The Latest Zinnia Cultivation Techniques and Methods Tutorial
Generally speaking, zinnia refers to Zinnia elegans, an annual herbaceous plant. Zinnia is native to Mexico and is a famous ornamental plant as well as a type of traditional Chinese medicinal herb. It is grown throughout China, and wild zinnia can even be found in many places. So do you know how to grow zinnia as a medicinal herb? Today, the editor brings you the cultivation techniques for zinnia. Let's take a look.
1. Field Selection and Preparation
Zinnia has the characteristics of preferring warmth, being intolerant of cold, liking sunlight, fearing extreme summer heat, having strong resistance, being drought-tolerant and tolerant of poor soil, and is suitable for planting in fertile, deep soil. Also, it should not be planted continuously, and cannot be rotated with plants of the Asteraceae family. Deeply plow the land, break up the soil clods, and when preparing the land, turn the soil together with base fertilizer, mixing the soil and fertilizer evenly. Finally, level the ground and open furrows. Generally, a furrow depth of 20 cm and a width of about 20 cm is sufficient, with about 1 m between furrows, and the furrows interconnected. Finally, level the bed surface and planting can begin.
2. Propagation Methods
The propagation methods for zinnia are generally seed propagation and cutting propagation. Before sowing, seeds need strict treatment, which can enhance the resistance of the plants. Sowing is generally chosen from early April to the end of June each year. The seeds need to be soaked in potassium permanganate for about half an hour, then removed and rinsed clean with water, drained of moisture, and placed in an environment at about 22 degrees Celsius for germination. After 3 to 5 days, they can be sown. After sowing, seedlings generally emerge in about 5 to 10 days. During this period, water and temperature management must be prioritized to avoid affecting the emergence of zinnia seedlings. Cutting propagation grows relatively quickly, but it is not as uniform as seed sowing. We usually select robust seedlings of about 10 cm for cuttings, which generally root in about a week.
3. Field Management
During the growth of zinnia, we first need to transplant. Whether it is cutting propagation or seed propagation, we need to transplant at a row spacing of 50 cm and a plant spacing of 40 to 45 cm. Secondly, during the growth of zinnia, pinching should be done to promote the growth of side branches, increase the yield of zinnia, and at the same time play a role in dwarfing the plant. Also, scientific water and fertilizer management should be carried out. Generally, an appropriate amount of compound fertilizer is applied as a top dressing at transplanting, along with one watering. Later, top dressing and watering should be done according to the growth of the zinnia. If the plant is relatively thin and weak, and the leaves turn yellow, then it is a case of malnutrition, and fertilizer should be applied at this time.
4. Pest and Disease Control
The main diseases of zinnia include white star disease, black spot disease (brown spot disease), and mosaic disease. White star disease mainly harms the leaves of zinnia, while black spot disease and mosaic disease cause varying degrees of harm to the entire plant. So in the early stages of these diseases, we can use Bordeaux mixture plus sulfur powder and carbendazim wettable powder respectively for control. Mosaic disease, however, can only be avoided by strengthening field management. At the same time, when diseased plants are found, they should be promptly pulled up by the roots, and the planting holes should be disinfected to reduce pathogen infection.
Zinnia, as a medicinal herb, is actually very common in our lives, and in most cases, we can see it in parks or in many landscaping projects. This is mainly a reflection of its ornamental value. It is believed that in the future, the planting prospects and market prospects of zinnia will also get better and better.