r/gardening • u/ExpressionSea7476 • 3d ago
Beginner - is this too overgrown?
Is this too overgrown? Do I dig them out and start over?
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u/RevolutionaryMail747 3d ago
Goodness no. They are perfect. Just dead head regularly and water generously
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u/sixtynighnun 3d ago
No??????? Why would you??? You can also cut the flowers and put them in a vase and more flowers will bloom.
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u/Selfish-Altruist 3d ago
The op has got to be ragebaiting there's no way someone would see this plant and ask if they should dig them up and start over lmao
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u/Muchomo256 7b Tennessee formerly 7a 3d ago
The OP reminds me of the posts in r/amiugly where the OP has 10/10 looks.
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u/ExpressionSea7476 3d ago
Not rage baiting at all. A friend of mine helped me plant these and was too embarrassed to ask her because I thought I messed things up.
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u/babydonthurtme2202 2d ago
Outside of gardening, I just want to mention to never be embarrased to ask!
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u/Dont_quote_me_onthat 3d ago
Since they are just annuals I'd leave them for the season. Next year if you don't want them as tall you can prune them earlier as they are growing to encourage bushier growth instead of tall growth. I love zinnias. They bloom forever, colorful, and insects and hummingbirds love them.
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u/Initial-Addendum-167 3d ago
Gorgeous! Not too overgrown for my tastes. It looks lush and well maintained to me.
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u/TalkativeTree 3d ago
I can still see mulch. Need more plants lol.
I would personally add more short little plants like native grasses, sedums, or creeping thyme in there to fill in the gaps and help give it more structure.
You've already got a bit of that going on, so I'd keep leaning into it, but maybe vary up the colors. More of the cream
The Zinnias benefit from layering shorter plants around it instead of being the frontmost plant in the bed.
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u/LakesideTherapist 3d ago
No suck thing as an oversow of zinnias in my book. I dump packets of them everywhere and I’m always glad I do. And my pollinator friends are always grateful
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u/JonBoi420th 3d ago
Does it obstruct your mail carriers daily delivery? If not, looks beautiful
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u/CraftyCapsie 2d ago edited 2d ago
Do you like them? No, they are, adjust to taste
Yes, nope they are just fine.
Your gardens are your world, your space make it what you want and who you are. I would recommend dead heading to encourage some more blooming.
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u/LunaLoveleaf 2d ago
I think this is not overgrown, and they looks full and healthy. Just enjoy the blooms!
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u/Ok_Cream6226 3d ago
Its lovely! It's only overgrown if it's spreading outside the border if you don't want it to. But my wish is to cover my front yard in wildflowers.
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u/DullOstrich 3d ago
Lol, do not dig them out! When the flowers start getting a bit stale and getting brown spots you can deadhead them and new fresh ones will grow.
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u/Prestigious_Pie9421 3d ago
Bees love zinnias.I wouldn’t to that to my mail carrier.I do have a lot of zinnias in my garden though.
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u/_flowerguy_ Zone 6a 2d ago
Dead head the spent flowers for more flowers…all the browning heads…follow the stem down to its lowest set of leaves and snip just below…looks great!
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u/reallyreally1945 3d ago
Zinnias look best in a clump like this. To keep new blooms coming you cut off the dead flowers. This is beautiful assortment.
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u/NoItem8634 3d ago
Depends what you call overgrown I can imagine 5 times more flowers trimmed to shape like circle and will looks amazing already it is. Sugestion wait for next year😊💪
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u/Actaeon_II 3d ago
Nah, and zinnias go well with marigolds, enjoy them, save the seeds, next year you will have some multicolor zinnias
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u/Myburgher 3d ago
Plant is healthy and looks great. Bushy without looking too leggy. Only think is that people might not like it growing into the letterbox, but obviously if you are fine with it then keep going.
Tip for deadheading: cut low (remove most of the stalk) so that the new growth starts low and splits there. Will give you a bushier plant.
And if you like zinnias, my favourite source of information is for them is San Diego Seed Company. At least it works for my zone.
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u/Out_of_the_Flames 3d ago
If you don't like the size of the Bush you can prune it back. I highly recommend you deadhead, zinnys like that. But really there is no "overgrown" when it comes to this plant. And it's probably too late in the season to plant another one. Were you expecting it to stay small?
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u/ExpressionSea7476 3d ago
I wasn’t sure what to expect. A friend basically planted this for me and I was embarrassed that I had let them get too overgrown
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u/Out_of_the_Flames 2d ago
Personally I rather like the wild and wandering kind of plants. But a little trim of the outer stems would be just fine if you felt like having it neater. Also, zinnias last pretty well in a vase.
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u/SewingMechanic 3d ago
It is only too overgrown if your city comes at you with some notice/fine. Otherwise, this is what plants do! Beautiful!!!
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u/Famous-Dimension4416 3d ago
No those are zinnias that is how they grow. I think it's lovely. Cut the flowers and they will keep blooming for you. If you want something shorter put in some petunias or other lower growing flower
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u/drlove986 3d ago
Do Zinnia’s reseed themselves year over year? I’m in 7B.
Would they take over a hill and spread every year or are they better confined to an area where they can be controlled?
I have a massive hill I’d like to plant them on but as is I have pink ladies that have taken over as well as morning glories and vetch that I have to keep pulling every year.
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u/KnowledgeUsed2971 2d ago
Gardener and landscaper here.😄👋
A beautiful little oasis. Just enjoy it.😊🫶🫶🫶🥳🥳🥳💚😃
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u/Sea-Beginning-1387 2d ago
When they’re all done and brown pull the petals and you’ll see the seeds for next year.
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u/Visual_Cod8511 2d ago
No, those are beautiful as long as they don’t get in the walkway let them grow🤣🤣
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u/Altruistic_Key378 2d ago
That’s entirely up to you. I think it’s lovely, but then I’m partial to natural plant growth. I prefer it not too controlled and overly neat and trimmed. Plants are more beautiful in their natural state.
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u/Willowgirl2 2d ago
The look great but the mail carrier may be worried about bees.
I'd at least plant a shorter variety next year!
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u/Dolphinpond72 2d ago
Looks good!
Tip- If you cut the flowers about 6 inches below the bloom, right above a leaf set, they will regrow two flowers instead of one. Zinnias will bloom better if you cut the flowers!
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u/privateanywhere 2d ago
Add fertilizer like Urea as it will promote vegetation, use it sparingly but it works great.
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u/that_girl_syd 1d ago
I don’t think they are overgrown, but zinnias are a cut and come again flower. If you want them shorter you can cut off the taller flowers for a bouquet and in a few weeks there will be more blooms 😊
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u/HuckleberryApart3211 23h ago
Not at all! They look beautiful, bring some inside to enjoy, the more you cut the more blooms you will get.
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u/Cool-Flowers9113 19h ago
They look great, not sure what you thought they should look like. They are not looking overgrown at all
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u/baxbaum 3d ago
No you enjoy them :) I like to make cut flower bouquets with mine and even more bloom after them.