True Confessions of a Rookie Gardener

There is a lot of stuff in my blood, and gardening is one of them.  Since the beginning of the Kelly/Kastner Klans, there has been gardening.  Beautiful flower gardens with bright, lively flowers and lush, radiant greenery.  And produce gardens that are productive enough to sustain multiple families.  This is in my genes, and I indend to find it. 
On Mother's Day, Addie and I planted some Zinnia seeds she had gotten.  Mother's Day, so early May.  On the package it says that these seeds will flower in as little as 7 days.  Not so much.  And not only have they not fully flowered yet, they are getting wrecked by something. 


I tried some insect stuff from the plant shop, no workie.  Then I turned on google.  I love google.  It's like a portable encyclopedia, friggen genius!  Turns out this whole time, it's my own fault that these flowers are struggling to stay alive. 

Step 1:

Prepare a bed for zinnias that receives full sun, defined as six to eight hours of direct sunlight per day. Till the soil to a depth of eight inches and add well-composted manure or compost to increase aeration and improve drainage.

*OK, this is simple enough.  I get out a couple pots, and fill them with potting soil.  What I didn't know is that not all potting soils are created equally.  And I bought the crap kind, the kind that holds more water than a sponge...no aeration.

Step 2:

Seedlings emerge in three to five days depending on the temperature of the soil. Once seedlings have emerged and have developed the second set of leaves, thin to one plant per pot.
*It's not been warm since Mother's Day.  Well, I mean it has, but not consistently, in fact just a few weeks ago it was 40 degrees overnight.  So, strike 1, not warm.  Next, thin to one plant per pot.  Not sure if you noticed, there is way more than 1 per pot.  Strike 2.

Step 3:

Space plants 9 to 12 inches apart. Cover lightly with soil and keep evenly moist until seeds germinate.

*Fail

Step 4:

Water regularly until the plants are established. Monitor for signs of excessively dry soil or wilting of leaves.  Avoid getting moisture on the leaves which are prone to mildew. Harvest zinnias before the flower is completely open for an impressive cut flower that holds well in a vase.

*Fail. Again.  I watered them lovingly, often, as in tons of water droplets on leaves and puddles in the soil.  Wilting of leaves, well I don't necessarily think they look wilted, but they do look gross.  

They are starting to flower and will be significantly thinned next time I have some motivation, so we will have to monitor this progress.  I am starting to see a few pink blossoms perking out.  My first thought was when thinning, to transplant some to the front of the house, right into the ground.  Then I read that the roots are temperamental.  Let's try anyway.  Half of this finding my Inner Gardener will have to be trial and error, right?  I think the other half will probably come from Google.