Zinnias Easy to Grow and Easy to Care

Zinnia is a flower plant that originally belonged to the grasslands of Southwest America. It is the genus of 20 species of annual and perennial plants. It belongs to the family of Asteracea. The zinnia has the long-stemmed bright-colored flowers. It is easy to plant and maintain in your flower garden. If you wish to plant zinnias in your flower garden here are some important flower gardening tips those will help you in achieving your purpose.

Zinnias are the most popular garden flowers that are grown from seeds in the fertile, well-drained soil that is rich in humus content. It is the sun-loving flower plant. The flowers zinnia are available in variety of colors like white, red, orange, yellow, chartreuse, purple and lilac.

Planting of Zinnia

The zinnias are easy to plant and take care of. They bloom from early summer to fall. If they are protected well from frost fall, they bloom well in fall creating a blanket of color. They can grow up to 4 feet in height. The dwarf varieties of zinnia grow about 4 inches and form a perfect garden bed.

Below are some tips for planting zinnia in the garden. These tips will help you if you are thinking of planting a garden full of colorful Zinnia flowers.

• Choose the appropriate location for planting zinnia. Zinnias are sun-loving flower plants. Hence, make sure that the location selected receives sunlight for maximum time of the day. If you are planting zinnias in pots or containers, move them in sunlight during the day hours. It should get the full sunlight for at least 6 hours a day.
• Plant the zinnia in spring after the coolness in the atmosphere has passed. Add plenty of organic matter in the soil up to 6-8 inches. The manure or organic compost will improve the soil texture and raise the soil quality enhancing the drainage and adding valuable nutrients. Zinnias thrive well in well-drained and fertile soil.
• Inspect the surface of the soil and remove the rocks or debris from the garden area. Plant the seeds carefully and cover the soil gently. Keep the 4 inches space in-between when you plant the dwarf varieties while keep 20-24 inches space for the taller varieties. If you are growing it for cut flowers, it can be planted closer to each other. Spray water to wet the soil and do not pour the water. Keep the soil moist until the seeds germinate. It will take 4 to 7 days to germinate the seeds.
• Add fertilizer to your garden twice in a month. When the seedlings are 4 inches high and have a set of true leaves, put the center leaves to encourage the branching to develop a bushy plant. Add water to the soil when it appears to be dried.
• Remove the deadheads from the plant to promote the blooming of plant.

Zinnias are prone to various fungal diseases. These diseases can be avoided by providing good air circulation. Using the anti fungal agents is usually not the cure for controlling the disease.

Zinnias are easy to grow in your garden and require low maintenance. By knowing the flower gardening tips to grow zinnia, your gardening experience will be wonderful and exciting.