Topic: Miniature Zinnias

[duh]

I'm wondering if anyone can help me.  I have 17 miniature zinnias sprouted.  I have approximately a 33 foot bed that I am trying to fill.  The poppies are in the back and they are the tallest at 18 inches.  Next will be the miniature snapdragons at 10 inches tall, then the miniature zinnias a 6 inches and as we get into summer I'll be adding portulaca at 4 to 6 inches.  Mine usually are more like 2 to 4 inches tall. 

How do I spread out the zinnias so that they look good?  Do I put bunches of three every few feet?  Do I put one in again every few feet?  Or should I go looking for some more seed to plant so that I can have a pretty much solid like of them in the bed.  It just seems like they are going to be to sparse.

Help please.

[Penny]

Hmmm, i would say, plant them in bunches, every few feet.

Whatever you do, it'll look nice.

[Tina]

Is there any description of the zinnias spread? A couple that I grew became a 'cushion plant' that was a mound of color wider than it was tall?A solid line of those would work planted so the edges of each plant overlapped and meshed. If they are a slightly more upright plant than the groups of 3 or five will be your best bet.

[bestofour]

If they are only going to get 6 inches tall I'd say plant them all in a corner for a good show.  In my mind if you spread them out in 33 feet they're going to be lost being that short.

[barleychown]

I like to plant in bunches of three or five, and not in a straight line, but sort of a zig zag.

[duh]

Thanks for the advice.  I definitely think I'll be going with bunches.   So I should be able to get about 3 bunches approximately 11 feet apart starting at about the 5 foot mark. 

The bed is narrow probably 24 inches across so there isn't much room for zig zag.  But I would probably add something between the bunches of zinnia.  OOOOOh, how about some ornamental clumping grass between the groups of zinnia?  That could be very nice.  I'll need one that can take full sun. 

[duh]

The zinnias caught damp off disease and I lost several.  But it only takes one to be able to harvest a bunch of seeds so I still have hope.  This years display won't be much but the future is bright if I can hold on to these few.

[Penny]

Thats too bad Tammy.....hopefully one makes it for you.

[duh]

i have my fingers crossed.