Sowing zinnia for seedlings and open ground in 2022: when to plant, favorable days

Planting zinnia seedlings in 2022 according to the Lunar calendar is an ideal solution for gardeners who want to get a beautiful flower bed. This is not surprising, because... it specifies favorable days for the procedure. But it is also important to take into account the climate characteristics of the region where the flower grows, as well as the methods of sowing seeds: for seedlings or directly into open ground.

Favorable days for planting zinnia in 2021 according to the lunar calendar

Following the recommendations of the Lunar calendar when working with plants helps to obtain healthy seedlings, long flowering and healthy seeds.

Favorable days for sowing seeds in 2022 for seedlings and in the ground

It is allowed to transplant seedlings into the ground:

• May – 1, 2, 5-7, 12-25, 28, 29
• June – 3-6, 9, 11-13, 16-22

Plants should not be disturbed (replanted, pinched) or sowed on the days of Full and New Moons.

In 2022, unfavorable days fall on such dates

• January — 13, 14, 28, 29
• February — 10, 11, 26, 27
• March — 12, 13, 28, 29
• April – 12, 27
• May — 11, 26, 27
• June — 10, 25

Common mistakes

To avoid mistakes when growing zinnia, follow all recommendations. The main rule is to ensure favorable growing conditions. If you cannot get beautiful seedlings, you should analyze your care.

1. The seedlings are stretching out. The main reason is the lack of light for flowers. In this case, a layer of soil is poured around the stem. This will stimulate the formation of adventitious roots, which will strengthen the plant. Another reason for stretching is incorrect temperature conditions. If the temperature is high, it is placed near the window. The problem is also eliminated by pinching the top.
2. Zinnias can get sick with gray rot, powdery mildew, and fusarium. They develop due to improper watering. To prevent this from happening, do not water with cold water. To prevent fungal diseases, 2-3 treatments with fungicides are carried out throughout the season.
3. If young shoots become ill with one of the fungal diseases, pick them. In the process, diseased shoots are removed, and the roots and soil are shed with a solution of potassium permanganate.

When to plant zinnia seedlings depending on the region

The timing of sowing zinnia seeds to obtain seedlings depends on the climate of the region in which the flower is supposed to be grown. Young plants are placed in open ground after warm weather sets in. Zinnia dies already at zero temperatures.

Knowing that the plant blooms 60-80 days after the sprouts appear, you can calculate the sowing time in your area:

• in the middle zone and Moscow region, sowing time comes in mid-March;
• in the Leningrad region, zinnia is planted at the end of March;
• in the Urals and Siberia, early ripening varieties of zinnia are grown, sowing them for seedlings in late March - early April;
• in the south of our country it is permissible to sow zinnia directly into the ground (in May), or sow for seedlings in March.

The exact date can be determined based on the climate of a particular area. By the time of planting, the bush should have swollen buds. Overexposure of bushes in seedling boxes or pots leads to a delay in the development of the root system.

Tips for growing flowers

Not everyone likes majors or zinnias, as they have a specific structure and high requirements for cultivation. In bad weather (cold, frequent rains) the appearance quickly deteriorates.

Suitable soil

Zinnia at all stages of its development needs fertile soil. It must be loose to allow oxygen to pass freely. For active growth, the plant requires a high level of humidity, as well as an acidity level of 7.0-8.0 pH.

On a note!

You won't be able to grow zinnia in loam.

For proper development, the crop requires nutritious soil with plenty of fertilizers. The best option: every 2 weeks, add liquid fertilizers for decorative flowers to the water when watering.

Rules for sowing seeds

The prepared soil is poured into deep (at least 10 cm) spacious containers. Flower seedlings are large in size, so a distance of about 2 cm is maintained between seeds. The planting depth is 1 cm.

After sowing the seeds, the soil is thoroughly moistened. The container is covered with glass or film until the first shoots appear. The greenhouse effect will speed up the germination process.

Seedling care

If you provide the majors with the necessary growing conditions, then care will be reduced to the implementation of simple agrotechnical measures.

Water the plants as the soil dries out. After the emergence of seedlings, the soil is sprayed around the seedlings using spray bottles. You should not overwater flowers to avoid developing blackleg disease or another fungal disease.

During the growing of seedlings, three feedings are performed at intervals of 2-3 weeks. Use ready-made complex formulations with a minimum amount of nitrogen.

Sowing seedlings

Often flower lovers prefer to sow zinnia seedlings with seeds at home.
This method requires certain labor costs and time. This is not surprising, since the preparation alone takes several weeks. It is better to deal with this issue at the end of March or beginning of April. If you start sowing seeds before this time, the seedlings will become very elongated, and when transplanted into a flowerbed, most of them will not take root. Sowing seedlings is carried out as follows:

1. The container for seed material should be small and contain a fertile soil mixture. If the container is deep, moisture will be retained in it, which will lead to the development of fungus. Immerse the seed in the soil to a depth of 10 mm and water. If you sow them deeper, the germination time will increase.
2. Move the container to a warm, well-lit place. If everything is done correctly, then after 7 days the first shoots will appear.

The major should not thin out right away. You need to wait until 2-3 true leaves appear.

Suitable soil

The plant grows and develops well in nutritious, loose soil. For sowing you will need a ready-made soil mixture, which is used for tomatoes. But you can prepare the ground yourself. To do this, you will need to mix humus, turf, and river sand in a ratio of 2:1:0.2.

It is better to steam the earth using a water bath, or bake it in an oven at a temperature of 100℃. You can also disinfect the soil with boiling water: pour it on the area where the flower will grow. A solution of potassium permanganate is also suitable for this purpose.

If the land is fertile, then there is no need to fertilize it. But if fertilizing is still needed, then it is important to remember that majora does not tolerate an excess of nitrogen - it contributes to rotting of the root system.

How to prepare seeds

The seed material of the flower has normal germination. But pre-sowing preparation is still necessary. So, you need to soak zinnia seeds in a growth stimulator. You can use Epin-Extra, Zircon, Energen, etc.

When using medications, the main thing is to strictly follow the instructions. Do not exceed permissible limits so as not to harm the plant.

Thanks to this approach, the seedlings will appear almost simultaneously and will be more persistent and strong.

Rules for sowing seeds

In order to sow flower seeds at home, and they “hatch” together, you must follow a certain procedure. Instructions with photos will help beginning flower growers.

For sowing you need:

1. Place drainage in a layer of 15-20 mm at the bottom of the selected container. Expanded clay or perlite, small stones and egg shells are suitable. This step can be skipped if the majora grows in a pot or peat tablet.
2. Fill the container with soil mixture until there is approximately 3 cm left to the edge.
3. Water well. It is better to use a spray bottle for this.
4. Make a hole 3-5 mm deep in the center of the cup.
5. Immerse the seed in them and sprinkle with soil.
6. Irrigate.
7. Cover with film or a lid to ensure greenhouse conditions. This way the shoots will appear faster and evenly.

In the case of sowing in a common container, the distance between the seeds should be 7-10 cm. If it is smaller, then picking will be required.

Pre-sowing seed preparation

To avoid mis-grading, it is better to buy planting material from trusted manufacturers in specialized stores or on the websites of large seed companies. They, as a rule, provide high quality: fast and uniform germination of seeds; stimulation of growth in the early stages; plant resistance to weather stress and diseases.

In the photo - seeds of different varieties and hybrids of the crop in packages of well-known domestic agricultural producers of planting material

When purchasing, it is important to pay attention to the release and expiration dates of the seeds. Their viability is high, up to 95% in the second year. In the third year it decreases sharply, and in the fourth it almost completely disappears.

Some gardeners use “homemade” seed material obtained from faded plants. It is important to understand that as a result of cross-pollination of different varieties available on the site, the offspring will be hybrid and may differ significantly from the maternal forms. To speed up the emergence of seedlings, it is recommended to pre-soak self-collected seeds in water or spread them on a damp cloth, leave them in a warm place for 2-3 days until they swell and hatch, and then dry them until they flow and sow immediately.

Video about growing and caring for zinnia

The video shows the author's personal experience in growing zinnia from sowing seeds to flowering. Join the viewing!

Growing zinnia is not so difficult if you follow agrotechnical rules and do not neglect prevention. It is important to provide the necessary set of procedures in a timely manner, not to allow the soil to dry out, and not to ignore fertilizing.

Proper care will allow you to grow a flower garden on your site that will delight you with lush, colorful blooms. A blooming crop will become the gardener’s special pride and the envy of his neighbors.

Diseases and pests

Garden zinnia has weak immunity to various diseases. Most often, flower growers face the following problems:

• gray rot is easily determined by the presence of fluffy mold on shoots and foliage; for treatment, the affected parts of the plant are removed, followed by treatment with fungicides;

• Alternaria blight is recognized by brown spots of different sizes and shapes with a velvety coating; you can get rid of the problem with the help of the drugs “Kuproksat”, “Cychom”;

• Powdery mildew can be recognized by a grayish-white coating on the leaves; “Skor” and “Vectra” are used as medicine, which are used to spray flowers.

The most common pests are :

• earwigs, insects become active at night and literally eat the green mass of the flower; you can get rid of them by digging up the flower bed, spraying the plant with an infusion of wormwood or garlic;

• cutworm caterpillars, the root system of zinnia suffers greatly from them; these pests will have to be collected manually;

• aphids provoke the withering of flowers by sucking the juice from the plant; the drug “Aktara” will help get rid of them.

To avoid such problems during flowering, you should take care of prevention in the spring. Spray the seedlings with fungicidal agents.

Description

The perennial of the aster family was grown by the Aztecs. The first flower to bloom on the space station was zinnia (the correct name is zinnia, another name is major). This annual plant of the aster family is native to Mexico. The height of the stem - depending on the type - can reach 0.8-1.2 m. The leaves are ovoid in rigid edge and located opposite each other.

The inflorescences consist of outer reed petals of various shades and inner, tubular ones. The outer ones can be of different colors, from white to brown, the inner ones can be yellow, orange, dark. In the photo, plants of different varieties may resemble daisies, asters, a golden ball, chrysanthemums and dahlias. In cool climates, the flowers are grown as annuals.

The best conditions for zinnia growth

Zinnia is a herbaceous annual plant that reproduces exclusively by seeds. It begins to delight us with its flowering from the second half of June and ends with the first frosts. It is believed that this flower is unpretentious, but it does not tolerate a drop in ambient temperature below 0°C. It is not afraid of either heat or drought, and it can easily withstand 2 weeks when cut.

If you grow zinnia in spacious flowerpots in the summer, and when it gets colder, bring it indoors and continue to care for it as a houseplant, then the flower will live as a perennial.

With the onset of summer, you can again “move” your beauty outside.

Below are brief characteristics of the most popular zinnia varieties:

Transferring zinnia to a flower bed

2-3 weeks before the expected transplantation of plants into open ground, the garden begins to be hardened. The cups are taken out into the fresh air and placed in a greenhouse, first for a couple of hours, then left for the whole day. Just a note. Paskada obtained not at home, but in a greenhouse, is considered stronger and more adapted to life in the garden.

A flower bed with zinnias should be located in an open sunny area, with loose and fertile soil. Suitable soil for plants is fertile loam or sandy loam. The garden is placed at a distance from 20 cm to 50 cm, depending on the size of the adult plant. Low-growing zinnias are often placed in the foreground of mixed flower beds. Transplantation into the ground is carried out using the transfer method, trying not to destroy the earthen ball with roots. The work must be carried out in the evening or in cloudy weather. After planting, the flowers are watered abundantly.

Transplantation into open ground

Zinnia should be replanted in open ground in compliance with the basic rules. So, seedlings should be hardened off within 14-20 days. To do this, the container with sprouts must be taken out into fresh air for several hours, gradually increasing the time to a day.

The flowerbed should be in an open, bright area with loose and fertile soil.

Attention!

If the soil is clayey, then you need to add peat and sand.

Seedlings should be placed at a distance of 20-50 cm from each other. It is necessary to replant using the transshipment method, so as not to destroy the earthen lump, having moistened the soil in advance. It is better to plant zinnia in open ground in the evening or in cloudy weather between the end of May and mid-June in moistened holes. If you do this later, flowering will occur later.