I like a low maintenance garden which is why I always try to choose plants that require little investment but yield huge returns. Zinnias are one such plant--they really pack a wallop. Once they start blooming, they never stop until the cold finally gets to them. I buy a lot of them each season because they are pretty inexpensive and you'd only have to plant a couple more things in a pot to make the arrangement complete.In the container shown below, I have planted the following: Dracena (spike) (1); Osteospermum (1); Zinnia Profusion White (2); Zinnia Profusion Orange (2); Purple Scaevola (1); Cuphea (2).
Zinnias do benefit from plenty of water but if you walk out one hot day and see them wilted, do not despair because they are as forgiving as they are prolific. Just give the pot a good dousing of water and if you have to, cut off any stems that did not survive the neglect. They will bounce back and continue to bloom happily for the rest of the season.
Bookshelf: Container Gardening Books
5 comments:
Hi Miriam, I hope you're doing well and staying cool! I love the pictures on your site - do you take all the photos your self? Question: do you have any suggestions for plants that 'bolt'?
Hi Miriam,
I found a good website for rohini about bolting.
http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/vegetable/what-is-bolting-what-it-means-when-a-plant-bolts.htm
Hi Miriam, I just published the "anonymous said"...about bolting. I sent a prior comment, but evidently did it incorrectly.
I was agreeing that the Zinnas are loved for their durability, speed of growth, and range of heights, colors, and forms from button size to 7 inchess across! They seem to thrive in our Colorado climate.
I plant them every year in my front annual bed; I find them to be a bit expensive so may try what a gardening friend did this year and plant seeds. The were sprouted in a couple of days!
I love your blog!
Rohini: Regarding bolting, I can't say it any better than the author of the website that Alice referred you to. I grow lettuce in the spring and as soon as the temps warm it begins to bolt. There are some varieties that are specifically labeled "slow to bolt". I grow a lot of basil too and clipping the flowering heads definitely works. What are you growing that is bolting?
Regarding pictures--glad you like them! Yes, I take them all myself.
Hi Alice: So glad to hear from you. I'm so glad you like the blog. Feel free to comment as often as you'd like because I'm always interested in hearing what you're working on in your own garden and learning from your experience. And thank you for that great website about bolting.
I have actually grown zinnias from seed in the past and you are right, they are quick germinators. Sometimes I do a combination of seed and seedling. Next year maybe I'll try some of those really big ones you mentioned.
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