Cultivation Methods and Key Technical Points for Zinnia
Zinnia is also known as zinnia, step-by-step high, fireball flower, and champion red. It likes abundant sunshine. It dislikes intense heat and can tolerate fairly good partial shade. It is drought-tolerant, grows vigorously, and has strong adaptability. It is not strict about soil, but grows robustly and produces many flowers in deep, fertile, well-drained soil. Its optimum growth temperature is 20-25°C. When the temperature is above 35°C, growth weakens noticeably, flowering is sparse, and the flowers are smaller. Propagation is mainly by seed, generally sown in spring (mid-to-late April), and cuttings can also be used. The flowering period is June to October. For pot cultivation, dwarf zinnia varieties are suitable.
Cultivation tips: Sow in mid-to-late April. When the seedlings produce 2 true leaves, transplant once. By late May, when the seedlings are 10 cm tall, plant them into pots with a soil ball, apply plenty of decomposed organic fertilizer or cake fertilizer at the bottom of the pot, and add an appropriate amount of plant ash and bone meal as a base fertilizer. After potting, water thoroughly and place in shade. After 5-6 days, place in a spot with abundant sunshine. When the plant is 15 cm tall, pinch 1-2 times to encourage more branching, so as to achieve dense branches and abundant flowers; when pinching, leave 2 pairs of leaves at the base. During the growing period, apply a thin decomposed organic liquid fertilizer once a month. As flowering approaches, more topdressing can be applied, generally once every 7 days with a decomposed liquid fertilizer mainly containing phosphorus and potassium, until the flowers are in full bloom. Zinnia is drought-tolerant, so do not water too much at ordinary times. In summer, soil moisture is the key to flowering, so water frequently to keep the soil moist; after the Beginning of Autumn, it can continue to grow and bloom. When the temperature is too high, appropriate shading should be provided. After each flower fades, promptly remove the spent flowers to reduce nutrient consumption and stimulate side branches, which can make it bloom again. After removal, water frequently, and after 1 week apply 2 rounds of fertilizer mainly containing phosphorus and potassium; the flowering period can be extended to November.
How is zinnia cultivated?
How is zinnia cultivated?-- English name: Zinnia Scientific name: Zinnia elegans Origin: North and South America (centered on Mexico) Family and genus: Asteraceae, Zinnia genus Characteristics: Annual herb, light-loving, warmth-loving, relatively fond of moisture, and able to tolerate a certain degree of drought; vigorous, and the cultivation soil should be loose and fertile. Poor soil and excessive drought will directly affect the number of flowers, flower color, and flower diameter. For potted zinnia used in large-scale commercial production, seed propagation is generally used; occasionally producers use cuttings to reduce production costs, but the quality cannot reach certain requirements. The main varieties used in production include the large-flowered double-flowered types 'Dreamland' and 'Short Branch'; the multiflowered single-flowered types 'First-Class Gold', 'Crystal', and 'Starbright', etc.; and the medium-flowered single-flowered 'Profusion' and other series. The available colors include red, rose red, pink, yellow, white, orange, etc. Although the height of zinnia varieties differs, it is generally controlled between 20-30 cm. It is suitable for use in flower beds and flower borders, and is also an excellent material in artistic flower displays.Sowing and seedling raising:
For zinnia, each gram contains about 125 seeds for the large-flowered type, about 300 for the medium-flowered type, and about 1,500 for the multiflowered type. The largest use is in flower beds, flower displays, and flower borders during the National Day period. The sowing time is generally best controlled from June to July. Some also try autumn sowing, but due to factors such as temperature, there is a certain impact on flower color and plant shape, so autumn sowing is generally not used. The sowing medium uses a relatively loose artificial medium, and bed sowing or tray sowing can be used; if conditions permit, plug seedling raising can also be used. The medium requires a pH of 5.8-6.2 and an EC value of 0.75. After disinfection treatment, keep the sowing medium at 22-24°C, and seedlings emerge in 3-5 days.
Stage one:
Three days after sowing, the radicle emerges, and the medium moisture level should be relatively dry; too moist can easily cause seed rot. However, at this stage, keeping the area around the seeds moist and with sufficient oxygen is very important, so covering with a thin layer of coarse vermiculite or loose rice husk ash after sowing is very helpful for seed germination; the covering thickness should be such that the seeds are not visible. For open seedling raising, shade netting must be added to ensure humidity and lower temperature (when sowing in a germination chamber environment, appropriate supplemental light can be given). No fertilization is needed at this stage.
Stage two:
Keep the soil relatively moist, not too wet and not too dry; too wet can easily cause disease, and too dry can cause seedling wilt. At this time, the main root grows to 1-2 cm, the cotyledons unfold, the first pair of true leaves begins to grow, and the seedlings can gradually be exposed to light. Fertilization can begin, generally using 0.05% urea or 50 ppm 20-10-20 water-soluble fertilizer; N promotes vegetative growth.
Stage three:
The seedlings enter a rapid growth period, and water management should be strengthened, carrying out a cycle from dry to wet and then to dry, which is beneficial to seedling root growth and can also avoid legginess. At this stage, attention should be paid to pest and disease control, and 0.1% urea or compound fertilizer can be appropriately applied as topdressing. For the compound fertilizer type, an N-P-K ratio of 15-15-15 can be used (or according to market supply, the N and K contents can be slightly higher and the P content can be lower). If conditions permit, the medium and ambient temperature should be appropriately lowered to about 20°C, but under bed sowing in protected conditions, temperature control is difficult, and this stage also requires a full-light environment, otherwise seedlings are prone to legginess. According to seedling growth, appropriately control moisture. Pay attention to ventilation in the broader environment to prevent disease. Spray chlorothalonil or thiophanate-methyl about once a week. If legginess occurs at this stage, immediately spray B9 to control height.
Stage four:
The root system has formed completely. When there are 3-4 pairs of true leaves, if legginess occurs, immediately spray B9 to control height. Temperature and humidity requirements are the same as stage three. After the hardening-off stage, prepare for transplanting into pots. Transplanting/potting: For plug seedlings, when there are 2-3 pairs of true leaves, they can be transplanted into pots; for tray-sown or bed-sown seedlings, they can also be directly potted when there are 3-4 pairs of true leaves. According to plant height and plant diameter requirements, 12×13 nutrient pots are generally used for potting, which can be done in one step without repotting. Plug seedlings have less root damage and are easy to establish after transplanting; for open seedling raising, when lifting seedlings, carry as much soil as possible, and choose evening or cloudy days for transplanting to improve the survival rate.
Light regulation:
Zinnia is a sun-loving plant, and both growth and flowering require abundant sunlight. Insufficient sunlight easily causes stem node legginess and affects the ornamental effect. After potting, the entire growth period does not require shading.
Temperature regulation:
Although zinnia likes warmth, under extremely hot summer conditions its growth vigor is somewhat weaker and the flowering effect is not ideal. The optimum temperature for growth and flowering is 15-20°C. The sowing date of zinnia is controlled in summer to prepare flowers for National Day. If high temperatures above 35°C occur during the growing period, growth is generally not affected.
Cultivation management:
In the plum rain season, excessive rain can easily cause overly rapid internode elongation, so attention should be paid to draining accumulated water and spraying B9 at an appropriate time; in summer, long periods of clear weather with little rain and excessive dryness can easily weaken growth vigor and affect flower color, so attention should be paid to water and fertilizer management at this time. During the entire growth period, appropriately control water; alternating dry and wet in the pot soil is beneficial to root development and height control. For potted plants, fertilize generally once every 7-10 days. Depending on growth, topdressing can be carried out, using 0.2% urea and compound fertilizer alternately, and stop applying urea after one month. After flowering, depending on growth, the interval for topdressing compound fertilizer can be appropriately extended. Because the side branches of zinnia have the habit of bearing terminal buds and flowering, if natural growth is not controlled, the flowering position will become higher and higher, affecting the beauty of the plant shape. Pinch timely before and after transplanting to control plant shape. Pinching generally retains 2-3 pairs of true leaves. Zinnia can be pruned, but growth after pruning is poorer, so this method is generally not used.
Pests and diseases:
The main diseases of zinnia are: damping-off at the seedling stage, bacterial wilt during the growing period, stem rot, and leaf spot; the main pests are: noctuid moths, red spider mites, cabbage caterpillars, etc. Quality at leaving the nursery: Production uses 13 cm nutrient pots. They can leave the nursery from the time the first flower shows color to before full bloom. The crown width should generally be between 20-25 cm, with a full plant shape and neat, uniform flowering.
How to cultivate zinnia so it is not easy to die
Zinnia is also called step-by-step high, zinnia, and opposite-leaf branch. It is a plant in the Asteraceae family, Zinnia genus. Annual herbaceous flower. The flowering period is June to October. There are many horticultural varieties, and flower color and flower type differ by variety. Native to Mexico, it likes a warm environment and sufficient light, and is slightly shade-tolerant. The suitable growth temperature is 20-30°C.
1. Placement
Zinnia has many and colorful flowers. After each flower blooms, a higher branch emerges below it and blooms, hence the name step-by-step high. For pot cultivation, medium and dwarf stem varieties should be selected. When flowering, they can be placed on a lighted flower rack, and dwarf varieties can be placed on a coffee table. Insufficient light will affect the continuity of flowering, so they should be placed in a lighted spot.
2. Four-season management
(1) Spring is suitable for placement on east-, south-, and west-facing balconies. Zinnia likes moist soil but is relatively drought-tolerant. Zinnia is relatively fond of fertilizer and also tolerates poor soil. Zinnia is sown in late April. The pot soil is best if it is fertile, deep, and well-drained. When sown seedlings have 3-4 leaves, they can be transplanted into pots. Both the sowing period and the early transplanting period should keep the soil moist. In the early planting period, pinch 1-2 times to dwarf the plant and produce more side branches, forming a full pot. During the growing period, maintain sufficient light, keep the pot soil moist, and apply light fertilizer frequently. Flowering begins in June. It should be placed in a spot with sufficient light, keep the pot soil moist, and fertilize appropriately to benefit the growth and opening of the next round of flowers. After a single flower fades, promptly cut it off to avoid affecting appearance; cutting off spent flowers can also promote the sprouting, growth, and flowering of new branches below. If you want to save seeds, cut them off after the flowers dry up.
(2) Summer is suitable for placement on east-, south-, and west-facing balconies. Zinnia is not tolerant of high temperatures. Hot weather slows its growth, reduces flowering, and the flowers do not set seed. After the temperature rises, it can be moved to a spot with morning and evening light or bright light for cultivation and viewing, keep the pot soil moist, and stop fertilizing. After the temperature drops in mid-to-late August, zinnia can gradually resume normal growth and flowering. It should be moved into the light for cultivation.
(3) Autumn is suitable for placement on east-, south-, and west-facing balconies. Autumn is also a peak season for zinnia growth and flowering. Keep the pot soil moist, fertilize appropriately, and ensure sufficient light. Zinnia is not cold-tolerant. After the temperature drops in late autumn, it is prone to freezing and dying. If placed on a lighted enclosed balcony, the flowering period and ornamental period can be extended. As the temperature decreases, zinnia gradually dies.
(4) Winter: dies in winter.