The story of my Zinnias 8 June 2021
Zinnias have always been my favorite! Why…oh …a ton of reasons…variety of colors, easy to grow, attracts humming birds and most important of all…resilience!
Every spring, I usually start with buying seeds ( different varieties) and would put them in small pots. Within 2 weeks you can see a characteristic sapling with ellipsoidal opposing leaves. You let it grow in the pot for a few more and then transplant them into the ground. Choose a sunny spot, keep skewer sticks to stake them and choose a day when there is rain predicted for the next 2 days…this really helps them settle down in the new spot.
Water daily in the initial days and then every other day…Usually rewarded with a splash of colors and a lot of comments from neighbors and dog walkers who stand & appreciate the garden.
Sometimes I end up spotting a hummingbird and then I drop everything and dash out, sitting outside with my camera to capture it ( makes me feel like the paparazzi waiting for celebrities!!)
Once I ended up breaking a stalk of a ‘fully grown ready to bloom’ zinnia. It upset me so much. It had so much promise! So I ran in and got skewer sticks to hold the stem together and tied it up — resembling a fractured bone thats held together!
And it worked!! the plant held itself together , repaired itself and bloomed too! I could not believe it!
Though this is an annual I have often found saplings growing in different parts of my garden and lawn because the previous year’s flowers had dispersed the seeds. And I tell myself these seeds have survived the cold and stayed there and now they deserve a chance to live…so I usually pick them up and transplant them into a better spot.
So go ahead fall in love with Zinnias like me!!
Another interesting addition to this story : I have just started this blog, but prior to that I have been sending pics and bits of notes to my friends and one of them had saved it from last year!! and sent it back to me….
“A story of this plants’ tenacious nature. So, I ended up snapping a considerable part of this plant right before it could flower. All the buds…. that would never get a chance to flower… simply cos I was not careful. Broke my heart! I quickly took 2 skewer sticks and stays and held it ; exactly how we try and set a bone!!!And to be honest; I forgot about it. Yesterday I chanced upon this plant… it had set itself and flowered and withered! That deserves a mention! Of a plant ( we don’t put so much thought into them) that also fought, fought to live cos it probably knew that I didn’t give up on ‘it’!!! Have a wonderful day!”
Thank you Apoo!!
