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Growing Zinnias!

About Zinnias

Enjoying My Zinnias

I find it hard sometimes to actually say how enjoyable Zinnias are.  They are one of the only flowers that is simultaneously wild and controlled!  One can clearly envision them sprawling across the dry grasslands of South America, growing in an urban garden or, in a planter on ones patio!  Regardless of where their placed growing zinnias, at least for me, is a must in my space! Zinnias come in a rainbow of colors promising summer long beauty and are almost maintenance free. And, as far as pollinators go I'll steal from Kevin Costner’s “Field of Dreams,” and say if you plant them they will come!

How to Grow Zinnias

Zinnias are one of the easiest annual plants to grow.  They do well in full sun 6 or more hours and even hot southern states can trust them to survive.  There are several different kinds of Zinnias, tall from 4-5 feet or, dwarf for boarders and containers.

Tall Zinnias at about four feet.

With so many options every spot in your garden can have color.  Zinnias ideal soil is fertile and well drained; however, they need very little prep.   I honestly do not do much for the soil outside of compost.  I simply choose a spot with good sun, loosen it up and drop the seeds. They don't let me down!  In about 30 days I'll have that beautiful color.  Therefore, plant your Zinnias and then sit back, relax and watch them grow.

Tips for Growing Zinnias

  • Plant Zinnia seeds when temperatures are above 50 degrees with no risk of frost.  Many sites recommend spacing of twelve inches, however I simply sprinkle their seeds randomly in a spot and thin them as they begin to grow.
  • Zinnias are not a good transplant flower. As such, plant them where you wish them to live.  If they must be started early ensure a nice size seeding pot and move them before they’re root bound.
  • Cut spent flower heads often. Cleaning the flowers ensures new flowers all summer long. Drop the seeds if they are in a place you wish them to return year after year or store them for replanting.
  • Zinnias are exceptional cut flowers lasting weeks on your table.
  • This flower can take the heat! However, they do like moist well drained soil. If you have extremely high temp days plan to water them daily during that time or locate in a part shade spot.
  • Zinnias sometimes shed their leaves from the bottom up.  This is caused from high temperature stress or by watering the leaves on the bottom of the plants.  If this occurs simply remove the lower leaves that have browned.
  • Water Zinnias from the bottom only!  They can be prone to powdery mildew and getting their leaves wet expounds this issue. Use soaker hoses or drip hoses or just make sure your holding your sprinkler handle at the ground level.
  • If you have selected tall zinnias don’t underestimate their size. Plan your space knowing how wide and tall they will be (up to five feet tall and two or more feet across).

Zinnias grow fast allowing  fearless experimentation for first time gardeners.  Therefore, don’t be afraid to place them throughout your beds.  

Zinnias as a Companion Plant

  • Zinnias are companion plants for ANY vegetable garden. They are guaranteed to bring the pollinators.  Bees and butterflies constantly fly around them so, if you need pollination they’re a must.
  • Zinnias attract wasps which are beneficial natural enemies to many non beneficial bugs.
  • They attract hummingbirds which eat white flies an enemy of tomatoes, cucumbers and potatoes. And let's just all take a moment to agree hummingbirds are cool.

Zinnias ability to draw pollinators is so good for your space, and the flowers are so beautiful that a small video is really the best way to show you this awesome flower.

Do you grow Zinnias in your garden?  What tips do you have to share?

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One Red Pepper in the Making
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Squash Vine Borer – Enemy Number 1 of Cucurbita’s

If you love growing squash then plan for this insect; because the squash vine borer moth is a bad one! There is nothing worse then walking around your garden and seeing your beautiful zucchini or summer squash healthy and strong and returning the next day to find it wilted and gone; and, that is about how fast it seems to happen! As such, anyone planning to grow plants in the squash family needs to be aware  of the Melittia cucurbitae moth, also known as the squash vine borer! This ensures you have a chance of stopping these moths from destroying your plants or at least lets you know what they look like so you can just beat them to death when you see them ha!   

About

Native to North America the  squash vine borer could actually be confused with a beneficial insect.  After all, unlike most moths,  it comes out in the day and flies with very quick bee like movements.  It has a bright orange and red body that I could almost say is pretty.  However, after years of fighting these suckers I firmly believe their color has one purpose, so you see them and know that evil is upon you!  These borer moths love squash, zucchini, pumpkins, and gourds all of which I am growing in my garden!  I think it is safe to say that I pretty much hate them; yet, as you can see from this quick video the borer does not care, it still loves my garden!

Squash vine borers will grow in a brown cocoon in your soil, living there through the winter. They emerge in the summer months and fly around laying their eggs on your food!  Larvae hatch within 7 to 14 days and proceed to bore their way into the hollow stems of your plants where they eat them from the inside out for another 14 to 28 days. If you have missed the egg stage, you may also see the small white worms with a black head on your stalks. These worms do not stay small long.

Tips

There are several organic things you can do to manage the squash vine borer.

  • Look for the eggs of the borer; and look for them often especially during their season, this will help you stop the damage before it begins! Eggs can be found on the underside of the leaves in clusters and can also be found on their own on the stems of the plants.  I have read some things that say they are at the base of the stems, they are! These moths will place their eggs wherever they land so they can also be found at the top and the middle and everywhere in between!

If the eggs are found remove them. Wipe them off with a damp washcloth, your fingernail, a butter knife or the edge of scissors etc. Also Look for damage from the worms. They can be little small holes with sawdust like residue around the wound or large holes in the major vine area of the plant. 

  • For the smaller stem holes use a pointed object to dig out the hole some.    Place your sprayer on the hole and fill the stem up with either Neem Oil mix or BT.  I like to tell them to just try and swim out of that while I am filling it up!
  • For larger holes if you can see the worm remove it or stab it and leave it there.  If you cannot see it, use the same method and fill the hole. Worms will ingest the Neem or BT mix and die in the vine or stem. Cover any of the large holes in the vine with fresh compost so they can heal and continue growing.

Sprinkling wood ashes on the stems along with Diatomaceous Earth (DE),  black pepper around the plants or growing radishes near them has also been reported as a deterrent for the moths.  I personally have not tried the ashes or pepper, I do use DE and I have had luck with radishes as a companion plant!  Crop covers are also an option with manual pollination of your plants.  I don't prefer this method.

It's even more important when growing squash to till your soil in the spring and the winter to remove the overwintering cocoons.  Also, strictly follow the rules of rotation and attempt to never place your plants in the same spot two years in a row. Last but not least, do NOT put your spent squash in your compost; if possible you should actually burn it.  If you can't burn it place the leaves and stems in a plastic bag and leave them in the sun.  Don't feel bad about any evil laughs that slip out as you imagine the slow death of any borers trapped in the bag!

My best luck has been with the "look for eggs and spray inside the stems method" if I miss them.  What has worked for you in protecting your plants from this enemy?  Do you have some tips to share?  If so leave us a message we would love to hear them!

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Quick Hit! - Looking for the Squash Vine Borer

Zucchini - Black Beauty Squash

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Zucchini – Black Beauty Squash

Beautiful zucchini squash

About Black Beauty Squash

By far one of the most beautiful vegetables ever! The Black Beauty Squash earns its name with dark glossy green leaves growing as large as 12 inches across and bright beautiful yellow flowers known to grow up to 6″ across.   The fruit is no slacker either with its dark green skin and creamy white flesh it’s what I like to call a Forest Gump vegetable.  You can fry it, boil it, steam it, bake it, grill it, put it on a burger, put it in a casserole, make bread out of it and freeze it to have it all again later!

Its only down side is that morning is the only time those beautiful flowers show themselves.  This of course just gives us the perfect reason to take that cup of coffee and wander to the garden for a look (as if we needed another one!).

How to Grow

The Black Beauty is a hybrid plant and according to Bonnie Plants started in 1957.  It is a part of the cucurbita pepo family which includes acorns, pumpkins, gourds, crook neck squash, cocozelle, scallops and marrow.  Growing this zucchini is not difficult.  It needs consistent but not over watering with well-drained soil and full sun.

  • Soak the seeds in water for about 30 minutes. 
  • Start indoors three to four weeks ahead of time or sow it straight in the ground once the soil temperatures reach at least 70 degrees.
  • Pick fruit when it is about 6-8″ long.  You can grow it longer however the uses decline as the seeds get large and the flesh is not as soft.

Tips

  • These babies need full sun up to six hours. However, as with other full sun plants if you’re in the South don’t make the mistake of thinking it will take your 100 degree days; it won’t!  Plan accordingly and have some partial shade in the afternoon to help it out.
  • My Zucchini has done well with good compost to get it going and a bit of Epsom salt and coffee grinds mixed in with the soil monthly.
  • Zucchini is subject to power mildew so avoid watering the leaves of this plant; water from below.
  • Check daily for fruit!  Watch for them!  these critters can hide on you under those big leaves and before you know it you have a monster on your hands.

Humans are not the only ones to love Zucchini; and, more than one Gardner (myself included) has been brought to tears over two of its arch enemies the    Squash Vine Borers and Squash bugs.  Be on the lookout for these insects and plan for quick action on managing them.  Natural plant companions that also act as repellents  to the bugs and borers include:

  • Radishes (Iceberg Radishes especially)
  • Parsley
  • Nasturtiums
  • Peppermint

Other Companion Plants Include

  • Corn
  • Beans
  • Beets
  • Lettuce
  • Lovage
  • Peppers
  • Spinach
  • Squash
  • Tomatoes
  • Do NOT grow with Potatoes!
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Insects – The Sunflower Moth

Sunflower Moth

About the Sunflower Moth

For those that love Sunflowers be on the look out for this pesky insect! It’s a small white sandy colored moth in the genus Homoeosoma.  There are two types, the American Sunflower moth (Homoeosoma electellum) and the Eurasian sunflower moth (Homoeosoma nebulella).   They show up in May to August time frame (depending on your region) and are most prevalent in the twilight hours, (figures it would be right when we all love to be in the garden) where the female lays their eggs on the sunflower head.   

The spawn of this devil will hatch in about a week’s time and burrow themselves down into the the seed head and attempt to eat to their heart’s content with no concern what so ever to your precious plants (how rude!).    To make matters worse this pest can also effect your Marigolds and your Echinacea  as you can see from the picture below where some of my own were impacted.   Signs of damage appears as a rotted area right in the middle of your flowers.   If you pull the seed head apart you will most often find the worms, (I’ll add a pic of that).

Flowers suffering from moth damage

Tips to Avoid and Treat

Like so many of the insects we deal with in our gardens there are a few natural enemies of the sunflower moth.

  • Wasps will attack the larvae as well as eat the eggs of the moth reducing its impact.
  • Ground beetles can attack the overwintering pupae and pirate bugs will also feed on them.
  • Insecticidal soap as well as dawn dish soap (1 1/2 tsp per quart) mixed with water and sprayed on the plant’s seed head can be used.
  • Organic insecticides such as BT and Neem can be used.
  • I personally have had good luck using Neem Oil (the 100% organic cold pressed kind that you mix yourself) to detour them.   Simply spray the seed heads while spraying the rest of the garden.
  • Tilling your soil well for winter as well as again in spring and using nematodes is a good practice. This helps remove any overwintering little critters, (get them while they sleep!)

There are also several synthetic sprays that can be used. However its best for our bees to try the natural methods first as there are so many organic options available to control this pesky insect.     If you find them on your plant cut and remove the flowers impacted and do not compost!

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