What is the difference between dahlias and zinnias

Esmerinda Machelidt Teacher. What color are dahlias? Dahlia Plant Features. Suzie Gonsalves Supporter. When should you pick zinnias? Zinnias need to be picked when they are fully ripe, otherwise they won't last in the vase. If the stem is droopy or bends, it is not ready to cut. Bobo Hovenga Supporter. Should I cut my zinnias? Prune zinnia stems and blooms frequently to encourage thicker growth.

Allow the plant to grow several inches before pruning. Prune back the stems using floral pruning shears. Plants purchased full size from a garden center should be trimmed back to about one-third of their height. Sumon Caplan Beginner.

How long will cut zinnias last? Yanely Hassenpflug Beginner. Where do you cut zinnia flowers off? Cut zinnia stems at an angle just above a bud joint. Zinnias are typically long-lasting in a vase—strip the stems of all but the most visible leaves before setting them in water. Rabi Lauroba Beginner. How do you make zinnias last longer? Add some warm water to the vase and allow the floral preserve to dissolve in the water while you tend to your zinnias. Trim the stems to an equal length and do so at an angle.

This will make sure that there is a large surface for absorbtion and the flower stems won't lay flat on the bottom of the vase. Elenita Witzmann Beginner. Do zinnias dry well? The classic way to dry flowers is to gather them in small bunches and hang them upside down in a dry , airy place out of direct sun. Many-petaled flowers such as zinnias and marigolds often dry best in a desiccant powder like silica gel. Ask A Question. A cultivar of Z. Full-sized cultivars can grow up to four feet tall with a spread of several feet, while some dwarf varieties reach only six inches tall and wide.

If you are looking for something to plant in containers or along a border, a compact variety would likely be best. Want to plant a butterfly garden? Full-sized varieties with large flowers, especially those with single or semi-double blooms, are wonderful for attracting pollinators like hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. And of course, there are so many different colors and patterns to choose from!

You can find these magnificent flowers in almost any color of the rainbow. Check out this roundup for some of our favorite zinnia cultivars to grow at home. What types of zinnias do you love to grow at home? Please share your favorites in the comments below.

Want to add even more colorful flowers to your garden? Check out these articles next for more great ideas:. Heather Buckner hails from amongst the glistening lakes of Minnesota, and now lives with her family on a beautiful homestead in the Vermont Mountains. She holds a bachelor of science degree in environmental science from Tufts University, and has traveled and worked in many roles in conservation and environmental advocacy, including creating and managing programs based around resource conservation, organic gardening, food security, and building leadership skills.

Heather is a certified permaculture designer and student herbalist. She is also a fanatical gardener, and enjoys spending as much time covered in dirt as possible! Good luck! Facebook Twitter Pinterest About Heather Buckner Heather Buckner hails from amongst the glistening lakes of Minnesota, and now lives with her family on a beautiful homestead in the Vermont Mountains.

Zinnias have a wide variety of colors, flower forms, and plant habits. Thanks so much for providing these details. Only an experienced Zinnia grower like yourself can know these details.

I already have seeds for California Giants and am looking forward to trying them next year. However do they grow very tall and need a lot of staking?

I find that some zinnias I grow tend to flop over and need to be staked and these are just the general type not the bigger ones. We need help with our Front Door Colour. Do you plant bulbs in your yard? I'm stuck! Please help me finish my patio!! My front yard needs some love! Help me choose plants The "Giants of California" grow 3 to 4 feet tall and, under some conditions, maybe taller. Most people don't stake zinnias, but instead, plant them close enough so that they support each other.

If you have a bed of zinnias that are spaced a foot apart, the individual plants will be rather tall and spindly, but the "crowd of zinnias" form a landscaping mass that tends to be self-supporting.

A disadvantage of such mass groupings is that the lower leaves of the crowded plants don't get enough sun and die off. Also, branching is reduced because of competition for sun. Yet, mass planting is probably the most common cultural method for zinnias. Because I am a zinnia hobbyist and many of my zinnias are hand-pollinated by myself, I like to give my plants more individual care.

I space them farther apart for better individual plant health and I give my taller zinnias some support. I tried using those commercial wire supports with a ring at the top, and they are handy, but can really run into some money if you use a lot of them.

I have since started using homemade "zinnia cages", which are just smaller tomato cages made from concrete re-mesh wire. This is a picture of one of my "breeder" zinnias in a cage. It was isolated for special attention, including a "water spike," and to give handy access for cross-pollination.

The cage in that picture was actually just a "borrowed" half-height tomato cage that I made for my determinate tomatoes in Maine. My "full" concrete re-mesh tomato cages are 5-feet tall the height of the roll of re-mesh wire , and indeterminate tomatoes grow out the top of them.

I have since started making most of my zinnia cages a bit smaller. My "standard" zinnia cages are 2 feet high after sinking their 6-inch finger wires into the ground, and 15 to 18 inches in diameter. A few of my zinnia cages for extra tall zinnias here in Kansas are double height. The individual re-mesh wires are spaced 6 inches apart, which gives me ready access to the whole plant, while protecting it from being blown over in high winds or knocked over by passing dogs or other animals.

I currently have most of my breeder zinnias in standard zinnia cages. My zinnia cages are much stronger than the commercial wire rings. Thanks again for information on staking. I am amazed at the home made cages. It seems to be a lot of work. My zinnis always tend to flop over if they get too tall, so I have to tie them up - but maybe I will try the tomato cages trick. The standard cages are not very expensive here. Indem Sie weiterhin auf der Website surfen bzw.

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