Hi Sharon,

That red zinnia is dahlia flowered, but if a California Giant, it is a bit off-type. Most California Giants have up-rolled "spoonish" petals, like this one.

" I kind of wanted several to go to seed, but the wind has split some of
the plants. Would it be better to cut the plant, or would they root
where they touch the ground. I think I read that some zinnias will root
where they touch the ground/ Does that mean others don't root when
touching the ground. "

All Zinnia elegans (Zinnia violacea) can root when a growing stem is touching the ground. For a wind damaged split plant, that is uncertain. I complain about our Kansas winds, but we don't have hurricanes here. So my zinnias haven't seen what real wind can be. Well, I guess we could have a tornado. That could compare to a hurricane. But so far my zinnia cages haven't been exposed to a tornado. And I am hoping that doesn't happen.

" I also bought some Parks Whoppers for the fall. "

I think that Parks Whoppers are re-named Benary's Giants. They are both good dahlia flowered zinnias, essentially the same as your first picture. I always recommend the addition of some Whirligigs for added genetic variety. I still like Burpeeana Giants as a cactus flowered variety.

I am very interested in how your zinnias do in Florida. Your climate is so different from ours here in Kansas that you might as well be on a different planet. You have insects that we don't have, and other wildlife as well.

You will want to become better at labeling your seeds and zinnia plantings. After all of these years you would think I would be a compulsive plant and seed labeller. Yet at no time have I been able to look over my zinnia garden and say to myself, "That was too much labeling."

I have discovered that outdoor labels made with a black Sharpie pen all fade in the sun here. Ebony pencil has worked better, and my labels next year will all be done with Ebony pencil. Many years ago, in the "dinosaur days", I used to take a recently emptied seed packet and put a few pebbles in it to weight it down, and use that as a row label. After a couple of months here, that becomes just a little pile of pebbles with some paper residue in it. I recommend that you "up your game" with labeling. Next year I hope to achieve that state of "too much labeling".

Keep us informed of your Florida zinnia adventure.

ZM

Thank you zenman..... I have been reading your articles and you inspire me to try my hand at growing the zinnias. I an a fellow midwesterner... I lived in Missouri so yes I know the tornadoes, as well as our hurricanes here in Florida. I have several challenges in growing things. I grow a lot of roses, and now hoping to grow lots of zinnias, too.

I have two things that seem to be troubling problems for both zinnias, and the roses and that is chili thrips. This insect loves to eat during our hot humid days of summer. We have to use a spray called spinosad to kill the bug. It also kills good bugs, so I put in these extremely bright lights that lets me see very well at night, so I can spray the roses without hitting butterflies and bees that only come our during the day. I did spray it on a zinnia that seemed that was under attack by the same thrips..... I did not see any adverse effect on it.... I was kind of scared to spray them, because I did the same thing to my hollyhocks (another wonderful plant from the midwest that I found I could grow here - now if I could only get peonies and lilacs to grow too) and the hollyhock was dead by morning.... guess it did not like the spray.

I also have to deal with salt air.... After several days of hard blowing wind I get a lot of salt damage to my plants. I found out from a rosarian that I should wash the salt off the leaves with a hose. I was kind of confused, because I always heard that roses don't like to get their leaves wet, but I guess they hate salt more. So I have taken to washing the zinnias leaves as well as my rose leaves. I know they don't like getting their leaves wet either, but I guess they might forgive me if I get the salt off them. I try to wash the leaves early morning and then shake the plant to get the excess water off so they hopefully don't mildew on me.... I know their are some zinnias that like hot humid, but I really think these are so pretty (and I will be trying your whirlygig ones too) .... Is there a fungicide that will help protect the zinnias. So far I haven't had any kind of breakout in the fungus department, but just wanting to keep something on hand for them in case I have a breakout.

Hello again, Sharon,

This is one of my current row marker labels. It is made of stainless steel, and there is some white "Gaffer's tape" on the stainless steel to provide a surface to write on. It is fitting snugly up against a concrete rebar stake. (I use concrete rebars extensively in my garden, because they are very reusable and strong enough to be driven into the ground like a nail without bending.)

People are very ingenious in making garden labels. White or ivory Venetian Blinds have been used a lot. I like these commercial ones, because their stainless steel wire is very sturdy, and holds the label up high enough (at least a foot) so that rains don't splash soil up onto the label.

ZM

Zen-man is that lovely pink and green one of yours ? In my cursory internet search i couldn't find anything even close.

Hi Mary,

" ...is that lovely pink and green one of yours ? "

It was one that I grew last year. The green is more of an illusion because its petals had white backsides (an unusual zinnia trait that I like a lot) and the green light from the surrounding foliage gave the impression that the petal backsides were greenish.

" In my cursory internet search i couldn't find anything even close. "

Actually, I think that one came out of a packet of California Giants (Giants of California) that I purchased from Eden Brothers

I liked that specimen primarily for its spoon shaped petals. Its light baby pink color with white backsides was just an added attraction. Not all California Giants have the spoon petals, but a significant number of them do, so I grow California Giants even though they are a very old heirloom variety. Their plants are arguably the biggest zinnia plants available.

It is actually kind of tricky for seed companies to offer heirloom zinnia varieties that are nearly a hundred years old, because left to themselves in an open field situation, zinnias will tend to "run out". To prevent that, a zinnia seed grower has to hire people to go into their seed fields and kill the "rogue" (off-type) plants. As a hobbyist zinnia breeder, I cull my zinnias severely. As Little Orphan Annie would say (sing), "It's a hard knock life".

ZM (not associated with any product or vendor mentioned or linked)

Thanks for the info ZM, Sounds like my chance of coming up with one like that from a pack of seeds is pretty slim. But it really is lovely ,even if it's white not green on the back.

zen-man, what is an ebony pencil??

Hi flowergirl,

An Ebony® pencil is a brand of a drawing pencil with a thick soft very black graphite lead.

They are widely available, and might even be in your local Walmart. Almost any arts & crafts store would stock Ebony pencils. Since graphite is a form of carbon, the markings of an Ebony pencil are very permanent, as well as legible.

ZM (not associated with any product or vendor mentioned or linked)