Hybridizers: It can be fun to breed your own zinnias - Part 6, 2 by Zen_Man

Zen_Man wrote:
Hi Brenda,

Yes, January really did speed by. You are right, that first bloom really caught my attention when you first showed it. A unique light brown color, and fantastic upcurled petals. That bloom alone is responsible for my extensive growth of California Giants and Benary\'s Giants. It definitely showed yet another intriguing thing that \"zinnias can do.\"

I am going to be placing greater emphasis toward improving the zinnia plant structure itself. I am even including a small amount of Potassium silicate in my indoor nutrients, because Silicon is said to increase the cell wall structure, which can make for stronger stalks and limbs and even increase disease resistance. I have to be careful to not overdo the Potassium silicate, because it is a rather alkaline solution. I probably should start measuring the pH of my nutrient solutions. Most competent hydroponics growers do that routinely.

On the subject of zinnia plant structure, occasionally you will see an emerging seedling with three cotyledons instead of the usual two. Occasionally that \"plan of three\" will continue up the stalk as the plant grows. I have an indoor plant that has done that, and I am selfing it with the hope that some of its progeny will repeat the plan of three. I refer to such zinnia plants as \"threesies\" and use the abbreviation \"3Z\".

In past years I have seen some zinnias with side branches that were 3Z. I have yet to see a zinnia plant that had both a 3Z stalk and 3Z branches, but that is a goal of mine. Increasing the plant structure by 50% could be ornamental. I am still not certain that the 3Z trait is genetic. But I kind of think it is. More later. Indoor zinnias demand a lot attention.

ZM