A lover of light and warmth, zinnia, high and proudly holds her caps of flowers, decorating flower beds and flower beds in city parks, squares and, of course, on garden plots. This unpretentious flower will be discussed in this article.

Types and varieties of zinnia

Over 200 years of cultivation and breeding work, zinnia has become a flower that can revive and decorate even the darkest and most abandoned corner of the garden.

Most often, two types of flowers are used in culture: narrow-leaved zinnia and graceful zinnia, although there are more than 20 of them.

Like other plants, zinnia has a huge number of varieties, some of which are low, up to 30 cm - dwarf. The stem of a medium-sized plant can reach 70 cm. Those flowers, the height of which has crossed the meter mark, belong to tall individuals.

Each variety carries a different variety of colors for flower baskets. Their palette is rich and pleasing to the eye with red and orange, pink and crimson, white and yellow colors. Zinnia inflorescences, in turn, are subdivided into varieties according to shape and structure. There are scabiosa, chrysanthemum, cactus, Californian.

But especially dahlias and pompoms were especially fond of Russian gardeners.

Or lilliputian, do not exceed 55 cm in height and are liked by gardeners for the compactness of the bush and its branching. Terry flower caps, 3-5 cm in size, abundantly cover multiple shoots of the plant. And if several different varieties of pompom zinnias are planted in the flower garden, then the garden plot will play with a rainbow of colors until autumn.

Zinnia is very sensitive to cold; temperatures of -1 ° C will kill the plant. But you can prolong the feeling of summer if you transplant a flower into a pot before frost and bring it into the house. On rainy autumn days, it will remind the summer resident of the sun and warmth.

The most popular varieties of lilliputian zinnias are Tom-Tumb and Rotkophen. Low, up to 45 cm, bushes are strewn with numerous caps of bright red flowers. Even the hottest rays of the sun will not affect the color intensity, and the plant will delight until late autumn.

Its varieties have large flowers. A strong plant, often exceeding a height of 1 m, with double inflorescences up to 15 cm, will look advantageous in a group and create a unique composition in any corner of the garden. The main thing is that it is sunny and protected from the wind. And a variety of colors of baskets - white, yellow, pink, crimson, lilac, purple - will allow the summer resident to use his imagination to create unique flower beds.

Zinnia variety " polar bear", With white terry baskets and a height of 60-70 cm, deserves to take a central place in any flower bed.

« Dream"- plants up to 1 m high, with pale pink flowers look good both in monochromatic plantings and in combination with the Violet variety. The flower is the same height as the previous variety, but has bright purple inflorescences. Lush, double flowers look perfect in bouquets.

California

The cultivar of Californian zinnia is distinguished by its large flowers. The size of the inflorescence can be 12-14 cm, it completes a strong and tall, up to 1 m, stem. It is thanks to its strength that the plant does not need support.

This group of flowers, like the rest of the zinnias, is rich in bright colors. There is a variety of "California Mix" on sale, where the seeds are selected in such a way that the plants grown from them create a unique and charming flower garden.

When to plant zinnias for seedlings in 2017

As noted above, zinnia does not tolerate even a hint of sub-zero temperatures. Therefore, the main condition for sowing the seeds of this flower for seedlings is that stable warm weather should be established when planting the plant.

In addition, it should be borne in mind that the seed of the flower germinates quickly, and sprouts also develop quickly. The seedling period for zinnia is 4-6 weeks. It follows that the best time for sowing will be mid-April.

For flower crops, there is also a lunar calendar that will recommend the best days for this work.

The best days for sowing, picking, transplanting seeds of annual flowers in 2017

March - 3; four; ten; 12; 20; 27; 28

April - 4; five; 9; eighteen; 21-23; 26-28

May - 1-4; 15; 24; 25; 28-31

June - 1; 2; eleven; 16

By checking your estimated sowing date with the lunar calendar of the grower, you can find the best option, and be sure of the successful cultivation and abundant flowering of your pets.

Preparatory activities. Working with the seed of this flower is a pleasure for the gardener. The seeds are quite large and easy to sort. They are not subjected to additional processing. For best results, the only recommended action is to soak the seeds in Epin's solution.

This will activate their vitality and provide more friendly shoots.

If sowing is carried out in seedling boxes, then their depth should not be less than 8-10 cm. It is not necessary to fill them with soil to the full height at once. A little more than half of the box will be enough for sowing.

By placing the seeds at a distance of 4-5 cm from each other, you can skip the dive stage. Just later, when the seedlings grow up and get stronger, you will need to add nutritious soil. The stems will give adventitious roots and the plant will continue to grow without the stress of transplanting.

The soil for crops is prepared nutritious and loose, with good drainage properties. After sowing, the boxes are covered with polyethylene and left warm for germination. At 20-25 ° C, the sprouts will appear on the 5-7th day. Further, the seedlings need light and regular watering, without waterlogging the soil.

In the case of sowing seeds densely, they will need a transplant with the provision of a larger area of \u200b\u200bnutrition. For this, the seedlings are carefully removed from the seedling box and placed either in separate cups or in another container, but larger. At this time, you should think about the purpose of flowers: cutting, decorating a summer cottage or the plant will be seed.

If flowers are grown for landscape design of a site, then for greater bushiness, high varieties of zinnias are pinched over 5 leaves. This will stimulate the plant to form new shoots from the leaf axils. Accordingly, the number of flowers will increase, since each shoot ends in a bud.

While the seedlings are at home, you should also take care of preparing the site for planting zinnias.

At the very end of May or in early June, the seedlings can be moved to a flower garden in the country. But this should be preceded by hardening of plants for a period of at least a week.

At first, an open window will allow the plant to feel the fresh air, then for a short period of time on the balcony or outside, but in good weather. It is good if it is possible to carry out hardening directly in the country, where there is more opportunity to place the box with seedlings in a suitable place.

When it is decided to transplant zinnia bushes to a permanent place, it is important not to forget about the height of the plant and plant it accordingly.

Californian zinnias are best placed in the background in large or small groups so that they do not obstruct lower garden plants. Thanks to their height, you can hide unsightly areas of the cottage (compost heaps, stacks of boards, etc.).
Flowers of medium height are always considered versatile, they take center stage in any flower bed. In addition, they are used for growing in containers and flowerpots.
Dwarf zinnias can be used in the same way. They are also suitable for decorating borders, planting in the foreground of a flower garden. And undersized zinnias are also ideal for decorating balconies and loggias.

The place for zinnia should be sunny, the flower will tolerate even the sun better than shading. Given the strong branching of the plant, they should be planted at a distance of 25-30 cm from each other. This will provide room for flower development and ease of weeding and loosening the soil around the plantings.

When to plant zinnia seeds outdoors

If for some reason the seedlings were not grown, then this does not mean that the gardener can be left without this wonderful flower. Sowing can be done directly into open ground.

For germination in natural conditions, the seeds will need 7-10 days (depending on weather conditions), and the creation of a mini-greenhouse for the garden will reduce the time from sowing to emergence. The end of the first ten days of May is quite suitable for this work.

Sowing seeds directly on the site has its advantages. The plant initially senses the temperature of the surrounding air, this saves the gardener from such an event as hardening home seedlings.

Although flowering will come 2-3 weeks later. But if this is not a matter of principle, then this method will unload the window sill, on which in April the seedlings of peppers and tomatoes are already raging with might and main.

Grown up zinnia bushes are transplanted to their designated place, observing the planting interval.

Caring for plants will not give the gardener a lot of worries. It consists in weeding, loosening the soil, watering and pinching the main growth point. However, if the flower is being cut, this should not be done.

Flowers stand in bouquets for a long time, about two weeks. It is only necessary to properly process the stem. The flowers that are supposed to decorate the house should not be fully revealed. The half-open zinnias are cut off and, before being put in a vase, the stem is once again shortened, but already by lowering it into warm water.

The plant is unpretentious, tolerates air drought and heat well. However, prolonged absence of water leads to crushing of inflorescences and loss of leaf turgor. Therefore, the flower should not be left completely unattended.

Compliance with these simple rules will allow you to see flowering plants on your site from mid-June until the onset of frost. The life of one flower lasts about a month, and if they are removed after wilting, then the whole zinnia bush will bloom continuously.

But not always the period of growing zinnias on the site is cloudless. It happens that this strong and beautiful plant is exposed to an invasion of pests, and improper care or weather conditions cause flower diseases.

Diseases and pests of zinnia

Despite its tolerance for dry soil, it can lead to flower diseases such as powdery mildew. The appearance of grayish spots on the leaves and petals of the inflorescences indicates a problem. Industrial preparations Vectra, Topaz or Skor will help to solve it.

Damp summers or over-watering can cause zinnium to be damaged by gray mold. The disease looks like a fluffy mold that appears not only on the leaves, but can also affect the stem. And if measures are not taken in time, the flower may die.

Fungicides will be good helpers in the fight for the health of flowers: Maxim, Fundazol or colloidal sulfur.

At the beginning of summer, the activity of an insect such as aphids occurs. She feeds on the juice of young shoots, causing significant damage to the plant.

To destroy it, you can use the drug Aktara. Detailed instructions for use are indicated on the package with the drug. A biological product Fitoverm helps well against sucking insects.

Slugs and snails leave unpleasant marks on zinnia leaves. Gnawed leaves spoil the decorative appearance of the flower and slow down its development.

These pests require manual control. To facilitate this, frankly, not a very pleasant event, pieces of roofing material or linoleum are laid out in the aisles. Insects love to hide there.

By periodically checking the shelters, you can significantly reduce the number of zinnia pests. If there are no poultry and animals on the site, it is possible to use chemicals in granules. This is Thunderstorm and Meta.

If these troubles have bypassed the strongest and most beautiful plants, then you should think about preparing your own seed for sowing in the next seasons.

There is no doubt that some varieties of zinnias grown on the site gave the gardener real pleasure with their flowering, so you can easily collect seeds from your favorite plants in your flower bed. It's just that during the blooming of the buds, the brightest and largest inflorescences should be noted, fixing a ribbon of the corresponding color on the stem.

In addition, the number of buds on it is sharply limited. Leaving five inflorescences on the plant, the rest are removed and continue to trim the newly emerging ones until the seed pod is cut. This will allow you to direct all the forces of the flower to the formation of seeds and their ripening.

After the inflorescence wilts, it is necessary to wait for the seed capsule to ripen. In total, it takes about two months from the moment the bud opens to collect the finished seeds. But if the weather does not indulge, then ripening can occur indoors. To do this, they are cut off and left in a place where it is dry and warm.

Having gutted the dried seed head of the flower, you can begin to select the required amount of seeds. It should be remembered that the best of them are located closer to the core and have a triangular or subulate shape.

Dry seeds are laid out in paper bags and must be marked: the name of the flower, the height of the plant, its color and the year of collection of the seeds.

Don't rely entirely on memory. Three years later, that is how much zinnia seeds remain viable, the summer resident will not remember which seeds are stored in his reserves without an inscription on the package.

Zinia: growing and care - video

Be sure to grow zinnias on the site, they delight for a long time with beauty and bright colors!

Zinnia is known to many experienced flower growers and ordinary lovers of ornamental vegetation. This flower amazes with a rich variety of colors and sizes of bushes. In addition, such a flower crop needs only minimal maintenance. And growing zinnia from seeds is such a simple process that many gardeners love it. For those who are not yet familiar with these flowers and do not know how to grow it from seeds, we dedicate this article.

Description of the plant

Zinnia is famous for its advantages - long flowering (for one flower - this is about 35 days), as well as longevity in the cut. So, for example, you can use zinnia not only as a spectacular and long-flowering element of flower arrangements, but also as beautiful plants for a bouquet. In a cut, zinnia can decorate a room from 1 to 2 weeks.

Zinnia belongs to annuals grown from seeds. Thanks to its rapid growth, with the help of zinnias, you can give the garden more brightness from the beginning of summer until the arrival of autumn.

The seeds of this flower culture are quite large. Therefore, growing charming zinnia from seeds will turn into an exciting process, because it is very easy to work with it. From the date of planting of seedlings, it will take only 2-2.5 months when the buds will bloom and the plants will bloom. You can learn more about how you can achieve these results below. We offer photos of flowers and a step-by-step description of the planting process and cultivation.

Magnificent zinnia is capable of growing, reaching gigantic sizes (for example, like the California giant variety), and maybe dwarf bushes, representatives of the Lilliputian form ( on the picture).

It is possible to grow such beauty by sowing seeds for seedlings at home. Another method is also practiced - planting zinnia seedlings immediately in the garden. But both the first and the second options involve preliminary preparation of the site.

Choosing a place for plants

Zinnia is a warm and light-loving plant. Therefore, growing it on the site should be carried out in a place that is abundantly illuminated by the sun and is not shaded at all. At the same time, it is better to exclude places where there are drafts so that wind flows cannot damage the stems of the bushes.

In terms of soil for growing zinnia in a personal plot, fertile and loose soil is suitable. An important quality that the soil should have is drainage. Since zinnia does not tolerate stagnant moisture in the soil, you can add sand when planting. Thus, it will be possible to "dilute" the soil and avoid stagnation of water after irrigation or rain.

You can grow zinnia on the site using seeds in one of the following ways:

sowing seeds at home for seedlings;
sowing seedlings directly to the garden bed under the open sky.

Sowing for seedlings

Zinnia seeds can be planted on seedlings when the second half of April comes. It is not recommended to plant seedlings in the past due to the fact that zinnia grows very quickly, as mentioned earlier. This can significantly complicate the transportation of seedlings and transplanting them into open ground. Even early planting of seeds to obtain zinnia seedlings is fraught with excessive stretching of seedlings, which, in turn, will affect the state and development of flowers.

For planting seedlings, you can use individual deep pots, which are filled with a light and loose substrate.

The seedlings of this flower culture are large enough. Therefore, they must be buried in the soil to a depth of about 1 cm. At the same time, additional covering of containers with a film is not required to create a greenhouse effect. You can see the first shoots in about 5-7 days. They will be the same as in the photo.

If the seedlings were planted in a box, then the seedlings will need to be picked in separate vessels. Only 2-3 sprouts can be planted in one pot.

Further, it is not difficult to care for the seedlings. It will be enough for seedlings to fertilize a couple of times. Also, until the zinnia sprouts are transplanted to the garden, they must be hardened, periodically taking them out into the fresh air, gradually increasing the intervals. The grown sprouts need to pinch the tops. This way you can achieve the formation of a more beautiful bush.

Zinia does not belong to frost-resistant plants, and therefore, it is possible to plant seedlings grown at home from seeds only when the earth is sufficiently warmed up. As a rule, seedlings can be transplanted into the garden at the end of May. The scheme for planting seedlings: 30-35 cm between plants and about the same in the aisles.

Sowing directly to the garden

Growing zinnia in a personal plot from seeds can be done by sowing them directly into open ground. It is possible to plant seedlings when the cold weather has passed.

The holes for the seeds are prepared 5 cm deep. Several seedlings can be placed in one hole. With the correct planting time, the first shoots will appear on the soil surface after a week. If necessary, it will be possible to thin out the sprouts, leaving about 30 cm between them in order to grow full-fledged flowers. It is recommended to cover seedlings with special material so that possible frost does not damage the crops.

Caring for seedlings growing in the garden is also not difficult. The main thing is to moderately water the soil and feed the plants using complex fertilizers.

Often, flower growers use this particular option for planting zinnia seeds, since growing it in this way is much easier than using the seedling method.

Even in spite of the fact that seedlings begin to bloom in the garden much later than the planted seedlings. For example, when planting seedlings at the end of May, zinnia flowers will bloom in June, and seedlings planted in a flowerbed in May will delight with flowering at the end of July.

You can get acquainted with the process describing the cultivation of zinnia by watching the video.

How to collect planting material

It is quite possible to collect the seeds of the zinnia growing in the garden yourself. It is necessary to wait until the seed pods in the inflorescences are fully ripe. Changing their color to brown will tell you about this.

The seed pods should be carefully cut from the stem using sharp scissors. Dry seeds should be removed onto a sheet of paper, which can later be used as an envelope for storing seeds until next spring.

Tsinia is an incredibly beautiful graceful representative of the Aster family, which has been grown in Russia for over 100 years. This is a wonderful decoration for flower beds, plots, balconies and even winter gardens. Its diversity is simply amazing, in addition to a riot of colors, there are also different forms - terry, in the form of a cactus or dahlia. There are no problems in growing zinnia at home, you just need to figure out what and what follows, and how to get the seeds correctly.

General terms

The flower "loves" a lot of sunlight, moderate watering, a stable temperature and a large space around. The maximum allowable distance between the bushes is 20 cm so that the inflorescences are large enough. Water the plant in the morning or evening to prevent cracking of the soil and drying out of the roots.

This is an annual crop. From the moment of sowing until the first flowers appear, it usually takes 80 days. If you practice growing zinnia in a seedling way, the first color will appear already in early June. When sowing seeds in the ground - only in mid-July. Blooms until the first frost. The next year must be planted again.

The kernels are harvested from seed pods, which should be fully ripe and darkened. First, carefully remove the boxes, dry them in the shade, then open them and take out the seeds. Store them in a dry, warm place.

To form a beautiful bush at the seedling stage, after the fourth leaf, pinch with nails, but do not break off.

Sowing seedlings

Cultivation of zinnia seedlings begins in the first decade of April, in the southern regions - at the end of March. Previously, sowing is not worth it, since the shoots will begin to stretch out strongly, after transplanting it will adapt and hurt for a long time.

Given the fact that the seed of the flower is quite large, it is very easy to work with it. To get through the seedlings, the seeds are soaked and covered with a napkin. After 3-4 days, the grains will hatch. After that, they can be dipped into a peat tablet (preferably) or soil prepared in boxes. They are deepened by 1-1.5 cm, sprinkled with earth and watered so as not to erode the earth. The first loops will appear in a week.

It is advisable to cover the box with seedlings with a film to create a greenhouse effect. Once a day, the film is removed for a quarter of an hour for airing.

Fertilization and care

Before the start of the pick, the plant is fed twice with liquid mineral fertilizers with a low nitrogen content. This is a prerequisite for healthy growth.

After the plant has been transplanted into open ground, it is fertilized two more times with a difference of 1.5-2 months with a mullein diluted in water, in a ratio (1: 5) or ready-made mineral dressings. The most favorable period for fertilization will be the period of growth and budding.

Hardening will be very important when growing zinnia, for which a box with seedlings is taken out for a short time outside a week after the appearance of seedlings. Start with 15 minutes a day in the sun and work up to 3-4 hours in the shade.

VIDEO: Zinnia: growing and care

Dive

When the sprouts are stretched 10-12 cm, you can start diving, for which separate containers are prepared - cassettes, pots, peat pots. The main thing is that the depth of such a container is at least 10 cm.

Try not to damage the still fragile root, for which they pry a little deeper with a spatula than they lowered the seed and take it out with an earthen lump. The plant dives into the same soil that was planted. This will make the adaptation process faster.

The crop does not tolerate picking very well, so if possible, grow seeds in each separate peat glass or tablet. In the future, the container simply dissolves in the soil, and the root remains intact.

What should be the soil

When growing zinnia seedlings at home, you should not use the land from the garden, where bacterial infections, insect larvae and pupae are most likely left. It is best to buy ready-made soil "For flower crops" or "Universal", which does not require disinfection. This soil mixture is based on a combination of compost, peat and sand, which is ideal for growing zinnia through seedlings.

When do the transfer into open ground

The seedlings are ready for transshipment when their height has reached 10 cm, and the ambient temperature does not consistently fall below 22 ° C.

Mandatory hardening is carried out 2-2.5 weeks before transshipment, as described above. For 10 days, it is worth minimizing watering and starting to leave the pots outside overnight. Such conditions from the series "ordered to survive" will benefit zinnia and for sure it will take root in the flower beds quickly and painlessly.

Any crops, and this one is no exception, are always planted in rainy or cloudy weather. In extreme cases, this is done in the evening so that the sun does not burn the young foliage.

Sowing zinnia from seeds in the garden

It is possible to plant seeds in open ground only after the threat of frost has passed. According to old customs, this time is after Easter, but in any case, not earlier than mid-late April.

If the weather has deteriorated sharply, cover the beds with lutrasil or polyethylene to maintain the temperature and prevent the sprouts from freezing.

For planting in the beds, grooves are made 5-6 cm deep at a distance of 30 cm from each other and one seed is laid at a distance of 30-35 cm. Again, for zinnia, free space around is extremely important.

After the seedlings stretch 10-15 cm, you can start the first feeding. A mullein solution (see above) works best with this.

Each crop has its own agrotechnical requirements. The peculiarity of growing zinnia for seedlings is the germination of seeds and their timely fertilization. In the future, the color will depend on how well they are looked after.

VIDEO: Growing zinnia seedlings

The variety of annual flowering crops is very large, but among them there are clear favorites that enjoy the well-deserved love of flower growers. Unpretentious zinnias have a number of advantages. Growing zinnia from seeds can be carried out in two ways: by seedlings and by sowing in the ground (this is usually practiced in those regions of the country where the establishment of warm weather is observed already in mid-April). About how and when to plant zinnias in 2019 for seedlings and in a greenhouse, you can learn from the proposed material.

Here are the agricultural techniques for caring for the crop and the basic rules for planting. When growing zinnia from seeds, it is important to choose the right variety groups depending on the purpose of the planting material. Decorating borders, decorating fences and flower beds, cutting for bouquets - this plant is quite suitable for all this. The period of budding and subsequent flowering depends on when to plant zinnias on seedlings. You can also regulate this process by forming a bush. The earlier the central stem is pinched, the more abundant the flowering will be. However, to get the largest possible buds, you should leave a small number of them on one bush.

Look at the photo of healthy and strong zinnia seedlings and continue to delve into this interesting topic:

Healthy and strong zinnia seedlings, grown by seedlings at home

Choosing varietal groups

As a rule, we plant zinnia in open ground with seeds only if its flowering period should be in late July or early August. This may be required when drawing up combined flower beds, where other crops bloom in the first half of summer. In all other cases, this is not justified, since 2-3 months may pass from the moment of sowing to the appearance of signs of the first bud. And if we take into account that the culture dies even with a short-term drop in air temperature below +5 degrees Celsius, then it becomes clear that when we plant low-growing zinnia when grown from seeds in mid-May, and at the end of August frosts are already likely, then wait for a full flowering will fail.

To start the fun process of growing zinnia from seeds, there is little to know about when to plant seedlings. The first thing we do is choose the variety groups suitable for our tasks. And in order to make the right choice, let's get acquainted with the most basic of them.

Various varieties of zinnia are suitable for growing seedlings

Pompon and chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum and pompom varieties bloom beautifully. They have large inflorescences of the most varied shapes and colors. Crimson and white, pink and yellow tones are popular. All of them belong to the so-called Lilliputian class. This means that their stem height can reach a maximum of 60 cm in height. But the bush branches beautifully and creates excellent landscaping of the site. Can be grown as indoor or container culture.

Chrysanthemum dwarf varieties have their own advantages. In particular, they do not require pinching and forming a bush shape. The rich branching gives the impression of the splendor of the plant. each stem ends with a small flower in diameter. Usually a bud in a blossoming state reaches 5-7 cm in diameter.

Most often, we plant these zinnias with seeds for seedlings in early March and after the emergence of seedlings we dive into individual peat pots. "Tom-Tumb" is an unpretentious variety, but "Rotkophen" with dahlia buds needs an increased amount of mineral dressings.

Pompon varieties of zinnia have high decorative properties

Dahlia varieties

Many growers ask about when to plant zinnia with seeds in open ground, and still get guaranteed flowering. So, indeed, there is a group of varieties with a minimum period of vegetative development from sowing to the beginning of flowering. Dahlia varieties have a high growth and development rate. Flowering can be observed already 45 days after germination. This is a group with a high stem, reaching 100 cm. The buds are similar to dahlias, their diameter is 12-15 cm.

Among them, there are scabio and cactus subspecies with unique color tones. Lilac, salmon, purple and orange buds can be obtained by planting the varieties "Violet", "Large-flowered" and "Lilliput".

Dahlia zinnias look very attractive even in the photo - grow them seedlings and enjoy a beautiful flower garden on your site.

California varieties

California varieties have pronounced decorative properties. These are the largest buds, in the opened state, the diameter of some can reach a record 25 cm. The tall stems allow the use of flowers for bouquet cut. And this is justified by the fact that "Californian mix" is able to stand in the cut for more than 3 weeks without losing its decorative qualities.

Growing zinnia seedlings: sowing and photo of flowers

The cultivation of zinnia with seedlings does not begin with sowing, as it may seem to inexperienced growers. The beginning of this process is rooted in autumn days. It was then that it was necessary to prepare all the components of the future nutritional formula. The final result depends on its quality. Of course, if it is now possible to buy almost any soil in a specialized store. But often their quality leaves much to be desired. It is much more interesting to create the soil yourself.

Seedlings of zinnia flowers develop well in a soil mixture composed of two parts of humus (manure or compost), 1 part of sod land with an admixture of deciduous structure and 1 part of sifted river sand (building sand cannot be taken). All this must be mixed, spilled with a boiling solution of potassium permanganate, cooled. Then add 1 matchbox of a mineral mixture of fertilizers for flowering plants to 5 liters. mix. You can start filling the boxes.

Usually, sowing of zinnia for seedlings is carried out in wooden or plastic boxes. There is only one requirement for containers - they must have a side rim height of at least 25 cm. Initially, filling with soil is carried out at 1/3 (7 cm). After sowing, another 1 cm of soil is poured over the compacted surface of the seeds. And then the filling of the earth will continue for the entire period of growing seedlings.

See how healthy and high-quality zinnia seedlings look in the photo, where strong specimens are presented:

This is what a healthy and strong zinnia seedling looks like.

Planting zinnia seedlings: when to sow in 2019?

Strong and healthy seedlings of zinnia are obtained only with the right choice of the date for sowing. This culture is clearly not worth rushing. With early sowing and the growth of the first shoots under conditions of short daylight hours, the seedlings are strongly elongated and do not give the splendor of flowering, which is inherent in them by their genetic potential.

Timely planting of zinnia for seedlings in 2019 can be carried out both in mid-February (for the southern regions of the country) and in mid-March (for the Urals and Siberia). We offer you to find out the approximate dates of when to sow zinnia on seedlings in accordance with the lunar calendar:

in February, for sowing, the numbers from the 19th to the 23rd and the 27th to the 28th are suitable;
in March, sowing zinnia can be done on the 12th, 13th and 14th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd on the 24th and 25th;
april will allow a belated florist to sow zinnia on seedlings from 7th to 10th, and for those who are completely late, it remains possible to do this from 17th to 21st.

In open ground, sowing zinnia in 2019 is best done either at the end of April (as soon as the soil thaws) or in early May. A later sowing no longer makes sense, since the plants will not even have time to pick up the buds.

How to grow good zinnia seedlings at home?

Experienced flower growers know how to grow good zinnia seedlings at home. And we conducted a survey among them, collecting all the most important subtleties and secrets. And there were a lot of them. They concern not only when to plant zinnia on seedlings in Siberia, the Urals and the Far East. First of all, it is about choosing the right growing method. And there are several of them:

traditional sowing in tall wooden boxes, followed by adding soil as the seedlings grow and pull out;
sowing in boxes with subsequent picking into separate containers;
sowing in peat tablets with transplanting in the phase of two true leaves into separate pots;
landing in "snails" or rolls made of laminate flooring backing.

In the climatic zone of the Urals, Siberia and the Far East, sowing is carried out in early March. But in the Moscow region and the Black Earth zone, planting should be carried out a little earlier, in mid-February.

Please note that at the time of transplantation into open ground to a permanent place of growth, the seedlings of zinnia should be 6 to 8-0 weeks old. This means that if the planting is planned in the garden in early May, then the sowing is carried out at the end of February. But if the climate does not allow planting before the beginning of June, then sowing on seedlings is recommended not earlier than mid-March.

If the seedlings are stretched at home?

In the event that the seedlings are stretched out at home, then experienced flower growers recommend ruthlessly shortening it by pinching all the stems. To do this, you can take a nail scissors and disinfect them in alcohol for 30 minutes. Also prepare finely ground charcoal for dusting the pinched areas. We take an elongated seedling and pluck it with nail scissors. do not be afraid to do this, new shoots will begin to grow from the axils of the leaves. Then, a week after the pinching, the transshipment procedure is carried out with the deepening of the stem. It is important to shorten the central root of the plant during handling. This agrotechnical operation will allow you to quickly build up the lateral branches of the root lobe.

Seed preparation and sowing

Zinnia seed preparation by stratification or scarification is not required. The seed is very coarse and separates well. Therefore, thickened crops are not observed. Before sowing, soak in a solution of hydrogen peroxide 3% or "Epine". This will make it possible to get seedlings faster and stronger seedlings.

Preparing zinnia seeds for planting seedlings includes soaking

Sowing is carried out on a well-moistened soil surface. Place the seeds at a distance of 2 cm from each other. Then pour 1 cm of soil on top. You do not need to water again. Wrap the container in a plastic bag and put it in a place where the temperature is high around the clock (battery or top of kitchen cabinets).

Seedlings will appear after 5-7 days. Immediately it is worth moving the containers to a lighted place. But avoid exposure to drafts. Therefore, if the window is opened periodically, then containers with zinnia seedlings should not be placed on its windowsill.

See what a zinnia seedling looks like in a photo of flowers, and about when to plant seeds to obtain a similar result is described in the article above:

Zinnia seedlings ready for planting must be hardened

Picking, shaping and pinching

Sowing the right seed can save you all the hassle of picking. However, it should be understood that a correctly carried out transplant ensures the development of a large root system. so, in the process of picking, it is recommended to pinch the central root. As a result, the root system begins to develop in the horizontal plane, and the seedling feeding area increases.

The subsequent formation of the bush is that when the sixth leaf appears on the central stem, you need to pinch. The crown is removed and the cut site is smeared with garden varnish or powdered with crushed charcoal. the correct pinching is not a one-time agrotechnical measure. It should be repeated at the moment when the lateral shoots reach a height of 5 cm. Pinch the tops again and leave to branch further.

Top dressing, watering and spraying

Top dressing of zinnia seedlings should be started a week after transplanting. It is also recommended to put a small piece of banana skin on the bottom of each pot. It is an excellent source of natural potassium. This trace mineral provides abundant and lush flowering. So, after transplanting, the first feeding is organic. To do this, use Agri-Cola for flowering plants. Then, after a week, you can use a complex of mineral fertilizers with a predominant percentage of potassium and magnesium.

Spraying the bushes should be done daily in the morning. To do this, use the Epin solution - it stimulates the formation of lateral branches. Also, once every two weeks, water each plant with a solution of succinic acid. You can buy this drug at any pharmacy. dissolve 5 tablets of succinic acid in 1 liter of water, stir and spill the seedlings.

Conditions for growing zinnia flowers in the open field

Growing zinnia in the open field is preferably carried out in seedlings. For this, sowing seeds is carried out at home in late February or early March. Then, at the end of May, a place of constant growth is being prepared. Organic and mineral fertilizers are introduced. The soil is being dug up.

Planting zinnia seedlings in open ground is carried out after preliminary hardening. For this process, it is necessary to take out containers with seedlings to the open air for a certain time every day. First it is 30 minutes, the next day 60 minutes.

The main conditions for growing zinnia:

well-lit area open to sunlight;
perfectly structured loose soil;
regular watering and soil moistening;
mulching of the topsoil is mandatory;
remove all weeds;
apply fertilizer regularly in the form of foliar and root dressings.

Growing zinnia flowers outdoors is easy. This plant is perfectly adapted to environmental conditions in all regions of our country. In dry times, watering should be carried out. Damp weather can promote the development of bacterial stem and root rot.

Look at the photo of growing zinnia - flowering plants with a beautiful appearance are shown:

Sowing in open ground

Correct sowing in open ground may be required in cases where the grower does not have free space on the windowsill, but you want to get these beautiful flowers at your disposal. Choose raised areas of land for planting. Immediately after the snow cover disappears, pour boiling water over them and dig them onto the bayonet of the shovel. It is great if warm beds are prepared in the fall. If not, then build it urgently. This is done like this:

a wooden box is assembled;
the fertile soil layer is previously removed;
dry branches, brushwood and half-decayed boards in a chopped state are added to the bottom;
then a green mass of grass is applied;
the next layer is compost;
on top again a layer of green grass;
cover everything with fertile soil;
spill boiling water with potassium permanganate.

Sowing zinnia in such a bed in the open field will accelerate the growth and development of the plant due to the large amount of carbon dioxide released by the internal contents.

Seeds are embedded in grooves at a distance of 3-5 cm between them. The depth of the grooves is up to 1 cm. After sowing and covering with soil, spill the seeds with warm water. Cover the top with plastic wrap and install a mini-greenhouse. Seedlings will appear after 5 days.

The flowering of such plants will begin 2 weeks later than those grown by seedlings. the undoubted advantage of sowing zinnia in open ground is that the seedlings are stronger and hardened.

How to get your seeds from flowering plants?

Before you get zinnia seeds from your flowering plants, you need to choose the specimens you like the most. This planting material retains its germination for 3-4 years. It is easy to collect seeds from any variety groups. They mature even in the harsh climatic conditions of the Urals, Siberia and the Far East.

Prepare the plant for seed collection in advance. Only those buds that will ripen to collect planting material need to be left on it. All other buds should be cut before they bloom. After removing the ripe seed boll, budding will continue. On average, it takes 55 days for the seed pod to ripen from the moment the bud opens. After harvesting, the seed pods should be placed in a warm place for an additional 30 days.

Then all the capsules are opened and seeds are extracted from them. They are sorted. for landing, you should take those that have the correct triangular shape. They are located around the pod core. the rest may have insufficient germination or lose their parental decorative properties.

Remember to label the seed bags. write not only the variety name and color, but also the year of harvest. This will help to promptly reject outdated planting material.

Pest and disease control

Constant control of diseases and potential pests of zinnia in the backyard is required only in wet summer conditions. Powdery mildew and gray mold often develop. It can be fought with fungicides. Typical features: gray spots on stems and foliage, wilting of inflorescences. For the fight, it is recommended to spray with solutions "Fundazol", "Vectra", "Cooloid sulfur" or "Topaz".

Of the pests, plants are often damaged by aphids. You can fight them with the help of the drug "Aktara" or "Fitoverm". Spraying should be carried out regularly, once every 3 days. And to fight snails and numerous slugs, metaldehyde granules should be laid out. It is produced in the form of Groza preparations.

See how zinnia seedlings are sown in a video clip:

Categories: / / by

Zinnia is not just a flower. This plant is absolutely extraordinary in its beauty, literally mesmerizing the eye with an unusually beautiful combination of the richest spectrum of bright colors that indescribably decorate the garden in summer, and in autumn zinnia is especially desirable in the garden, as it revives dull autumn colors, prolonging the sunny summer. Here is such a beautiful and necessary flower - zinnia. From seeds you can get both flowers in a permanent place, and seedlings.

It is quite possible to sow zinnia in early and mid-May directly into open ground, but it is necessary to use a covering material.

Most often, in the areas of amateur flower growers, graceful zinnia is found. This is an annual plant of simply stunning beauty, reaching a height of 20 centimeters to one meter. The stems of the plant are erect, branching, the leaves are large and rough. The flowers are united in inflorescences in the form of large baskets, reaching 16 centimeters in diameter, very elegant, of bright various colors. Zinnias are terry, semi-double or smooth.

Known in horticultural practice and another type of this plant - narrow-leaved zinnia. She looks completely different from graceful zinnia. Narrow-leaved zinnia is low, reaching only 35 centimeters, its stems branch strongly already starting from the very base, as a result, original spherical bushes are formed.

The inflorescences of narrow-leaved zinnia are also not so large and reach only four to six centimeters in diameter. The color is also quite bright, sometimes it is quite bizarre, two-tone, while the colors can be arranged in regular rings, spots or border.

Even the unpleasant fact that zinnia is afraid of cold weather cannot prevent the flower's popularity. Of course, zinnia, the cultivation of seedlings of which was accompanied by hardening, withstands small, up to one degree below zero, frosts, both seedlings and adult flowering plants, but the flower does not withstand more sensitive frosts. But as if as a compensation for this deficiency, zinnia is very drought-resistant.

This beautiful flower is characterized as long-blooming. Bushes bloom towards the end of June, and flowering continues until frost, decorating the garden for a long time. A flowering plant looks good in arrays and groups, perfectly decorating ridges and borders. It is used by many gardeners for planting on alpine slides.

In a zinnia flower, seedlings are grown as follows. First, zinnia is sown. This is done at the very beginning of April in greenhouses, or in greenhouses. Under normal conditions, seedlings appear about a week after sowing.

After about a week and a half, a pick is carried out, after which the plants need to be fed using complex fertilizers. This feeding must be repeated a couple more times before planting the seedlings in a permanent place, then the plants will look like real zinnia by the time of planting. Growing seedlings ends there.

Planting hardened seedlings into the ground becomes possible immediately after the end of the frost. Graceful zinnia is planted at a distance of 30-35 cm between plants, and narrow-leaved zinnia, as a smaller one, will feel good and denser - the distance between the bushes is 20-25 centimeters.

The soil for planting a zinnia flower, growing seedlings of which was somewhat troublesome, should be rich in nutrients and have a neutral reaction. First you need to dig up the site well, add humus, leafy soil or compost about one bucket per square meter. You can add one tablespoon of nitrophosphate, potassium sulfate and superphosphate. After fertilization, the soil is again dug shallowly.

The area for growing zinnia should be well lit and sheltered from the wind. Waterlogging or, on the contrary, prolonged drought is completely unacceptable. Two or three times during the whole season, the plants need to be fed with organic and mineral fertilizers.

So that is all. If you do everything that this wonderful plant requires of us, then this flower will thank us in full, whether it is zinnia from seeds or grown through seedlings.

fb.ru

Picking flower seedlings - skill and patience required

Any seedling is a very gentle natural creation. But flower seedlings require a particularly caring attitude. And gardeners who are fond of growing flowers very often face a problem when the wrong picking of seedlings of flowers leads to the death of seemingly well-grown seedlings. We address this article to those who are interested in the correct picking and seedlings of flowers and other seedlings.

Let's take a closer look at how the picking of flower seedlings is done. Most of them have a very vulnerable and weak root system. These include the popular petunia, aromatic scented tobacco, amazingly beautiful snapdragons, cochia, phlox and other flowers that give us joy with their splendor if properly cared for. Here they must be dived into special separate pots, so that when transplanted into the ground, you can simply break the container and pull out the seedlings along with the ground, so as not to disturb the root system once again. And such cultures. Like dahlias, asters, salvia and others that have sufficiently strong rhizomes, you can transplant immediately to their permanent habitat in the garden or greenhouse, making a preliminary dive into ordinary boxes. There are also such varieties of flowers, the picking of seedlings of which is recommended in groups of one hole. The fact is that, for example, alyssum, lobelia and other varieties of some flowering plants are thus well accepted, as if supporting each other's root system.

Correct picking of plants involves taking into account the fact that after planting them, some seedlings may lie down due to excessive stretching of the cotyledons. To prevent this from happening, you need to bury the seedlings up to the cotyledon leaves. And if you notice that the plant continues to stretch the hypocotal knee after it has practically taken up in the place of its main habitat, then you will have to worry about sprinkling the seedlings with soil mixture to the cotyledon leaves.

Successful picking of flower seedlings also depends on how correct lighting was received by the seeds from which the seedlings were grown. If there was little lighting, then there is a problem with the lodging of plants after planting.

And, of course, an important factor is the temperature of the room where the seedlings grow. It is difficult to create the optimum air temperature for all plants. Therefore, when planting, you need to sort the seeds of heat-loving flowers and separate them from those that grow well at lower temperatures. Having put them in separate boxes, you can easily rearrange them from place to place, lowering or increasing the temperature background. For example, aggregatum and perilla grow well at room temperature, 18 degrees of heat are enough for asters and petunias, and viola and scented tobacco thrive at temperatures up to 15 degrees. Having created such conditions, you will get hardened and healthy plants and the picking of seedlings will pass without any problems.

The picking of flower seedlings should be carried out in a timely manner. You can't be late with this process. The picking begins when the first leaves appear on the plants. The seedling is carefully separated from the box together with a clod of earth and carefully and carefully transferred to the dive container. The soil in the dishes should be moist, and after a while after the pick, the seedling is sprinkled with soil to the required place so that the hypocotal knee does not stretch excessively, and is watered. You can use a manicure set that you no longer use as a tool so as not to damage a weak root system.

After that, before planting in the ground, they require three feeding times. After two to three weeks, you can fertilize the soil with a complex mineral fertilizer, then after another 10 days (twice) use a special composition of Uniflor micro.

Growing and picking seedlings is exciting. If you do not have time for this activity, you can purchase good seedlings in specialized stores.

fb.ru

Zinia: planting and care | growing from seeds - Onwomen.ru

Zinnia (zinnia), or major, is a cute plant native to Mexico. Quite interesting is the fact that it can reach a height of 15 to 120 cm! Zinnia is an erect and branched plant. Depending on the size, it can be spreading or compact. The tough stems are greenish-purple in color. Slightly pointed leaves of zinnia are distinguished by a light fluff in the form of long, hard, colorless hairs.

Zinnia inflorescences are of three types: simple baskets with a number of reed flowers; semi-double, with a row of two to five reed flowers; terry, which are multi-row. Ligulate zinnia flowers can be up to one and a half centimeters wide and up to four centimeters long. They are slightly elongated and oval in shape. Zinnia flowers are able to delight breeders with their variegation, merging into many shades of white, pink, red, yellow and orange. The large lanceolate achene is the fruit of exquisitely zinnia.

An annual plant pleases gardeners with a huge variety of its forms and varieties, so every fan of decorating his garden or balcony with unusual plants will have something to choose from. Most often, it is customary to classify them by height: tall and short. Tall zinnias include super cactus, frywunder, giant cactus, dahlia, grandiflora.

Growing zinnia at home

On the territory of our country, as a rule, in the Non-Black Earth Region, it is customary to propagate zinnia by seedlings, and in the south - by seeds.

If we are talking about growing zinnia at home, then seeds for seedlings begin to sow not earlier than April... This late planting of seeds is easy enough to explain. The fact is that zinnia grows very quickly. If a grower plants a flower in March, then by the time the flower needs to be transplanted, he will have time to acquire buds. This will make it difficult for the plant to move to its place of planting. In addition, rather large seedlings are rather painful when they are planted in open ground.

To grow seedlings from seeds at home, you need a pot or container at least 10 cm deep.We have already mentioned that zinnia in most cases is a tall plant, so the seeds need to be planted at a distance of 2-3 cm from each other so that in the future, the seedlings did not interfere with each other. After planting the seeds, it is necessary to moisten the soil abundantly. Next, cover the pot or container with thick plastic wrap to create a greenhouse effect. As a rule, the first shoots can be seen in 5-6 days.

If the first green leaves appear, you must immediately remove the film from the container. Seedlings begin to dive only after each of the pots reaches 10 cm in height. After four weeks after diving, the seedlings are ready to move to the country. but in open ground should be transplanted no earlier than June, when the danger of night frosts has finally passed.

The site is preferable to choose in the sun or in partial shade. Tall varieties are planted at a distance of 40 cm, and undersized ones - 20 cm. After the plants acclimatize after transplanting, they need to pinch the crown. This is done for better branching of the seedlings.

Growing zinnia from seeds in the open field

Before planting zinnia outdoors, you need to find a good location for the plant. For a plant, such a site is one in which there are no drafts, and also the midday sun often peeps out, since zinnia is a light-loving flower.

Most often, zinnia seeds are planted directly into open ground in the southern territories of our country. This is done in late April - early May. With this method of planting, you need to take care of some kind of covering material that will protect young shoots from low temperatures at night. Subsequently, the plants must be thinned out, leaving approximately ten pieces per square meter.

Zinnia care

Zinnia loves medium and heavy fertile soil mixtures with organic fertilizer applied in advance. Top dressing with organic fertilizers should be carried out during the active growing season. Zinnia does not tolerate frost well, so it should be transplanted (or initially planted) in open ground only when the danger of a strong drop in night temperatures has passed. If, nevertheless, the gardener managed to plant zinnia, but the onset of frost is inevitable, then you need to take care of a good shelter for the plant. Zinnia is a drought-resistant plant, however, with a prolonged lack of sufficient moisture, the plant may lose its decorative effect. With an excess of moisture (especially in cool weather), the baskets rot very quickly.

Zinnia is an elegant annual that, with proper care, will delight the owners with its rainbow colors throughout the entire flowering period. ... The main thing: observe the watering regime and do not plant the plant until the end of the night frosts.

OnWomen.ru

Is it possible to dive Ziniya down to the cotyledon leaves? How are you doing?

Hedgehog

does not form lateral roots on the stem, so there is no point in deepening to the cotyledons ... the seedlings grow very quickly, so I sow in the end of April in the apartment ... trauma to the roots when transplanted into open ground, it is hard to bear ... the development of plants is delayed for a month ... the depth to which the plant was buried earlier ... I advise you to dive now ... it will delay growth by a month, which is what you need .. + survival in the exhaust gas will be easier.

# GG #

I sow already in the country, and then I plant it in place.
I think that if the seedlings are very stretched, then you can deepen it a little.

Elena Smirnova

If they are not sown too often, then it is quite possible to do without picking. The fact is that young zinnia sprouts are unusually fragile and it is better not to disturb them again. If they are stretched, then move them to a cooler place.
After my, poorly successful, first experience of sowing zinnia through seedlings at home (some lost during a dive, some during transportation), I sow directly into the exhaust gas.

Kitty

You can !, and when will you land? I sow for the north of the Moscow region on April 20-24 ... I plant it at the entrance, in one year at the beginning of June they fell under the frost, turned black. Since then, I have not been in a hurry to sow.

Hope

dive is not worth it, try to gently add soil between the plants. No space upwards - build up with a ring of paper.

Ludmila

i just sow them in the ground on May Day ..

Irina Shabalina

why bother with a dive…. I always divide and plant from a common box, it does not even fade, you can deepen it, but a little.

Olga

I sow zinnia in the ground under lutrasil in mid-late May

It's me

You can also deepen. They stretch strongly at the seedling stage. Therefore, I buried them in the ground by 20 cm (I had to dig trenches). They grew up normally. Now I'm not sowing - I'm tired of it.

athena

mine is also high. I went deep last year. but my beautiful zinnia is powerful. Johnsons seeds. height 75 cm and flower diameter 14 cm. There are recommendations on the sachet — TRY AS LESS THAN POSSIBLE AND DO NOT ROTATE THEIR ROOTS. I really love zinnias.