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| I am not sure anyone can help, but just an observation re my experiences with zinnias. Each year in a small bed (which gets about 5 hours of afternoon sun) we plant on the border an alternating arrangement of a yellow zinnia followed by deep red geranium for a total of 10 plants. These 6" annuals are purchased and planted sometime in mid May. I am very careful about my planting medium i.e. a mixture of rock dust, rich loamy soil and root friendly mycorrhizae bacteria. What I find (and this has been the case over successive years) is that these zinnias languish for so long, barely holding their own throughout May and June and even into July. And it isn't until mid to late July that I see a reversal of fortune for these zzs and they begin to flourish. I have no similar development problems with any of our many other types of annuals eg geranium, lobelia, begonias ets. Any ideas or is it just me? ;) |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Well, no, I think of zinnias as coming up well (from seed), growing fast, into bloom before you know it. However, I'm a couple zones farther south and consequently warmer. It is a plant that is native to the tropical zones of Mexico and Central America. I assume your lack is due to heat. |
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| I assume your lack is due to heat. Don't think so. Zinnias are a staple up 'here' as an annual. I think it is just me :(. (I think I will switch to a nice bright yellow marigold next year for a change) |
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| Hee, well I can testify there are some plants that just don't seem to grow well for a particular person, while some brown thumbed yokel down the street can grow them with his hands tied behind his back. Frustrating, isn't it ? :) |
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| I can't grow Sweet Alyssum to save my life...try Cosmos from seed. My Zinnias self-seed...kinda crazy...Cosmos in the middle Zinnias all around...there is a bird bath in there somewhere. |
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| Hi rouge21, "Each year in a small bed (which gets about 5 hours of afternoon sun) we plant on the border an alternating arrangement of a yellow zinnia followed by ... " The problem is not you, it is that 5 hours of sun limitation. Zinnias need full sun, and that is at least 8 hours of full sun per day. Buy a chainsaw and whack down some trees. (grin) ZM |
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- Posted by ken_adrian MI z5 (My Page) on Wed, Aug 27, 14 at 9:09
| and in my z5 MI ... spring was 4 to 6 weeks late this spring ... meaning the soil didnt heat early.. meaning germination was delayed .. etc ... first time in 35 years.. that i doubt my 4 oclocks will make it to bloom ... and i might have to rebuy seed for the first time in that period ... of course.. the very cold spring.. was followed by intermittent drought ... and we are now finishing up with blistering heat ... many of my self reseeding annuals are simply.. all screwed up ... no one in their right mind sill argue with zen about this plant ... i agree on the hours of sun .... but on the other hand.. you nearly perfectly explain their growth cycle ... in my z5 MI ... they are not much to look at... until late july/aug .... you said this: --- and that is why.. i have never gone all zen on them ... lol ... just figuring.. they are a borderline cold z5 plant... in my garden.. anyway ... [see what i did there.. lol] ken |
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- Posted by SouthCountryGuy SE BC 4b wannabe 5 (My Page) on Wed, Aug 27, 14 at 14:39
| I have to agree with Zen, of course, and Ken. Spring was all screwed up and my zinnia's didn't look good until mid July. I had even started them indoors. Ken, I have lots of pink and red 4 o'clocks and I can collect seed for you if you want. SCG |
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- Posted by southerngardening24 7b (My Page) on Wed, Aug 27, 14 at 23:00
| This year I grew zinnia and many other plants for the first time. They looked pretty perfect until a few weeks ago when they started to get powdery mildew. They are also around 6 to 7 feet tall and not 3 feet as said on the package. LKZZ: I love your cosmos and zinnias. SouthCountryGuy: Any chance I could recieve some 4 o'clock seeds from you as well? I have a trade list. |
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- Posted by SouthCountryGuy SE BC 5 (My Page) on Thu, Aug 28, 14 at 11:27
| Southerngardening24, sure send me a pm or email. SCG |
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