On a quiet stroll to the greenhouse early Monday morning, something unusual caught my eye—our zinnia plants looked noticeably different. Their vibrant green shoots had begun to curl at the tips, a subtle but clear sign that all was not well. Do not be alarmed if your zinnias are showing similar symptoms—it is a common issue. Curling at the terminal shoots is often a plant’s way of signaling stress. Whether it is due to environmental factors, pest activity, or nutrient imbalance, these twisted tips are clues worth investigating. Understanding the “why” behind the curl is the first step toward helping your zinnias return to their radiant, blooming selves
Common Culprits Behind Curling Zinnias
Environmental Stress: Zinnias are sun-lovers, but extreme heat, strong winds, or sudden temperature swings can cause their terminal shoot to curl as a defense mechanism.
Watering Woes: Both overwatering and underwatering can lead to leaf curls. Too much water suffocates roots, while too little causes drought stress—either way, the plant reacts by curling its leaves.
Pests: Aphids, thrips, and spider mites are notorious for feeding on tender new growth. Their sap-sucking habits distort leaves and can transmit viruses.
Diseases: Fungal infections like powdery mildew or bacterial leaf spot can cause curling, especially when combined with poor air circulation.
Nutrient Deficiencies: A lack of nitrogen, magnesium, or manganese can lead to curling and yellowing of new growth. Soil testing can help pinpoint the issue.
What You Can Do:
Ensure consistent watering—moist but not soggy soil is ideal.
Inspect regularly for pests and treat with neem oil or insecticidal soap.
Improve air circulation by spacing plants properly and pruning overcrowded areas.
Feed with a balanced fertilizer and consider a soil test if symptoms persist.
Remove and destroy severely affected plants to protect the rest of your garden.
Healthy zinnias reward you with bold, cheerful blooms. A little detective work now can keep your garden dazzling all season long. For more information on Zinnias, contact your local Extension office or follow the links below.
Sunflower after the rain. Photo: J. McConnell, UF/IFAS
Summer showers are finally giving gardens relief, but in addition to happy flowers, mosquitoes are also benefitting from the rainfall. Mosquitoes are not only a nuisance, but they can also transmit diseases and parasites to people, pets, and livestock so managing them on your property is a matter of public health!
The knee-jerk reaction to mosquitoes is to try to kill the blood-sucking flying fiends, but targeting this life stage will not solve the mosquito problem. Instead, focus your efforts on breaking up the breeding cycle to reduce the population. Less ideal breeding sites equals less larvae (juvenile mosquitoes) and pupae which equals less biting adults!
A female black salt marsh mosquito emerges from submerged pupal skin. UF/IFAS File Photo
In addition to being more effective than targeting adults that can fly away or avoid insecticides, most of your breeding site reduction methods are free or low cost; the biggest investment is your time! Step one is to recognize potential breeding sites on your property. Most people recognize that a stack of tires, buckets full of water, or even that decorative bird bath are potential breeding sites but there are also less obvious ones. A covered grill that has an indention that holds a few tablespoons of water, boats or kayaks, children’s toys, gutters that have accumulated leaves or other debris, the saucer under your container plant, or the leaf axils of bromeliad plants are all potential breeding sites.
So, what do you do about this? When practical dump or drain out the water every 3-4 days and wipe down any vertical surfaces of containers where mosquito eggs could be laid. If you are unable to drain or dump, consider treating the water with Bti (Bacillus thuriengiensis israelensis) which is a targeted biological control that only affects mosquitoes, black flies, and fungus gnats. Bti is a naturally occurring bacteria that impacts the digestive system of a few select species in the order Diptera (flies). It is not toxic to people, pets, or wildlife and depending on the formulation can last several weeks before reapplication is necessary. Commonly sold as “mosquito dunks” or “mosquito bits” this insecticide is sold at garden centers and home improvement stores and is relatively inexpensive. As with any pesticide, follow all instructions on the label.
If you’ve been outside this spring, you’ve probably been bothered by gnats. These tiny flies relentlessly congregate near the face getting into the eyes, nose, mouth and ears.
Eye gnat. Credit: Lyle Buss, UF/IFAS
Eye gnats come right up to the faces of people and animals because they feed on fluids secreted by the eyes, nose and ears. Even though eye gnats are considered mostly a nuisance, they have been connected to transmission of diseases such as pink eye.
Eye gnats are true flies. At about one-sixteenth of an inch in length, they are among the smallest fly species in Florida. They are known as eye gnats, eye flies, frit flies and grass flies. The name grass flies is somewhat descriptive as open grass areas such as pastures, hay fields, roadsides and lawns provide breeding sites for these gnats. They also breed in areas of freshly disturbed soil with adequate organic matter such as livestock farms.
Even though these gnats can be found in much of North and South America, they prefer areas with warm, wet weather and sandy soils. Sounds like Florida.
An early spring and plenty of rain are the more likely reasons why these gnats are such a problem in our area this year. Without having the typical last killing frost around mid-March and with early warm weather and rains, the gnats got off to an early start.
Short of constantly swatting them away from your face or just not going outdoors, what can be done about these irritating little flies? I grew up in an area of Georgia where gnats are common. I’ll let you in on a secret, folks who live in Georgia are known to be overly friendly because they are always waving at people who are just passing through. More than likely, these “friendly” folks are busy swatting at gnats, not waving at others who happen to be driving by. Swatting is a quick swinging action with hand as if waving.
Because of their lifecycle, extremely high reproductive numbers in the soil and because insecticides breakdown quickly, area-wide chemical control efforts don’t work well in combating this insect.
The use of the following where gnats are common can be helpful.
Correct use of insect repellents, particularly those containing DEET
Screens on windows to prevent the entry of gnats into homes
Face-hugging sunglasses or other protective eyewear
Face masks
We may have to put up with these annoying gnats until cold weather arrives and be thankful that they don’t bite.
Additional info on eye gnats is available online at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in884 or from the UF/IFAS Extension Office in your County.
A tiny juvenile praying mantis stalks prey on a gloriosa lily. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension
The gloriosa lilies have been in full glory, so to speak, in our garden at the Extension office the last few weeks. While photographing them, I noticed a tiny visitor hidden in plain sight among the flower’s frilly petals and stamen. A bright green juvenile praying mantis, no more than an inch long and the same shade of green as the plant, stood still directly in front of me.
A Larger Florida Mantis perches on blazing star flowers in Sarasota. Photo credit: chaseyb via iNaturalist
Praying mantids are often recognizable and well-known due to their interesting body shape and posture. They have other wild features, too, like gigantic folding “raptorial” (grasping/predatory) front legs and the ability to swivel their big-eyed, alien heads 180°. The large European mantid’s Latin name, Mantis religiosa, comes from the insect’s posture when hunting. It sits or stands with its forelegs folded up as if in prayer, before deploying them rapidly for a meal. All mantid species are ambush predators, capturing prey by sitting in wait, camouflaged in color and shape. They’ve even been observed swaying gently to appear like leaves in the breeze. But when they spring to attack, they are deadly accurate.
The charismatic praying mantis, in stealth attack position. Photo credit: University of Wisconsin Extension
The insects are known for their infamous (but rare in the wild) post-mating male beheading. Mantids are not alone in that cannibalistic behavior—many insects and spiders exhibit this conduct to boost the energy of females as they produce the next generation. Most mantid species are tropical, but of the 2400 known worldwide, only about 20 live in the United States (11 in Florida).
Mantids are considered natural pest control in a garden, although they are generalists and will prey on both beneficial and pest insects. With those spiky front legs raised in the air, they drop down and grasp prey ranging in size from aphids to—rarely—hummingbirds. Their effective predatory behavior doesn’t make them immune from becoming prey themselves, however. Mantids are a food source for many species, including bats, birds, spiders, and fish.
Most gardeners I know love to share plants. Propagating and dividing them can be just as much fun as growing them. Some of my favorite plants in the garden came from loved ones offering a cutting or telling me to dig up whatever I liked.
Lately, I’ve been thinking about how plants can serve as living memories of loved ones who are no longer with us. Many of the plants in my garden are there for that reason- some without me even realizing it. My home garden has become a small collection of plants and memories associated with those plants, and I am the proud keeper of their stories.
My dad’s fig tree came from a cutting of his grandfather’s fig tree. Newer varieties may yield more and resist disease better, but nothing compares to the fruit you grew up eating with your grandparents on the Fourth of July.
This year, for the first time, I got to enjoy hydrangea blooms from my late grandparents’ home. Before their house was sold, my aunt took last-minute stem cuttings from the bushes. After three years, they’re finally healthy enough to flower- and soon, I’ll take more cuttings to share with the rest of the family.
Sometimes, just being in the garden helps you feel closer to loved ones and the memories you shared. Even if it’s not the same exact plant, growing something they once grew can help you feel connected to them.
My great-grandmother always said you should have flowers growing in your garden so you can cut them and bring them to people when you visit. When I cut flowers from my garden for friends and family I feel like I am keeping her tradition going.
There are so many plants you can propagate and grow yourself. If you talk to someone who’s been propagating for a while, they’ll likely tell you that it’s as much an art as it is a skill. Try out different plants and methods to see what works best for you. Here’s a great video to get you started with the basics of plant propagation: FFL Plant Propagation Basics.
Are there any plants you grow because of a loved one? It’s never too late to start.
