Hybridizers: It can be fun to breed your own zinnias - Part 6, 1 by Zen_Man

Zen_Man wrote:
Hi Jai (that rhymes ?)

\" I chose Z. haageana because it is more compact and can be grown with heating pads and plant lights. \"

Actually, Z. elegans (and Z. hybrida) can be compact, because there are compact cultivars, and even the regular sized zinnias can be grown with fluorescent lights and germinated with the help of heating pads. I prefer the regular sizes of zinnias because outdoors I don\'t like to stoop or kneel to work with them. Indoors I can raise my shelves and lights to accommodate any of my zinnias.

Actually, Z. elegans can \"out compact\" Z. haageana with varieties like Thumbelina, which can put out a first bloom at only three inches high and ultimately form a \"bush\" only 6 inches high.

http://www.burpee.com/flowers/zinnias/zinnia-thumbelina-mix-...

I already plan to apply an antifungal spray preventatively but I\'m not sure how big the plants should be before I apply it. Can the spray itself actually hurt the seedling? That\'s what I\'m concerned about.

I don\'t apply a spray indoors, to avoid contaminating the air. When I first see a sign of a fungus, I include a dilute systemic fungicide in the plant water. They take the systemic up through their roots and it makes the whole plant protected, including new growth. Sprays fail to protect new growth. You may go for months before you see a sign of a fungus disease. I was almost into Spring before I spotted Powdery Mildew one Winter. (See the photo.) Some Winters I don\'t see any foliage problem. For zinnia foliage problems my motto is \"If it\'s not broke, don\'t fix it.\"

I do routinely include dilute systemic insecticide in the plant water for my seedlings. Primarily to prevent fungus gnats. But also any other insect that might want to invade. For insects indoors, prevention is better than cure. Aphids and thrips can be really bad indoors, because they can work concealed inside the zinnia blooms. Sprays can\'t get to them there, but systemics wipe them out.

Properly diluted, systemic fungicides and insecticides are harmless to zinnia seedlings and plants. And systemics instead of sprays make a lot more sense indoors. And work better, too.

ZM