Ask the Master Gardener: Can you plant zinnia and marigold seeds in June?
Q: Is it too late to direct sow zinnia and marigold seeds in my garden? What other annual flowers can be planted in June?
Zinnias and marigolds only take about eight weeks from seed planting to blooms. With marigolds, it is best to plant the smaller French and signet marigolds, as they take less time to grow and bloom than the taller African marigolds. Consistent watering and a weekly liquid feed with fish emulsion or other plant food will help with growth.
There are several other annuals that can be directly seeded in the garden in June and early July. These would include cosmos, sunflowers, calendula, cockscomb, nasturtium, morning glory, cleome (spider flower), four o'clocks, globe amaranth, and several others. When buying seeds, look for varieties with shorter germination and bloom times. Planting soon will give you a beautiful result, perhaps slightly later than usual, but still worth having!
Q: I just recently bought and planted mums, was wondering what care they might need for a good bloom season this fall. Do they need to be trimmed to keep compact and when should that be done?
Mums will bloom well without being trimmed, however may become too tall and flop over if not properly trimmed. It is also important to trim at the proper times and to stop early enough to prevent trimming off the anticipated fall blooms.
Mums can be pinched back about three times between the end of May and July 4. Any trimming later than early July may result in few blooms as the flower buds will start forming around this time. The last trim should be at the desired height for your plants. Asters and other late fall blooming flowers can also be trimmed in a similar fashion.
Q: I planted decorative potted mums that I purchased last fall, however none of those came back this fall. What happened? I thought mums were supposed to be winter hardy.
There are two types of mums being sold, perennial and annuals. The ones sold in spring, Chrysanthemum morifolium or hardy mums, will usually survive winter cold and come back. The mums sold in fall as decorative plants are Chrysanthemum multicaule, usually sold by florists, are annuals and cannot survive winter outside. The annual types may survive a winter if brought inside before a hard freeze.
Q: What can I put in the bottom of my large pots to keep from buying large quantities of soil? The pots are deeper than seem necessary and I am trying to watch expenses.
Many things can be used in the bottom of very large containers in order to take up space and use less potting medium. This will also reduce the weight of the pot and make it easier to move around. Rocks for drainage are not necessary. Many materials may be used, including old pool noodles, soda bottles, other closed containers you may have, old flower pots, and more. If you wish to avoid plastic, twigs, small branches, and pine cones also help fill up space.
Readers can pose questions or get more information by calling 417-874-2963 and talking to one of the trained volunteers staffing the Master Gardener Hotline at the University of Missouri Extension Center in Greene County located inside the Botanical Center, 2400 S. Scenic Ave., Springfield, MO 65807.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Ask the Master Gardener: Here's when and how mums should be trimmed
