Companion planting is about planting and growing crops together to maximize all the positive effects on each other, such as pest repellent, pollination, and soil improvement. Companion planting with Zinnias is an age-old practice that we will explore in this blog post.
Zinnia Companion Plants
When Zinnia companion plantings are done right, the flowers will be bigger, brighter, healthier, and more abundant. The added bonus is that you can have these beautiful zinnias for your own garden or to give away to friends. Here’s a list of the plants you can try growing beside your Zinnia’s.
Vegetables
What is good for you can also be good for your Zinnia flowers. Some vegetables will help improve the soil where Zinnias are planted. Plants with deep roots bring up nutrients from deep down in the ground. Try planting your zinnia alongside tomatoes, potatoes, cauliflowers, or beans.
The Zinnias will also benefit your vegetable patch as they attract ladybugs that eat common garden insects such as aphids. They will also help keep other insects such as wasps and beetles away from your vegetables.
Zinnia companion plants: Sunflowers
Sunflowers are a favorite among pollinators, birds, and butterflies. They yield both edible seeds and beautiful flowers. You can help to increase the number of flowers that grow on your zinnias by planting them alongside sunflowers that attract pollinators.
Zinnia companion plants: Marigolds
Marigold flowers give off a strong aroma that insects like aphids or whiteflies do not enjoy. Plant marigolds beside your zinnias if you have these annoying pests around your garden. Marigolds and Zinnias also look great together and work well in flower borders.
Dahlias
If you plant both the Zinnia and dahlia, these flowers will be happy because there’ll be plenty of pollinators. Insects like bees and butterflies (and even beetles, praying mantises) are attracted to dahlia flowers as well as zinnia flowers. These plants also create a vibrant flower bed.
Geraniums
If your zinnia plant is a little wilted, perhaps it needs a little shade. Plant a few scented geraniums to provide some much-needed shelter from the afternoon sun. Both geraniums and zinnias have very similar care needs and will grow well beside each other.
Liquorice plants
Licorice plants are not only good companions for zinnias because they look great together, but they will also help retain moisture in the soil, keeping your garden healthy all summer long.
Purple fountain grass
Purple fountain grass has tall, red-tipped or deep purple leaves that are very attractive to butterflies and bees. They can help encourage pollinators onto your zinnia flowers. Both zinnia and purple fountain grass grow well in poor soils and are adaptable plants. They look excellent growing side by side and are perfect if you have sandy soils and find it hard to get plants to grow.
Zinnia companion plants: Conclusion
I hope we’ve given you enough examples of Zinnia companion plants that will help you grow healthier and more abundant zinnia flowers. As the list is not exhaustive, so feel free to experiment with other plants that attract pollinators and improve the soil quality.
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