What Is Zinnia

Critters such as spidermites, mealybugs, and aphids may be troublesome, but can usually be held to acceptable levels by an occasional strong spray of water to the affected areas. Doubles are best for drying by this method because they hold their shape...

I cleared a spot between two mature cedar trees and planted most of them there. Nevertheless, to please the young man who gave me the cosmos seed packet, I planted the seeds—by tossing them on top of the soil in the compost bin.

And when all is said and done, two or three quality photos are saved for showcasing the beauty of each flower and treasure that I find.planted from seed are in full bloom, gracing the corner of my hand-turned, laid-back flower bed.They are fun for a treasure...

Clip the stems early in the morning and only take flowers that are just before their peak. Zinnia seeds are cheap and they come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors.They are one of the easiest plants to start from seeds and they grow so fast...

At this very moment, there are still plenty of green tomatoes on our tomato plants that will no doubt have to be picked because a frost could occur any day now.I had a special surprise on Mother's Day: my college son came home with a gift of two tiny...

Photo courtesy Ken Colwell This week, the world lost a very special lady, a lady who faced many of life's hardships and yet always seemed to present herself with grace and gentleness.

Producing colorful flowers that bloom throughout summer and early fall, zinnias thrive in full sun and are a low-maintenance but colorful addition to planting beds across the U.S.Start zinnias indoors from seeds four to six weeks before your last frost...

Gardeners may sow seeds directly in well-drained soil outdoors after the last frost of spring. Brightly colored zinnias are a welcome sight in summer gardens. To extend the vase life of cut zinnias, cut them early in the morning and dip the cut stems...

The culture of loving and giving they've created in our community is felt and noticed, and changes are being made. On paper, there aren't enough hours in the day to make this happen—they all work full-time jobs and have full-time lives on top of their...

Now you need to cover up your wood. Building beds 6 feet tall or more with entire trees as base material is not uncommon. In these areas, building the huegel within a swale can help to collect and trap precious moisture and groundwater within the bed.)...

Temperatures plummeted to nigh-unbearable levels across the U.S., thanks to the much-discussed polar vortex that moved through over a two-day span, shattering record-low temperatures nationwide and plummeting wind chills into the negative double digits.

Because the same remedies in the same doses apply to the same conditions in humans and all other animals of all ages and sizes, do-it-yourselfers can learn to dose their livestock from information designed to diagnose and dose people or pets.

Humans who ingest berries can suffer symptoms associated with caffeine poisoning. Humans with severe, prolonged reactions to winterberry ingestion should be evaluated by medical professionals.

Something will spark one of these thoughts, and I'll wind up daydreaming about my three-armed life or my alternate British self for a minute or two before getting back to whatever I was doing.

It contains a high amount of vitamin B12, which we do not typically find in land plants. Those who are eating a vegetarian diet often struggle with getting this nutrient because we chiefly find it in meat products, so they often turn to an aquatic plant,...

Zinnias and dahlias both have vibrant colors and numerous flower forms. Cactus zinnias resemble cactus dahlias. Double to semidouble flowers are about 4 inches wide with curved, narrow petals.Both zinnias and dahlias have a wide range of colors.

Notes Frequent cutting of blossoms helps many varieties to rebloom constantly for many weeks. Butterflies prefer flat, single zinnia blossoms over "double" varieties that are packed with petals.

This afternoon, while inspecting my late-summer garden, I came across several small, vividly colored insects on a winter squash blossom. While the leaf-footed bug family is composed of several closely related species, these insect pests all use their...

When choosing plants for potting, add some zinnias (Zinnia elegans) for blossoms that keep coming all season long. But you can help keep the plants tidy by trimming off flowers as they fade away.

But the difference between full sun and part shade can vary. If perennials are the class acts of the garden, annuals are the speed freaks. The shade might be dappled, light or full, depending on the obstruction -- as in shade from a deciduous tree, hedge,...

There will usually be some variation in size, shape, fullness, and color. Upon first seeing zinnias in bloom in Mexico, the Spanish conquistadors were not at all impressed, naming it mal de ojos, or "bad for the eye," i.e., so ugly that one would not...

Determining if soil is frozen can make all the difference.How do you know if the ground is frozen solid? Digging frozen soil is hard work and the minute you realize you are working way too hard just to turn up the soil is the time to put the shovel down...

Rhizoctonia root rot occurs with moderate moisture levels in warm to hot temperatures. Infected plants often have sunken lesions on the stem at or below the soil line.Various practices may be helpful in reducing the amount of damping off infection.

The disease killed a 47-year-old British man after he was engulfed in clouds of dust from the compost he had intended to use in his garden.The symptoms of Farmer's Lung resemble pneumonia, and may result from respiratory exposure to certain fungal and...

I assume that includes packaged lunchmeats and not just turkey on the platter. They are capable of walking, running, even flying, and capable of breeding by themselves. It was more expensive than a store-bought Butterball but I will eat it with honor,...

You may not believe it, but I still have laurel dry leaves from my store! Let me explain.In 1994, my husband and I had the opportunity to open a small grocery store at his grandparents' former house after they died.

Better known as Dracaena sanderiana, this plant is a fixture in many households.Connoisseurs agree that not all bamboo is created equally.Lucky bamboo, also known as "Belgian evergreen," is a woody shrub with shiny green leaves.