Something wrong with my zinnas

2 years ago

First time planting zinnas I started from seed indoors they have been doing good. I harden them off for a couple weeks bringing them in and outside until it was safe to plant and I've now been noticing weird discoloration on leaves. I have now idea what it is but they get discoloration and then kinda shrivel up. Any idea what's happening?

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Comments (5)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
they look fine considering you just transplanted them.. give them a couple more weeks.. and feed them a very dilute water sol fert ...

patience is the key.. in spring... in a month.. you will probably be beating them back with a stick.. send pix.. at that point..

ken
zen_man
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Hi Mandi

I think I see the beginning symptoms of a potentially serious nutrition problem. It could be too much or too little of a specific element. I notice a lot of organic mulch material on the surface of the soil, and that could be indirectly involved. I think this is the beginning phase of a potentially worsening problem. When you have a lot of decaying organic mulch, your plants can be forced to compete with it for nutrients. I use sand as a mulch to prevent that.

ZM
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zen_man
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Hello again, Mandi

Your "View motion photo" feature doesn't seem to work as intended, and I think that is Houzz's fault, not yours.

Assuming it would be difficult to remove those organic mulch materials, I would begin a foliar feeding program using Miracle-Gro Tomato Plant Food. The tomato formula is also suitable for zinnias (and there isn't a Miracle-Gro Zinnia Plant Food product). Foliar feeding gets around the problem of the organic mulch "stealing" nutrients from your zinnias, and the run-off from the foliar feeding will nourish the organic mulch decomposition.

The whitish leaf areas in your photos are symptomatic of a local shortage of chlorophyll, which is a green organic magnesium-containing component vital to plants. The Tomato Food contains extra magnesium as compared to some other formulas.

ZM (not associated with any product or vendor mentioned or linked)
Mandi (zone5)
Original Author
2 years ago
Just an update i ended up spraying dish soap and water on them incase of some kind of mites and they've been doing good they started getting better. Today I was checking on them and I couldn't believe it I already see buds forming I started them I believe April 18th today's May 27th and i live in Wisconsin. I thought it would be alot longer until I seen buds. I'm very exited
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
soooo .. in other words.. you are getting ready to beat them back with a stick ... lol

listen... NEVER treat or spray recent transplants.. until they are over the transplant shock ... i shouldnt have suggested fert after transplant...

bottom line... transplant/ give them 2 weeks with water.. then fert them a little.. and then worry about bugs or other things...

these are transplant rules.. not Z rules... ZMAN rules on Z related issues.. i suggest this if a T issue... cant argue with him on Z issues...

regardless.... get that stick ready and send pix of the flowers..

ken