Growing Zesty Zinnias

While many American gardeners adore Zinnia's, most do not realize that their original name in Mexico was Mal de Ojos, which translates as "sickness of the eyes" or eyesore. I do not agree with that name, and most avid gardeners I know would agree with me. Zinnias are beautiful, can make a dramatic display in your garden or landscaping and are relatively easy to grow. This holds true for new gardeners and those that consider themselves bad gardeners. They come in just about every color and can add a bright accent to your garden. Here are the few things that zinnias need to thrive and what you can do to help your zinnias be zesty.

If you do not have any space in your garden or landscaping for zinnias, they can also do well in containers. Zinnias can be a great project with your children or grandchildren since they are reasonably fast growing. Follow the same instructions as you would for garden planting and enjoy.

As with any gardening endeavor, begin with strong healthy plants. Carefully check the plants before buying to make sure that they are disease and pest free. If you can find a healthy plant without flowers or blooms already, choose those. This will allow the young plant to use its resources toward the initial development of the root system, which is key to all other growth.

Plant your zinnias in the spring, after all threat of frost has past. If you are starting zinnias from seeds, then I suggest starting the seeds indoors six to eight weeks early to let the seedlings to develop significantly before planting in your garden. Seeds can also be sown directly in your garden, but if that is your choice, then be sure that you wait until all threat of frost has passed before sowing.

Zinnias are not overly picky with the type of soil that they are planted in. As long as they receive plenty of sunshine your zinnias can be happy anywhere. So do not be too concerned if the spot you previously deemed perfect turns out to have sandy or clay soil as you begin to dig to plant. The zinnia will not mind at all. If you are concerned that the chosen area has poor drainage, then add some compost to the soil and mulch the area after planting. These relatively simple solutions will aid the soil's ability to retain the right amount of moisture.

Zinnias prefer full sun. If all the locations that would work well in your landscaping for zinnias have some shade, the zinnias would do best with late afternoon rather than morning shade, particularly in hotter regions. While your zinnia will need to be watered, and like the soil to be watered regularly enough to remain moist, the leaves are prone to mildew. Therefore, be cautious when watering so that you do not soak the leaves and stems; try your best to keep the leaves dry. There is bound to be rain dampening the leaves at some point. So simply try not to add to that inevitable moisture. If the weather turns overly hot or dry, do not fret. The zinnia can survive with soil on the dry side, but will begin to wilt if the soil stays too dry for an extended period of time.

Zinnias are prolific bloomers, and respond extremely well to cutting. Zinnias will bloom again after blooms are cut and removed. So be prepared to snip away and have some vases ready to decorate your home, and your friends' homes, with the bountiful blooms. If the blooms get away from you, or your run out of vases, be sure to remove dead or fading blooms from the plant to encourage even more blooms.

If you are up to fertilizing, which I fully admit to failing to do, zinnias respond best to a supplement that is high in phosphorous. I suggest using a 5-10-5 mixture every six weeks, which can help encourage a strong root structure. It is not a necessary endeavor with zinnias, but it does not hurt if you are so inclined. However, remember to follow all package instructions and take the necessary safety precautions if you do decide to fertilize.