Natures Beauty

Last year was the first time I planted flowers, and I have not gotten over the beauty of the little creatures that come with them. John

And another

absolutely fabous shots.

one more

Beautiful Monarch! And I think the second is a Giant Swallowtail! Great photos. Yes, it's quite addictive to have all kinds of wildlife visiting your "habitat".

Please forgive me, but I'm on a roll. he he

please one more

new one

Looks like I'm going to have to plant a lot more Zinnias next year! Great pics John!

Thanks for sharing!

Marilyn

John,Great pix's

beautiful, John. thanks for sharing. ditto on the zinnias, Marilyn, if they will bring in those beauties.

gram

Welcome to my world John! :) Gardening for butterflies is SO worth it! I've had about 10 Queen's in my yard every night and just love them floating all around me. Can't wait until later when more Monarchs get here!

Great pics! I'm jealous of your Tiger ST and the Fritillary. I usually see a Tiger once, maybe twice, a year. Thanks for sharing!

Zinnias are the cheapest and the BEST butterfly flowers!! My bed is full of them on purpose. I just threw out more seeds yesterday to ensure I have my usual field of them this fall.

This message was edited Jul 17, 2006 4:44 PM

All of the pictures are beautiful! I also only have a few Zinnias, but next year it will be a whole different story!

Great pictures!! I am never without zinnias which means I am never without butterflies!!

What kind of soil and drainage do you have; Carrjohn, Konkreteblond and Luvsgrtdanes and everyone else who have had great success with Zinnias? How do all grow them so well? I've never have had success with the tall Zinnas, and have only grown the 'Profusion' ones in containers, but I'd like to always grow those tall, big, colorful, beautiful ones. What do you all do?

Help! Thanks!

Marilyn

This message was edited Jul 19, 2006 10:14 AM

This message was edited Jul 19, 2006 12:04 PM

Marilyn, I have sandy soil but I add tons of horse manure. Hope you grow some big ones. John

Oh konkreteblond .. I do so very much agree!

Marilyn, my beds are clay/subsoil with amended topsoil. Some of the topsoil came in bags and some from a local place and we hauled it. Some of the bags had topsoil and a little bit of sand, which I loved. Some didn't so it was thicker. Some of the topsoil also came from a place that mixed builder's sand (I think) and compost into it.

I do have a ton of compost mixed in tho. It's not always on top because it breaks down but I've definitely spent a bunch of money and time putting it out. I have used a compost from Lowe's as mulch for several years because it wasn't fine compost or big sticks. In the fall tho I sometimes put down a layer of hardwood.

This year Lowe's carried different stuff so I used the new Texas Native Compost and Texas Native Hardwood mulch in some areas. I love this stuff!

Anyways, my zinnias have grown in all and some of the above and never missed a beat. I started with one package of seeds I threw out and they just reseeded. The profusion ones reseed too and usually grow taller the next year, which I like.

The larger zinnias tend to get powdery mildew and lose their bottom leaves. It's not a pretty sight but I'm trying to prevent it ahead of time this year and might even thin some out this year too.

This is pic from a few weeks ago. I've got more tall zinnias on the right and one less dead cornflower in the center.

This is last Sept. when I have the most zinnias. Hopefully this year will be the same way!

I didn't sow a zinnia at all this year, they all are from last year. All I did was top dress with my compost. This is a different zebra that showed up a while ago, he would almost land on me, not afraid at all. He posed for about 50 pics. I love them. John

I love those too, but wish I had more than one a year.

How far is Kellyville from Dallas?

It's a long flight for a butterfly, but its about 600 miles. John

A new Tiger

Thanks for all the help!

Another question......

What varieties of the Zinnias do you all grow (seeds and/or plants) to attract the butterflies?

Thanks!

Marilyn

Marilyn, I just planted a couple of packs of seed from Wal-Mart last year. Amended the sandy soil with horse manure. I did not sow a seed this year these are all from the seeds off last years flowers. John

Oh my, Marylyn ..

I honestly don't remember what 'variety' of the zinnia seed that I'd bought and planted 3 years ago .. but I harvested and saved the seed from them (yep, didn't write it down on the ziploc bag either) .. and jes took a chance of them still being 'good', and germinating this year.

They did .. and with seeming extra 'ooompah' too! I swear I don't remember the leaves being as large.

I can only tell ya, for sure .. is they were the cheapest mix of seeds. However, 'giants' sorta rings a wee bell.

(heavens me, I'm just chock-full of valuable info tonite, 'ey! .. LOL) My humble apologies ...

- Magpye

This message was edited Jul 24, 2006 10:17 PM

That 600 miles only took it 2 days! Look what I had visit on Sat! Thanks John!

Marilyn, my tall zinnias all started from one pack of seeds that a friend gave me. They are like the Energizer Bunny of plants! I have mostly single ones but do have some double ones too. The butterflies tend to prefer the real tall, single bloom ones to anything else.

Konkreteblond,

How do you know which are the single Zinnia seed packages?

What kind do you get and where do you get yours? Do certain colors matter more to the Butterflies than others?

I'll have to wait til next year (darn lol) no Zinnias around here to buy (seed or plants) and it's too late in the season anyway to start seeds. Can't wait till next year though.

Thanks!

Marilyn

This message was edited Jul 25, 2006 1:13 AM

I think they should say on it or you can tell by the pics. The double ones look like mushrooms. I'll try to find or get a pic of one.

Thanks all!

Have any of you got your seeds through mail order (here, at one of the companies on the Garden Watchdog or elsewhere)?

Awhile back this season, I got this Zinnia (thought it was going to be a taller one). It hasn't done much except bloom without getting tall (I deadheaded some blooms). Taken July 7, 06. Don't have a more current one, because DH is on a trip and took the camera with him.

Marilyn

Oh, I love those! I didn't buy any tho. I should have but I was trying to be good and refrain this year. Maybe you can save me some seeds? :)

If you let if reseed I bet that next year it will be a lot taller. All of the orange zinnias that were mounds for me the first year reseeded and came back twice as tall. I guess that's the hybrid trait of not coming back true.

I have had Profusion zinnias come back as small mounds and some taller. I like them either way tho.

I started these Old Mexico zinnias from seed this spring. They are much smaller than I expected! This is one that looks almost like the pic.

This is another one on the same plant but different looking. I like it too but sure wish they were larger.

I just went out to see what the Zinnias were and they are Swizzle Scarlet and Yellow. Tags says 10-12" tall. Yes, Konkreteblond I'll save you (and me too) some seeds from it. I wanted the new "Zowie" Zinnia, maybe next year. There's a new Profusion Zinnia called "Fire", haven't gotten that yet either.

When should I stop deadheading and start letting it got to seed?

Marilyn

I want Zowie too!! I can't believe I forgot to order it too. I've been looking lately and kept thinking I'd order it now anyways, but forget. I'll have to look up that "Fire" one.

I like to deadhead to get more blooms so sometimes I just leave one to seed every once in a while. Then either later in the season or when it looks like it's not going to bloom much more, I stop.