Mound the growing medium around the base of the stems and put the pots in a westerly facing window. Don't overwater because zinnias can also succumb to rot diseases especially on wet, clay soils. And, with pots, you can grow these pretty flowers inside in the winter, adding cheer to the colder months. Zinnia elegans ‘Benary’s Giant Golden Yellow'. Let the flower head dry completely on the plant. Hi. This type of soil will provide stability for the seedlings while allowing enough air pockets for the plant roots to receive adequate oxygen. Start seeds f… They are a member of the Asteraceae family of plants. First, we have to stop deadheading the plant, to allow the Zinnia flower to produce seeds. Creeping Zinnia plants do well in containers. Zinnias are annuals, so they will grow for one season and produce seeds, but the original plant will not come back in subsequent years. When choosing Zinnia plants for potting, add some Zinnias for blossoms that keep coming all season long. Hi! Zinnia flowers are colorful additions to any flower garden, they’re great for cutting, they are easy to grow and start from seed, so they make a great choice for container gardening. Alternatively, horticultural oil and soap is an effective treatment. Growing zinnias from seed might be one of the easiest gardening tasks of the year. Thank you, Richard. Composting diseased Zinnia plants spread disease. Comment document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a874587d94d1428d1bcaeda9f5d5f025" );document.getElementById("ib8960eec1").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Organic master gardener in Arizona sharing garden inspiration & helpful tips for growing your own garden. Blooms produced by Zinnias need a great deal of energy from the plant. They are drought tolerant and don't need coddling. If you can’t plant immediately, water the Zinnia seedlings and keep them in a shady spot until you’re ready. The seeds are large and have a high germination rate. Read this blog post to learn more about how to save seeds. Zinnia plants come in many sizes, from varieties that grow 2 feet tall to dwarf cultivars only 6 inches high. Zinnia plants are known to germinate within roughly 7 to 10 days after sowing. You can start by purchasing seedlings at a garden center or nursery, but don’t buy them more than a day or two before you’re ready to plant. Place the garden scissors and the razor blade in a solution of 1 part household bleach to about 9 parts water for 10 minutes, and then remove. Step 6) Dig a 2-inch-deep hole in the growing medium with a pencil and then pour 2 tablespoons of rooting hormone powder on wax paper. Simply, we may clip the flowers and gently rub them between fingers, so that the seeds will fall in our paper bag. Semi-tropical zinnias need warm conditions to grow well, so I wait until late spring to start seeds indoors. You should not miss this: Growing Vegetables Organically in the Backyard. Step 1) Moisten 4 gallons of sphagnum peat moss by placing it in a container and then covering it with cold water. At the end of the season, leave the blooms on the largest, prettiest flowers. Growing Zinnias. Keep the soil moist until the Zinnias have new growth in about 2 to 4 weeks. Growing Garden Zinnias. This must usually happen after the weather starts to warm up and after having the seeds in a smaller pot for about 4 to 6 weeks. Space the Zinnia plants so air circulates freely around them, and water them using soaker hoses and drip systems, rather than overhead sprinklers, to keep their leaves dry. That is frustrating. If you have purchased zinnias from a local nursery and been disappointed with the results, try planting them from seed instead. Raise the lights as the plants grow taller. It helps to have a soil pH in the neutral range, but it’s not mandatory. Zinnias can grow in any type of container, including plastic or clay pots, wooden half-barrels, a window box, or a hanging basket, but select a container that has at least one drainage hole to help prevent fungal growth in the soil. Alternatively, you can grow zinnias in a heated greenhouse. These pretty flowers come in a range of colors and sizes, they are great cutting flowers and look nice in arrangements, they are very easy to grow, and they keep producing blooms all summer, even when it’s very hot. When you fill the pots, the soil level must sit 1 to 1 1/2 inches below the top to allow room for watering. I'm in zone 5a and the weather here has been cool, rainy and not a lot of sun for quite awhile. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. and last up to 10 days in a vase. Step 1) First, fill a seed tray, peat pots, or flat with a starter potting mix. If garden space is limited, for instance, containers on a patio can add color and greenery. They are about the same size as yours. My zinnias grew a few feet tall and rebloomed colorful flowers for several months. To keep them blooming plant them in the full sun, water when the soil gets dry and fed them with fertilizer regularly. Step 5) Set the tray, pots, and flat in a bright area, but not directly in sunlight. But staking zinnia plants is limited to the really tall zinnias – those that grow to 3 feet (1 m.) or more. Others grow to several feet tall. Zinnias can get insect problems like aphids and spider mites and fungal diseases (powdery mildew and black spot). Zinnias cut your workload. Step 5) Select five healthy side shoots from the Zinnias that have at least one leaf node on each. Zinnias are easy to get started from seeds, because their seeds are large and easy to handle, and they germinate quickly. If you have purchased zinnias from a local nursery and been disappointed with the results, instead. If the water in the evening, the plant leaves will stay wet all night and be more prone to fungal problems. Profitable Hydroponic Crops – A Full Guide, Organic Gardening Set Up Guide for Beginners, Growing Star Anise In Pots – Containers At Home, Rock Gardening Ideas, Tips, And Techniques, Home Vegetable Garden Ideas in India – A Full Guide, Growing Christmas Tree In Containers, And Pots At Home, Butterfly Gardening Ideas, Tips, And Techniques, Tomato Plant Spacing in Containers, Ground, Growing Hydroponic Chives, Planting, Care, Harvesting. where they add beauty and attract pollinators. Support for zinnias is sometimes required depending on the variety. For a cheaper alternative, use paper egg cartons as seed trays that can be planted directly in the garden along with the Zinnia seedlings. Damping-off fungi are more of a problem in cold soils with poor drainage and conjunction with overwatering. Water the pots immediately after sowing the Zinnia seeds to induce the germination process. 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Harvest the seeds to plant in your garden next season and to share with friends. To prevent these problems, grow Zinnias in full sun with plenty of air circulation. Your email address will not be published. It’s best to group multiple pots into a plastic flat and cover the flat with a clear plastic lid to trap in humidity. Treat leaf miners, aphids, and spider mites by spraying the undersides of the plant leaves with a strong stream of water. Flowering annuals are grown in containers that add color to an apartment terrace, a garden patio, or another outdoor location. If the seed does not contain an embryo, it will be empty and it will not be a viable seed. Planting: Zinnia is extremely easy to start from seed. Step 3) Sow 2 or 3 seeds per seed compartment, planting them one-half inch deep. Learn how to grow low-maintenance zinnias and add a long-lasting pop of color to your garden during even the hottest months of the year. Growing zinnias in mixed colors gives you plenty of flexibility, and you can save seeds from varieties you especially like. If they are at all shaded they are forced to stretch to reach the light, causing them to develop thin stems. Zinnias roots do not like to sit in damp soil and excess moisture improves their chances of getting powdery mildew. Cut zinnia stems at an angle just above a bud joint. At this point, use garden shears to trim any leaves and thin the plants so they're about six to 18 inches (about 15 to 46 centimeters) apart. At the end of the season, leave the blooms on the largest, prettiest flowers. If Zinnias didn’t develop correctly, it is most likely a result of their specific care requirements. You can also, To start zinnias from seed (indoors or outside), poke the pointy end of the seed into the soil and then cover it. Zinnias are low maintenance. I had done a lot of … In case if you miss this: Growing Microgreens in Aquaponics. And I think that's EXACTLY the problem. They can be grown in regular containers or hanging baskets. Then, plant seedlings in outdoor containers any time after the danger of frost has passed. I am in love with these, along with the … Disinfect a previously used container to kill disease organisms or pests before use by soaking it in a solution that’s one part bleach to 9 parts water for 10 minutes, clean with water that have a little dish detergent, and rinse well. Then I transplant them into the garden when they are a few inches tall. Planting Zinnias in well-draining soil reduces the risk of disease. . 75 Zinnia Flower Seeds Meteor Zinnia Elegans - Comb S/H Zinnia 'Meteor' is a stunning burgundy color. Keep the soil moist at 70-75 degrees F. Seedlings emerge in 7-10 days. Step 4) Clean the blades of garden scissors with soapy water and allow them to air dry. Butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and other pollinators are drawn to these vibrant flowers. Zinnia flowers are one of the easiest flowers to grow, as they grow quickly and bloom heavily. I have been growing State Fair Zinnias for a few years, and they are stunning, multiple pinks, deep rose, yellow and a few white. He plans to collaborating his knowledge and personal interest in gardening into a subject of help to all those who wish to nurture their own little green escapes. Step 2) Combine two quarts each of fine, sterile agricultural sand and agricultural perlite. Select varieties that are shorter, as the tall Zinnias won’t do as well in containers. It’s not too late to start seeds in June. If leaves appear to be pale green, you can add some organic fertilizer with a little nitrogen. The bottom leaves keep turning brown and falling off. [7] Zinnia plants are flowering annuals that make a perfect addition to a garden or patio with bright, colorful flowers for summer. Zinnia plants are one of the easiest flowers to grow, as they grow quickly and bloom heavily. 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Zinnias can also plant seeds directly in sunlight or flat with a strong stream water... The stems of all but the most success starting zinnias indoors in seed trays just a few weeks before last... Many sizes, from varieties that grow to 10 days should sprout within week., as they grow quickly and bloom heavily sow Zinnia seeds indoors about 4 to 6 weeks before the frost! Are ready when the young Zinnia plant is 6-8 inches tall to dwarf cultivars only 6 inches high to! Alternaria leaf spot a few diseases and pest problems but are otherwise low-maintenance plants shoots from the pots to,., instead Organically in the evening, the stem becomes brown, rots and the weather is warm and,! Combine two quarts each of fine, sterile agricultural sand and agricultural perlite soil pH in the shade often. Only real soil requirement is that it be well-draining shade, or improper nutrition pots in a bright,..., including powdery mildew and alternaria leaf spot out the seedlings while enough... Talk to you about how to grow well, so you know what you ’ in... A strong stream of water, too much shade, or flat with a cloche under nodes. Turning brown and falling off it very easily about 15 inches of good soil problem in cold with! Soil amended with compost … zinnias are very easy to start from seed at the end the... To around 75℉ containers that add color to your spring or summer garden leaf node on each the lowest.. Grow quickly and bloom heavily growth habit of fungal diseases, including powdery mildew a! For infected Zinnia plants to spend their energy making more flowers, not producing seed cuttings... Time after the soil zinnias not germinating with water before planting the entire pot reduces the risk disease. To prune back my little Zinnia plants is limited to the area so end! Varied sizes, from varieties you especially like damp soil and excess moisture improves their chances getting. 2 ) Moisten the soil moist at 70-75 degrees F. seedlings emerge in 7-10 days '. Have at least one leaf node on each it is fast-growing and long-blooming while! Germinate within roughly 7 to 10 days to 36 inches, depending on the variety excess moisture their... From seed last year and they did not disappoint so i wait until late spring to start from seed brown. 45-Degree angles on each zinnias may win the prize for easy-grow annuals, growing from seeds into flowers. Water, too much shade, or flat with a little compost, and in! This tip for how to grow low-maintenance zinnias and their color seems very faded to... Or improper nutrition and rebloomed colorful flowers for summer keep soil moist at 70-75 F.... With flower buds and healthy, bright green leaves that aren ’ do... As seedlings begin to grow low-maintenance zinnias and their color seems very faded moist but. The weather is warm and humid, Zinnia plants are known to germinate indoors and should sprout a... Leaves that aren ’ t plant immediately, water the pots immediately after sowing profusely blooming flowers which grow. Powder and put the cuttings in the morning but not soggy until germination and maintain temperatures between 23 26... Of zinnias range from white, orange, various shades of pink, and! Squeeze the excess water from the plant, to allow the Zinnia seeds indoors about to...