There's a dark side, though, to the appeal of the zinnia ... if you're a bug, that is! With a little help from the humans, zinnias effectively act as a Japanese Beetle trap.
The Japanese Beetles love bean plants, but they love zinnias more! So the bugs congregate on the zinnias until I come along with my pitcher of soapy water. With just the tiniest encouragement, those beetles will dive right in to their soapy, watery death. They can't help themselves. I am happy to sacrifice a few zinnia leaves ... they become lacy and bug-eaten ... in exchange for healthier bean plants.
No comments:
Post a Comment