We are starting small with a 1/2 an acre and building from there. Looking for a better season next Spring. Thin out the seedlings, so you end up with one plant every 12in (30cm) or so. Or is there no hope. So you can see why its easy to plant too many. Beautiful post! I look at it through the winter to remind me that there is life out there and will be here soon. My other varieties of zinnias were beautiful, so I couldn’t figure out what the problem was. Should I just direct seed next year? If you are not regularly harvesting your zinnias, be sure to deadhead any spent blooms to help focus the plant’s energy into producing new flowers and not going to seed. I have been growing State Fair Zinnias for a few years, and they are stunning, multiple pinks, deep rose, yellow and a few white. My Zinnias were the best ever this year but for the fact that one day I went out and the center stems had been hollowed out by a pest but there was no trace of any. To tell whether a zinnia is ready to harvest, use the “wiggle test.” Simply grab the stem about 8 inches (20 cm) down from the flower head and gently shake it. So stunning and the sizes ranger from 2″ to nearly 4″ wide. The best zinnias I’ve ever seen were lining a path to a primary school in Sri Lanka. One important thing to know about them is that, from the moment of germination right through their life cycle, they’re particularly prone to damping off and botrytis. Most important, especially when you’re arranging, is to restrict the colour range. I’m just down south of Auburn WA, Thank you for sharing such wonderful Info and beautiful pictures. I wanted to hug those little guys! Zinnias keep me with flowers the whole time! I’d love to try the Oklahoma series, as that’s where I live. First time growing these. What could this be? Zinnias are kind of a hot-button topic for most people - even if you hate zinnias and won’t grow them, you’ll have a very definitive reason as to why - but most people, especially flower farmers love zinnias and grow boatloads of them all season long. It comes in a cheery mix including rose, purple, golden yellow, scarlet, orange, pink, and white. ‘Benary’s Giant Coral’ (pictured left) is a glowing tropical coral-salmon variety and a long-standing customer favorite. Start your zinnias from seed, either right in the ground or under lights. Thanks so much for writing such a beautiful, helpful book! If you live in a part of the country where supper outside is a once-every-five-years experience, then sadly zinnias are not for you, although you could try growing them in a greenhouse or polytunnel. Like every flower grown on our farm, we try to give them the best start possible. We’ve been growing ‘Macarenia’ for years and have found that people either love it or hate it. Knowing which varieties of flowers are the best to grow for long-lasting cut flowers is the first step. I’m in Canada, not far from you, so should be able to follow your book easily. What did I do wrong? Thanks! Each glowing scarlet petal is tipped in gold for a fun twist. It inspires me. That's a lot! Thank you for taking the time to put all of this information together to help aspiring flower growers like myself. The petal tips of ‘Benary’s Giant Orange’ are edged with the tiniest hint of lavender, giving them an iridescent quality. It pairs well with both pastel and vibrant colors. Just scattering a handful of seeds adds a splash of color to the end caps or paint the orchard with dabs of color beneath the olive trees. Thanks & Love your work! Can you offer an alternative source? Thanks. I love what I can see of the colors, though! Thank you! If the stem is stiff and remains erect, it is ready to harvest. Look forward to hearing from you! Thank you for all the work you do to bring us gardener’s the info you have learned. stress, including not getting enough water or too-high temps, they will start producing single flowers (pictured left). Great article, thank you. To keep flowers blooming after you place them in a vase, keep cut flowers out of direct sunlight and drafts, change the water every other day, and make a fresh cut each time you change the water. It pairs well with both pastel and vibrant colors. Thank you for this really thorough exploration of varieties on offer! The more the merrier! I learned so much reading this blog Roll on summer and thank you for all the advice. IAM hoping to grow some someday but I would okay to just come visit your farm and get some cut flowers. Thank you again for just the push I needed! So grateful!! I do cut the flowers a lot which i know causes more the grow. We use cookies to personalise content, analyse website performance and for advertising purposes. They last best on a short stem, with one flower arranged in a single-stem vase, or poked through a wooden grid to support the flowers just out of the water. For weddings, Polar Giant is my go-to. I had no idea the amount of varieties. Along with being beautiful and easy to grow, zinnias are also heat- and drought-tolerant. I planted a flower garden from seed tapes in April and have so many Zinnias, Cosmos and Tithonia blooming and more on the way! So excited! We love your farm and hope to visit someday. I thought they loved heat! ‘Oklahoma Salmon‘ (pictured above) has petite, double blooms that are a warm mix of salmon and peach and combine well with anything. And there’s a huge range of shapes, sizes, and colors to choose from. Zinnias are not only beautiful, they are so important for pollinators and butterflies. I think I’m starting to see buds on my main stem but the plants are about 5-6 inches. Katie. Do you grow zinnias or plan to add them to your garden this coming season? Any type of stake, wooden or metal, will work just fine. I love zinnias! It is sometimes difficult to get the variety and color of flowers down here in the tropics, and zinnias help fill that void. We carry them in our shop. Thank you again, its very informative post, but i feel post harvest handling and harvesting methods are missing, also tell me favorable storage temperature for zinnias and we also face a difficulty on our farm after harvesting when temperature raises above 40 degree centigrades, which factors we do for freshness of zinnias. Zinnias are considered a “dirty flower” and benefit from a drop or two of bleach in their water. Take care. Can never have enough of the beauties! I always seem to have this around the end of summer beginning of fall all my zinnias get PM. Was the only nutrients for the growth period added during bed prep and during seedlings when you used compost tea? Last year I had s really difficult time with my zinnias initially. Inspiring stories, profiles & advice from 45 flower growers from around the world, Join the Floret newsletter and stay in the loop on all the exciting happenings here on the farm. Do you pull them out of the ground after it’s autum?, fall, winter??? Perhaps with the additional seaweed tea nutrients and healthier plants, I can battle this a little better. In current shaky climate I am trying to save on greenhouse fuel, and in doing so fear I have some dampening off … but only on my most resilient little growers, my zinnias. Plant zinnias in spring by sowing the seeds about 1/4-inch deep in the soil and space each seed about a foot apart from the next. I copied each photo to share on my FB before I reached the end and realized I could share the entire page. I tried the pinching trick on almost all of mine. I have a garden labyrinth and several of the paths are lined with zinnias each year to attract hummingbirds. I can’t wait to start them… keep up the good work :). It’s a must-grow! It is absolutely pouring here in the UK so this article was a magic pick me up. It’s ideal for wedding work, and floral designers love it! Hi! I have loved zinnias since I was a kid, thanks to my Dad. "They are great for hot summer weather and gardeners in warmer climates," explains Dr. Gladys Mbofung-Curtis, a garden expert at Garden Safe. One problem with the zinnias, was having the stems collapse only hours after cutting- every single flower. Adding a bit of bleach or hydrogen peroxide to the water keeps the water cleaner longer with ‘dirty flowers’. What kind of spray treatments do you do? Decisions, decisions….now I am seriously considering sticking with one flower..ZINNIAS!…and filling my entire yard with them, all the different, gorgeous varieties. Winner of the Fleuroselect Novelty Award in 2012, this hardworking plant thrives in heat and is very easy to grow. All rights reserved. This took 3 attempts. Floral, Garden Writer March 23, 2019 garden, growing guide 1 Comment. Where would you recommend we purchase the zinnias from? It is a joy to see the pollinators flitting between Zinnia islands. I put my Zinnias in the vegetable garden and we do not have a big bug problem. If the stem is droopy or bends, it is not ready to cut. The other key fact I learnt in Sri Lanka was that, as well as plenty of sun and heat. and how often do you spray them? Thank you Erin for such a credible overview of zinnias. Anyways, this year I’m really excited to grow a few new (to me) varieties I bought from a different seed company: Uproar Rose and Art Deco. A customer favorite, ‘Benary’s Giant Wine’ (pictured left) is a dramatic, deep wine hue. Facebook 0 Twitter … Thank you so much for all the wonderful information and photos that you provide I really appreciate it! Are there any particular varieties that would work in containers on my west-facing balcony in Los Angeles? Hello there! 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. love zinnias i just go by what you like never grew thembefore until last year. I’m going to pass that info on! Trying Bernary’s Giant Lime this year instead. Generally, Zinnias need 1½–2 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of a 1-1-1 fertilizer. I have been gleaning every tidbit of wisdom you have to share from your site as well as your book as I start my flower farming journey. I am so grateful. Barb and John My mother in law loved zinnias! Knebels Knob Farm, Hi Barb, I love Zinnias of all types and sizes and colors! That makes my day! They come in a wide range of colors (12 total) and are known for their strong stems and good disease resistance. Love all the variety and pics! He was an incredible gardener, and every year would plant a row of zinnias and a row of marigolds at the edge of our vegetable garden. I love Zinnias! Your garden sounds incredible! I grew zinnias last year and plan to grow them this year with some of your added tips! If the stem is stiff and remains erect, it is ready to harvest. One package of each is more than enough for my cutting garden. I’m so excited!!!! I ordered your ‘Cut Flower Garden’ book and LOVE it! Just loved this article and the photos. I love getting all this information from you! Zinnia is one of my favorite flower and I started to grow them now. We are so pleased to offer this variety, treasured for its versatile creamy ivory color and pretty double blooms. My youngest daughter(she’s 17) asked that I grow the flowers for her wedding, which I hope won’t be for quite a while! I’m curious do you sow one seed per cell ? Receive emails from us & get 15% off your order, © 2020 Sarah Raven. Can’t wait to start cutting them and look forward to trying some of varieties you mention above. We would love to be able to harvest blooms earlier in the summer — do you have any recommendations for “speeding up” the growing process? I’m obsessed with them . Green Envy is not a Scabiosa type but maybe it’s the same issue…. I grow a lot of zinnias during the growing season. Zinnias are annuals and will die with the first hard frost of fall. I love Magellan because it is so beautiful in arrangements with cool colors (not quite pink) and warm colors (not quite salmon) while staying bright and vivid. My first planting on May 5 of giant dahlia and Benary's giant (both from Johnny's Seeds) of about 30 feet of row has flowered. Thanks for any help! The knowledge I am gaining is awesome. I now know what I will begin with next Spring. The Sunbow Series, available from Johnny’s Selected Seeds has been around for ages and has miniature 1- to 2-inch (2.5 to 5 cm) double blooms that ride atop long, sturdy stems. :). :) Maybe next year! Plants have long, wiry stems that make them well-suited for flower arranging. You recommend Floralife to aid in vase longevity for most flowers. Zinnias like the heat, and it’s important that they are grown in full sun. Hello! during this time we all need it. It was so gratifying after having some germination challenges with other starts. To tell whether a zinnia is ready to harvest, use the “wiggle test.” Simply grab the stem about 8 inches (20 cm) down from the flower head and gently shake it. I am so amazed to know that there are other varieties. It’s ideal for wedding work, and floral designers love it! Love this article! They have the coolest antique cream colored single petaled cactus flowered variety that pops up every year. And soooo beautiful! The individual colors in this series are stunning, especially en masse. I planted a few too many seeds really because I wanted to be sure to get some. I keep your book handy indoors, but if out in garden, I look up your blogs with my phone. The rows and rows of zinnias look gorgeous. Great work and wishing you the best success. Ahhhh Thanks for all the great information on flower growing! The Farmer & the {Florist} Interview: Amy Merrick, pre-burned landscape fabric to control weeds, https://www.floretflowers.com/soil-preparation/, https://shop.floretflowers.com/collections/zinnia. Thank you for sharing your favorites. Lastly, if you find this information is helpful, I would love it if you would share it with your friends. We have quite a powdery mildew problem during the dry winter month (we grow year around). This signals the plant to send up multiple stems from below where the cut was made, resulting in more abundant flower production as well as longer stem length. I love to grow Zinnias because they are so easy and make the cutest bouquets! and saw your beautiful varieties. WOW! The plants get so leggy and tall, it seems the stems are not strong enough to support the plants. My husbands mom gave us a cheap packet of zinnia seeds last year to plant in the courtyard of our (first and new) home. I bought them as healthy plug plants and pinched them when they go to a decent height to encourage more leaf growth. Thank you for sharing all of these! Oklahoma Series: These are hands down the most productive and floriferous zinnias I’ve ever grown. I especially love the lillyputs they are so pretty. I’ve never grown zinnias before, but I just started a flat of the Queen Series today. Love your colorful website and I will be back to enjoy over and over again. Any ideas. I have sent it to a sick friend who loves her garden. I’ve not gotten any normal flowers. Very helpful and beautifully presented information! Thanks for your info . Shoved in close together willy-nilly, zinnias can all too easily end up looking like dolly mixtures and lose their way on style. I would like to try growing them from seed, Hi Ann, My favorites are the single and semi-doubles in orange and red. I will definitely be using the pinching technique to encourage more blooms. Their beautiful colors make me and the friends I share them with smile! Thank you for sharing. Any help with this? 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. Congratulations on your first year being a flower farmer! The smaller-flowered forms such as. 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). I ended up getting the queen lime, zinderella lilac and desert sunset mix. They are fabulously easy to make stunning cut flower bunches . Bottom row, left to right: ‘Señora’, ‘Lilliput Salmon’, ‘Oklahoma Salmon’. Mature zinnias require less watering, as grown flowers are somewhat drought tolerant. I had been wondering why that was and will try a slightly coler spot for them next season, I am growing an annual cutting garden for the first time this year. If so, what are your favorite varieties, or what new treasures are you adding to your wishlist? We start all of our seeds indoors to extend the season by a couple months. Hi Erin, thank you for all of this, zinnias are my favorite. When you need dependable, low-maintenance cut flowers, think zinnias. Thank you for your practical, helpful guides and instructions, also tips for vase life. Water zinnias regularly, keeping soil moist, but avoid overwatering. I have tried zinnias two years in a row, starting the seeds indoors then transplanting around Mother’s Day (in Boise, ID). Some of the flower heads are bent over, making them unmarketable. I have tried staking to hold it up, but it no looks dry like its dying. When we first started growing zinnias this closely together I was worried that they would be plagued by disease, but since they are grown in such rich soil, this hasn’t been a problem. May, Email each time. I planted a verity of zinnias in large pots, to my surprise they turned out beautiful. As flowers bloom on your zinnia plants it is important to cut them so that they continue to multiply and bloom. The general rule is to plant zinnias after the last frost of spring, but you might want to wait a bit longer. The largest-flowered varieties in the zinnia family, plants often reach 4 to 5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 m) tall and have a high percentage of huge double flowers. This special Floret mix has been an ongoing labor of love, and while it’s still a work in progress, we’re thrilled to finally be able to share it with the world. I have pink, magenta, red, orange and the rare yellow colors. Where is the best place to purchase seeds? Hi Floret It’s been very frustrating trying to grow something billed as an easy, beginner flower in this climate- I’m in my 5th decade of gardening, but new to this climate! Using the zinnias along with coleus, caladiums, and pentas, we have had fresh flower arrangements all summer long. I love your taste in flowers if I had a acreage I would grow each variety you offer :). Plants are spaced 9 inches (23 cm) apart with five rows per bed. What a dream to be able to work in such beauty everyday. The bees and butterflies love them . I’m on a well with high iron in water clogs up and last winter left out and animals chewed up. ‘Oklahoma Ivory’ (pictured above) had been discontinued but, to the delight of countless growers and designers, was brought back by Frank Morton at Wild Garden Seed here in the Pacific Northwest. They make beautiful cut flowers and bloom prolifically. Zinnias seem to love the hot and dry summer climate up here in the northern Cariboo region of British Columbia. Growers in Massachusetts have approximately 120 frost free days. Sadly this means I can’t grow most anything from my native NW. I’m trying Zinnia’s from seed this year – Zowie Yellow Flame from Johnny’s and seeds I harvested from a friend’s zinnia bed last fall. I tried numerous things, nothing seemed to help, but gradually the flowers started lasting a week or more. Hello, I’m from Cambodia. So, I haven’t had much success. The cactus varieties have a softer individual spine like petals. We succession sow zinnias every 2 to 3 weeks in order to have a steady stream of these beautiful blooms all summer long. This time I will cut them back shorter and see what happens. I’ve always grown a few flowers, but not for a special occasion. Hi Mary, I am growing zinnia in containers on my patio for the first time. Growing conditions may include the number of frost-free days in your area, your soil type, and sun exposure. Thank you! ‘Benary’s Giant Lilac’ (pictured right) starts out a vivid lilac, and with time the outer petals fade to a cool pale lavender, giving it a haunting effect. Thanks for your help! How do you store yours? If so have you seen them ‘grow out of it’, or otherwise recover? The mostly double and semi-double flowers of ‘Queen Lime Blush’ (pictured above) are a stunning blend of green and purple, unlike anything we’ve seen. Do you have to deal with that? Growing zinnia plants benefit from deadheading and flower removal (used in cut flower bouquets). Plants are tucked into the field around mid-May, once the weather has sufficiently warmed up and all danger of frost has passed. Kim, I’m in Texas and have the same chalky-residue issue when we use our sprinkler system. Here’s how we prepare our soil: https://www.floretflowers.com/soil-preparation/. Oh my gosh, I am happy to share this on Facebook! <3 Zinnia blooms don’t continue to open once cut; harvest flowers when all the petals are open. We have been growing and selling them for a year now in Florida. The zinnia is the grand old lady of the garden to me. Thanks for the great info. April, The Zinnias are the stars of the garden for sure. Zinnias famously hate root disturbance, so it is best to. I’m hoping you can clarify something for me. #GrowingFlowers #Gardening #GrowingZinnias UPDATED ZINNIA VIDEO - https://youtu.be/POOG1xeHfoE SUPPORT THE CHANNEL - TRY OUR SOAP! I did not know that there are a lot of varieties until I saw and read your blog. They attract butterflies and hummingbirds, making these flowers great companions for a vegetable garden. Zinnias are one of the easiest flowers to grow from seed, they grow quickly and bloom for long periods of time. Thank you for sharing! Flowers last a long time as a cut flower too. Zinnias are one of the flower types we grow the most of each summer. Wow, breathtakingly beautiful! Annual zinnias add long-lasting color to flower beds but they can also supply you with long-lived cut flowers for your home. Bicolor novelties: These unique bicolor novelties are sure to catch the attention of everyone who sees them. This variety is named for our favorite time of day on the farm, the golden hour just before the sun sets on the horizon. I’ve noticed that that they seem to like the larger, single zinnias of all colors. They make a bold statement when combined with acid green or deep maroon flowers and foliage. Thanks for sharing Long stemmed varieties make great cut flowers. The only problem I had was they got to large at late season but still beautiful, This year I am doing the same thing. They started throwing up long and strong stems at the end of June and continue to bloom until frost. A couple of tips for cutting the flowers: Thank you for your tips on these. ‘Zinderella Peach’ (pictured above) has frilly double blooms that are a warm mix of salmon, peach, and cream, accented by a striking dark center. Yes, we use Nature’s Intent 7-2-4 and also apply compost tea throughout the season. Thanks! The brilliant, eye-catching ‘Aztec Sunset’ mix includes a wide range of miniature bicolor blooms in shades of buttercream, gold, cranberry, rust, and merlot. My favorite is Benary Giant, and I love to mix them with snapdragons. We are in early spring here so other option would be to try and direct seed. I’m going to pass that info on! Zinnias were my grandmother’s favorite flower. I love Zinnias, so I appreciate this post. I tried Fertilome Triple action, and fertilized with fish emulsion. Hi Kyra- I’m so glad this post helped you. I have planted many varieties this year. I grew flowers for the farmers market this summer, zinnias being one of them(one of my favorites). Zinnias might have been our most successful plant. I’m curious though, what other flowers or green foliage do you like to pair with zinnias for a pretty bouquet?? Flowers make me happy – but if I wanted one mixed bouquet a week on the kitchen table, I’d be shelling out £40 a month. All the zinnias I just read about are beautiful…I’m going to need heavy medication and counseling. I just discovered your site from this post. The flower bed was small 4’x6′ near my driveway in Houston TX. I’ll be a little more careful with those this year :) Thanks for all the amazing blog posts! Do you cut it under the net and pull it up through? I have gardened all of my life, but I have always focused on vegetables and companion flowers like marigolds and nasturtiums. You’ve inspired me to try my hand at growing them! I’m in Texas. All make good cut flowers. Sow two or three seeds 2in (5cm) apart at 12in (30cm) spacing. Growing Cut Flowers for Weddings. The frilly double blooms look like mini gerbera daisies or double-flowered echinacea. ‘Zinderella Lilac’ (pictured above) is a lovely mix of blush and soft lavender, accented by a striking dark center. For example, if you’re looking for flowers in the peach-salmon range, look at how many choices there are! To choose the most successful cut flowers for your business consider your general growing conditions, technical capabilities, and your market. The entire bed is just full of all types of beautiful, colorful zinnias just like my grandma loved. Giant Dahlia Flowered Zinnias The Giant Dahlia Flowered zinnias started off well, direct sowing easily and growing with the same vigor and speed as the Benary Giants. These reliable bloomers are a great addition to the cutting garden and the front of the flower border. With most zinnias, you’ll get at least a week in a vase if they’re kept cool. are you able to obtain seeds from the flowers you have grown at the end of the season ?? Our 2021 line of specialty seeds is available in. Love the information on zinnias, Erin. Could the pH of the soil or water make a difference? Zinnias are some of my favorite cutting flowers! Now I can spend some time looking at the rest of the site. The plants look healthy and great, though. Some of my friends liked them so much in pots, they are doing the same thing. I love the ZOWIE series of zinnias, specifically Zowie Yellow Flame. You site is beyond great! I think it’s a type of mildew when leaves are wet overnight. We succession sow zinnias every 2 to 3 weeks in order to have a steady stream of these beautiful blooms all summer long. Their petite flower size makes them ideal for flower arranging. I’m hoping to grow the table flowers for my son’s September wedding. Thanks for all the info! Once the planting beds have been prepared, we lay down four lines of drip irrigation, roughly a foot (30.5 cm) apart, then the beds are covered with a layer of. Where I live in central CA it is incredibly hot months on end and they are one of my favorite in the garden, and I must plant more this year! This adorable bloomer produces an abundance of petite, fully double, dome-shaped salmon flowers all summer long. I like how you are straight to the point and comprehensive without a lot of digressions or insufficient info. Hi – what is meant by a “dirty flower”? I have shared this favorite plant with my own children and now I share my harvest with my 2nd graders at the end of the year and encourage them to plant at home and try with their own families :). (I cut them all this year.. oops) I named my daughter Zinnia Raine in memory of my late grandmother and we grow tons every year! So I turned my raised garden bed where I normally grow tomatoes into a zinnia patch this year. 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. I am going to try growing zinnias this year if it is not too late. We always had trouble keeping zinnias happy in our nursery. It would give me all the zinnias I needed for church, a joy to look at from my home and all who pass by to enjoy too! View our cookie policy to learn more, Posted in I thought I was not a zinnia fan.. If the evening temperatures are chilly enough to have you reaching for the blankets to eat supper in the garden, then it’s still too cold. I’m soo enjoying all the Zinnia talk . Zinnias are so easy you can direct sow them, or start them inside under lights or in a southern facing window. My all-time favorite variety is ‘Giant Salmon Rose’ (pictured above) because its warm peachy color is so versatile and softens with age. Zinnias famously hate root disturbance, so it is best to sow directly into freely drained soil with a fine tilth. I’m in Albuquerque, NM and our extreme heat is difficult- out of packs of direct seeded zinnias last year, i got only one plant that grew and bloomed! ^_^. i have never heard of these before but have bought some seeds but will wait for the weather to warm up at night in bc. I’ve noticed a lot of people asking recently about the best or favorite zinnias to grow. I got the seeds that I get from my friend, I don’t what kind of the variety it is but when it bloom, I only get a single bloom flower unlike what my friend has. The seeds for the varieties listed here are in our shop: https://shop.floretflowers.com/collections/zinnia. The green forms, such as Zinnia ‘Envy’ or larger-flowered ‘Benary’s Giant Lime’ go with everything, but this is the only shade that does. I’m considering starting zombie from seed instead of direct sowing. Any type of stake, wooden or metal, will work just fine. However, when I saw this selection, I’ve changed my mind. I grow them in Mogo . Thank you! Would it be best to give zinnias some shade in the afternoon? Zinnias were introduced to me by my mother-in-law when I was a young mom trying to find easy beautiful things to plant. They are one of my favorites. The Zowie are growing well and about 3″ tall – the other are half that height and I’ve only had 2 to come up for some reason…should I be taking the flat in at night? No matter what your needs are, there is definitely a zinnia for you. In a window they can tend to get leggy, but if you plant them outside fairly quickly, or take them out to get sunshine during the day, they should do really well for you. I am in zone 5b, Wisconsin. What a nice article Erin on one of the best annual any gardener should sow every year!!! Your website is stunning!!! Zinnias are considered a “dirty flower” and benefit from a drop or two of bleach in their water. Please note: If you submit a comment and it doesn’t show up right away, sit tight; we have a spam filter that requires we approve most comments before they are published. Yours are absolutely gorgeous Thanks so much for your help! After zinnias flower, cut off the old flowers (a process called “deadheading”) to encourage more flowers to form. A cream variety such as ‘Oklahoma Ivory’ is beautiful mixed with the green (‘Benary’s Giant Lime’) and a white (‘Benary’s Giant White’), but the pales look all wrong mixed with dark reds and oranges. They are not quite big enough to pinch, but I am very hopeful they will produce well. I have ordered from you ever since and shared your farm and seeds with all of my own sisters and friends. The flowers growing now are coming along well. How can I fix this. Just love them. I either mangle the cell or the seedling…..help. Thanks. Do you recommend a heat mat? Growing zinnias from seed might be one of the easiest gardening tasks of the year. Another Floret introduction, ‘Golden Hour’ is a beautiful collection of warm buff, honey, and soft apricot blooms started from two single plants we discovered in our fields. In a damp, cool year, with high air humidity, plants can get a plateau of mould, which sits on the growth tip and rots down into the heart of the plant. I can’t wait to see what she grows this year. The photo above demonstrates pinching with another type of plant. This year, I’d like to plant zinnias in one of our raised beds. Thank you in advance for any help. Especially being stuck in my home I have so many seeds & I can’t wait to get busy. She gave me some seeds once and I have grown them ever since… I can’t believe how many colors and sizes you have it’s so much fun! Growing Cut Flowers for Florists. We’re referring to how they make the water dirty, as a cut flower. I have cut hundreds of flowers from the 80 or so seedlings. Do you fertilize? The more I look at the options on this website and seed catalogues I keep thinking I should add just one more type…. They were flowering in February in the fort town of Galle, on the south coast of the island, thriving in an environment of deluging, monsoon rain, interspersed with hot sun and high humidity. The plants are now setting new flowers. Netting is held in place by metal hoops that we made with our Johnny’s Quick Hoops Bender. I was going to plant a small garden of zinnias in rows like your were done ,but on a much smaller scale. We use a layer of Hortonova netting stretched horizontally about 12 inches (30.5 cm) above the ground. They are so carefree in our east Texas sandy loam that I use Zinnias as row markers in the orchard. Here are the 13 long-standing flower favorites that hold up the best in vases. I am so curious as to how one shall harvest flowers that grow in netting? I love zinnias. This versatile color looks incredible when combined with rich foliage and blooms. I lost all first 2 rounds to rain. There’s no better late-summer plant, with a brilliant range of colours and flowers that look as though they’ve been cut from velvet-coated cardboard. Love it!! Thanks! Here are four tips for growing these super-premium zinnias: 1. Plants are best supported by individual stakes or, if being grown in a veg or cutting garden for picking, they look fine pushing up through nylon clematis or wire sheep netting, stretched horizontally one foot (30cm) or so off the ground and tied taut onto a series of canes. As zinnias are considered prolific bloomers does that mean you can cut stems every week when conditions are good? No matter what your needs are, there is definitely a zinnia for you. I’m in one of the milder parts of Montana (Zone 3+ or 4-), but I’ve struggled starting them in the greenhouse and had the best luck direct sowing once it warms up. Thank you thank you thank you!!!!! How do you get water to your flowers? If the stem is droopy or bends, it is not ready to cut. These gorgeous novelties are sought out by designers for their unique coloring. After reading this I want to grow fields of zinnias! We love our Zinnias!! Many gardeners in warmer parts of the world are able to successfully direct seed their zinnias straight into the field, but here in cool Washington we start our plants in 72-cell trays in the greenhouse 4 to 6 weeks before our last spring frost. The frilly double blooms look like mini gerbera daisies or double-flowered echinacea. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Lilliput Salmon. I would love to order some of your solid color varieties, for next year how early can I order them?thanks your info is so beautiful and helpful plus inspiring. Here’s more about this beautiful annual, plus how to grow and care for zinnias. I’m new to both zinnias and gardening and have a question about pinching. I take them to my Mogo Nursery , people love them . Even if your plants are not going to reach Sri Lankan heights, they benefit greatly from growing straight early on. How far apart do you thin seedlings? The plants, spaced 18in (46cm) apart, had merged into a hedge standing over 4ft (122cm) high and were massively flowery and luxuriant. All your pictures are lovely. Not only were they single flowers, but most of the flowers didn’t even have a complete circle of petals; many only had 4 to 6 odd petals per flower and were a washed out dirty white color on otherwise healthy plants. Whoa- they revert to singles in stress? They have nice long stems and good disease resistance, and they come in a beautiful range of colors. I’m looking forward to reading all the tips because I know I’m going to need help! Denise. Annuals, The flower heads vary in size from 3″ to 5″ across, which yields a nice variety for arrangements. Thank you for everything you all do to bring such ah-mazing flowers and information to beginning growers like myself. Its a temperate climate with hot dry summers. We are in western Indiana and are planting several Zinnias this year. Miniature flowered types: The old-fashioned ‘Lilliput Mix’ (pictured above) deserves a spot in every cutting garden. They don't require special attention or conditions, just full sun and good soil. Anyone know what the pest would be? I didn’t think I was a big fan of zinnias until I read your post about them (I love easy plants!) I’m so glad you mentioned that Scabiosa varieties revert to single flowers under stress. ‘Queen Lime Orange’: This exciting new addition to the Queen Series is the most beautiful range of iridescent raspberry, apricot, and smoky peach with a dark cranberry center. Varieties: The giant dahlia-bloom has a compact flower head that grows up to six inches. Thank you so much. And so many different colors. If you grow them under lights, don’t start too early. Love, love, love the amazing flower growing wisdom you impart. Zinnias are a favorite of mine and I plant them every year. We have reently had floods, then high winds and now a day of 32° heat. Perennials for Spring and Summer Planting. I call the Zinnia’s and Marigold’s the workhorse of the garden. What works for you? I used to be a huge zinnia snob, feeling like they were second class to dahlias, but now I’m a total convert. Zinnias are my favorite cutting flower mainly because they are so easy to grow and they’re very prolific. I will experiment with part shade this year to see if it makes a difference. After a lot of research and emails back and forth with the breeders, I believe that if plants undergo. But I have never had much success with them. I only have what is offered at the big box stores in my area. Zinnias are annuals that grow for one season and then produce seeds. I was able to get some great photos that year. Thanks for the tips about scabiosa varieties! We are really reading up on all of it. or fertilization, etc.? We love growing Zinnias here in South Florida. I buy the giant variety at Walmart. When you say that plants are “spaced 9 inches (23 cm) apart,” do you mean that the rows are spaced 9″ apart, and the seeds within the rows are planted much closer? Everyone loves this treasure! Can zinnias go into the ground earlier if you put up frost cloth and warm the soil a bit with black fabric? But it’s hard not to love them all! . I am hoping these mix well in arrangements with my DA roses. I’m growing the unicorn zinnias this summer. I cut the stems, leaving the branching for subsequent flowers. I’m especially excited to try the zinderella series and the queen lime blush this year ! Hi your flowers are so beautiful IAM litterly in shock from the beauty of your farms Zinnias. So many fun varieties! If you’re interested in flower farming and are interested in learning how to grow zinnias and other cut flowers as a business, check out our eBook series on growing cut flowers for profit and success! Water more in hot climates. Now I just get tiny blooms. As I’ve gotten into flowers this year, caring for a cut flower garden, the potential of an organically grown, highly marketable cash crop has not escaped me. The flowers change form so much as they mature and stages are fascinating . Available in a brilliant rainbow of colors, these happy blooms are a must-grow for any flower lover. Anyone out there? Thanks for sharing! Should I pinch them at this height or wait? Great article. ‘Candy Mix’ (pictured above) is an improved mix that contains a higher percentage of double flowers in a warm, cheerful blend of scarlet, raspberry, rose, salmon, tangerine, gold, and cream. I’m hoping this is just an early awkward stage. Color. I look forward to receiving your Any suggestions for preventing this? Here in Eastern Washington are summers are so hot, I think, sadly, I won’t try to grow this variety again. After reading the post and seeing all the beautiful varieties, I was inspired to try again. ‘Benary’s Giant Carmine’ (pictured right) has raspberry-pink blooms; as they age the outer tips of the petals fade, giving blooms a multidimensional quality. Someone said maybe they have aster yellows….they look super healthy from a distance but up close there some things that normally I wouldn’t pay any attention to…super tiny dots on the leaves, etc. The tips of my zinnia seedlings are dead and burnt looking..they have not been outside though or exposed to the sun. Selecting Cut Flowers to Grow. After reading you article I’d really like to try them in my own garden! Even better, zinnias come in just about every color (except blue). The Queen and Bennary series have been brilliant. Left to right, above: ‘Lilliput Salmon’, ‘Giant Salmon Rose‘, ‘Oklahoma Salmon’. Do not put them in the cooler since the flowers are very cold-sensitive. This post is so helpful to know how to better care for them this year! (I learned that technique from you, thank you.) June, I planted 12 Zinnia plants at the beginning of the summer. Learn more about growing cut flowers, including tulips, ranunculus, anemones & dahlias, in this free four-part video series, Winner of the American Horticulture Society Book Award, I have seen a large bloomed short,under 2 ft plant,seems it has about 6-8 colors maximum,at the one residence,I asked and heard oh,I forgot where I got that pkt. Thank you for all the great information! Avoid overhead irrigation as it may damage the flowers by causing spotting, or may splash soil onto the foliage and promote disease. One point to note is that many growers in warmer climates have noticed that they don’t get the same high percentage of doubles with scabiosa types (doubles pictured right) that we do here in the Northwest. As the plants grow, they push up through the grid of netting and get the support they need. Drip irrigation is recommended at 80to help prevent these issues. I am in Phoenix-super hot from June to September. They just grew and grew! There are multiple pictures of my grandmother’s garden bursting with zinnias from back in the day, and my father has been growing from saved seed for years now. Once the planting beds have been prepared, we lay down four lines of drip irrigation, roughly a foot (30.5 cm) apart, then the beds are covered with a layer of pre-burned landscape fabric to control weeds. :) Last year my Zinnias that I planted in containers did not do as well as those that I planted directly in the ground? Shame! Every year about 1/2-3/4 through our zinnia season the leaves start to get very chalky and ugly. Did pinching reduce the possible size of the zinnia blooms? Nothing says summer more than an armload of cheerful zinnias. If they collapse over, they’ll never grow or flower as well as when vertically supported. First off, we are super-excited about ‘Unicorn Mix’ (pictured above). Hi! This trio is widely considered a cinch to grow, whether in a backyard cutting garden like mine or for those of you venturing into flower growing for a farmers' market or local floral design customers. I am one of those who has a hard time pruning the “center” out of the young plants, but when I do I am rewarded with taller plants and more blooms. I live in New Orleans, and I have never been able to grow Green Envy. I am excited to try this trick to get longer stemmed flowers. We’ve been growing zinnias since the beginning, and every year I fall more and more in love with them. !! The secret to getting the longest stems from your zinnias is pinching them when they are young. Zinnias aren’t my favorite blooms ever, but I appreciate how easy they are to grow and their range of colors. Maintain moderate soil moisture and fertilize lightly to maximize growth and blooms. They only have a limited variety. If you had to advise us on 5 to plant, which five would you suggest? I love Zinnias. Hi ! Fantastic! Of all the zinnias we grow, this might be my favorite. A surprise frost comes late often enough that I usually wait until last week of May, meaning it’s quite a wait before blooms. Because of you I am learning more about Cosmos and trying these out as well. These unique bicolor novelties are sure to catch the attention of everyone who sees them. Scabiosa-flowered types: I grew scabiosa-flowered zinnias for the first time in 2014, and they quickly became one of my favorite crops of the season. That same daughter was expecting a baby girl in October of last year and asked me what the name of the flower was that we planned each year. We had a hot summer (for us) last year and the Zinnias loved it. Now you’ve introduced many others…so I’m ordering more! They are such a cheerful flower. Zinnias need to be picked when they are fully ripe, otherwise they won’t last in the vase. Janine. Whenever I touch the petals, I’m straight back to Fuzzy Felt as a child. Do the smaller Lilliput varieties need to be pinched at a shorter height since their final growth height is shorter? Those little flowers really started a love of gardening in me! Queen Series: Unlike other zinnias, this series includes the most unique array of unusual coloring including lime green, smoky apricot, dusty rose, and limey blush. 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. We are based in cool upstate New York and have a climate similar to yours, I believe! These hardy flowers come in vibrant array of colors and are great additions to arrangements. Zinnas are a favourite to grow in bulk in my gardens but unfortunately the fabulous range shown aren’t so available here. I tried Banarys Giant last year with ok success. The ‘Persian Carpet Mix’ (pictured above) includes adorable gold, cranberry, orange, and cream flowers. I can’t imagine my garden without Lilliput Salmon or any of the Queen Lime series. If given good soil and a steady supply of water, plants can get huge and require some type of support. I thought I’d share some of my favorite varieties that we grow here on the farm in hopes that it inspires you to plant some of these hardworking, heat-loving beauties in your garden this season. petite stature, they resemble a bedding plant more than a cropping variety, but I think they deserve a spot in every cutting garden. Best Cut Flower for Beginner Gardeners. Choosing only a few varieties was almost excutiating but I want to grow a little of everything so I have to be choosy with my limited space. In addition, when learning how to grow zinnia, remember that pinching back results in a bushie… Have you ever tried it? And then I would have fresh seeds every year and no waste. They are the last thing I pull out of the garden because I want to enjoy them to the end. Top row, left to right: ‘Giant Salmon Rose’, ‘Zinderella Peach‘, ‘Queen Lime Orange’. I would love to hear your experience with this wonderful group of plants. Everyone who sees them instantly falls in love. Thank you for the explanation about why double zinnias can sometimes turn into scruffy single zinnias! They’re starting to flower and the flowers are very small and petals minimal, hardly single in a lot of them. It seems you are sold out on most of the zinnia varieties I would like. Do you recommend any that are mildew resistant? This year the buds are stunted. They are simply gorgeous, breathtaking! There is a zinnia for just about every occasion, making them a useful cut for arrangements ranging from country to classic. Hello from West Richland, Wa. I started some Floret Zinnia seeds in March and they began blooming in May. They are extremely easy to grow. this year I will try for the first time the zinnia red spider. In addition to their special coloring, the Queen Series also produces vigorous plants with sturdy stems and tough flowers, a welcomed improvement to the zinnia family. I planted seeds years ago with success and I recently carefree planted some packets. #Gardening #GrowingFlowers #CutFlowerFarm GARDEN ANSWER made a video about it, so I guess I'll make a video about planting and growing zinnias too! As one of the easiest cut flowers to cultivate, they are a perfect first crop for beginning growers and are reliable, prolific producers for most flower farms. Or just the bleach added to the water? I am in love with these, along with the dwarf series, Profusion Coral Pink, Fire, and Orange. Looking forward to gardening season here in West Michigan; we should be in full swing by mid to the end of May. Zinnias resent cold weather and prefer to be planted after things have warmed up a bit. Looking forward to being as successful as you have been in growing them this year. You can always depend on them to be beautiful. Thank you! When we first started growing zinnias this closely together I was worried that they would be plagued by disease, but since they are grown in such rich soil, this hasn’t been a problem. If i plant them closer together, will they be shorter? The problem that we have experienced with Zinnias is that they don’t seem to flower earlier than September. The Queen Lime series are my favorites because their colors are so unusual. Normally I find them very easy to grow. Zinnias have hollow stems below the flower, so weak necks, which bruise and break off all too easily as you arrange them, can be a problem. But I consider it quite an honor that she loves all of the flowers that I grow. I planted them in full sun (that’s 13+ hours of South Carolina heat, which I thought they could handle) GARDEN GUIDE | Zinnias for cutting. Stripping the leaves off will keep the flowers looking nicer since the leaves will droop and wilt before the flower does. Every time I walked outside or pulled my car into the garage, I was enjoying the gorgeous color. We are going to prepare our soil and I think we are going to plant seeds unless you think otherwise. And to provide additional nutrients through weekly seaweed tea. Our concern/question is: Will we be successful if we direct seed/plant in the holes we burned in our landscape fabric? Thank you. I have too many seed variety for my garden space, so I’m trying to convince my husband to let me dig up some of our existing landscaping; we’ll see how that goes. The longest lastin bouquets ever are zinnias with statice, can maybe go two weeks! A couple of years ago I was online searching for specialty Zinnias and I found your story and your farm. Is there any way to combat or remedy for powdery mildew? I usually stick to perennials, roses, fruits and vegetables. If the stem is droopy or bends, it is not ready to cut. I’m curious to know if you sell and ship the starter plants so I can get the variety I’d prefer? With their. How to Make Cut Zinnias Last Longer. The series boasts 7 colors including Oklahoma Salmon, Pink, Carmine, Ivory, White, Yellow, and Scarlet. I made sure to pick interesting varieties and our customers were just wowed by our selection. What is the trick to getting seedlings out of the 72 count cell trays? This will be my first year growing zinnia’s. Zinnias thrive in hot, dry conditions, so grow them in well-drained soil in a sunny border. March, I’m so glad you’ve found some zinnia varieties that you love! the photos of all those beautiful zinnias have me itching for Spring! I’m in New Zealand on the east coast of the North Island. I have been really enjoying your blog and find it inspiring to grow all sorts of things that as of yet I haven’t. Let's begin with three cut flower varieties that play the role of focal flower — sunflowers, zinnias, and rudbeckias. This is so helpful! Some are still blooming 5 1/2 months later! Living in Chicago, I can also understand the need to plant out seedlings after things have warmed up. How spectacular! My personal favorite are the chartreuse green ones. Thank you for all the tips especially the cutting tips, very interesting to learn at what stage we can cut them etc!! Thank you for the article on zinnias, i have fallen in love with all the new colors an sizes. The photo above demonstrates pinching with another type of plant. It has been a trooper in my garden providing abundant beautiful blooms for much of the growing season. He’s been gone for 23 years and I have never grown a vegetable garden, but I grow zinnias every year.