Year of the Zinnia

We covered the Year of the Corn last week, and now we go on to the Year of the Zinnia. The National Garden Bureau, a non-profit educational arm of the North American home and garden seed industry, is honoring this old-time flower for the new millennium.

And actually, old-fashioned zinnias have a California link to their past. Goldsmith Seeds, whom I happen to work for and which is headquartered in Gilroy, California, is responsible for one of the breeding breakthroughs. Goldsmith introduced the dwarf hybrid "Peter Pan" zinnia series back in 1971. Two "Peter Pan" colors were named All America Selections winners. Another seed company -- Sakata Seed Corp., -- won AAS awards last year for their "Profusion" zinnias.

Today, compact zinnias are definitely in -- perhaps in response to home gardeners' smaller plots and the popularity of container gardening. Dwarf zinnias are usually eight to 14 inches tall, but zinnias have growth habits to suit every need. There are tall, three to four-foot varieties, and others in-between. The new hybrid zinnias on today's market represent the best of heat and humidity tolerance, disease resistance and easy maintenance.

Like dahlias and chrysanthemums, zinnias have a variety of flower forms. They may be single petaled like daisies, semi-double or double-layered. Single zinnias often are mistaken for daisies, while doubles can resemble marigolds. "Crystal White" zinnia is a popular daisy variety. Color ranges from white and soft pastels to bright reds, pinks, corals and oranges.

Zinnias are easy to start from seed and are fast growers. One added benefit is the fact that zinnias are easily sown directly into the garden as soon as danger of frost is over. You don't have to start them in individual containers or flats, and transplant them into the ground later. If you don't want to grow them by seeds, you'll also find many varieties as already-started transplants at nurseries. They are available in six packs, 4-inch pots and sometimes gallon cans.

Zinnias grow best in the hottest area of your garden. Suffice it to say, full sun and soil that drains well are needed for best results. Water regularly, but zinnias aren't heavy feeders. I like to use a timed-release fertilizer once a growing season, and that's about all they need.

Zinnias will bloom well into fall in our mild-winter climate. Intermediate and taller zinnia varieties make great cut flowers.

Anyone who hasn't grown zinnias in some time, will be surprised at the improvements. Until recently, powdery mildew disease caused many zinnias to look awful by late summer. The new hybrids have built-in disease resistance.

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