One of the most colorful clusters of flowers in your garden could be your zinnias. Not only are they bright and beautiful, they're an easy flower for beginning gardeners to cultivate. Once they begin blooming, they don't stop till first frost.
"They remind many people of their grandmother's gardens. They have that nostalgia to them," said Barn Nursery manager Sara Melton.
Zinnias come in short and tall variations. Within each, there are many varieties, Ms. Melton said. The dwarf varieties are best for bedding plants, while the tall ones, best grown from seed, are ideal for cutting and making into colorful arrangements.
Here are five tips Ms. Melton offers for bringing brilliant color to your garden.
5 TIPS
1 Zinnias can get insect problems (aphids and spider mites) and fungal diseases (powdery mildew and black spot). To prevent problems, grow zinnias in full sun with plenty of air circulation. They don't like to be crowded.
2 It's best to water in the morning so the leaves dry out quickly in the sun. If watered in the evening, the leaves will stay wet all night and be more prone to fungal problems. If you notice any disease, spray with Sevin or Bayer 3-in-1. Leaves that are spotted or discolored can mean you have spider mites or leaf hoppers.
3 Zinnias bloom best in full sun. You also can encourage more blooms by pinching back young spindly seedlings to make them bushier and by removing spent blossoms. You want your plants to spend their energy making more flowers, not producing seed.
4 Zinnias are fast-growing plants and will bloom six to eight weeks after they are seeded. You can plant them all the way through July for blooms until frost.
5 Zinnias will grow in large containers but not well in small pots. Choose a pot at least 12 inches across for best results. Taller growing varieties, such as State Fair, need the largest pots.