Why Are My Zinnia Leaves Are Drying Up And Turning Brown?

Question

My zinnia plants have been in the ground less than a week and already the leaves are drying up and looking terrible. Am I overwatering? We’ve also had quite a bit of rain recently. Or is this something else, like powdery mildew? Thank you!

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Answer 1

If you have had rain, AND are watering- Yes, it has been very overwatered. The soil needs to dry completely to about 3 inches in ground before it receives water, ideally.

Overwatering will, first, suffocate the roots. This will lead to infection, which is what you are seeing now.

There are a few things that will need to be done, but it probably won't correct the issue this yea. It will help with the next planting, though.

First, I recommend treating with a fungicide/bactericide. There is a lot of overlap and it can be difficult to pin down an exact ID of the pest, so a fungicide is a better option if you do not not the pest in question.

This article will help: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/info/using-fungicides-in-garden.htm

I would recommend, most of all, a biofungicide. This is another group of microbes that will fight for your plant in the soil. They can, also, help prevent future infections. This article will help:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/organic/biofungicide-information.htm

Once the soil has been treated, you will have much better success, even during the rainy seasons!

This article will help you with the general care of Zinnias:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/zinnia/growing-zinnia-flowers.htm