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Re: Second try for zinnias

Terry LynnSullivan wrote:
> 
> Regarding Zinnias:
> They need moisture to germinate, & higher temperatures will retard germination.
> I water them & keep the soil moist but not soaking wet. In really hot areas, s light
> coating of chopped straw might preserve the moisture & protect them from the heat.
> the straw is so light that it should not interfere with germination.
> Good Luck
> TerryLynn

 I am in Alabama and we had a moist spring and a dry summer. 
 I planted my zinnias in the spring. It seemed like it took quite a
while for them to germinate.
 Everything seems a little later than up in Illinois, zone 5. I am in
zone 7 here.
 It took forever for my morning glories to come up even though they were
planted during the wettest part of the spring and I had soaked them. 
 Now everything seems to have caught up to where it is supposed to have
been a month ago and is blooming profusely.
 I think the wet spring sort of kept the ground temps cooler than what
would have germinated them on time. Some of the early plants of the
morning glories shriveled up and died after setting out a flower at
ground level and with only two leaves on the plant. 
 It has been a weird year for everything it seems.
 My zinnias which finally came up and I keep picking to keep them
blooming are really full of flowers now, though. In the drought we had
they didn't get any extra water.
 Maybe try to set the seeds between some damp paper towels the day
before planting. If they are old this will help to bring them out of
dormancy. But plant them directly the next day and not deeply, just
enough to cover them.
 I always have better luck when I moisten the seeds overnight, no matter
what type.
 I soak morning glory seeds and four o clocks and any type of bean seed
in pretty warm water to start and always soak the rock hard caladium
bulbs a couple of days before planting.
 If something is dormant too long it seems to build up a tougher cover
to break through.
 Hope this helps.
 Windy
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