Zinnias are one of the most beloved annual flowers you can grow in your summer garden. Zinnias are often confused with dahlias , and the two flowers have many visual similarities, especially with so many double-flowered varieties available these days.
Both are in the daisy family Asteraceae and have common native regions including Mexico. Dahlias have tubers tuberous roots and zinnias do not.
We grow zinnias from seed or cuttings. There are a few dozen zinnia species in the wild, but the species sold through seed catalogues tend to be hybrids of Zinnia elegans , Z. Some zinnias are short, growing just 6 to 8 inches tall like Thumbelinas, while others can reach upwards of inches, or just over 3-feet tall including California Giants Mix. The flowers can be fairly small—just two-inches in diameter—with others spanning 6-inches across.
Think of pinching as a form of pruning. And like all plant pruning , it is done in a specific way to serve a specific purpose. For zinnias, pinching encourages the plant to branch out and produce more stems for a fuller appearance and more blooms. I really enjoy ongoing pinching to see what new growth appears and how many flowers I can get. Instead, you may prefer a thick, single main stem and one gorgeous flower up top so the whole thing will stand nicely in a vase. That main stem is usually going to produce the biggest blooms while the flowers on branches tend to be a bit smaller.
Still gorgeous, but smaller. I pinch any zinnias that are expected to grow around inches or taller and tend to be tall and leggy. Make sure the plants are in a sunny position, water once a week and clear up any dead leaves beneath them to encourage good air circulation. This will lead to a weaker plant, so move them to a position where they will get lots of sunshine. Pinch them out once they have 3 pairs of true leaves to encourage branching.
Check the underside of the leaves and also the stems for aphids. And look for symptoms of botrytis. No, zinnias are half-hardy annuals and need to be sown from seed each year. Yes, you can save zinnia seeds, but collected seeds may not come true if they are a hybrid variety. Wait for the flowerhead to fade and dry and when the seeds have ripened, gently cut it off.
Discard any petals and leave the seeds to dry before storing them in a labelled paper bag for next year. There are compact varieties as well as very tall zinnias, the range could be anything from 30cm 12in to 1m 3ft. Yes, zinnias are edible if grown organically, but they are bitter.
The petals bring vibrant decorative colour to cakes. Zinnias and dahlias share some characteristics and they are both members of the Asteraceae family, but they are not the same. Zinnias love the sunshine, so plant them in full sun.
Yes, zinnias will grow in pots , and there are some compact varieties that look fantastic all summer long. Zinnias have hollow stems below the flower and weak necks which can bruise and break off all too easily — this can make zinnias tricky to lace into a hand-tied bunch and is one of the reasons you often see them arranged just on their own.
They are brilliant cut flowers though, and coloured glass or bright ceramic jugs are a good match for them. They last best on a short stem. Get more inspiration for displaying your flowers with our flower arranging videos:. Plant seedlings in containers and borders. Feed plants with a liquid fertiliser. No, zinnias are not toxic to pets. How to grow sweet peas.
How to grow alstroemerias. Scabiosa-flowered types: I grew scabiosa-flowered zinnias for the first time in , and they quickly became one of my favorite crops of the season. The frilly double blooms look like mini gerbera daisies or double-flowered echinacea. They have nice long stems and good disease resistance, and they come in a beautiful range of colors.
After a lot of research and emails back and forth with the breeders, I believe that if plants undergo any stress, including not getting enough water or too-high temps, they will start producing single flowers pictured left. While the single blooms are pretty and unique, many folks have been disappointed by this fact. Of all the zinnias we grow, this might be my favorite. Bicolor novelties: These unique bicolor novelties are sure to catch the attention of everyone who sees them.
Each glowing scarlet petal is tipped in gold for a fun twist. Winner of the Fleuroselect Novelty Award in , this hardworking plant thrives in heat and is very easy to grow. The mid-sized plant produces fun, campy double flowers with lipstick-pink centers and soft blush tips. The easy to grow, heat-loving plants produce a bumper crop of sweet blooms on long, strong stems in shades of rose, carmine, orange, coral, white, yellow, and violet. Their petite flower size makes them ideal for flower arranging.
This adorable bloomer produces an abundance of petite, fully double, dome-shaped salmon flowers all summer long. It comes in a cheery mix including rose, purple, golden yellow, scarlet, orange, pink, and white. Plants have long, wiry stems that make them well-suited for flower arranging.
Cactus-flowered types: These fun novelties have the coolest twisted, shaggy petals and come in a wide range of colors including orange, pink, red, yellow, peach, and white. Mexican zinnias: While plants themselves are compact, they churn out an abundance of stems for cutting from midsummer to early autumn. With their petite stature, they resemble a bedding plant more than a cropping variety, but I think they deserve a spot in every cutting garden. These reliable bloomers are a great addition to the cutting garden and the front of the flower border.
I would love to hear your experience with this wonderful group of plants. Do you grow zinnias or plan to add them to your garden this coming season? If so, what are your favorite varieties, or what new treasures are you adding to your wishlist? Lastly, if you find this information is helpful, I would love it if you would share it with your friends. I grew up with Zinnias, but did not grow them myself untill we returned to South Africa after living in the UK for 20 years.
We moved into our house at the end of a two year drought that destroyed the garden with the exception of some palm trees and some spider lillies. I immediately started sewing annuals just to colour in the dreary landscape surrounding my house.
I had great success with giant zinnias, snapdragons, french marigolds and dahlias grown from seed. I always feel jealous when seeing the variety of cutflower seeds available in the US and UK.
Here in South Africa I have only been able to get mixed bags of giants, cactus dwarf and what they call peppermint stick mix seeds. They have been very rewardin g and just keeps on blooming. We live on a small holding and at the end of last year I decided to use 2 grow tunnels for growing flowers rather than vegetables as well as a large 24x40m flield. My zinnias was a great hit with our local florest shop whom I supply, but they were not quite cut and come again due to getting mildew from our wet winter.
It is my first year growing and my field is filled with beds of zinnias and sunflowers whilst I have Ammi Snaps, larkspur, chrisanthamums and Alstroemeria inside the tunnels. I am still experimenting, but zinnias and snaps has been my biggest producers thus far despite having to use over the counter garden seeds and not specialist cut flower varieties.
As my business grows I will look into sourcing some seeds abroad. I will continue to save seeds and will start to try some spesific crosspolinating at the end of this season. I may also try winter zinnias again in the grow tunnel to see if I can address the mildew issue and be able to supply zinnias to our florests year round.
I recently sourced a South African supplier for Binary Giant seeds sou will get some going forward. I planted Zinnies for the first time this Spring, I bought them at our local hardware store. Iam happy to say that all bloomed! The variety was amazing, so many colors and different types. I loved your article on Zinnies and all the varieties you showed. Thank you so much! My husband and my then 16 months old daughter got a packet of free seeds while visiting a local hardware store this spring.
The two of them planted the seeds in a pot which we promptly forgot to water… oops. But my 15 month old spilled some in the process and they took off. Lovely coral colored zinnias sprung up and have been blooming all summer in the cracks of our flagstone patio despite benign neglect.
They are so cheerful and bright they have inspired me to try a small cutting garden next year! When you say succession planting…do you plant in succession within the same bed, for instance plant with space 18 inches between each plant and then fill in with another plant a week or so later? For the back yard gardener, what width bed would you recommend for a zinnia bed? Also, what do you use for weed control? I have a beetle eating my zinnias and am wondering what to use to get rid of this nasty pest.
Do you have any recommendations? I recently started growing Zinnias and fell in love with them immediately! Following you on Instagram I was introduced to the wide variety and have begun my wishlist for next year. My favorite are the Queen Series, the Oklahoma Ivory and anything in the salmon color and sherbet varieties. I am really looking forward to the golden hour, precious metal and victorian wedding varieties becoming available!!!
I planted zinnias from seeds in my greenhouse this year and am thrilled with them. They are prolific producers and such a hardy little plant. I had no idea there were so many colors until I read this blog. Thanks for all the helpful information!
Zinnias are a great choice of flower plant to grow under a full sun. It decorates the garden and attract beautiful creatures.
Looking forward for more. This is my first time growing both the Queen and the Zinderella varieties and I am seeing smaller blooms Queen and single flowers Zinderella more than I was expecting.
Loved this article. I have many wonderful memories of her walking among her dahlias, clipping and weeding. To Kendra trying to expand her market, have you considered selling to more upscale hair salons or yoga studios? People feel positive after their services and are inclined to buy something beautiful.
Or at least I would! I truly need help with black spot disease on my zinnias. I have used Bonide Cooper and Mancozeb in the past and although it delays the spread it doe snot stop it. Has anyone found a more effective treatment? This is my second year of growing zinnias in pots. I grow them on a large scale pots. My question is other then farmers markets,market place and from my home ,How else can I sell them or where? Thank you for these great articles.
I like to reference them for the Horticulture class I teach. My kids enjoy the photos and videos you provide. Thank you! Erin, I have done better with starting all my seeds indoors this year but I am finding that some like my zinnias are not doing great. Any thoughts on sowing and maintaining. I have direct sowed a bunch and they are slow to take. Any trouble shooting thoughts would be appreciated.
Thank, Judy. We love zinnias too and have grown several of your favorites! We struggle with having too many seeds started and nowhere to put them until the weather warms. This year unfortunately we put some things out too soon and they are struggling. My second year of growing zinnias and adding more than a couple colors. The Queen lime and salmon are so beautiful. The Benary wine continues to be a favorite. The information in this article is so helpful and thought provoking. I have experienced some powdery mildew this year.
Do you have any suggestions for treatment? Thank you. I usually try to find cut and come zinnias from our local garden center. I would love instead to choose some of your varieties but I do not have full sun on my property.
Do you have any suggestions? I live in Pennsylvania. Urgent question — if we deadhead current blooms which are so pretty is 4 weeks enough time to get a new harvest-able bloom? Every year my attempt at growing these beautiful flowers is thwarted by slugs. They adore the seedlings. What to do? They climb very high up to get them. Wow, too many choices. There is bound to be more than one to grow. An eye opener for me. Should I start my seed list for next summer now?
Thank you so much for all the information. I love all Zinnias. They are a workhorse in the garden. I never wonder if they will perform, they always do. I plant a row in our vegetable garden every year. I live in east Tn. They are truly a wonderful flower. Any advice on dealing with powdery mildew on Zinnias? When you succession plant — do you take out plants that are finished how long do the plants last and flower and replant the same space with seedlings or do you have areas of unplanted bare earth waiting for the next batch?
I suppose another way of asking is do the plants stay in the ground the entire season — so you need quite a lot of space if you want to succession plant? Hope that makes sense. This is my second year growing Floret zinnias from seed. I have about 80 Oklahoma Salmon plants and about 60 Oklahoma Pink plants.
I grow them in galvanized horse troughs. Last year these blooms quickly became a favorite when I saw how long they last in a vase sometimes up to 3 weeks with preservative in the water. I love having beautiful cut flowers all summer long. Cindy in Edgewood, WA. In reading your other comments, I am on the coast and have grown your Zinnias for the past 3 years. I do not start them indoors. My favorite variety is Lime Blush.
This year I will also have Oklahoma Pink. I so appreciate all your hard work and the wonderful on line courses that you provide. Mine seem so fragile and even watering seems to knock them over. When I plant them into the garden I lose many of them. Have 2 beds of B. Giant about a foot high in coastal central Florida. Not sure how much longer for flowers. We just had our 3rd rain since Early April. I water daily but nothing works like rain.
If we go to the usual daily shower it will make a huge difference. I live in Bremerton at about foot elevation, so we lose about 2 weeks each on the front and back of the season. I have some Oklahomas currently planted. My wife is an extremely talented maker of paper flowers and your books are very inspirational to her. My fresh blooms give her the up-close vision. Thank you for all you do. Does the zinnia reseed? Do you cut the flowers to base in the fall or pull up the plant?
What works best? I would love to know how to harvest seed heads to save for the following year. I tried this year with some of the Queen Lime Orange but none of them took.. I was so sad so any tips on how to save some of my seeds from this year would be huge!! To Andra Bobbitt: I live on Fidalgo Island, where the maritime climate means chilly winds can happen year round. Some seedlings struggle, but I always get enough survivors to make it worthwhile. The Queen, Benary, and Oklahoma series do well, but so far my Unicorn mix has been fragile — 3 survivors out of I hope your friend will keep trying!
I started Unicorn Mix inside during the Winter and am excited to see how they turn out! They are firmly into the garden and are taking off. I did notice that some had been pushed up out of the beds, from moles or worms? But when tucked back into the ground they just keep on growing! Will be pinching them back soon. Bless you and your lovely family and staff for all you do,. I will have to see being more dedicated about watering is a fix while balancing drought conditions So in the end — the single blooms are lovely as is!
The more you pick — the more they produce for sure! Your books and photos have instilled zinnia lust everywhere. Unfortunately our climate on the Pacific NW coast west of the coast range does not share a love for growing zinnias in garden borders. A friend just pulled all her seedlings out of a huge bed as they withered even in a sheltered, sunny spot. If there were a variety that could tolerate ocean breezes, please let us know.
How do you prevent the bunnies from eating the leaves? I started some of your seeds inside and the ones I transplanted to my garden have been devoured by the bunnies. Luckily I put some in big pots and they are doing well. We just pinched off our zinnias. I am so anxious to see how they flower. We purchased Floret seeds and direct sowed them into the ground.
They came up beautifully. This is our first time to grow zinnias from seeds. Last year we had a fabulous crop from purchased seedlings. We are looking forward to even better results this year. Thank you so much for sharing your tips and tricks for growing beautiful flowers.
When I was 12 yrs. Why, why, why did I wait so long… I viewed your video and started them inside for transplanting. I also direct seeded some.
Temps get high in this neighborhood during the summer. Hope the degrees expected Friday will not disturb them. Usually summer heat is in the range. Thank you for all your beautiful input.
I am in LOVE with zinnias! I have grown them from seed for about 15 years. I dedicate my sunroom to trays of many, many different varieties of zinnias that I start at the end beginning of March and plant into my garden in late April, early May. I buy a variety of seeds and also dry and collect seeds from the most interesting blooms from the season.
Planting these plants out into the garden is one of my favorite days of the year. Nurturing them in anticipation of what the actual blooms will look like is also very exciting.
Erin, your blog, tutorials and the wealth of knowledge that you share is amazing! I am in awe of your generosity and talent!! Keep enlightening us! I grew zinnias for the first time last year and absolutely loved how well they grew and the sturdy flowers I could gift to friends in bouquets!
Will these reseed for next year if I let them? Or do I need to collect the seeds and replant? Thanks so much! I cleared out a large bed surrounding my mailbox for these gems! I usually change up the plantings but zinnias are hands down the best for full sun, attention getting flower beds! It really sets our entrance apart from all the other homes in the neighborhood. Passers-by always comment at how cheerful my yard and flowerbeds are.
Thanks for all you do to make us look good! Thank you for such an inspiring and comprehensive overview. My zinnias were completely consumed by pests this year. They are still little but they are very eaten up. I also did hold some seedlings back just in case of weather so I have a fresh reserve. Are zinnias prone to a particular pest? Any advice or remedies? I hope the rest make it.
Any suggestions? I love love love zinnias. And you are right, they are so easy to grow. I direct seed them into my flower beds around the same time I plant some annuals in late spring, to give my flower beds color. By fall or late summer, when my annuals are pretty much done for the year I have a flower bed still full of lots of color. Love your tips on pruning and deadheading and the bleach tip. I have never added bleach to the vase water and will do that now.
I also do vegetable gardening and I have one whole raised bed that I dedicate every year to zinnias. It brings pollinators and just looks so pretty in the vegetable garden. Everyone should try growing zinnias. Thanks so much for your tips.
I love Zinnias- they are one of my favorite flowers. But every year I have beetles that attack them and eat the leaves. Would love it if you covered pests that like this plant and how to get rid of them. Thanks for all this info! Although they are starting to grow new stems, they are not looking well. Is there anything I can do about this?! Would appreciate any help you can offer!
Zinnias are one of my favorite flowers to grow. I just retired from our local library and for the past 20 years I had been bringing in bouquets and patrons would always comment how beautiful they were. I think the best part about growing flowers is sharing them. I grow the Benary mix and other varieties.
Your books are so inspiring for all gardeners. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Zinnias are by far my favorite summer flower. I have found more success direct sowing in containers than in the ground, here in MA.
I sowed them from seed inside this year to get a head start, and although germination was successful, they started off leggy. When i plant them outside, how deep can i go? I purchased Floret zinnias as I was excited about the varieties available. I sowed seeds indoors as I live in the New England area. I am a newbie with growing seeds indoors. Your seed planting video was very helpful. They started growing beautifully, lush green leaves. Then suddenly the leaves starting turning brown.
I pinched those leaves, but new leaves were also turning brown. I have been told that the roots do not like to be wet. They do not like wet feet. Is that correct? Many of them have been planted in the garden with hopes that I will still get flowers. Is that case even though leaves are brown? Zinias are one my favorite flowers to grow! This I planted a full rainbow of colors in rows and I am excited to see the results! Love seeing all the variety and colors!
Thanks for all the information on zinnias. I planted zinnia seeds for the first time this year. I have made a first cut and just beginning to see more branching and buds. Looking forward to these beautiful blooms.
Thank you for great post about zinnias. I am on my very first sezon og gardening and thanks to your advice i have lovely -even if small — rised bed of happy zinnias. They are still small but in a month i should have superb flowers -all thanks to following your advice.
Please do book about zinnias — with a lot of pictures to bring more summer and happines and sunshine to our lifes. As I read more and more about the needs of pollinators, I learned they need easy access to the pollen. So many pollinators, butterflies, a hummingbirds!!!!!! It was such fun watching them last summer.
Wie wundervoll doch unsere Welt erschaffen wurde!! This is the most thorough and wonderful article I have seen on zinnias. I plant them from seeds every year on the side of my house.
They face the sun, and all I have to do is water them and enjoy their lovely colors from my bedroom window. Thanks for all the pics and special tips on these prolific beauties. Only about half of each packet germinated…salmon rose, and 2 in Queens series. I was disappointed. Grown in greenhouse. Have you had reports of others not producing plants? Thank you for this extremely well-curated page for zinnias. They have been a favorite of mine since gardening with my grandparents as a very young child.
Your images are breathtaking and award worthy. They are beginning to germinate. The detailed information that you provide with your product is extremely helpful for discerning customers and invaluable. Thank you for your inspiration and knowledge Erin. You are bringing more joy than you know. I received my first Zinnia seed order and I cannot wait to create our own memories with your seeds.
Thank you for your vision and perseverance. I just ordered a nice supply of Zinnia seeds. Any advice before I do? I am learning SO much and would appreciate this very useful information on Zinnias. Such a lovely farm you have! Newbie to growing Zinnias, and honestly all my new seedling friends. Hoping for the best here in sunny and super hot Tampa, Florida. Wish me luck!! I have also put zinnias in my garden every year. I am putting in a small cut garden this year and hope to sell some bouquets to support my addiction to gardening.
You information has been very helpful. Thank you for this informaton. I would love to know your seed sources if you could. I have grown zinnias in my garden since I was introduced to them by a colleague if mine. She has a beautiful row of them by the roadside every year! I have never started them inside and neither does she. Does that help them in any way or is direct seeding ok too?
I save seed every year and therefore have a mixed bed when they bloom. I love the pictures included here. I loved the other tips that you shared too. Have you ever grown Sanvitalia, or creeping zinnia? The variety I like has a brown center, and it looks like a mini sunflower. I keep the seed from year to year and sow in flower in pots. I live in VA And have a problem with Zinnia foliage having black spots all over.
What causes this? Any advice about controlling slugs? They eat my young zinnia starts to the ground. For the past couple of years have only been able to grow zinnias in pots.
Check out the photos rendlemanorchards. Do you sell seeds or young plants from this article. If so could you send a catalogue. Your article was extremely helpful. Cannot wait for warm weather to grow all of these beauties. I have seen a large bloomed short,under 2 ft plant,seems it has about colors maximum,at the one residence,I asked and heard oh,I forgot where I got that pkt.
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