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Colorful Zinnias Love Being Planted Near This Delicious Garden Herb
By KALEIGH BRILLON
Zinnias are great plants to grow in your garden, but finding a companion for them is hard. Despite its opposing temperature and watering needs, cilantro pairs nicely with them.
Cilantro is a cool-season herb that is best harvested in the spring and fall. Hot weather will cause it to bolt, developing flower stalks that will eventually hold coriander seeds.
Zinnias are warm-season flowers, and their seeds should be planted outdoors once there’s no danger of frost. By this point, you’ll have been harvesting cilantro for a few weeks.
Due to their offset schedule, zinnias will grow into the fall, which is when you can start planting cilantro again. Plant the seeds or transplants while zinnias are still blooming.
Cilantro grows 1 foot tall, while zinnias can reach up to 4 feet. By the time zinnias are tall enough to cast shade, the cilantro will need that shade to keep cool and not bolt.
Plant zinnias around cilantro, leaving up to 2 feet between the plants. Cilantro likes moist soil, but too much moisture for zinnias can cause fungal diseases like powdery mildew.
Combat this problem by watering the base of the cilantro and letting the water run off towards the zinnias. Doing so will let the thirstier cilantro soak up excess water.
Both plants will attract pollinators, especially if the cilantro is allowed to bolt and grow flowers before your zinnias are able to. Harvest the coriander seeds to use as a spice.