Zinnia Surprise

I watched July and August out my bedroom window this summer, as I recovered from spine surgery. Friends tell me I missed scorching temperatures and smoky air! As fellow gardeners, we still keep track of what is going on outside, even when we can't be out there, don't we! A few days ago, I ventured out to the backyard, just to see what had been happening without me.

The plants that were correctly placed with my drip irrigation were thriving, which made my investment in drips well worth the money. I lost a few plants where the spray connectors didn't give them quite enough water. I decided that was a mixed blessing since it gave me permission to shop this fall for replacement plants (after those pesky spray connectors are replaced by drips!).

My happiest surprise came when I saw the large colorful zinnias! In the late spring, I tossed the seeds into a large planter barrel that holds my dwarf mandarin orange tree. The seeds were leftover from a planting project with my granddaughter. It is hard for me to throw away leftover seeds in a packet. Anyway, the zinnias thrived! I have never grown zinnias before, but I have definitely become a fan!

Zinnias are annuals, which means they grow for only one season. They are considered one of the easiest plants to grow and are often selected for children's projects for that reason. The brightly colored flowers attract butterflies. Plant seed after the last frost has passed, and give them as sunny a location as possible. Sow seeds only one-fourth of an inch deep. For most varieties, seedlings will sprout in 4 to 7 days. More information on types of zinnias is available online.

Next spring, I plan to experiment with planting several types of zinnia seeds. I love the bright colors attracting butterflies to my garden. And, I value how easily they grew this summer, completely without any interference from me!

photos by Martha White

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