Zinnia has been growing for many generations of gardeners in a row, and they do not lose their popularity due to the high decorative properties. But in order for this culture to reveal its full potential, it is necessary to know the main agrotechnical methods of its cultivation. One of the important points is the sowing period, compliance with which is an important condition for the growth of healthy plants. Experienced gardeners know that the choice of the day when these flowers should be sown depends on several factors, which should be familiarized with in more detail.
Sowing dates
For zinnia, the optimal time for sowing seeds for seedlings has long been determined: it falls in mid-April. Not every gardener has the opportunity to plant exactly on these dates, so you need to understand why they are recommended and what is fraught with their non-compliance, as well as how to help flowers planted at another time.
Early dates
If you sow zinnia much earlier - in March or February, then after the appearance of the first seedlings, they may lack natural light. In the event that the grower is determined to receive flowering bushes earlier than the standard deadline, he will have to provide additional illumination using phytolamps with violet light in the spectrum of 440-445 nm. It is this wavelength that is necessary for the successful development of the vegetative parts of the plant, which are formed within two months after sowing.
It is possible to illuminate the seedlings only in the morning and evening hours, when it has already darkened outside the window, but most often the illumination is carried out throughout the day. It is important to remember that phytolamps are not a complete substitute for sunlight, but can reduce stress from a lack of lighting.
A more affordable option is the use of fluorescent lamps. In this case, the zinnia will be stronger, but still a little support with a short daylight will be provided.
If the planting is too early, the bush may stretch, its internodes will be longer than the required size, and the stem will be thin and fragile. This complicates transportation to the place of landing in open ground and makes the plant brittle.
Late dates
Planting zinnia for seedlings later than April is not practical, since about 2.5 months elapse from sowing to flowering, which will significantly shorten the flowering time of the crop. In addition, with this approach, the time for transplanting to the open ground falls on months with rather harsh weather conditions: in July, when the seedlings are ready for planting in a permanent place, hot weather sets in, which complicates the planting and adaptation of plants to new conditions. Because of this, the percentage of dead seedlings will be much higher, and the stress period for the acclimated flowers will be much longer than for the plants planted on time.
Moon calendar
Novice gardeners often neglect the recommendations of the lunar calendar for sowing dates, but those who have been growing flowers for a long time know that this factor is better taken into account. To choose the most suitable time for sowing, you should carefully read the Lunar calendar for April 2020. It should be familiar with the phases of the moon.
Sowing on the right day increases the percentage of germination of zinnia, promotes the formation of a strong and branched root system, initiates the growth of all aboveground organs and ultimately makes the seedlings more healthy and viable.
In April 2020, the most favorable days for sowing ornamental plants for seedlings will be:
- April 1, Wednesday. The first quarter of the lunar cycle, 8, 9 lunar day.
- April 2, Thursday. The growing moon, 9, 10 lunar day.
- April 28, Tuesday. The growing moon, 6, 7 lunar day.
Since zinnia should be planted in mid-April, it is worth choosing the following dates:
- April 14, Tuesday;
- April 18, Saturday;
- April 19, Sunday.
Sowing on these dates will ensure the normal development of seedlings and the formation of a large number of buds on adult plants.
April 15, 16 and 17 do not need to sow zinnia seeds, because according to the lunar calendar these days are unfavorable.
How to sow
The sowing algorithm of this crop is not complicated:
- To grow seedlings, you need a pot or planting box about 10 cm high. A large depth is undesirable, as moisture in the soil will stagnate, and this can lead to fungal diseases.
- Suitable soil is best bought at the store. You should take soil for growing seedlings. A more affordable option is a mixture of chernozem and quartz sand in a ratio of 2: 1, respectively.
- Zinnia seeds need to be pre-soaked. To do this, they must be placed on wet cotton wool or gauze during the day. Seeds sown after such preparation show a higher percentage of germination.
- Seeds are sown to a depth of not more than 1 cm, because deep sowing slows down the germination time.
- The soil in the landing boxes is moistened, and then covered with cling film.
- The container is placed in a warm place with a temperature of 20-23 ° C. The first shoots appear after 3-4 days, and mass seedlings are noticeable after a week.
- Periodically, the soil must be moistened. It is best to do this with a spray bottle of warm water, because watering from a watering can can wash zinnia seedlings from the ground.
- After a couple of leaves appear on the seedlings, the film can be removed.
Sometimes zinnia is sown in peat tablets. This method of growing seedlings allows you to plant it in a permanent place directly in tablets, so the roots are not injured. But it should be remembered that peat dries much faster than ordinary soil, so you need to water such sprouts more often.
Instead of peat tablets, sometimes they use disposable cups filled with a substrate, which are cut and removed before being transplanted in an undamaged state. The survival rate of zinnia with such growing methods is the highest.
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