Low maintenance and hard working, it's hard to go wrong with zinnias! Their colors cover nearly any shade you could ask for in the spectrum. There are even varieties with multiple colors although I don't have any of those in my garden. They are extremely easy to cultivate and just need a little water to get started then the zinnias pretty much take care of themselves. What is really nice is that they will continue to bloom with regular deadheading all the way into fall. A couple weeks before the first frost date I let them go to seed then collect the seeds for the following year. The colors that come back the following year may be the same or different. The flower shape may change also but one thing is the same, great color!
Zinnias are annuals here in Tennessee and are great for attracting butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators. The only problem I have had with zinnias is occasional powdery mildew but a
baking soda spray should take care of that. These zinnias in the photographs were all from the
self-seeding garden.
