant “passes”, more precisely, one genus of plants from the Lamiaceae family. There are many other popular names associated with the amazing property of this shrub to highlight a large number of aromatic substances. Growing thyme and its use in garden design and cooking will be discussed in this article.

Favorite Saintpaulias have not only a special appearance, but also a very specific character. Growing this plant bears little resemblance to the classic care of indoor crops. And even relatives of the Uzambara violets from among the Gesnerievs require a slightly different approach. Watering is often called the "weirdest" care item for violets, which prefer non-standard watering to the classic method. But you will have to change the approach in fertilizing with fertilizers.

Useful, hardy, unpretentious and easy to grow marigolds are irreplaceable. These letniki have long moved from city flower beds and classic flower beds to original compositions, decorated the beds and potted gardens. Marigolds with their easily recognizable yellow-orange-brown colors and even more inimitable aromas today are able to pleasantly surprise with their diversity. Firstly, among the marigolds there are both tall and miniature plants.

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Biscuit cake with chocolate cream - light, fluffy and airy, with a delicate fondant cream based on powdered milk, cocoa and cream. It will take very little time to prepare this dessert, and the products are simple, inexpensive and affordable. Homemade cakes for evening tea are pleasant and cozy moments of life that any hostess can organize for her family or friends. Coconut flakes can be substituted for toasted walnuts in this recipe.

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People began to grow crocuses 500 years before the advent of our era. Although the presence of these flowers in the garden is fleeting, we always look forward to the return of the heralds of spring in next year. Crocuses - one of the earliest primroses, whose flowering begins as soon as the snow melts. However, the timing of flowering may vary depending on the species and varieties. This article focuses on the earliest varieties of crocuses that bloom in late March and early April.

Shchi from early young cabbage in beef broth is hearty, fragrant and easy to prepare. In this recipe, you will learn how to cook delicious beef broth and cook light cabbage soup with this broth. Early cabbage cooks quickly, so it is placed in the pan at the same time as the rest of the vegetables, unlike autumn cabbage, which takes a little longer to cook. Ready cabbage soup can be stored in the refrigerator for several days. Real cabbage soup is tastier than freshly cooked.

Blueberries - a rare promising berry culture in the gardens. Blueberries are a source of biologically active substances and vitamins, have antiscorbutic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, tonic properties. Berries contain vitamins C, E, A, flavonoids, anthocyanins, trace elements - zinc, selenium, copper, manganese, as well as plant hormones - phytoestrogens. The taste of blueberries resembles a mixture of grapes and blueberries.

Looking at the variety of varieties of tomatoes, it is difficult not to get confused - the choice is very wide today. Even experienced gardeners he is annoying sometimes! However, it is not so difficult to understand the basics of selecting varieties “for yourself”. The main thing is to understand the peculiarities of culture and start experimenting. One of the easiest tomato groups to grow are varieties and hybrids with limited growth. They have always been appreciated by those gardeners who do not have much time and energy to care for the beds.

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Zinnias - varieties, planting and care

Zinnia is a representative of the Astrov family, which came to us from Central America and Mexico. Bright, eye-catching inflorescences, different forms and size of flowers, the possibility of cultivation in the middle lane and Siberia, make zinnia universal flower and a permanent inhabitant of our garden plots.

Choosing a place and soil for planting

As for any other culture, creating best conditions for growth and development, you can get the desired result. In this case, it is abundant, colorful and long flowering. What conditions do the “bright beauty” need for normal development?

Temperature regime. Zinnia is a sissy, she loves warmth, and comfortable temperatures are + 22–26⁰C.
Lighting. A plant needs a lot to develop. sunlight and space, then her flowers will be “sunny”.
Air humidity. Not prevent drip irrigation(sprinkling) or spraying.
Soil composition. Soddy soil is suitable with the addition of leafy soil and peat.

This annual plant can be grown not only "in the open air", but also in room culture. Most flowers on it from mid-summer to early autumn period. Looks good in cut. From it form multi-colored bouquets.

Need to know: The tops of the leaves may dry out, becoming dark. This is a sign of a lack of moisture in the soil or air. It is necessary to shade the plant and increase watering.

Groups, types and varieties of zinnias

Zinnia Benariz Giants (Benary's Giants Series)

Only two are known decorative species- this zinnia graceful And zinnia angustifolia. They are the "progenitors" of the variety of varieties successfully grown today.

Zinnia is elegant. The species name contains the essence of the plant: it is truly elegant. An upright stem with dark green foliage and pubescence is crowned with an inflorescence-basket. The flowers are reed, the color scheme is diverse. Flowering is long and abundant.
Zinnia narrow-leaved. An upright plant that is characterized by branched bushes and elongated leaves. Inflorescences do not differ large sizes and variety of colors. The flowers are bright orange, simple or semi-double.

This is interesting: Americans adore this flower for its bright color, for its ability to endure intense heat. The largest number of varieties obtained "overseas".

garden classification

Height grow zinnias high(60–95 cm), medium(35–50 cm) and low or dwarf(no more than 30 cm). Tall varieties are taken for cutting, they are too large for flower beds. Medium varieties are universal. Both in the cut and in the flower garden look advantageous. Dwarfs form a multi-colored carpet in flowerbeds, flower beds, flowerpots, balcony boxes. Dwarf zinnias planted in small groups look good. In the colors of the inflorescences - all the colors of the rainbow and their shades.
- Tall, among which the varieties of the Benary's Giants Series have the largest inflorescence. Their flower baskets are painted in different colors.
- Medium, the most versatile: Little Red Riding Hood, Thumbelina.
- Undersized varieties These are Magellan, Peter Pan, Swizzle, Zinnita and others.
- This is interesting: Low-growing varieties can be dug up during the onset of frost, and brought into the apartment with a clod of earth, planted in pots. They will bloom for a few more weeks.
Zinnias are classified according to the structure of inflorescences and the shape of flowers: chrysanthemum flowers, dahlia flowers, gaillardia flowers, scabiose flowers, pompoms, fantasy.
In our middle lane, pompom and dahlia-colored forms are better known. There are fewer representatives of the fantasy group.
- dahlias have double, hemispherical inflorescences. They are represented by varieties: Violet (Violett), Crimson Monarch (Crimson Monarch), Purple Prince (Purple Prinse), etc.
- Pompoms varieties are quite compact. The inflorescences are not very large, but dense and terry. Flowering is lush. Representatives: Rotkopchen, Tom-Thumb, Thumbelina - (variety mixture).
- Fantasy attract spherical, compact bushes. The inflorescences are loose, curly, differ in a variety of shapes and colors. The petals are wrapped in a tube, curved. A variety that has just appeared on sale is the New Attraction. From already fallen in love: Fantasy, Gift.

The remaining groups in our country are not widely used.

Zinnia Profusion F1 (Profusion F1)

Need to know: Modern breeding novelties are hybrids created by crossing elegant zinnia and narrow-leaved zinnia. This is the Profusion F1 (Profusion F1) series, which is characterized by compact bushes with small baskets. The flowers are orange, cherry and white. Resistant to rain and cold.

Planting zinnia

Seeds at american beauty» oblong, large. They rise quickly. Therefore, in warm regions, seeds are sown in open ground, and the flower culture has enough time to grow and form. And for middle lane planting seedlings is preferable, otherwise flowering plants will “leave under the snow”.

Planting seeds

This is the easiest way, because the flower sprouts quickly and without problems in open ground. Sowing is carried out at about mid May when there are no more frosts. Zinnia picks up growth faster, as it grows in a permanent place.

We create a nutritious soil composition with neutral acidity. We dig up the site, introducing humus, compost, leafy soil. The earth mixture should be soft, loose, well pass moisture.
It is desirable to determine the site in a sunny, open space, closed from strong winds.
You can sow seeds in a flower bed in a circle or in a checkerboard pattern.
Focus on certain varieties by choosing color and height. In the center, you can plant medium-sized plants, and along the edge - undersized.
You need to sow to a depth of no more than 1 cm. This is the best depth for germination.
The distance between the seeds is 10 cm. If they sprout densely, then you can thin out. And the small sprouts that we reject are transplanted to another place.

Water, loosen, weed and wait for your flower bed to light up with multi-color paints.

Planting seedlings

Since the seeds germinate quickly, sowing them earlier second half of April doesn't make sense. They quickly gain height, stretch, break easily. Besides, mature plant takes root much more difficult.

Choose a planting container at least 10 cm deep. Fill in peat soil (available at the garden center).
We deepen the seeds by 1 cm through 2-3 cm from each other. We moisturize.
The container must be covered with a film so that the moisture does not evaporate quickly. The film must be removed at least once a day to ventilate the soil, otherwise it may become moldy.
Seedlings appear on the 3-4th day. The film should be removed and watering should be carried out. The soil must be evenly moistened.
Ten-centimeter sprouts can be dived into separate pots. Picking is pinching the tip of the root so that the root of a small zinnia is better branched.
Seedlings can be buried. New roots will soon appear on the bottom of the shoots.
We plant seedlings in open ground, keeping a distance of ½ m. These flowers love space. Dense plantings bloom not so abundantly, and they do not look so interesting.
Humus and wood ash can be added to the planting holes, and watered thoroughly before planting.

Attention! Zinnias are not frost-hardy: planting seedlings should be planned when the threat of a return frost has passed.

Care

Knowing biological features representative of the aster family, care for flower culture easy to implement. It's regular watering. You need to water, but in moderation. It is undesirable to create waterlogging. In case of prolonged dry weather, increase watering.

Zinnias are responsive to additional nutrition, therefore top dressing it is recommended to carry out 2-3 times per season, using complex flower fertilizers.

So that the plant does not grow up, but rather bushes, it is possible pinching top escape. This good reception in the event that on a discount or in a garden where an even row of plants was planned, they grew of different heights.

When rescheduling or transfers, zinnia can be easily moved to another place along with an earthy clod.

The rest of the care activities are traditional: cutting dry buds, loosening, weed control, soil mulching, thinning during thickened plantings.

Need to know: Flowering begins 2.5 months after sowing. Flowering of one basket lasts 35 days. Seed material for the next season can be collected 2 months after the start of flowering of the crop. Germination persists for 2-3 years.

Reproduction of zinnia

The only way to reproduce is seeds. The seeds are large and germinate quickly, so this method is quite convenient. They are sown in April in pots or boxes. When they sprout, you can plant them in separate pots.

In more southern regions, already young seedlings are planted in a flower bed or flowerpot (undersized forms). Up to three copies are planted in a flowerpot. In flowerbeds, group plantings are more often used, which look very impressive.

Seeds for next year can be collected by yourself, two months after the plants have faded. This does not apply to hybrid forms, from the seeds of which it is impossible to obtain the same plant. His varietal qualities will be much worse. Therefore, hybrid varieties need to be bought annually.

Pests and diseases

Zinnias are quite resistant to " uninvited guests". Moreover, among them there are many hybrid varieties: they are sturdy and strong. But the lack of care or rainy, cool summer creates the preconditions for plant diseases or pest damage.

Diseases	Manifestations, control measures
	In wet weather, downy mold appears on the leaves and stems. Infected leaves are destroyed, treated with colloidal sulfur, fungicides "Fundazol", "Maxim".
	A grayish-white bloom on a leaf blade is powdery mildew. She appears in dry weather. If a disease is detected, they are treated with Topaz, Vectra, Skor.
	brown spots various shapes, on which a velvety coating of fungal spores appears. For the fight, fungicides "Tsikhom", "Kuproksat", "Ordan" are used.
oidium	White mold on the leaves and damage to the peduncles are signs of this disease. Sprayed with colloidal sulfur or Ridomil solution.
Pests	Manifestations, control measures
earwigs	Adults and their larvae are classified as gnawing pests. Active at night. Prevention: digging the earth, destruction of plant residues. Extermination: use of infusion of wormwood, garlic. With a strong infection, Inta-Vir or Iskra will help.
miner fly larvae	Make moves in the leaf blade. It becomes like a sheet painted with white lines. The leaves are cut off and destroyed.
caterpillar scoop	They eat the roots. Seedlings are especially affected by them. The soil is carefully dug up and the caterpillars are collected.
aphid	Sucks juice from young shoots. With a strong "invasion" the plant withers. You can try to wash off the pest with a jet of water (it dies on the ground). Folk method: infusion of garlic + liquid soap + oil. Of the chemicals, Aktara helps.
slugs and snails	Leaves gnaw. After them, mucous tracks remain. Prevention: Keeping the site clean. Chemicals: anti-slug granules "Meta" and "Thunderstorm". Granules are dangerous for living organisms living on the site!

Video: zinnia cultivation and care

Zinnia is a flower that brings more beauty and joy to our lives. She gives us a whole rainbow of floral shades. And you can grow it at home, on a balcony or terrace, in a garden or in a flower bed. It does not require special care, but the return is a whole cloud of colors.

It is not difficult to grow zinnias in your garden if you follow some rules and recommendations for caring for the plant. And the variety of varieties will please anyone experienced florist. It remains only to stock up on seeds and decorate your garden with zinnias.

Hello friends. I want to tell you about one more beautiful plant, which decorates the garden with its bright and from summer to autumn it becomes even brighter and more magnificent. This plant is called zinnia, and in this article I will tell you how the planting is carried out, as well as what kind of care this plant needs, so that it will please you with its beauty for a very long time. This beauty can be found in almost any private house, it is used to decorate the streets of cities, it has been popular with flower growers for a very long time. It is not surprising, because zinnia is really a very beautiful flower.

Zinnia: planting and care

Before zinnias, you should know that the plant loves a lot of light and heat. It does not tolerate frost at all, which is why it is so important to choose the time and place of planting. In addition, the plant is demanding on the soil, and more precisely on its fertility and acidity. As for acidity, it should be neutral. And the fertility of the soil depends on how long and plentiful flowering will be.

If your soil is not fertile enough, then it must be fertilized and this is quite simple. It is enough, during the digging of the site selected for planting zinnia, to introduce a sufficient amount of humus and the necessary fertilizers into the soil. Of the fertilizers, superphosphate and potassium sulfate are most suitable, it is also recommended to add a little nitrophoska. It is enough to dig the site to a depth of 10 cm.

Growing and caring for zinnia

Zinnia is mainly grown seedling way. Favorable seed occurs at the end of March, beginning of April. If the seeds are good, large, then after planting, seedlings appear in about a week.

Planting zinnia seeds is no different from planting other flowers. First you need to prepare a box with earth, then the earth is moistened and seeds are planted. Seeds need to be deepened a little, or sprinkled on top with a small layer of sand or earth.

When the planting of the seeds is finished, the box must be covered with glass (or oilcloth) and placed in a warm and bright place. When shoots appear, the glass is removed. Zinnia seeds are large, therefore, they can be planted immediately in separate cups, or rarely sown, in which case, picking can be omitted. Seedlings are regularly watered.

In early June, you can plant seedlings in open ground, so you can protect the plants from frost.

Zinnia seeds can also be sown immediately in open ground and the best time for this is the beginning, mid-May. After the seeds are planted in open ground, the site must be covered to protect the crops from spring frosts.

Zinnia Care

As for, everything is just as simple here: weed removal, soil loosening, watering and fertilizing.

If everything is clear and simple with the removal of weeds and loosening the soil, then you need to be more careful with watering, since zinnia does not like waterlogging, but drought also negatively affects flowering.

For the season you need to spend 2 and even 3 top dressing. The first feeding is carried out until the buds begin to form. For this top dressing, you can use a solution of mullein, or bird droppings, or you can use purchased organic fertilizers, for example, "Effekton-C", dilute according to the instructions.

The second feeding is carried out when the budding period begins. This time fertilizer is applied to flowering plants eg Agricola.

Before carrying out any top dressing, you need to remove the weeds, loosen the ground and sprinkle wood ash around the flowers.

When the buds begin to open, the flowers can be treated with the Bud preparation (diluted according to the instructions).

Diseases of zinnia

Zinnia, like any plant, is susceptible to various diseases. It is often affected by diseases such as root and stem rot, fusarium wilt, dry rot of leaves, tops and stems, gray rot, powdery mildew.

Of the pests, various species, slugs and spider mites like to attack zinnia most of all.

Disease and pest control measures.

For any lesions of rot, you can use the drug "Hom", which must be diluted according to the instructions and treated with the plant.

When zinnia is affected by powdery mildew, the drug "Topaz" is used, it is also used according to the instructions.

Against aphids, cinnamon is treated with Iskra, and Fitoverm helps fight ticks.

Varieties of zinnia

Zinnia, like any plant, has many varieties. The most popular varieties are Magic Rose, Midget, Permint Stig, Haaga Chip and Dale.

Very beautiful variety"Magic rose", which reaches a height of 90 cm. This zinnia looks very elegant. Her flowers are huge, similar to dahlia flowers with a bright, pink-lilac color. Flowering begins in August and September.

Variety "Lilliput" is slightly smaller in height, reaches 45 cm. It blooms for a long time and profusely (from July to September). The flowers are also very beautiful, with different colors, similar to dahlias.

A very unusual variety "Peremint Stig". The plant itself grows up to 70 cm. Its flowers are very beautiful with strokes and strokes.

The variety "Haaga Chip and Dale" is also very beautiful, has bright, yellow, orange inflorescences with a yellow border. It blooms for a very long time from July until frost.

Of course, these are not all varieties of zinnia, there are many more of them, if you know about other varieties that are more beautiful, then write comments about them, it will be interesting for me and other readers to learn about them.

Well, that's all I wanted to write to you about zinnia, about how landing is carried out, how care is taken. I hope you found everything you needed in this article, if something is not clear to you, or you would like to add something, write everything in the comments, I will be glad to talk with you. If you are interested in the topic of floriculture and gardening, I recommend subscribing to blog updates. Well, that's all for today. Good luck!

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