Big Red Zinnias?

I did a science project concerning different types of fertilizers and their effects on potted Big Red zinnias. I have to have "background information" for this project, but i don't know what to do! I did some stuff about the ratios of different ingredients in fertilizers, but I need more. I need stuff about the Big Red zinnia itself, like growing conditions and reactions to soil or being potted indoors or something like that. Could you guys maybe help and give some information or websites please?

Big Red Zinnias?
Zinnias add bold, vibrant color to gardens.





They come in a range of sizes and shapes, from upright types that make excellent cut flowers to more compact, multi-flowered border plants.





Flowers can be large or small, single or double, and come in just about any color but blue. They are the perfect annual to grow for beginners and experts alike.





Growing Zinnias








Zinnias are particularly easy to grow. They thrive in full sun, heat, and well-drained soil. If soil is poor, incorporate lots of organic matter such as compost ( Separate note attachedbelow).





Space smaller varieties 6 to 8 inches apart, taller ones 12 to 18 inches apart. Regularly dehead or remove old flowers to keep plants attractive and encourage more blooms. If taller varieties begin to flop, stake them with branches or metal hoops.





Growing from Seed





Zinnias are easy to grow from seed. Sow them directly in the garden as soon as the danger of frost has passed.





They grow quickly and may bloom in just six weeks. Choose a spot with rich, well-drained soil; loosen the soil; toss in seed; cover lightly with soil; and keep them watered. It’s as easy as that.





Problems





Powdery mildew is a primary zinnia troublemaker, particularly in humid climates. You can minimize mildew problems by not over watering plants, planting in well-drained soil, and watering plants at soil level to avoid wetting foliage. Also avoid overcrowding plantings which decreases air circulation around them.





To avoid problems, grow resistant cultivars such as Blue Point, Pinwheel, Profusion, and many others.





You can slow the spread of mildew on susceptible zinnias by spraying a protective coating of a baking soda solution. Mix 1/2 teaspoon baking soda in 2 quarts of water with a few drops of liquid soap.





Insect pests are rare, but you may find Japanese beetles, mites, and aphids. If pests are a problem, drop the beetles into soapy water and treat mites and aphids with insecticidal soap.





Types of Zinnias








The flowers come in single daisy-like flowers, doubles, cactus-flowered types with quilled rays, and anemone-flowered forms with broad rays around a cushioned center.





Flowers range in size from nickel to frisbee size and bloom in lavender, orange, pink, purple, red, rose, salmon, white, yellow, and even green. Here are just a few of the spectacular zinnias to try.





Zowie Hybrid is a new plant with intensely colored, long lasting flowers. Blooms are 3-5 inches wide with prominent center cones surrounded by bright rose, rich scarlet and yellow petals. They are weather-resistant and attract butterflies. Plants are 2-3' tall.


Envy has dramatic green flowers. Three-inch blooms look great in the garden or in a vase. Try them with white, deep blue, or pink flowers.


Cut and Come Again is a favorite double-flowered zinnia. The more you cut them, the more they bloom. Plants grow 2 to 3 feet tall.


Profusion Series plants have extraordinary disease resistance. These plants are virtually care-free—you don’t even have to dead-head them. Flowers are 2 to 3 inches across, and the plants spread up to 2 feet across and 12-18 inches tall. The Profusion series includes cherry, orange, white, and yellow.





Thumbelina is a compact, dome-shaped plant that starts to bloom when only 3 inches tall. These small 6-inch plants are excellent for pots, low beds and edging.


Cut Flowers





Cut flowers can last a week or more. Harvest the flowers when they are fresh but fully mature, ideally when pollen begins to form. Take a bucket filled with water out into the garden, submerging the cut stems immediately. Re-cut the stems before using them in arrangements. For longer vase life, be sure to use clean containers.





Garden Uses





In containers, small- to medium-sized zinnias make bright companions for other annuals such as petunias, variegated euonymus, licorice plant, and angelonia.





Small zinnias such as those in the ‘Profusion’ series make great edgers for other summer annuals or perennials.


Medium-height zinnias blend beautifully into bright bedding schemes, mixing with annuals such as cosmos and dahlias, or contrasting with spiky-flowered annuals such as salvia and larkspur.


Tall zinnias are ideal for cutting and can be planted in clusters between perennials in a sunny, mixed bed.





Vivid orange-, red-, and yellow-flowered Mexican zinnias are good companions for sunflowers and black-eyed Susans. Brick red 'Bonita Red' looks good with purple coneflowers.


Zinnias are often available in mixed colors. Mixes are perfect for creating bright, busy flower gardens or for cutting gardens.





Where you need specific colors to fit your planting scheme, look for plant packs or seed packets with only a single color of flowers.





Compost for Zinnias-





How to Make Compost Basics-





First, you will need a compost bin, a container or structure in which to build your compost pile. Compost bins can be homemade from chicken wire, wood, bricks, or plastic. You can also buy compost bins, often at low costs through municipal recycling programs. Be sure the bin that you make or buy has ventilation holes in the sides, so your pile gets the air it needs to decompose.





To start your pile, put alternate layers of browns (carbon-rich materials) and greens (nitrogen-rich materials) into your compost bin. Brown materials can be dead leaves, straw, sawdust, and wood chips. Green materials include grass clippings, fruit and vegetable scraps and clippings from your garden.





Maintaining a fifty-fifty ratio of browns to greens is ideal. If your compost pile is mostly browns, decomposition will be slow. A bin of oak leaves, for example, can take as much as three years to decompose completely. If your pile is mostly greens, anaerobic decomposition is likely to take place, and a strong, unpleasant smell will result. Bins filled entirely with fresh grass clipping usually stink!





IMPORTANT-





Do not put meat, fats, oils, dairy products or pet waste into your compost bins. They attract rats and other scavengers, and they can spread diseases. Don’t put garden clippings from diseased or mildewed plants in your compost bin. Send it to the landfill or burn it instead.





Toss your compost every week or so to increase air flow through the pile. This helps it decompose quickly and with little odor. Some gardeners do this by keeping two bins side by side and forking the half-made compost from one to the other regularly. If you find worms or saprophytic fungi -- a network of fine, white threads in a clump of compost – that is a sign that your compost pile is “working” nicely. Worms and beneficial fungi help plant material to decompose.





It’s also important to keep your compost pile moist. Dry material does not decompose well. If you have a long period without rain, water the compost bin when you water the garden.





Decomposing plant materials create heat. Expert composters often use special thermometers to monitor the temperature at the center of the compost pile. Home gardeners usually just stick their hands into the pile and see if it feels pleasantly warm. If the pile is cold, add more green material.





If you shred materials before adding them to the pile, they will break down faster. Most compost piles will turn to finished compost in three to six months. When your compost is black and earthy-smelling, with a soft, crumbly texture, it’s ready to use.





Using Compost





Composting has many benefits. It saves you time and money — no more bagging and hauling leaves and grass clippings to the city compost site or paying someone to pick up your yard waste. Adding compost to the soil increases its organic matter, which enhances the soil's ability to hold nutrients and water. Thus, using compost in your lawn and garden reduces dependence on other fertilizers. Compost also makes good mulch for protecting and establishing new plants. And best of all, it’s so easy to make compost!





I HOPE THIS HELPS ! GOOD LUCK.