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Argh! Why won't my zinnia seeds grow?
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Posted by
bosewichte 5 (
My Page) on
Sun, May 24, 09 at 12:24
| I have 2 spots in my yard that have mostly sun. A few weeks ago, I planted zinnia seeds...watered carefully...and just one or two came up. I re-planted with new seeds and the same thing. Are there just spots of ground where the soil is so poor that NOTHING will grow? I know they got plenty of sun and water. I have grown zinnias before and thought that they'd grow ANYWHERE, but this *is* hard, crumbly soil. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Argh! Why won't my zinnia seeds grow?
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yES THERE ARE SOME SOILS THAT WILL NOT ALLOW PLANTS TO GROW. SOIL SOAKES IN OIL, AND A NMBER OF PLANT TOXINS.
yOU SHOULD ALSO CHECK THE SEED IT MAY NOT BE VIABLE. |
RE: Argh! Why won't my zinnia seeds grow?
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| It is best to start seeds indoors and plant them as young plants outside - much faster way! |
RE: Argh! Why won't my zinnia seeds grow?
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- Posted by shebear z8 NCentralTex (My Page) on
Mon, May 25, 09 at 20:09
| How hot is it? Zinnias like hot weather to grow. As far as I know zinnias don't care about great soil so if it's hot, then I'd wonder about the seed. |
RE: Argh! Why won't my zinnia seeds grow?
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| Are you sure there's nothing eating your seeds like chipmunks or birds? I have no problem with zinnias in just about any soil but have the critters I mentioned in the garden eating my seeds. |
RE: Argh! Why won't my zinnia seeds grow?
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| There are *lots* of birds - and squirrels - here. Darn it, I bet they've been in my seeds!! Ways to keep them out?!? |
RE: Argh! Why won't my zinnia seeds grow?
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| I mix up a stinky spray to keep all the woodland critters away from my plants and seeds. It works well but does stink to high heaven. I take a wide mouth quart (or larger) jar. Add in 6 crushed garlic cloves, 1/4 cup veg oil and a raw egg then fill it with water, cover and set it in the sun to putrify. It takes a good 3 days or longer if it's cool and cloudy out. Once it's ready strain it into a spray bottle and thoroughly saturate your plants or area where you have seeds planted. You have to reapply after rain otherwise it's good for about 10 days. Sometimes I'll chop up a scotch bonnet or other very hot pepper and add it to the container. You can also just keep adding stuff to the container as necessary. The longer it sits the better but the smell really is awful. |
RE: Argh! Why won't my zinnia seeds grow?
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| If you have any plastic bottles (soda, water juice) you can take off cap, cut off the bottom and stick in ground over direct sown seed. Open top lets in rain. If it's too hot/sunny and you don't have time to check every day for germination you can put vents up near open bottle top. Just be careful to remove bottles from over germinated seedlings or they could fry in sun/heat. Deer chewed up some bottles but can keep seeds safe from diggers and seed eating birds. |
RE: Argh! Why won't my zinnia seeds grow?
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| I never thought of that! I will try both ideas. Currently hanging my head in shame because I let the weeding go and a fast-moving invasive groundcover totally choked out many of my seedlings...sigh. Will have to start over... |
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