Zany for Zinnias

Flower Seed Catalogs

Sun, 28 Jan 2007 10:17:50 GMT

Flower Seed Catalogs

Below is a list of various seed catalogs that I have used over the years. This is only a partial list and if you browse you'll find many many more. It is just that I am familiar with and have done business with these companies in the past.

BURPEE

BURPEES ZINNIA SELECTIONS

The Burpee company was founded in Philadelphia in 1876 by an 18 year-old with a passion for plants and animals and a mother willing to lend him $1000 dollars of "seed money" to get started in business. Within 25 years he had developed the largest, most progressive seed company in America. By 1915 we were mailing a million catalogues a year to America's gardeners.

HARRIS SEEDS

Since 1879, Harris Seeds has been providing gardeners the very best in flower seeds, vegetable seeds, plants and supplies. Today, we continue that dedication with our easy to use website. Welcome!

STOKES SEEDS

Welcome to our new e-commerce web site. Stokes Seeds is a distributor of flower, vegetable, herb and perennial seeds as well as many garden accessories to customers throughout North America. What makes Stokes Seeds unique is our focus on quality garden seed and extensive growing information. Unlike most other seed companies we sell to both home gardeners and commercial growers. This gives us the advantage that no order is too small or too big.

PARK SEEDS

Providing Gardeners with Vegetable Seeds, Perennial Seeds, Flower Seeds, & Seed Starters for the American Garden Since 1868.

GURNEY'S SEED & NURSERY CO.

Offering catalog and online ordering. From Yankton, South Dakota

Thompson and Morgan Seed Catalog

The history of horticulture in the UK is bench-marked with names that have become famous. Among the companies that have founded the country's seed industry a few names still survive, although their independence has been surrendered. Yet, as one of the oldest firms in the business, Thompson & Morgan retains both its identity and its reputation for innovation and quality. It all began in a small garden behind a baker's shop in Tavern Street, Ipswich, tended by William Thompson, the baker's son. He started work by helping his father but, stricken with ill-health, he began studying botany and passionately cultivated the garden at the back of the shop in Ipswich, Suffolk, England. He was soon to acquire the name of the 'baker botanist'. From the back garden he moved to a nursery at the edge of Ipswich and then to an even larger one. Eventually there were three Thompson nurseries in the town and William began to publish a magazine called 'The English Flower Garden'.

JOHNNY'S SEEDS

Visit our farm at Foss Hill Road in Albion, Maine, a farm community 10 miles east of Waterville, Maine.

Our trial fields are open to guests for self-guided tours from July through September.

NEW ENGLAND SEED COMPANY

Welcome to New England Seed Co./Carolina Seeds online store!
WHILE WE STRIVE TO MAKE THIS SITE A GREAT SHOPPING EXPERIENCE, PLEASE USE OUR SEARCH MENU ON THE LOWER LEFT IF YOU CANNOT FIND A VARIETY FROM OUR 2007 CATALOG EASILY!

Tags: Zinnia seed catologs, Burpee's Seeds, Park's Seeds, Gurney's Seeds, Harris Seeds, Stokes Seeds, Johnny;s Selected Seeds, Thompson and Morgan

Zinnia Pictures

Sun, 28 Jan 2007 02:22:53 GMT

Tags: Zinnia Pictures

Getting started growing Zinnias

Sun, 28 Jan 2007 01:53:16 GMT

Getting started growing Zinnias

From the days, years ago, when a little old lady tending a small roadside stand neat a tidy farmhouse invited me back to see her garden and gave me dozens of her favorite Youth-and-Old-Age (Zinnia elegans), I’ve never been without them and as many of the amazing new kinds as my garden will hold.

A large shovelful of plants the little farmwoman gave me to set out in my garden yet not one died. Every one grew to fill my garden with cheer the summer long—and my house, too, for the phrase cut-and-come-again and zinnias are synonymous.

Whether seeds are started indoors, for early bloom, or sown outdoors after danger of frost is past, they germinate, develop and become attractive plants almost by themselves. Many of them seem to need nothing more than full sun and good soil.

When a storm or an accident destroys something in the border or in other critical places, I do not despair as I always grow enough zinnias for such emergencies. Using a shovel, I lift plants and set them into bare spots, prepared and soaked with water beforehand. If zinnias are dug up with a ball of soil, large enough, they slow up hardly at all. Often my plants do not even wilt when transplanted this way.

I crowd some varieties together for certain effects, and get smaller blossoms,but always give tall varieties such as Luther Burbank, Giants of California, Giant Dahlia Flowered plenty of room. I pick off the first buds in order to induce plants to make finer flowers and find it profitable to disbud if I want large flowers or am thinking of entering flowers in shows or fairs. My method is to leave only one bud to a stem and, if the plant is bushy, to remove some of the side branches and all insignificant low ones. The fewer the buds, the more food selected ones get and the larger flowers they become.

One of the more interesting newer zinnias is Persian Carpet. Its smallish flowers, composed of pointed petals tipped or bordered with a contrasting color, come in rich yellows, browns, maroons and copper and bronze. Plants about a foot high make a showy display in masses or as edges.

Navajo, another fine variety for the garden and arrangements, grows about a foot high, too and produces shapely little double or semi-double flowers in vivid shades or lilac, crimson, orange and in yellow, pink or other pastel tints. Flower petals are long, narrow and enhanced by white or yellow tips.

If you’re not familiar with Zinnia linearis, you are missing something useful. Nicely branching dwarf plants produce quantities of single, deep orange-yellow blossoms decorated by light yellow stripe in the center of each petal. When decayed cow manure is mixed with soil around plants they become mounds of ruddy gold.

The Lilliput Zinnia

Lilliputs are desirable for many reasons. Their rotund little blooms look good with almost all other in arrangements and in the garden. Plants are 12 to 18 inches high, flower early in the summer and continue till frost. There’s a mixture available as well as named varieties in white, in light tones and in deep shades from a good clear rose-pink to a blackish maroon.

Creeping Zinnia

The Creeping Zinnia, not a zinnia at all but a sanvitalia, is a delightful subject for the rock garden. Given a dry location, plants practically care for themselves and produce a wealth of small double blooms. The old Red Riding Hood (Z. gracillima, horticulturally) is a pert, scarlet variety. Turned down petals of older blooms make them seem absurdly deep- and appealing- for their pygmy stems. This zinnia can be made to grow its diminutive flowers on a slope in gritty, sandy soil very much on the lean side.

A type that’s a hit in the garden and in arrangements is the Peppermint Stick strain which makes nicely formed, medium-sized striped flowers: red on a white ground; rose on yellow; orange on yellow; pink or purple on white. Not all flowers come true (that is, have stripes) but enough do to make a planting as merry as a circus. This strain and Z. linearis are among the earliest of their kind to bloom.

At their best when cultivated, Fantasy zinnias develop into superlative wheels or curly, tubular petals, interlaced and twisted. The flowers, though formed of masses of rays or petals,are airy, graceful, and altogether lovely. Fantasy zinnias come in yellow, pink and other pastel tints.

Both the size and coloring of the hybrid Giants are miraculous. They are as dramatic looking as any flower that grows; as immense, fluffy and glistening as certain chrysanthemums. There are two-or three-toned varieties, unusual pinks, corals, yellows. All seem to have strong stems and fine keeping qualities.

Organic Garden Tips

Tags: Luther Burbank, Giants of California, Giant Dahlia Flowered zinnia, Navajo,

Garden Tools for Zinnias

Sun, 28 Jan 2007 00:47:33 GMT

Garden Tools for Zinnias

You will also need a small selection of garden tools for your flower bed. This is one area that I don't believe in buying these cheap, flimsy tools. You save more money in the long run by purchasing tools that are sturdy and of superior quality.

Your tools should include the usual large ones, plus a set of the smaller hand varieties. I find both come in quite handy and each has a particular use at a particular time.

Garden Tools ~ quality gardening tools are a good investment

Now you can have the benefits of working with garden tools designed for professionals. Heavy duty, high-grade materials used in gardening tools for landscapers, arborists and professional gardeners mean your tools will last longer and perform better.

Good quality garden tools are a wise investment for all gardeners from novices to master gardeners. With proper care and maintenance your garden tools will last a long time, if not a lifetime. Start with the basic gardening tools and build your collection as you gain experience and as your garden grows.

Basic garden tool set:

spading fork
round-end shovel
rake
garden shears or pruners
hoe

Gardening Trends

Before digging into the garden make sure you have the right tools

Digging around in your garden is not exactly brain surgery, but like surgeons, every gardener should have the right tool for the right job.

Some may say that a shovel is just a shovel, but an expert in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences points out that real gardeners need a spade -- and about four other essential gardening implements.

"These days there are catalogs and stores with very specialized equipment, but many gardeners really just need some basic tools," says J. Robert Nuss, professor of ornamental horticulture. "Once you have a solid set of tools, then you can branch out into specialty equipment."

Nuss recommends five basic tools:

A long-handled spade. This tool is designed for digging. The blade is straight and set at an angle so it cuts easily into the soil. "A spade is not a shovel," Nuss explains. "A shovel is designed like a scoop and is used to move material from one place to another."

A spading fork. This tool has flat, square tines and is used for moving heavy soil. "Spading forks are invaluable for preparing soil in the spring and harvesting some types of vegetables in the fall," Nuss says. "Don't confuse it with a pitchfork, which has rounded, slender tines and is used to move straw or compost." - see other side

A steel rake.These large rakes are used to break up clay, to smooth out soil and to rake in fertilizers. "If the garden is large, get a wide, heavy rake," Nuss says. "It wouldn't hurt to have a wide leaf rake for lawn work."

A hoe. Hoes are used to form rows, cover seeds, move soil, cut out weeds and make holes for planting seedlings. "Hoes come in all types and sizes, but most gardeners don't need heavy ones," Nuss says. "The most versatile hoes are dual-purpose models, with a triangular cutting head on one side and a cultivating tool with three tines on the other side."

A hand trowel. Any hand tool that makes gardening more efficient is an invaluable addition to the homeowner's arsenal of tools. "Hand tools are best for marking rows, weeding, making furrows and moving small plants," Nuss says.

Nuss says when it comes to gardening, choosing a big tool isn't necessarily better. "Heavy tools are fine for big people, but if you are short on size or energy, pick smaller tools," he explains. "The same logic applies to picking the best handle length. Tools are extensions of the body and should be used for extra leverage or reach when pulling or cutting."

Nuss advises using heavy-handled tools for moving soil and heavy material. For weeding and cultivation jobs, he recommends using a tool with a lightweight handle.

Old House Web

** I also highly recommend a good pair of garden gloves as well **

Basic Supplies for Growing Zinnias

Sun, 28 Jan 2007 00:18:31 GMT

Basic Supplies for Growing Zinnias

Before we get started learning all about growing zinnias, you should know there are a few basic supplies you should have on hand:

1. ) Lots and Lots of cow manure. You can buy the non-smelly composted bags, 40 lbs worth for a buck at most large gardening supply centers. I have always found this essential to improve the soil and maintain its health. It is also important in attracting earthworms, which are vital to a rich, soft soil.

2.) Miracle grow - or any type of good bloom booster fertilizer. You won't believe the number of flowers you will have using these products. When you read the package look for the numbers

15-30-15 on the front of the package. The product is easy to use as well. Simply fill your sprayer canister with the crystals and apply with a water hose. You will also be able to find store brands or less known brands that are just as good. Simply be sure of those 15-30-15 readings.

3.) Beer - should be ice cold and refreshing. No, no....now this isn't for the slugs. I have always heard this will atract them and they drown while drinking it. Now that is a waste of good brew and is reserved for the gardener.

4.) Good, comfyyard chair/lounge. You'll need one of these for those rest breaks when you sip your beer and admire your handy work.

Tags: cow manure, bloom booster flower food, garden supplies

Mexican Zinnias

Wed, 31 Jan 2007 04:28:12 GMT

Mexican Zinnias

Zinnia haageana
Common Names: Mexican zinnia, narrow-leaved zinnia, orange zinnia
Family: Asteraceae/Compositae

Description
Mexican zinnia is an upright, bushy annual that is similar to common zinnia (Z. elegans). However, the leaves are smaller, only 2-3 in (5.1-7.6 cm) long. They are also narrower (almost linear) unlike the lance-shaped, 3-5 in (7.6-12.7 cm) long leaves of common zinnia. Mexican zinnia gets about 2 ft (0.6 m) tall with a spread of about 1 ft (0.3 m). The wild form has bright orange ray flowers on heads about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) across. Like the better known zinnia, Mexican zinnia has many cultivars to brighten up summer flower beds. 'Old Mexico' is a tried and true old-timer with a bushy habit and flowerheads in yellow, red and mahogany. 'Chippendale' has ray flowers that are bright red with yellow tips. 'Star White' has white rays and golden yellow discs. 'Persian Carpet' is dwarf, to 14 in (35.6 cm) tall, with double flowerheads in a wide combination of bi-colors including gold, maroon, purple, brown, cream and pink. 'Orange Star' is only 10 in (25.4 cm) tall and bushy with orange flowerheads; it makes a good annual groundcover.

Location
Mexican zinnia is native to Mexico.

Culture
Light: Full sun.
Moisture: Mexican zinnia is quite tolerant of heat and drought. The 'Persian Carpet' series cultivars are perhaps the most drought and heat tolerant.
Hardiness: Mexican zinnia is a warm season annual that is very tolerant of long, hot summers. It cannot tolerate frost.
Propagation: Sow seeds where the plants are to be grown in spring after the last frost, or set out 6-8 week-old seedlings. Zinnias are sensitive to root disturbance, so be especially careful when transplanting.

Usage
Zinnias are traditional in annual flower beds and borders. Use the dwarf varieties in containers and window planters. Some of the short, bushy cultivars make nice summer groundcovers. Grow the taller varieties in borders and beds and for cut flowers. Pinch young stems back to encourage branching unless growing for long-stemmed cut flowers. Deadhead spent flowers frequently to prolong flowering. Zinnias will produce larger (but fewer) flowers if you remove side shoots.

Features
Zinnias are among the few bedding plants that will continue to perform throughout long, hot southern summers, all the way up to the first frost. Mexican zinnia is even more tolerant of heat, dry weather and winds than is the common zinnia.

The name, Zinnia angustifolia has been misapplied to Z. haageana in the horticultural trade, but the former is in fact a distinct species from Central America that is smaller, to 15 in (38.1 cm) high, and has smaller narrower leaves to 2 in (5.1 cm) long. Narrow-leaved zinnia, as it is called, has ray flowers that are orange with a yellow stripe down the middle.

floridata

Tags: Z. haageana, Mexican Zinnia

How To Grow Zinnias

Sun, 29 Apr 2007 08:22:22 GMT

How to Grow Zinnias

Introduction

No flowers are easier to grow than zinnias - just plant, stand back and watch them grow into cheerful, brilliantly colored blooms perfect for cutting. The red and bright-pink varieties are especially attractive to butterflies.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Step One

Buy healthy, green plants with no signs of wilting or disease. Plants should be stocky, with plenty of leaves. It's actually a plus if they don't have any flowers on them - they'll divert their early energy into root development rather than flowering.

Step Two

Click to enlarge

Choose a site in full sun, although zinnias usually appreciate a little afternoon shade in especially hot regions. Zinnias like rich, well-drained soil.

Step Three

Plant seedlings or seeds in spring, after all danger of frost has passed. Seeds can be sown directly in the soil, 1/4 inch deep and a few inches apart. Thin to 6 to 12 inches, depending on the variety's mature height. Seedlings, which will produce earlier blooms, should also be spaced 6 to 12 inches apart, again depending on their mature height.

Step Four

Click to enlarge

Keep soil somewhat moist. Mulching is a good idea. Zinnias can survive in soil that's on the dry side but will wilt in very dry conditions.

Step Five

Trim faded flowers, or cut flowers often for bouquets, to promote more and longer blooming.

Step Six

Fertilize every four to six weeks, or work in a slow-release fertilizer (or plenty of compost) at planting time.

Step Seven

Tear out and discard plants in fall, after frost fells them.

Tips & Warnings

Zinnias come in a wide array of colors, including cream, yellow, orange and red. Some are bicolored and streaked, whereas others sport interesting speckles. Zinnias grow 6 to 36 inches high, depending on the variety.
Check out narrow-leaf zinnia (Zinnia angustifolia), which is rapidly gaining popularity due to its supereasy care and low, sprawling habit. It's terrific as a flowering ground cover or in pots and baskets, and does especially well in hot conditions.
Zinnias are prone to powdery mildew in all but the most arid regions of the country. Minimize problems by planting zinnias where they will get plenty of sun. If powdery mildew is a problem with your zinnias year after year, check your garden center shelves for an appropriate fungicide, which must be applied in early spring before powdery mildew appears.
Zinnias don't thrive in very alkaline soils (those with a high pH).

http://www.ehow.com/how_6794_grow-zinnias.html

Tags: growing zinnias, trimming zinnias, caring for zinnias

Think Zinnia for Sunny Summer Color

Sun, 28 Jan 2007 14:54:33 GMT

Think Zinnia for Sunny Summer Color

By Patricia Diaz, from the February 2005 Newsletter

There are two kinds of flowers that, for me, definitely say sunny summer – calendula (or pot marigold – not to be confused with African or French marigolds) and zinnias. Both are fuss-free and give so much beauty to your garden.

Calendulas are a hardy annual and are native to southern Europe. They are a wonderful re-seeder and come in gorgeous shades of oranges and yellows. You can plant them directly in the garden or in mixed beds and containers. Since they have nice long stems, they also make great cut flowers. They like the cooler summer temperatures and do their best blooming in late spring and early summer. The variety Pacific Beauty is more resistant to summer heat than other varieties.

One of the nicest benefits of calendula, other than their beautiful color, is their soothing and healing purpose. Calendula was used during the Civil War in dressed wounds to speed healing. Today, you can purchase many calendula products, including soaps, skin creams, and salve used for minor cuts and burns. AND you can eat the flowers and leaves! In medieval times they were commonly used in soups and salads. You can also dry the flowers and use them as a “poor person’s” substitute for saffron. In potpourri, the dried leaves add great color while imparting no additional scent to your mixture.

You can plant calendula in full sun or partial shade and the plants tolerate most garden soils as long as you have good drainage. You can start the seeds about 6-8 weeks before the last frost or purchase seedlings at your local nursery. Seedlings need to be planted about 12 inches apart.

Calendula grows to about 1-2’ tall with flowers that are 1-4” in diameter. The most commonflower colors are oranges and yellows, but you can also find pale cream, gold, and apricot.

My other great summer favorite flowers are zinnias. There are SO many varieties and colors that it’s pretty hard to decide which kinds to plant! Another easy to grow plant, the seeds germinate quickly, the plants thrive on heat, they don’t need staking usually, and they don’t require a lot of water or fertilizer. No fuss, just enjoyment!

To grow zinnias from seed, sow directly into the ground in a full-sun area. While average soil is acceptable, adding compost and all-purpose fertilizer yields better plants. Sow the seeds 2-3” apart in rows that are 12” apart or intermix with your other garden plantings. Barely cover the seeds with soil, as they need light to germinate. Keep the soil moist until you see the seedlings (about 5-10 days). Thin to about 10-12” apart. Snails and slugs like the seedlings so protect them while they’re small. Water frequently at ground level until they reach several inches tall, then you can water less often but more deeply. If you prefer to buy nursery starts, dig a planting hole larger than the plant’s root ball, setting the plant in the hole so that the top of the root ball is even with the surrounding soil. Firm soil and water well.

Here are some suggestions for different kinds of zinnias:

ZINNIAS FOR CUTTING – Z. haageana is one of two types of zinnias perfect for cutting. ‘Old Mexico’ is a double flowered, mahogany colored flower; ‘Persian Carpet’ has orange and deep red flowers; Z. peruviana, also a zinnia for cutting, has tiny flowers in brick red or soft gold and the flowers make great dried blooms, even drying right on the plant! Z. elegans is also a cut flower favorite with long stems and large flowers. They can be prone to powdery mildew late in the season, however. Benary’s Giants (mildew resistant) come in a wide range of colors, as do the Yoga series; Splendor are scarlet, pink, orange or yellow; ‘Envy’ are a wonderful lime green’ ‘Candy Cane’ and ‘Candy Stripe’ both have striped flowers.

SPREADING ZINNIAS – Z. angustifolia (the Star series) have shorter stems and therefore aren’t as good for cutting. They are usually 12-18” in height and are wonderful for beds and borders. They flower quickly and are nearly maintenance free. The most common varieties are Star with white, gold or orange flowers, and Profusion with orange or cherry pink flowers.

Moscow Food Coop

Tags: Zinnias for cutting, spreading zinnia, Z. haageana, Z. peruviana, Z. elegans, Benary’s Giants, Z. angustifolia

Zinnia Problems

Sun, 28 Jan 2007 14:39:37 GMT

Zinnia Problems

Unfortunately, in our quest for the perfect zinnia, we may face certain problems along the way. Here is some pratical information on these basic problems.

Skinny, Spindly Seedlings Need More Light or Need Pinching
Zinnias need many hours of bright, direct sun to flourish. If they are at all shaded they are forced to stretch to reach the light, causing them to develop thin stems. If you are growing seedlings indoors under lights, adjust the fluorescent lights to remain only 3 or 4 inches above the seedlings as they grow taller. To encourage thick, sturdy stems and compact plant shape, pinch the growing tips off of zinnia seedlings at least twice before the buds begin to form. This causes them to branch and grow denser. Dwarf varieties have naturally denser shapes. See Starting Plants From Seed and see Seed Starting Supplies and Equipment.

Foliage Curls, Puckers, Turns Yellow Due To Aphids
Aphids are about the size of a pinhead and have soft, pear-shaped bodies. They may be green, brown or pink. They tend to cluster on tender, new growth on zinnia stems and on the undersides of young leaves. They suck juices from plant cells, causing foliage to curl, pucker and turn yellow. Often the leaves and blossoms become stunted. Sometimes ants are visible, crawling along plant stems and foliage, attracted by the presence of the sticky honeydew secreted by aphids as they feed. If aphids are on plant tips, simply pinch them off and discard them in the trash. If they have infested a lot of the foliage, spray them with commercial insecticidal soap according to label instructions. Be sure the soap spray contacts the aphids directly.
Click here for more information on Dealing with Aphids.

Leaves Spotted, Discolored May Mean Mites
Mites are about 1/50 inch long, barely visible to the unaided eye. Related to spiders, they have four pairs of legs, piercing-sucking mouthparts and very compact bodies. They may be yellow, green, red or brown. They suck juices from the leaf tissues, draining their chlorophyll and injecting them with toxins. Usually their damage is most visible on the upper leaf surfaces of the lowest leaves on the zinnia stem. They are stippled with small yellow dots or red spots. Leaves and adjacent stems are often distorted or swathed in fine webbing. Spray affected leaves in the late afternoon with insecticidal soap according to label instructions. Pull out and throw away any zinnias that are fully infested so that the mites do not spread to other plants. Take care not to transfer them to other plants on your hands or on tools. Click here for more information on Dealing with Mites.

Holes Are Chewed In Leaves And Flowers By Japanese Beetles
Adult Japanese beetles are 1/2 inch long. They have distinctive shiny metallic green and copper-brown wing covers. As larvae (grubs) they are inch long, plump, grayish-white worms with brown heads which lie curled just below the surface of the soil over the winter. They emerge in mid summer as voraciously hungry beetles and cluster on plant foliage. In no time they can skeletonize a leaf so that only its veins remain.

Begin to handpick any beetles as soon as you spot them. Drop them into a jar of soapy water. If they are overwhelming your zinnia planting, spray the beetles, leaves and stems with a pyrethrin/pyrethrum insecticide product as directed on its label. For long term control of chronic Japanese beetle problems, spray your lawn (where they lay their eggs) with a predatory nematode product as directed. These microscopic roundworms are packaged as a powder to be mixed with water. They ride the moisture into the soil and seek out grubs to lay their eggs in, killing them before they mature into beetles.
Click here for more information on Dealing with Japanese Beetles

Leaves And Roots Are Chewed By Various Beetles
Asiatic garden beetle larvae sometimes feed on zinnia leaves and flowers. Adults are velvety chestnut-brown, nearly 1/2 inch long, resembling Japanese beetles. They lay their eggs in the soil at the base of the plants, where the newly hatched grubs eat their roots. Black blister beetles also may attack zinnias. They are cinnamon brown and 1/2 inch long and their larvae also attack plant roots. Control these beetles the same way you deal with Japanese beetles. Be sure to wear gloves if handpicking blister beetles because they can cause blisters on bare skin. There are, as yet, no traps for these beetles. They are less likely to congregate in the numbers that Japanese beetles do.

Pale Spots On Foliage Signal Leafhoppers
Redbanded leafhopper and six-spotted leafhopper may attack zinnias. Leafhoppers are often strikingly colored green, brown or yellow, blunt-profiled bugs. About 1/4 to 1/3 inches long, they are wedge-shaped, holding their wings in a rooflike position above their bodies. They're very active and move sideways or hop suddenly when disturbed. Nymphs and adults suck juices from leaves, buds, and stems. Some species may spread virus diseases such as aster yellows. Affected leaves are finely mottled with white or yellow spots. They eventually dry up, shrivel and drop off. Plants are weakened. Honeydew from the insects' feeding may give foliage a glazed appearance and foster growth of sooty mold. Spray insects with insecticidal soap or a pyrethrin/pyrethrum insecticide product as directed on the product label.

White Powder Coating Leaves Is Powdery Mildew
Later in the summer zinnia foliage and flowers are likely to develop an ashy gray coating. This is a fungus disease which develops in hot humid weather. Typically it shows first on the lower leaves, especially in situations where plants grow close together so air circulation is reduced and humidity builds. Many yardeners simply ignore it, as it does not harm the plant. It just looks unattractive. Control the spread of the mildew by spraying unaffected leaves with garden sulfur fungicide according to label directions. Look for mildew resistant varieties such as ‘Rose Pinwheel’ and plant zinnia seedlings farther apart. Click here for more information on Dealing with Fungal Disease.

Brown Spots, Sores on Flowers Is Caused By Stem Blight
Blight is caused by a fungus that causes small reddish brown spots with gray centers to form on zinnia flowers. Sometimes dark brown cankers form on their stems. Cut off affected flowers and discard them in the trash. Keep the area around the plant clear of weeds and dead plant debris. If blight proves to be a chronic problem in the area, spray healthy zinnias plant surfaces with a garden sulfur fungicide as directed on the label.

Spindly Shoots; Foliage Are Yellowed, Curled By Virus Diseases
Various diseases caused by viruses occasionally attack zinnias. They are usually spread by insects. The plants may show curled, distorted, mottled foliage, they may be stunted or deformed, wilting, turning yellow and then dying. Sometimes flowers are a sickly yellow green or fail to develop at all. There is no cure for plant viruses. However, by controlling insect pests like leafhoppers, transmission of these diseases is reduced. Dig up infected plants and put them in the trash. Do not compost them. Keep the garden area clear of weeds and debris that may harbor infection. To avoid spreading the disease disinfect garden tools by dipping them into a solution of 1 part household bleach to 3 parts hot water.

yardner.com

Tags: Virus Diseases, Stem Blight, Powdery Mildew, Leafhopper, Beetles, Japanese Beetles, May Mean Mites, Spindly seedlings

Children Enjoy Growing Zinnias

Sun, 28 Jan 2007 15:23:48 GMT

Children Enjoy Growing Zinnias

Contact: Diane Relf, Extension Specialist, Environmental Horticulture

August 1996

Children enjoy many of the same pleasures as adults, whether it be baking, woodworking, or gardening. A main thing to remember, however, is that a child needs to start with a project that will provide both enjoyment and success to maintain a continued interest in the project. As such, zinnias make perfect learning tools -- the seed of zinnias are large, they germinate quickly (with most of the seed germinating), the plants don't require a lot of care outdoors, and they will bloom prolifically from mid-summer until the frost kills them in the fall. Seed can be started indoor four to six weeks before the last expected frost, and seedlings transplanted into the garden. An easier method is to sow the seed directly into the garden where they are going to grow.

Encourage children to take care of their own small garden or their own portion of a larger garden. For younger children, you may wish to select a mix of zinnia seed so they can enjoy many bright colors. Your young gardener can sow a small mass planting, so that when the flowers bloom, the garden will be a splash of color. Older children may enjoy planning a garden design with two or more colors of zinnia. If so, explain that simple designs are more pleasing in small areas than very complex designs.

Help children prepare the soil in the bed. Add organic matter or slow release fertilizer if needed, then moisten and level the soil. Have the children draw lines in the soil to mark the planting rows or design. Plant two or three zinnia seeds 1\4 to 1\2 inch deep in holes spaced 4 to 6 inches apart, depending on the type of zinnia. If the soil is warm and moist, the seeds will germinate in three to four days. When the seeds are sown in rows, it is easier to identify the zinnia seedlings from weed seedlings.

When zinnia seedlings have two pairs of true leaves, they need to be thinned by pinching off all but the most vigorous seedling at ground level. Leave about 4 to 6 inches between low growers, 8 to 10 inches between intermediates, and 10 to 15 inches between large giants.

Zinnia maintenance is very basic, just water, weed, and watch them bloom. Removing the weeds ensures that the zinnias are getting all the moisture and nutrients the soil has to offer, and it helps to keep the garden design attractive. Zinnias do not require a lot of water, but they should be irrigated during dry weather to keep them blooming at their best. Trickle irrigation is best as sprinklers tend to increase the chances of disease. Deep, infrequent watering (soil is wet to a depth of 5 to 6 inches) gets water to the plant roots where it is most needed better than frequent, shallow waterings.

Zinnias are perfect for picking -- this helps to keep them blooming and it's great to give Mom or a friend several huge flowers right from "my own garden" -- so keep scissors or garden shears handy! Growing plants, such as zinnias, can help children learn how to garden and enjoy beautifying their outdoor environment. When they have a hand in starting "life" by germinating seeds and nurturing "life" as they take care of the plants, children develop skills that they will use all their lives. The success of a garden of zinnias in full bloom will be a source of pride and will encourage your young gardeners to tackle more projects in the future.

(Excerpted from the "Year of the Zinnia" factsheet provided by the National Garden Bureau, Downers Grove, IL 60515 .)

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