Zinnias - Page 7

SpookyShoe · August 8, 2019

So beautiful. And a haven for bees and butterflies.

JRinPA · August 10, 2019

There were 20 butterflies in our front bed last week. I counted 8 at once yesterday. It is about a 2'x7' I guess, zinnias around the perimeter every few inches. I'll try to remember to take a pic while they are in bloom. Mostly tiger swallowtails and black swallowtails. I have parsnips and carrots in the back yard with lots of caterpillars. I want to get some milkweed going for monarchs.

Last year in that bed there was a fight over a big red flower. There was a butterfly at it, but it got chased off by a big bumblebee. Then a hummingbird took it over. The bee came back and dove in, so the hummingbird stalked it and flushed it out. They jousted for a bit. Can't remember who won, but it was so funny because there were at least 100 other zinnias blooming at the time.

SpookyShoe · August 10, 2019

Yes! Post pictures of bees and butterflies!

JRinPA · August 10, 2019

I took some this morning. No bees that I saw, bunch of butterflies though.

SpookyShoe · August 11, 2019

Gorgeous!!!!!

GoDawgs · August 11, 2019

Beautiful, JR! Both flowers and butterflies! Do you know what that last butterfly down the page is? I was looking in the Pennsylvania portion of a bug site I found but couldn't find what you have. Interesting!

https://www.insectidentification.org...e=Pennsylvania

Edited to say I think I found it... a Painted Lady"
https://www.insectidentification.org...Lady-Butterfly

JRinPA · August 11, 2019

Yep, painted lady for sure. The difference in the bodies are amazing. I was hoping to get a pic of a black swallowtail, and there was at least one there, but I was trying frame a pic and I'm afraid I scared off most of the butterflies. I think there is another black butterfly type around too.

According to that page the swallowtails are Canadian? I did not know that. Their swallowtails were not defined strongly and I didn't see any blue on the ones that stuck around. I thought they looked kind of lemony pale, moreso than some.

PNW_D · August 13, 2019

lemony pale one could be Western Tiger Swallowtail ....... I've heard that if attacked they can drop their swallowtail portion to escape ......

kameronth · August 15, 2019

I'm in zone 3/4 and I typically start my zinnias indoors when I do my tomatoes - end of April. Zinnia's do well here but can be subject to powdery mildew as others have stated. California Giants and Purple Prince my favorite varieties.

This photo is of my cuttings for the farmers market. The pink and yellow flowers are a variety of seed that was given to me called cactus zinnia. They're not my favorite but certainly unique!

wildcat62 · August 15, 2019

Great pic

SpookyShoe · August 15, 2019

I was very inspired by all the cut flowers and zinnia gardens I saw on this thread. So a few days ago I sowed three areas with zinnia seeds in soil that in Spring is usually occupied by tomato plants. I am not a big fan of sowing seeds, LOL. The seed packets stated that I could sow seeds in my zone 9 area at this time of year. I put tiny fences around the areas to try to keep the dog from eating the seedlings. In a few days the seedlings emerged and I'm anxious to see how things will look in a couple of months.

JRinPA · August 15, 2019

Zinnias come up quick here, but not until the weather is hot enough. For example, this year they went out mid May, but didn't come up for two weeks. After they emerged, the next sown seed came up in three days.

I tried starting some inside a few years back but the seed was in poor shape to begin with. The few that came up and were transplanted were quickly matched by the direct sown. I haven't bothered since. Honestly I'm not much for flowers - they don't taste that great - but zinnias are pretty nice when they come in.

RJGlew · September 16, 2019

The season is almost over for us, but I thought I'd upload a picture of some zinnias in one of my beds before they get frosted. These are a mix of Zahara & Profusion, both of which are pretty good against mildew, a requirement since we get such cold nights here.

JRinPA · September 16, 2019

Very nice. Ours have powdery mildew now...be gone soon I guess.

GrowingCoastal · September 16, 2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by kameronth

I'm in zone 3/4 and I typically start my zinnias indoors when I do my tomatoes - end of April. Zinnia's do well here but can be subject to powdery mildew as others have stated. California Giants and Purple Prince my favorite varieties.

This photo is of my cuttings for the farmers market. The pink and yellow flowers are a variety of seed that was given to me called cactus zinnia. They're not my favorite but certainly unique!

Gorgeous. I also grew some cactus flowered giants this year and learned that they do not feed the bees as well as those that form a cone in the middle.

I the evenings in July I would find bees asleep on them sometimes tucked in between petals.

August 8, 2019	#91
SpookyShoe Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: El Lago, Texas Posts: 1,100	So beautiful. And a haven for bees and butterflies. __________________ Donna, Zone 9, Texas Gulf Coast

August 10, 2019	#93
SpookyShoe Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: El Lago, Texas Posts: 1,100	Yes! Post pictures of bees and butterflies! __________________ Donna, Zone 9, Texas Gulf Coast

August 11, 2019	#95
SpookyShoe Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: El Lago, Texas Posts: 1,100	Gorgeous!!!!! __________________ Donna, Zone 9, Texas Gulf Coast

August 11, 2019	#96
GoDawgs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Augusta area, Georgia, 8a/7b Posts: 1,685	Beautiful, JR! Both flowers and butterflies! Do you know what that last butterfly down the page is? I was looking in the Pennsylvania portion of a bug site I found but couldn't find what you have. Interesting! https://www.insectidentification.org...e=Pennsylvania Edited to say I think I found it... a Painted Lady" https://www.insectidentification.org...Lady-Butterfly Last edited by GoDawgs; August 11, 2019 at 06:53 PM.

August 13, 2019	#98
PNW_D Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: West Coast, Canada Posts: 961	lemony pale one could be Western Tiger Swallowtail ....... I've heard that if attacked they can drop their swallowtail portion to escape ...... __________________ D.

August 10, 2019	#92
JRinPA Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: SE PA Posts: 972	There were 20 butterflies in our front bed last week. I counted 8 at once yesterday. It is about a 2'x7' I guess, zinnias around the perimeter every few inches. I'll try to remember to take a pic while they are in bloom. Mostly tiger swallowtails and black swallowtails. I have parsnips and carrots in the back yard with lots of caterpillars. I want to get some milkweed going for monarchs. Last year in that bed there was a fight over a big red flower. There was a butterfly at it, but it got chased off by a big bumblebee. Then a hummingbird took it over. The bee came back and dove in, so the hummingbird stalked it and flushed it out. They jousted for a bit. Can't remember who won, but it was so funny because there were at least 100 other zinnias blooming at the time.

August 15, 2019	#100
wildcat62 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2014 Location: Zone 6 Northern Kentucky Posts: 1,094	Great pic __________________ Mark

August 15, 2019	#102
JRinPA Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: SE PA Posts: 972	Zinnias come up quick here, but not until the weather is hot enough. For example, this year they went out mid May, but didn't come up for two weeks. After they emerged, the next sown seed came up in three days. I tried starting some inside a few years back but the seed was in poor shape to begin with. The few that came up and were transplanted were quickly matched by the direct sown. I haven't bothered since. Honestly I'm not much for flowers - they don't taste that great - but zinnias are pretty nice when they come in.

September 16, 2019	#104
JRinPA Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: SE PA Posts: 972	Very nice. Ours have powdery mildew now...be gone soon I guess. Last edited by JRinPA; September 16, 2019 at 08:12 PM.