Yet more zinnias

Suzy,
My zinnias in my pots are really drying out fast this year - in fact a lot need watering twice a day ;( I know they have a lot of plants in each one(about 15), but I think the soil mix I used was too loose. They are in 21 qt pots and I seed the whole pack and then thin. I should go with bigger, but fewer pots I think.


tabasco - I did seed a few new pots 2 weeks ago, so I'll see how those do for fall flowering.

......and I have some in the ground that are about 3 weeks old now.

Last year I did have them blooming through frost because I sowed 'Cut n Come Again' around June 10 (the weekend before Father's Day -- whatever date that would have been.) They didn't get mildew, so is that because they were a mildew resisitant variety or was it because of the late sowing?

I don't have time right now to click on the links you provided, but last night Iclicked on the Park's website and they had Dreamland Zinnias with a 54 day maturation and didn't provide any info on Magellans...not sure if that mean Magellans take a long time to come to flower or if they don't have that information, tho.

Did I tell you the Monarchs like the single Dahlias I have*? The ones from 'Bishop's Children' seed? I saw another one yesterday, but considering I only saw one Swallowtail yesterday, I think a Monarhch hanging around and going from flower to flower and then from plant to plant is significant. Dahlias are as fast and easy as Zinnias -- I know, I know, it's hard to believe, but I swear it's true. The only difference is they don't come up in one or two days -- maybe a week? But oncet the germinate, they grow faster than Zinnias! Well, maybe not faster, but they are VERY fast and grow too tall, too fast to start under lights too early -- maybe start them April 1st?

*I think it's safe to assume they like all single dahlias, not just the ones I have. LOL!

Suzy

Here's the write-up on Z. Magellan from the AAS site ('coral' was an award winner in 2005)

Says 6-9 weeks from seed to flowering.

"Magellan Coral’ blooms are radiant. They illuminate the garden. The fully double, dahlia flowered 5- to 6-inch blooms gleam with brilliant coral petals. The flower quality and color are superior to other Zinnia elegans. In addition to the color, ‘Magellan Coral’ plants are brimming with luminous blooms. Consistent flower production is an improved quality. Earliness to bloom is another exceptional trait. From sowing seed to first bloom requires only 6 to 9 weeks. Mature zinnia plants will reach about 15 to 17 inches tall and spread 15 to 19 inches, depending upon growing conditions. Like all zinnias, ‘Magellan Coral’ will perform best in a full-sun growing location. This AAS Winner is adaptable to container culture. In the garden, ‘Magellan Coral’ is undemanding, needing little maintenance."

http://www.all-americaselections.org/Winners.asp?year_win=2005

Illoquin--Interesting about the dahlia 'Bishop's Children' being loved by butterflies. I will have to try some--I guess next year? Too late to start them now, I would think...Too bad...

http://www.parkseed.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDisplay?storeId=10101&catalogId=10101&langId=-1&mainPage=prod2working&ItemId=0665&PrevMainPage=advsearchresults&scChannel=sitemap&SearchText=p13.Dahlia&OfferCode=TH1

http://fothergills.co.uk/en/dahlia-bishop-s-children-71.aspx

I did start some more zinnias (benary giants) a couple of weeks ago and they are still teeny tiny...I hope their growth hormones kick in soon! Maybe I should 'messenger' them?

Tabasco,

Are you getting the cool night time temps we're getting here? That is what is slowing down the Zinnias. Later this week it will be nice and hot and they'll take off provided they get enough water.

Messenger is always good on Zinnias, tho.

Suzy

Suzy - Yes I have seen a monarch on my single dahlia - Northwest Cosmos, the other ones the frequent rarely. Yes the seeded dahlias are fast growing and flowering.


The Big Tetra mix does have a real mix and does have bigger flowers than the Dreamlands mix I have it next to.

This was the ugly duckling seedling one I posted from BTmix, looks nice fully opened.

Here is a close up of one of the ones seeded from last years Uproar Rose, some are the looser, tall cone(?) that I care less for.

Like the big tetras.Nice!size blooms.

Al, I love the orange Big Tetra! It is ORANGE!

Big Tetra always sounded...well, big. Isn't it a foot or more taller than the Dreamlands?

Suzy

They are taller, a little under a fott, but they are in pots.

Here is the biggest one on them I could find.

Big!!! Keep that pot watered, Al, because I will want a mildew report on that baby next month. I love it! How tall would you say the plant is? And if you have it, how tall is Dreamland (or Magellan) I want something a tad (3-5" taller) taller than Dreamland.

Suzy

I'll get pic of them together tonight. I have them in afternoon shade to help the drying out - should be a good test for the PM too.

Al,

If you don't mind me asking, where did you get your Big Tetra mix seed? Burpee's Big Tetra Mix is described on the packet as having a height of 2½ feet, and in my experience those packets have fairly accurate descriptions for seeds planted in open ground.

MM

MM & AL,

Did you see the customer comments about Big Tetra on the Burpee site? One customer said it got 6 feet tall ! No wonder I didn't spring for it.

Suzy

Suzy,

I hadn't seen that customer comment about the Burpee Tetras. Interesting. At one time Parks Seeds had a tall strain provided by an amateur grower, but when I went to buy some they were out of stock and I see that Parks doesn't list it now.

This older news article is now about three years out-of-date with respect to the Guinness record zinnia, but indicates that they can grow very tall. http://www.whiteville.com/pages/2004%20WEBPAGES/AUGUST%202004/8.12.04/news4thurs.html

This link leads to a blurb that says, "You'd better get to work if you want to break the Guinness world record for the tallest zinnia. The champion stood 12 feet 6 inches tall on Nov. 16, 2004, and was grown in North Carolina." http://news.surfwax.com/gardening/files/Zinnia_Flowers.html (Scroll down to the "Below the fold: Six things to talk about this week May 1, 2006" link.)

I don't think I want to be pollinating any zinnias that require a stepladder. (grin)

MM

MM - Big Tetra mix is just from a pack of Burpee's store bought.

Suzy - here is BT and Dreamlands mix together on their first day of school ;)

I took a more scenic version of it too.

Benarys orange zinnia

Zowie.One of my favorites.

Miss Wilmott.More of a pastel color.

Big red zinnia from parks seeds.The color is nice.The bloom turned out smaller.If I think this one is a hybrid.

Scarlet Red Flame.

Great shots. I am definately going to plant pots of zinnia like yours, al, for next year and then slip them into the butterfly border when there are gaps of bloom.

You really get a lot of bloom in those containers! And it's so Interesting to see the side by side difference in the two varieties. Do you have any more potted varieties to show and tell and compare like that for us? (I hope you put that pic in plant files with a note about the differences---please??) I love it when there are full plant shots in the Plant Files.

Skimper-- I love Zowie, too. I plant it with with Asclepias 'curassavia' (tropical milkweed) and late blooming red daylilies and the butterflies love the combination.

Very interesting that some zinnias rate their own names like 'Miss Wilmott' and 'Scarlet Flame'...I wonder if they are 'strains' of Benary's Giants or what... (back to technical stuff, sorry.) (-;

You can tell I am enthralled by the Zinnias this year. I never knew they could be so pretty and such a great addition to the garden. (pretty stupid, huh!?)

Hi Tabasco. I agree with you. These zinnias are fascinating and I think some of the "technical" stuff if pretty interesting, as you are saying about the origin of different varieties and so on. I hope you (and others) keep posting your thoughts and insights on "Zinnia lore" as there are many of us "Z-addicts" out here on DG!

tab - I add all mine. My photos on my computer are just crazy right now. I usually add a single shot, a full shot and this year seedling pics. What other comparison one do you want? I have Lavender Gem,Canary Yellow,Scarlet Flame,Exquisite,White Wedding - maybe more.LOL

Hey Al, If you're offering, I'd like to see more Scarlet Flame. I want to know the proportion of plant to flower ratio. LOL! Or just how big the flowers are and how tall the plant is.

I'm worried that the plants in pots aren't reallly indicative of how the plant would grow in the open ground, though. I think in my garden they would get much larger. Do you fertilize and everything? Do you htink they'd grow bigger if you had them where the Dahlias are?

Suzy

I always appreciate your plant files pics and I know you have loads of photos in plant files! (((hugs))) And I have used your seedling shots a lot, BTW!

I was suggesting that if you have, say, a pot of 'Oklahomas' and a pot of 'dreamlands' in the same pic to post that on the zinnias under, say, the ''Oklahoma" cultivar (or both cultivars) so that those checking out that cultivar can compare the growth habits with another. It might tell them "Oh, I really want that other one that is shorter, or more blooms, or whatever".

The plants in pots may not be indicative of the same plants growing in the ground but still it would be a good reference point---and nowadays many people just have container gardens and need to know what would work in them anyway....am I making any sense?? LOL

I know it's so much work to post those plant files pics, but I find comparison shots so helpful and another clue to how the plant behaves relative to other plants.

Suzy - Scarlet Flame isn't fully open yet, I can get you a pic though. I do fertilize mine quite a bit - at least once a month - but then again they do get watered everyday so that doesn't last long. I had some in the ground last year, but it wasn't great soil they were in. I know for sure they would be wider in a good bed - I would think a foot taller at the most. My dahlias in pots come out about a foot shorter.

tab - I'll come up with a few shots. PF pics aren't hard - I need to go through and organize the thousand pics I've taken this summer.LOL

This message was edited Jul 28, 2007 11:35 PM

Suzy - here is how Scarlet Flame compares to a red dahlia - Contessa.LOL I started it a few weeks later than the rest so it's not full size yet. Also a bit pale so I fertilized it today.

Between the squirrels digging up my seedlings (or the thieving Crows...), a very cool, wet summer and some varieties succumbing to mildew, I have not had much luck.
The ones that have made it are 'Persian carpet' & the Profusion series - highly disease resistant. Resowing & lack of heat are affecting bloom time.
Persian Carpet with Guest:

Hello,

Just tossed one of my Oklahoma Cherry Zinnas---It was covered with Mildew. I had not noticed it until today and was sad to see it go. I have 4 more and they are showing no signs of mildew yet and the Zowie Zinnas ,
no sign of mildew. Last year the Zowie had no mildew. Is anyone else having mildew problems on their zinnas?

MY roses have had no blackspot this year. But I just pruned two down a bit that had mildew on them.

A yellow from a "Cactus Mix".

A "Benary's Giant" pink. Although perhaps not easy to see in the photo, it has a bit of lacing on the petals, something of a two-tone antique effect.

So far, so good, as far as mildew goes with the zinnias. No mildew on the Zowie and Benary's Giants. Knock on wood. I'm sure it's just around the corner, though!

Hi Tabasco,

I was just thinking. The Oklahoma Cherry has performed well so far and that one that I lost gave me 3 months of pleasure, so I am sure I will try that one again. I just love the color.

I was just on the Bird Forum for the first time, wondering if anyone loves the Goldfinch. I have two bright yellow ones in my front and backyard this summer and they are loving my Indian Summer. I have yet to be able to get a picture. Still trying though. These two are always together. So fun to watch them.

Bdale - I like the giant pink one.

Katye - Nice photo. I'm not a fan of the profusions. No mildew here, I do have the spotty black ring stuff on one of mine.

Tab - this monarch was on the Exquisite and of course moved off once I got the camera.

I love the goldfinches playing in the rudbeckias, liatris, verbena bonarienses. One of mother nature's masterpieces to see them flitting around in the garden!

Very pretty picture of the Exquisites with the monarch. Exquisite must be a pretty prolific flower to have so many blooms. Lovely.

This year is the first time that I have planted zinnias, and to be honest I was disappointed. I believe that a big part of that was the wrong selection by me.

After looking at everyone's pretty pictures, I may really have to rethink this for next year. Geraniums have always been my favorite annuals, but I had a fairly low germination rate (due in part to my soil I believe), whereas with the zinnias, it must have been over 90%.

It's a shame that its too late to start some for this year.

Penne, What on earth did you select that wasn't good (Zinnias)? Germinating Geraniums (say that 3 times real fast!) is tough. I think that's one I'm better off buying at the garden center.

Al, Scarlet Flame is just okay (so far) but that Dahlia Contessa is GORGEOUS! I may have to hit you up for one,,,, Maybe not. I need to decide what to do about the J beetles.

Kayte, I love that Persian Carpet. I had never seen a flower up close like that. Do they all look the same or is it a mix? I like that flower better than the Chippendale I saw.

BDale, I love the Yelow Cactus! The shape, but the color, too. I just have sooo much yellow and gold this time of year. What other colors did you get blooming?

Betty & Tabasco, Those darn finches! They stole all my Bachelor Buttons seed! I had to stake a couple of things and they act like those are their private perches. It is funny watching them land on a flower stem and the whole things slooooow-ly lean over until they are about 6"off the ground. Little piggies! They just keep eating!

No new pics on the Zinnia front here. I'm sort of with Al on the Profusions. If I wanted a stagnant flowering plant, I'd go plastic. Won't stop me from sowing some, but they aren't my favorites and they FADE so terribly.

Suzy