Growing zinnia from seeds at home. Zinnia flowers: when to plant seedlings, plant them in the ground? Growing zinnia from seeds on a window at home: timing, sowing, fertilizing, watering, care, planting in the ground Zinnia flower planting and cultivation

Heating 04.10.2023

Heating

Zinnia is a flower that can be found in almost any garden plot. They love it for its variety of color palette, right down to the green petals. In addition, it can be combined with absolutely any other flowers that are already in your flowerbed or that you are just planning to plant. But when you can plant zinnia in open ground can become a problematic issue.

Benefits of the plant

It is not only the attractive appearance of zinnia that makes it so popular. In addition to color, it has other advantages:

Various heights. Zinnias are valued because they can be of different heights. It is thanks to this feature that you can create all kinds of flowerbed compositions.
Easy care. There will be virtually no hassle when growing this flower. With minimal care, the result will be maximum. This flower is famous for its unpretentiousness. And the question of when to plant zinnias in open ground is easily resolved.
Bait for winged insects. Even just a few flowers will attract many butterflies and bees to your site. This is what hive holders use.
Constant flowering. It is quite easy to achieve flowering throughout the summer; you need to regularly pinch off the flowers. And the more, the better.

General growing rules

As mentioned earlier, caring for the plant will not take up a lot of your time and effort. However, the basic rules are mandatory. First of all, you need to decide when to plant zinnias in open ground. The answer depends on the methods of reproduction, which will be discussed later in the article.

During this time, you need to make sure that there are no rotting or faded inflorescences. If found, they should be removed immediately, especially if the rainy season has begun. And don’t forget to treat each plant with fungicides at the end of summer.

Choosing a landing site

Zinnia is a heat-loving plant. This must be taken into account when choosing a location. Having chosen the time when to plant zinnia seedlings in open ground or its seeds, you need to choose a suitable site for it. The best place will be an area that is sufficiently open and lit. In addition, pay attention to the soil. Zinnia loves loose soil, which will be sufficiently fertilized. Also don't forget about drainage.

Plant propagation methods

Zinnia propagates in two ways: seeds and seedlings. The chosen method determines when to plant zinnias in open ground.

Reproduction using seedlings is usually carried out no earlier than the end of March, but you need to do it before mid-April. This procedure is carried out as follows. The seeds should be placed on a pre-moistened cloth. After some time, shoots appear, among which the strongest ones are selected. This usually takes about 2-3 days; if the seeds are old enough, then about a week. The choice of when to plant zinnias in open ground in the spring depends on this.

While the seeds are germinating, you can prepare the soil. To do this, take sand and black soil in proportions 1:2. After the sprouts appear, they can be placed in pots to a depth of 1 cm. The room temperature should be maintained at 23 degrees, no more. The distance between the seeds should be at least 30 cm. After the appearance of the third leaf, the crop is thinned out if necessary. After some time, it is necessary to pinch the top to obtain more luxuriant flowering in the future.

When can zinnia be planted in open ground when choosing a seed propagation method? It is better to do this at the end of April until the end of the first ten days of May, depending on climatic conditions. The seeds are buried at the same distance as when planting seedlings, about 1 cm. The distance between the bushes is at least 30 cm.

In order to artificially prolong the flowering period, it is recommended to combine both methods, since plants grown from seedlings will be the first to begin to delight.

Rules for planting plants in open ground

When can zinnias be planted? A question that makes you think. However, the answer is quite simple: when the danger of a return of frost is reduced to zero. This time usually falls in the second half of May. If planting directly from seeds, this can be done a little earlier.

The selected area should be well lit, protected from drafts, and should be neutral. Drainage also needs to be considered.

Before planting, the soil needs to be prepared. To do this, you need to dig it up to a depth of about 45 cm in order to clear the area of weeds. During this process, it is recommended to add organic fertilizer in the form of leaf humus or manure (about 8 kg per 1 m2). The ideal time to prepare the soil is autumn.

If you follow the planting rules, as well as the right choice of when to plant zinnias in open ground, flowering will begin in July.

Features of caring for zinnias

If you chose the right time and know how to properly plant zinnias in open ground, the flowers will definitely please you if you don’t forget to care for them.

This plant requires regular watering and feeding. Watering should be plentiful, especially during dry summers. However, you need to carefully ensure that moisture does not fall directly on the flowers.

During flowering, all faded inflorescences must be removed.

Additional supports or other reinforcements of the stem are not required, even if you decide to place tall subspecies on your site (you can read when to plant zinnias in the ground at the beginning of the article).

You can start fertilizing already at the stage of growing seedlings. Mineral fertilizers that contain little nitrogen are suitable for this. There should be three such procedures before planting in open ground. After planting on the site, you can also use organic fertilizers, such as liquid manure. You need to fertilize twice a season: after planting and budding.

Prevention of diseases and protection from insects must be performed. Problems are often caused by aphids, chafers, snails and slugs. Placed bowls of beer around the perimeter or ordinary pieces of roofing felt under which these creeping creatures hide can help with this. After that, collect them manually.

The most common disease of zinnias is that if it is detected, even one damaged leaf should be torn off. If the plant is heavily infected, you will have to remove it entirely.

Now you know when to plant zinnia seedlings in open ground.

Garden zinnias (Zinnia), or "majors" - bright, with a rich palette, very beautiful flowers that retain their decorative effect for a long time. They have been grown for a long time and are still loved by many gardeners for their unpretentiousness to the quality of the soil and its moisture. Gardens, parks, flower beds and flower beds decorated with these plants delight the eye from mid-summer until frost.

The types of zinnias are varied:

giant Californian reaching a height of 120 cm;
dwarf, forming a carpet of inflorescences 25 cm from ground level;
dahlia, similar to noble, but not so whimsical, dahlias;
zinnia cactus: zinnias of various colors with spherical or chrysanthemum-shaped flowers.

ON THE PICTURE:Dahlia zinnia variety "Lavender".

Decorating your space with these colorful flowers is not at all difficult. The main thing is to know how to grow zinnias from seeds.

Subtleties of growing zinnias

Where to get seeds

Typically, zinnia seeds are either collected from faded plants or purchased at the store. In the first case, you receive planting material adapted to your climatic conditions (if you collect it in your region).

Then, most likely, the flowers will grow well and will be exactly like their parent specimens.

The exception to this rule is F1 hybrids grown from purchased seeds. As a rule, the offspring of F1 hybrids lose part or all of their parental characteristics. For example, if F1 was double, then its seeds can produce simple daisy flowers, or at best semi-double. The same applies to color, habit (plant shape) and other unique varietal characteristics.

The seeds are thin sticks in the center of a brown and dried flower.

ON THE PICTURE: Zinnia seeds are small and light. They are easy to lose during manual collection, so it makes sense to break off the dried basket of seeds, put them in a bag and sort them out at home on a sheet of clean white paper or a smooth, light-colored surface.

If the petals crumble in your fingers, and the contents of the box crumble when touched, you can start collecting.

Cut off the flower heads with sharp scissors, remove the seeds indoors and place them on a sheet of paper to dry. You can store seed in a jar with a lid or in a paper envelope in a cool, dry place. Planting zinnia seeds will be successful only if they are of excellent quality and properly stored.

Seed preparation

How long to soak zinnia seeds before planting and is it worth doing it at all? Soaking is not necessary, but it allows you to select the best seeds from a variety of seeds.

Usually the strongest and most viable seeds are those collected last season. They begin to develop roots within 2-3 days. Old ones can sit for a week or longer before germinating.

The scourge of seedlings is fungal infections that can destroy zinnias at the very start of their development. To avoid infection, or, before planting, the seeds are treated with a complex fungicide.

ON THE PICTURE:Gray rot (botrytis).

In addition, it is advisable to treat the zinnia seed before planting the seeds in the ground.

ON THE PICTURE: Leaf spotting.

Many people know this plant under a completely different name - majors. This is a flower without which it is simply impossible to imagine a summer garden or summer flower garden, because this plant has a simply magnificent, bright appearance. That is why many gardeners give this beauty preference over many exotic flowers. However, despite its fame and popularity, growing zinnia has a number of nuances and difficulties that you need to know.

In this article we will look at the main features and description of zinnia, and also note the most popular and common types and varieties of this plant. We will reveal in more detail the main and important nuances of agricultural technology for growing this crop.

Features and description of zinnia

Zinnia is a herbaceous or shrubby perennial flowering plant that belongs to the large family Asteraceae or Compositae. It is from this family that the most popular flowers in our gardens came, for example asters and marigolds. Zinnia is native to Southern Mexico, from where this flowering plant spread first to North America, and then throughout the world. The indigenous population of America and Mexico began cultivating zinnia back in 1500, but this plant came to Europe in the 18th century. In European countries, bright zinnias became the favorite flowers of aristocrats. Three centuries later, majors spread throughout the world, winning the love of gardeners.

At one time, this flower was a symbol of the US state of Indiana. The zinnia flower received its name in honor of the botanist and pharmacologist Johann Zinn, who helped the famous scientist Carl Linnaeus with his research with his herbarium material.

An interesting fact is associated with this flower - it was zinnia that became the first flower to bloom in zero gravity conditions on board the International Space Station in 2016.

Description of zinnia:

Zinnia is a perennial plant that has decorative features. In our climate, this flower is grown only as an annual, since its homeland is Southern Mexico with its warm climate.
This flower is one of the most popular in gardens around the world. The plant gained the greatest popularity in North America.
The zinnia flower can grow as an herbaceous plant or a small bush, depending on the specific variety.
On average, the height of zinnia can be 20-100 cm.
The stems of this plant are quite strong, erect, and tolerate windy conditions well. Therefore, even tall varieties do not require additional garter.
One of the characteristics of zinnia is its rapid growth.
Zinnia leaves are oblong, ovoid, slightly pointed at the top. Dark green in color, slightly pubescent. They are attached to stems without petioles, are sessile, arranged oppositely or whorled, and collected several together at the same level.
Zinnia flowers are terminal heads that grow on long stalks. They are single inflorescences.
They vary in size - from 3 cm to 14 cm.
The flower consists of reed petals or tubular petals. The petals are arranged in several rows and have different colors: red, yellow, orange, pink, white. The tubular petals are located in the center of the basket and are yellow or yellowish-red.
Zinnia blooms begin in early summer, around mid-June, and last until frost. It’s not for nothing that this flower is called long-blooming.
The zinnia plant is distinguished by its resistance to drought, but does not tolerate even the slightest frost, as it is a heat-loving flower.

The most popular types and varieties of zinnia

Today, there are about 22 species of zinnia in nature, but only a few can be grown in our climate zone. These plants include graceful zinnia, narrow-leaved zinnia, thin-flowered zinnia and zinnia linearis. Let's look at all these species and their varieties in more detail.

Zinnia graceful

This type of zinnia has been in cultivation since 1796.
The natural habitat of the graceful zinnia is considered to be the territory of Southern Mexico.
It is a herbaceous plant.
A tall plant that can reach a height of up to 1 meter.
The plant is formed by erect stems that are weakly branched. The entire stem is covered with stiff hairs.
The leaves of the plant are ovoid, slightly pointed, up to 7 cm in length.
Single basket-shaped inflorescences of different shades bloom at the tops of the stems: white, orange, pink.
The inflorescences are quite large in size, reaching 5-16 cm in diameter.
The shape of the inflorescences can be simple, semi-double or double.
Inflorescences consist of reed and tubular petals.
Flowering of graceful zinnia begins in early summer and lasts until the coldest weather.
By flowering time: early flowering, mid flowering, late flowering.

Varieties of graceful zinnia according to stem height:

Dwarf zinnia - reaches only 15-30 cm in height. A distinctive feature of such zinnias is their good branching and the ability to grow both in open ground and in pots.
Medium zinnia - can reach 35-50 cm in height.
Tall zinnia - plants 60-95 cm in height.

Varieties of zinnia according to the shape of the inflorescences (7 categories in total, only a few of which are grown on our territory):

Zinnia dahlia. Tall compact bushes, moderately branched. They can grow up to 90 cm in height. The stem is densely covered with large leaves, up to 12 cm. The inflorescences are double, hemispherical in shape, and can reach 14 cm in diameter. Varieties of dahlia-flowered zinnias: “Violet” - a plant up to 75 cm in height with inflorescences of all shades of purple; "Orange Koenig" - flowers up to 70 cm high with bright, large, double inflorescences of a red-orange hue.
Zinnia Lilliput. It is a low compact plant up to 50 cm in height, highly branched. The stems are strewn with small leaves and small inflorescences. The flowers are shaped like small pompoms. Varieties of Zinnia Lilliput: “Little Red Riding Hood” - a plant up to 55 cm in height with densely double inflorescences of a bright red hue; “Tambelina” is a variety mixture with flowers of different shades.
Zinnia fantasy. They are dense compact bushes up to 60 cm in height. It is distinguished by large leaves and unusually shaped flowers, which consist of narrow, slightly curled petals. Varieties of fantasy zinnia: “Gift” - a plant with bright red inflorescences.

In addition to these groups of graceful zinnia, the following are also grown all over the world: Californian zinnia, cactus-flowered, supercactus-flowered, scabiosa-flowered.

Zinnia angustifolia

This type of zinnia is native to Southern Mexico.
It is a bush formed by erect shoots that branch heavily.
The leaves are small, oblong in shape.
The inflorescences of this species are also small and can be simple or double in shape.
The color of zinnia angustifolia flowers is orange.

Popular varieties of zinnia angustifolia:

Variety "Glorienshine". A dwarf plant, highly branched in shape. It can reach a height of only 25 cm. It is distinguished by the unusual color of the inflorescences: at the very center the petals are colored orange, and at the ends they are reddish-brown.
Variety "Persian Carpet Mix". Plants that are distinguished by a large number of shades of inflorescences: two-colored reddish with lemon, white, pink. Often used as ground cover plants.

Zinnia thinflower

A plant of medium height that can grow up to 60 cm.
A small bush is formed by thin and fragile stems that have an unusual reddish tint.
At the tops of the stems there are small inflorescences up to 3 cm in diameter.

Zinnia linearis

It is the shortest type of zinnia, which can reach a height of only 25-35 cm.
The stems of this plant are densely strewn with small, long and narrow leaves.
The flowers are also small and have a yellow tint with an orange border around the edge of the petals.

Popular varieties of zinnia linearis:

Variety "Golden Eye". The inflorescence of this plant variety has a white core and white reed petals, which is very similar to chamomile.
Variety "Caramel". This plant stands out for its inflorescences with caramel-yellow reed petals and black tubular petals.

Zinnia propagation: the most common methods

Zinnia is a flowering perennial plant that is grown as an annual in our latitudes. You can grow this flower yourself without any problems. Zinnia can reproduce in two ways: seeds and seedlings. Let's take a closer look at the two types of plant propagation.

Seed propagation of zinnia

You can plant zinnia seeds directly in open ground. However, this requires certain climatic conditions. If your winters are harsh and long, then sowing seeds directly into the ground will not work for you. To do this, your area must have a warm and mild climate. If this method is possible, you must do the following:

First of all, zinnia seeds must be selected. To do this, wrap them in a damp cloth and leave them like that for a couple of days. Good seeds must germinate.
Next, in the selected area, prepare a place for planting. Carefully dig up the soil and make small furrows.
Sow seeds in them and gently sprinkle with sand.
The top of the bed can be covered with film to create a small greenhouse.
Under these conditions, the seeds will germinate in about two weeks.

Propagation of zinnia by seedlings

This method is the most suitable for our climatic conditions. Moreover, zinnia seedlings grown at home will take root and bloom much faster.

First of all, it is necessary to select only high-quality seeds. To do this, you need to moisten gauze in Hellene and wrap zinnia seeds in it. Keep the planting material in this position for several days. If your seeds are fresh, they will begin to germinate within a couple of days. They are the ones suitable for obtaining seedlings.
The best time to sow seeds for seedlings is April. If you sow them earlier, your seedlings may become very stretched. And in the end you will get very thin and fragile plants.
Next, you need to prepare separate pots or cups to avoid picking. Zinnias do not like to be disturbed at such a young age.
The pots need to be filled with moistened peat.
Seeds are sown in several pieces (about 2-3 pieces per pot). Sprinkle about 1 cm of peat on top.
Next, the soil in the pots needs to be moistened, after which the future seedlings need to be placed in a bright and fairly warm room.
The optimal temperature for germination of zinnia seeds is 22-24 degrees Celsius.
Under such conditions, the seedlings will hatch within a few days.
Further care consists of regular watering.
After some time, around the beginning of June or at the end (for northern regions), the resulting seedlings can be planted in open ground.

Stages of preparation before planting zinnia

Planting and caring for zinnia is not particularly difficult, but the planting process itself must be carefully prepared. If you have not grown your own seedlings, you will need to purchase them. It is also important to choose a suitable planting location on your site. Let's take a closer look at the entire preparation process.

Stage 1. Selection of planting material

First of all, you need to decide whether you will grow seedlings yourself or purchase them in specialized stores.
If you like to grow seedlings at home, then this is easy to do by following the plan described above.
If you decide to buy ready-made zinnia seedlings in pots, then choose specialized stores or agricultural companies that breed plants.
When purchasing seedlings in a store, give preference to single plants. In addition, the seedlings should be strong and not too long.
When choosing planting material, you must decide on a specific variety. Choose only zinnia varieties that thrive in your area's climate. Do not take risks by purchasing exotic species and varieties of flowers.

Stage 2. Selecting a landing site

First of all, you need to choose a bright and sunny place on your site, because zinnias are heat-loving plants.
The selected location should be protected from winds and drafts.
You can choose a site on a slight hill, since zinnia prefers to grow in well-drained soils. This means that the plant cannot tolerate close groundwater and stagnation of water at the roots.
When choosing a site for planting zinnias, be guided by the garden composition you are planning. Tall zinnias can be planted individually or used in group plantings. They look great along buildings and fences. Lower growing plants are suitable for planting in flower beds in combination with other flowers. Dwarf zinnias can also be planted in pots on balconies or used as ground cover plants.

Stage 3. Selection and preparation of soil for planting

Zinnia prefers to grow in nutritious and fertile soils.
It is also important that the soil is well drained.
Give preference to soil with a neutral reaction.
The selected area must be carefully prepared before planting. To do this, you need to dig up the area with one bayonet of a shovel, approximately 40-45 cm. By doing this, you remove weeds and saturate the substrate with air.
When digging the soil, add leaf humus or compost.
If possible, you can prepare the area for planting in the fall.

Technology for planting zinnia in open ground

It is best to plant zinnia seedlings in May, when the threat of return frosts has passed. Zinnia cannot tolerate even slight frost of minus 1 degree.
The area prepared in the fall must be lightly loosened again.
Next, you need to prepare small holes for planting zinnias.
Zinnias need space to grow actively, so distances between plants should be maintained. For low-growing zinnias it is 10-15 cm, for medium-growing ones - 20 cm, for tall varieties - 20-30 cm between plants and 35-40 cm between rows.
If you grew the seedlings yourself in peat pots, the seedlings can be planted directly with them. Otherwise, carefully remove the seedlings without shaking the soil from the roots.
If the site you choose is in a lowland area, then it is better to provide the plants with good drainage. You can pour clean river sand at the bottom of the holes.
Carefully place the seedlings in the holes and sprinkle with soil.
To prevent excessive evaporation of moisture, the soil around the seedlings can be mulched with dry peat.

Agricultural technology for growing zinnia: secrets and nuances of care

Zinnias do not require special care, but if you want to get lush and abundantly flowering plants on your site, you need to periodically pay attention to the flower. Caring for zinnia consists of periodic watering, loosening, and feeding.

Watering zinnia

Zinnia belongs to plants that cannot tolerate excessive soil moisture. As a result, its root system may begin to rot and die over time. For this flower, a lack of moisture is better than an excess. Watering is needed regularly and moderately. It is also important to know that it is recommended to water zinnias at the root, trying not to get on the flowers. If moisture gets inside the inflorescences, they may begin to rot.

Loosening and mulching

Periodically, the soil around the plant must be loosened, at the same time removing all weeds. You need to loosen it very carefully so as not to damage the stems of the plant. This process is usually carried out after watering to loosen the soil and make it lighter. To reduce the amount of loosening and reduce the number of weeds, the soil around the plants can be mulched. For this it is recommended to use dry peat.

Feeding zinnias

For more active growth and lush flowering, zinnia must be fertilized throughout the entire growth period. The first fertilizing should be done while growing seedlings (if you do this yourself). During this period, it is necessary to use mineral fertilizers as fertilizer, but keep in mind that the level of nitrogen fertilizers in it should be reduced.

Subsequently, zinnias are fertilized two more times throughout the growing season. The first time fertilizer should be applied 3-4 weeks after planting in the ground. As fertilizers, you can use a solution of manure or complex mineral fertilizers. The plant is fertilized a second time during the formation of flower buds.

Pinching and trimming

You need to pinch zinnia if you want to get a beautiful branched plant. Some begin to pinch even at the stage of growing seedlings after the appearance of the fifth leaf. However, it is quite possible to do this after landing. But if you are growing zinnia for cutting, especially tall varieties, there is no need to pinch the plant.

As such, pruning of zinnia is not necessary. However, if you constantly remove faded buds, your plant will bloom even more abundantly.

Disease and pest control

Like any other plant, zinnia is susceptible to various diseases and pest invasions.

Zinnia pests:

Slugs and snails. It is best to collect such pests by hand. To facilitate this process, you can lay out pieces of roofing felt under which they will crawl.
May beetles. These pests are also collected by hand.
Aphid. To combat this pest of zinnia, it is necessary to use a solution of tar soap. If the number of aphids is significant, use special preparations, for example, fufanon.

Plant diseases:

Spotting. This disease is one of the most serious, since there is no cure for it. If you notice signs, the affected areas should be removed. If there is a large infestation, the entire plant is removed.
Gray rot. To treat this disease, special fungicide preparations are used, for example, Fundazol.
Powdery mildew. This disease is considered the most common for this plant. Appears as white spots. Fungicides, such as Topaz, are used to treat it.

Collecting Zinnia Seeds

The seeds of this plant ripen two months after the start of flowering. Let's figure out how to collect seeds from zinnia. Initially, select the first zinnia flowers to open. After the inflorescences turn brown, they need to be cut and slightly dried. Next, carefully remove the seeds and place them in a paper bag for storage. Zinnia seeds are suitable for sowing for 4 years.

Using zinnia in landscape design

Zinnias look great in a variety of garden arrangements. For example, these flowers can be planted in various flower beds and mixborders in the background.
Tall varieties of zinnias look great against the backdrop of lawns and garden trees.
You can plant these plants along outbuildings, between the beds in the garden.
Lower-growing varieties of zinnia can be planted along garden paths or along the edges of flower beds.
Alternatively, they can be grown in containers and pots.

Photo of zinnia in landscape design

You can more clearly see all the features of zinnias and options for their placement on the site in the photos below.

It is impossible to imagine a plot or flower garden without flowers such as zinnias. These plants are the best suited for our conditions, and you will not need much effort when growing them.

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3 delicious sandwiches - a cucumber sandwich, a chicken sandwich, a cabbage and meat sandwich - a great idea for a quick snack or for an outdoor picnic. Just fresh vegetables, juicy chicken and cream cheese and a little seasoning. There are no onions in these sandwiches; if you wish, you can add onions marinated in balsamic vinegar to any of the sandwiches; this will not spoil the taste. Having quickly prepared snacks, all that remains is to pack a picnic basket and head to the nearest green lawn.

Depending on the varietal group, the age of seedlings suitable for planting in open ground is: for early tomatoes - 45-50 days, average ripening periods - 55-60 and late ones - at least 70 days. When planting tomato seedlings at a younger age, the period of its adaptation to new conditions is significantly extended. But success in obtaining a high-quality tomato harvest also depends on carefully following the basic rules for planting seedlings in open ground.

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One of the brightest months of the garden calendar pleasantly surprises with the balanced distribution of favorable and unfavorable days for working with plants according to the lunar calendar. Vegetable gardening in June can be done throughout the entire month, while the unfavorable periods are very short and still allow you to do useful work. There will be optimal days for sowing and planting, for pruning, for a pond, and even for construction work.

Meat with mushrooms in a frying pan is an inexpensive hot dish that is suitable for a regular lunch and for a holiday menu. Pork will cook quickly, veal and chicken too, so this is the preferred meat for the recipe. Mushrooms - fresh champignons, in my opinion, are the best choice for homemade stew. Forest gold - boletus mushrooms, boletus and other delicacies is best prepared for the winter. Boiled rice or mashed potatoes are ideal as a side dish.

I love ornamental shrubs, especially unpretentious ones and with interesting, non-trivial foliage colors. I have various Japanese spirea, Thunberg barberries, black elderberry... And there is one special shrub, which I will talk about in this article - viburnum leaf. To fulfill my dream of a low-maintenance garden, it is perhaps ideal. At the same time, it is capable of greatly diversifying the picture in the garden, from spring to autumn.

Today there are a large number of flowering plants that are found in almost all areas and flower beds. Such permanent floral decorations of gardens include zinnias - bright and diverse flowers.

Features and description of zinnia

An interesting fact is associated with this flower - it was zinnia that became the first flower to bloom in zero gravity conditions on board the International Space Station in 2016.

Description of zinnia:

Zinnia is a perennial plant that has decorative features. In our climate, this flower is grown only as an annual, since its homeland is Southern Mexico with its warm climate.
This flower is one of the most popular in gardens around the world. The plant gained the greatest popularity in North America.
The zinnia flower can grow as an herbaceous plant or a small bush, depending on the specific variety.
On average, the height of zinnia can be 20-100 cm.
The stems of this plant are quite strong, erect, and tolerate windy conditions well. Therefore, even tall varieties do not require additional garter.
One of the characteristics of zinnia is its rapid growth.
Zinnia leaves are oblong, ovoid, slightly pointed at the top. Dark green in color, slightly pubescent. They are attached to stems without petioles, are sessile, arranged oppositely or whorled, and collected several together at the same level.
Zinnia flowers are terminal heads that grow on long stalks. They are single inflorescences.
They vary in size - from 3 cm to 14 cm.
The flower consists of reed petals or tubular petals. The petals are arranged in several rows and have different colors: red, yellow, orange, pink, white. The tubular petals are located in the center of the basket and are yellow or yellowish-red.
Zinnia blooms begin in early summer, around mid-June, and last until frost. It’s not for nothing that this flower is called long-blooming.
The zinnia plant is distinguished by its resistance to drought, but does not tolerate even the slightest frost, as it is a heat-loving flower.