Yet more zinnias

Iloquin,

Click onto the Bird Forum and then go to the thread I started yesterday on the American Goldfinch and check out the picture of the 3 goldfinch that Murmur posted yesterday. She is sending me a copy of that picture and I am so excited!!! Sorry about your Bachelor Button Seeds. Maybe next year just plant a lot more of them. I have a lot of Indian Summer as well as Zowie Zinnas, so these two Goldfinch in my yard can have their pick---there is plenty to go around. They are welcome visitors to my yard anytime!!!!! I am still trying to get a picture to post.

Hi Suzy,

Much obliged for the compliment! As a matter of fact, we have very few yellows this year. Here's the yellow "Cactus" surrounded by a lot of Benary Giant pinks. There should be some straight purples in there too, but a little hard to see in this particular shot. Orange, red, salmon, and white round out the Benarys, in a different bed.
BDale

BD, Beautiful pictures of your zinnias. I have a lot of pink in my Benary mix too. Next year I am going to purchase separate colors and make my own mixes....

The hummingbirds were really going after mine yesterday when I was working in the garden. I think the best part of planting these summer bright flowers in the border is watching the birds play with them! Of course, those birds better not mess with my butterfly caterpillers!

I tried to post some photos of my zinnia flower combinations, but they are not going through. Will try again later.

Suzy, I selected purple prince, and was very disappointed when it wasn't a darker purple like I was anticipating, although I did like the border that was posted. I also planted envy, and then found that the green really did not stand out - this was the first time that I grew a green flower, and the last. I really like my flowers to be colorful. The third one was candycane, and I just didn't like the color combination. It wasn't clear. I do like the swizzle that Skimper has.

You are right that they are easy to grow. Next year, I am going to look at some of the brighter colors, and some low growing ones as well. I also briefly considered some dahlias after seeing Al's pictures, but I don't think that I would want to lift the bulbs in the fall. This was my first year with caladiums, and already I'm thinking that I may just leave the bulbs in the soil and let them rot. I think that I just like things to be easier.

I read a really disappointing post yesterday when I was researching some of the older post. There is a grower in Raleigh who said that professional landscapers were not using madegascar periwinkle (annual vinca) because they are frequently carrying fungal disease. This is one of my favorite annuals. I love the cooler series. I was thinking about replacing the caladiums with vinca, now I'm looking as zinnias or marigolds.

Right now, I am already moving on to starting pansies for the fall. I just decided on my seeds last night. I'm really excited, since I have never started pansies.

Bdale60:Benarys are one of my favorite zinnias.your zinnias are pretty!

Photo taken today of Zowie.

Benarys orange.I like the orange color to this zinnia.

blooms today of different flowers.Aztec zinnia along with colossus marigold and bloom of a light colored apricot double h.hock.

Uproar Rose.Looks like something has been eating at the flower.I noticed a couple of Japanese beetles last week.Time to get some traps.

I too prefer the Benary Z's, but had no seeds left to sow.
We typically have cooler weather, so no fading, as those of you with full-on sun might experience. Mildew is always a problem, but the Profusion series had none last year, nor this year - so far. The other aspect of them that I liked was that they perform so well in full-day sun containers, along with Cuphea, Salvia & Callibrachoas.

Persian Carpet - I think it's a Z. Haageana (spelling?), but not sure. It is not a mix as far as I know, rather it tends to have variation: yellow with orange to red to mahoghany. Again, they have performed well for the particular application.
Now why the squirrels & crows don't touch these (or the profusions) is beyond me. Next year, to avoid any shenanigans,all Z's are going under wire covering.
Question: in regards to mildew, has anyone had success using Messenger on the tall Z's?
I was told to try it, but haven't yet.

I haven't used 'messenger' (I would if I had it but I keep forgetting to buy some) but I noticed while reading the commercial growers' growing guides they all recommend "extra vitamin and hormone applications" for the zinnias...

Have you noticed a difference in the flowers from Benary's Giant seed 'blends' purchased from various suppliers? Just wondering....

....ding! Messenger is a great idea, Kayte!!! Thanks for the reminder.

Suzy

I'm definitely going to try Messenger next year on my zinns. I've had some success last year and this year using GreenCure® http://www.greencure.net/what_is_greencure.asp , but I think Messenger might help too. So far I have resisted using toxic stuff, because we also grow some veggies and I definitely don't want to poison our soil. I'm not an organic gardener, but I do use some of their methods. But I also use chemicals, especially in the form of water soluble nutrient formulas, such as Miracle-Gro.

MM

GreenCure sounds like a good idea. I had never heard of it before.

If it's from Cornell, GreenCure is probably very effective, no?...and it better be...look at the price!

http://www.wormsway.com/detail.asp?sku=GC700

I forgot what Messenger really was so here is a nice explanation. Sounds like it is 3% harpin proteins and 97% food grade additives...whatever that means....

http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/HLA/GHEX/newsletter/vol_12/vol_12_no_4.htm

Last summer there was a continuing discussion (and even a co-op for Messenger) on DG and I think those that applied it according to directions (timing was important) found it very effective for their plants. Others had a different results, too.

I will have to try that GreenCure. It sounds like just the thing for zinnias. Thanks for mentioning it, MM.

I agree zinnias do well being fertilized.I use agloflash fertilizer,I purchase from Jungs.this fertilizer does well on all flowers.Agloflash, is more of a organic fertilizer.

Rose-pink cactus zinniaThis is a new zinnia for me this year. The seeds was from crosmans seeds.
I was pleased!with seed germination and reasonable prices and fast shipping.

I like the Benary's orange.

I took a pic of Benary's Giant Lime at an arboretum the other day. Not a lot different than Envy.

Nice!color and unique zinnia.I have one benarys lime about to bloom.I don't know which seed company, off hand that has the tequila lime zinnia?

Burpees carries the Tequila Lime Zinnia. Of course they don't really say it's a Benary's Giant--maybe a successor?? I wonder....

http://www.burpee.com/product/annual+flowers/zinnias/zinnia+tequila+lime+-+packet+%2850+seeds%29.do

It is so pretty in your pic--I bet it is very pretty with the purples and some of the other bright colors...

I wonder,if the tequila lime is darker than the benarys lime zinnia.
Thanks! for the link.

Here's a darling zinnia, my pumpkins call "Princess Pink"

OOPS...too fuzzy, maybe this is better!

garden 6

I really like that Zinna. Does it get mildew?

Looks like a fuzzy Carousel


Suzy-I got a nicer full shot of Scarlet Red Flame today - really stands out now.

Betty~ no mildew yet! This is the only "princess pink" zinnia in our gardens!

Al~ I'm getting adjusted to this new digi-camera, so I apologize for the fuzzy carousel effect!

Al - did you seed these? Stunning - Bright - I'll pursue this one & thanks for the info!

Yes, I'd say so!! Gotta run get my sunglasses!

Thanks for the pic,
Suzy

garden6 - I can say from my digital cameras I have had that you will get a better focus by being back farther and zooming in then just getting up close without zooming. Try both and see how they do.

katye - That's a Walmart seed - Ferry Morse makes those I believe.

Thanks Al, I will practice just that ....as my other digi was a point and shoot!

Those scarlet zinnias look great in a group like that. I'm not sure how I feel about the green zinnias (although that is a very attractive photo of it). Might be a nice flower to mix in with some other cut flowers, but I tend to lean more toward a bright, contrasting color in the garden. I might like it more than I think if I saw it in the garden. Good stuff as always.

OK...a practice shot, with much better results...thanks for the helpful hint...

Better, keep practicing.

I caught a pic of a seed stealer ;)

Al,

Thanks for posting that last picture of the American Goldfinch--that is what it is isn't it? I have two that visit my yard regularly and they love the seed from my Zowie Zinnas and Indian Summer---but I have not been able to get a great picture like yours. So exciting---my favorite bird.

I do get Goldfinches, I mainly see them eating cosmos seeds which is why I had to get a pic of this one.

Hi Al,

Post more pictures of the Goldfinch--if you can. I just love them.

I have a question where do you all get your zinnia seeds from I can only find packets of red and yellow or a mixture of.
Gloria

I'll try Betty - hard to get real close to them.

I buy some seeds locally(Burpee displays) and some I send away for. Burpees,Parks,T&M,Jung's etc are good.

Stokes Seeds sells lots of single colors

http://www.stokeseeds.com/cgi-bin/StokesSeeds.storefront

Peppermint zinnia.