How to Grow Zinnias? A Complete Guide to the Latest Cultivation Methods
Zinnia is an annual herbaceous plant and a very popular ornamental plant, with a large market demand in China. It has a certain wild distribution area and also a relatively wide cultivated area. In addition, zinnia has certain medicinal value and can be used to treat colds, fever, stomatitis and so on. So how should zinnias be grown? Below, the editor brings you the cultivation methods for zinnias. Let's take a look!
1. Propagation Methods
The main propagation method for zinnias is sowing. The sowing time can be chosen from April to June. Before sowing, the seeds should be disinfected with a solution such as potassium permanganate, and then a substrate should be prepared from leaf mold, river sand and peat, etc. Before sowing, the soil should also be disinfected to eliminate pathogens and pests in the soil. Then moisten the substrate and sow by dibbling, with the temperature controlled at around 22 degrees, and germination can occur in 4 days. During the germination period, light is basically not needed. After germination, maintain a soil moisture content of about 55%, not too wet, to avoid root rot.
2. Temperature and Light
Zinnias like to grow in warm places with sufficient light, and their heat tolerance and cold tolerance are both relatively poor. Apart from doing good shading work during the zinnia seedling stage, sufficient light should be maintained throughout the rest of the entire growth period. During the growing period, the daytime temperature should be controlled at around 19 degrees, and the nighttime temperature should be maintained at around 15 degrees. In summer, zinnias grow very quickly, so full sun can be provided in summer. If there is insufficient light, zinnias will become leggy, their resistance will decline, and flowering will also be affected.
3. Plant Shaping
When planting zinnias, we should also do a good job of pinching. If pinching is not done in time, the plant will have too few side branches, and the flowering rate will also decline. Proper pinching can dwarf the plant and increase the number of flowers. When the seedlings grow to four true leaves, pinching should be carried out together with transplanting. This promotes the growth of branches on the lower part of the plant. About 7 days after transplanting, retain around 4 pairs of true leaves, and then adjust the pinching work according to the plant's growth and branching. After the flowers fade, the withered flower heads should be cut off to avoid nutrient loss.
4. Water and Fertilizer Management
Within 7 days after the seedlings are transplanted, watering should be done well to keep the soil moist and promote the growth of surface roots. Once the roots grow into the deeper soil, topdressing can begin, about three times a week, with the fertilizer type controlled according to weather changes. For example, on sunny days water-soluble fertilizer can be applied, while on rainy days granular fertilizer can be applied. In addition, a supplementary application of calcium fertilizer can be made once as appropriate. After each pinching, a heavy application of fertilizer should be given once. After entering reproductive growth, the amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer applied can be appropriately increased. This improves the flowering rate and the quality of the flowers, and the amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied should be appropriately reduced. Then watering should be done well to provide sufficient moisture for the growth of zinnias.
The above is a brief introduction to zinnia cultivation methods. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only, and we hope it can help everyone!