Surely you have met lush terry flowers that stand on the string. You may have seen them in city beds or in the front gardens of houses. These are unpretentious flowers of majors, or zinnias. How they are grown and how to care for them - you will learn about all this in the article.
What kind of flowers are these majors?
Despite the strict name, it is a very attractive and vibrant plant. Majors are their popular name; on seed bags and in literature, you will most likely find their official name - zinnia. The flower is named after the German scientist, professor of botany Johann Gottfried Zinn.
The plant is one of the simplest annuals for growing in the garden. They develop rapidly, and their flowering period is very long - until the first cold weather.
Zinnia has bright, single buds, similar in shape to a daisy, but much more magnificent. The height of the plant varies depending on the variety - from 15 cm to giants with a height of 1 m, which allows you to use them on different roles in the garden: from low borders to whole flower beds, where the major flowers are the basis. Photos of this landing method:
The sizes of the petals are also different: from 2 to 8 cm.
Zinnia is also grown on a slice.
Majors flowers: planting, care of young plants
These annuals are not only beautiful, but also quite budget ones. In a temperate climate, they can be grown independently, without seedlings. Major flower seeds are inexpensive and can be found at most gardening stores. And further care of the plant is quite simple and does not involve expensive fertilizers or remedies.
A sunny place - this is what the correct landing of the majors necessarily requires. There will be many flowers, and they will develop well only in the absence of shading on the flowerbed. The root system of the plant is strong, but branched, so it does not tolerate transplantation.
Majors plant flowers in the ground after 4-6 weeks from the last frosts, to start active development they need a temperature of 10 degrees.
If you want to accelerate growth or in your region the spring is long and cold, then it is worth growing zinnias in pots of peat. They can be immediately planted in the ground, decomposing, they will serve as an additional source of nutrients for the flower.
Majors are unpretentious to the soil, but grow best on loose, humus-rich soils with an acidity level in the range of pH 5.5 - 7.5.
When planting, seeds should be planted to a depth of not more than 1 cm, slightly sprinkled with earth. The distance between the seedlings depends on the size of the plant: for low varieties - 15-20 cm, for high ones - 30-60 cm.
If all conditions are met, the first sprouts will appear in 4-7 days. The soil for them should be well moistened, but not to the state of gruel.
Adult Care
Flowers majors will not take you much time while working in the garden. Young plants need good watering, it is preferable to carry out it under the root, in the evening or in the early morning, so that the moisture is properly absorbed before the hot sun warms in the afternoon. When majors grow older, they do not like excess water and are even considered resistant to short-term droughts.
When the plant reaches a height of 10 cm it needs to be fed with liquid fertilizer.
In order for the majors flowers to acquire a more branched shape, while they are small, you need to pinch the main shoots.
High grades may require support so that they do not fall or break by the wind.
To prolong flowering, you need to cut old buds, and so that the plant continues to bloom vigorously, you need to feed it again in the middle of summer.
Majors live until the first frost.
Himself a florist
With zinnias, you can safely make homemade bouquets. Removing flowering stems only provokes the development of new flower ovaries, but for this, the cut should be located above a leaf or a new bud.
In addition, the majors look beautiful in pots, which can be placed anywhere on the site or even on the balcony in the apartment building. It can be a monocultural composition or a mixture of several types of flowers.
Pests
Majors are afraid of caterpillars, mealybugs and spider mites. But their main problem is powdery mildew and other bacterial diseases. They occur in the absence of ventilation, caused by too dense planting or with an excess of watering. Therefore, the soil for them should be loose, well permeable to water. The moisture that remains on the buds and leaves after watering from above also contributes to the development of these diseases. If in one place the plants are planted densely, then do not be afraid to remove several weak sprouts, so that the rest will develop normally. Also do not overdo it with watering. Inspect plants and remove parts affected by pests.
Modern varieties of zinnia have been cultivated so as to increase resistance to powdery mildew, so if you follow the recommendations for planting and care, then it is unlikely to bother you.
Interesting Facts
- Zinnias grow like wild flowers in central North America, the southwestern United States, and Mexico. There I.G. Zinn discovered this plant and brought it to Europe as a herbarium for the eminent scientist Karl Linnaeus. He gave him a modern name.
- Butterflies are very fond of bright flowers majors. Photos of guests of the gardens where they grow can be seen below.
- Zinnia was an official Indiana plant from 1931 to 1957.
- Small majors look beautiful when dried.
- Zinnia is a member of the astro family, therefore it has family ties with chamomile, cosmea, marigolds and even sunflower.
- The seeds of the majors can be collected on their own, they are ready when the head is completely dry and the scales can easily be separated. But keep in mind that if other varieties grow on your site or within 500 m, then the flowers are likely to be cross-pollinated and their varietal qualities have deteriorated.