Zinnia homemade (another name for majora) is popular for its colorful inflorescences. These are some of the easiest flowers to grow, as they grow quickly and bloom profusely. A wide variety of brightly colored flowers can decorate the garden all summer long. Zinnia is an annual and dies with the first hard frost in autumn.
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Zinnia description
Zinnia is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family (Asteraceae) with 18 species and hundreds of cultivated forms. They are native to Mexico and are a cultivated species that produce large flowers. The original form is no longer easy to find, as hundreds of cultivars have been bred around the world with flowers in a wide variety of shapes.
Beautiful zinnias are grown mainly as annuals for decorating flower beds, alpine slides, balconies, terraces and for cutting. Zinnia flowers have three main types: simple, semi-double and double. The difference between these forms is the number of rows of petals and whether the center of the inflorescence is visible.
- Single flower zinnias have one row of petals and a visible center.
- Double flowers with numerous rows of petals where the center is not visible.
- Semi-double with numerous rows of petals, but with visible centers.
They have bright single inflorescences on an upright stem that can be used as a cut flower. They bloom in various shades, there are also two-color and three-color varieties.
Rigid pubescent stems with oval or lanceolate leaves are located opposite each other, clasping the stem. Zinnia majors come in a variety of heights: spreading tall and dwarf varieties that grow from 6 to 50 cm. The beautiful zinnia flowers look good in a border, and they are also good for a container.
More info! Annual zinnias grow for one season and produce seeds but do not return the following spring.
Zinnia planting and care
How to care for zinnias? As well as being beautiful and easy to grow, zinnia flowers are heat and drought tolerant. They grow in full sun, love hot weather and will sit until warmer before starting to grow. As soon as it gets warmer they will bloom from late spring to autumn.
Selecting and preparing a landing site
It is very important to choose a place in full sun. If you add compost to the soil, the flowers will grow faster. Majora flowers adapt to most soils, but the ideal one should be rich in organic matter and well drained. Soil pH 5.5 – 7.5. You can add some compost to give the plants a chance to grow even in poor soil.
How to plant zinnias
Planting zinnia with seeds in the ground is carried out in the spring to a depth of about 1 cm. Shoots will appear in 4-7 days in most varieties. Before the appearance of flowers, it can take from several weeks to a couple of months (depending on the planting site and climate).
When the seedlings reach 15 cm in height, they are thinned out. For good airflow, seeds or seedlings are planted at a distance of 15-20cm. The rows are placed at a distance of 35 cm from each other.
Mulching with a layer of straw or bark will help keep the soil moist and prevent weed growth. Zinnia seeds can also be sown directly into a 5 cm layer of organic mulch, which will provide nutrients throughout the season as the mulch breaks down into compost.
Water
The plants are also unpretentious for watering. They are very drought tolerant and usually do not need additional moisture.
Pay attention! During the hottest periods and during drought, as well as immediately after planting in the ground, zinnias are watered sparingly, but regularly. Although they can tolerate short periods of drought, they do best in moist soil.
Zinnia roots do not like to be in damp soil. High humidity can lead to the development of powdery mildew, leaf spot and rot. Planted too close together remain wet from watering from above. Water the plants at the base, avoiding splashes on the leaves so that the spores of the fungus from the ground do not fall on the stems.
Fertilizer
Majors need only periodic top dressing with a balanced fertilizer. Add compost to the area where the cinnamon will be plantedii to enrich the soil. At the seedling stage, a light fertilizer can be applied, which will produce numerous and larger flowers.
A light dose of a balanced fertilizer can be applied from time to time, but this is not always necessary.
Cutting
A little pruning makes a difference for growing zinnias in the garden. Remove faded flowers to encourage new blooms. Blooming zinnia may stop flowering for a while, but will resume again. After they have faded, old flowers are cut off to encourage more new flowers to form throughout the season.
Pay attention! For more flowers, pinch the zinnia while the plant is young. Pinching the top of the stem encourages the plant to branch out and produce more stems and more flowers. But this is completely optional.
How to propagate zinnias
There are several ways to propagate zinnia: by seeds, propagation by cuttings, and rooting stems in water. These flowers are easy to grow directly from seed outdoors or propagate indoors to repot after the last frost. Zinnia is sown indoors from February to April or sown outdoors directly into the soil in May.
Growing zinnia from seedlings. Roots are a little sensitive to transplanting and don’t like to be disturbed. Therefore, you need to be especially careful when planting zinnia seedlings in the ground.
Seeds are easy to store by letting the flowers dry completely on the stem. Store them in a cool, dry place for planting next spring. They remain viable for 2-3 years.
Common pests and diseases
Zinnias can be susceptible to powdery mildew, mold and leaf spot, but do not have pest problems.
Some varieties can be very prone to powdery mildew. It’s not pretty, but it’s unlikely to harm the plants. To cure, cut off the affected parts of the plant. Then apply a fungicide with neem oil, potassium bicarbonate, copper or sulfur.
Zinnia species
There are many different kinds of beautiful zinnias. The most popular species is Zinnia elegans, from which a large number of varieties have been bred.
Thumbelina – undersized zinnia, with semi-double, inflorescences of different colors. The petals are 3-4 cm, and the stems grow up to 15-20 cm. in height.
Cactus zinnia is a unique variety. The plant reaches a height of up to 1m. Flowers are 10 to 15 cm in diameter. Her petals are twisted.
State Fair are among the tallest with large flower heads up to 10 cm in diameter. The stems grow up to 30 centimeters in height.
Dahlia Flowered Mix – dahlia zinnia has fully double flowers 10 – 12 cm wide, which are shaped like dahlias.
