Zinnias from Seed

Growing any plant from seed is a rewarding experience. When I nurture something from a cutting or a tiny seed, I tend to feel more ownership than I would if I purchased a fully-grown plant at a nursery.

But it's easy to get discouraged because many seeds require all sorts of specific germination requirements. Some plants require a cold dormancy or scarification (which means breaking down the hard seed coat and can take many months). That's why I think starting with the easy species is probably best. Generally speaking, annuals are the easiest species to grow from seed.

There are some plants I only start from seed. Examples are poppies, cornflowers, sweet william, and Mexican sunflowers. Zinnias are also among the easiest plants to grow via seed. My garden wouldn't be complete without Zinnias both for their long-lasting color and the butterflies they attract!

Zinnias are diverse. You can purchase them in almost every color and form. I primarily stick to heirloom types that most resemble the wild species. Butterflies typically aren't attracted to the fancy double hybrids. They instead prefer single flowers with visibly yellow centers. As a general rule of thumb, the more simple the flowers, the more likely they produce abundant nectar and pollen for a wide range of pollinators. Doubled or ruffled flowers can sometimes produce nectar but frequently they only deceive insects and thus waste their time.

not my photo

Some of my favorite places to purchase Zinnias are Eden Brothers (North Carolina), Territorial Seed (Oregon), and Baker Creek (Missouri). And some that I've purchased for this season are Zowie! Yellow Flame, Zahara Yellow Flame, Persian Carpet, Cut and Come Again, and Sombrero. Again, I usually go for the tall ones that have simple or single flowers and open centers.

Zinnia 'Sombrero' offered by Eden Brothers Seed Company

But before you get carried away with buying tons of seed, you should ideally figure out where you are going to plant them. It would also be nice to go ahead and till or turn your plot as zinnias germinate best in freshly tilled, or as I like to say "fluffed" soil. You can also scratch the surface of the desired earth and then lightly sprinkle the seed trying to ensure close contact- don't bury the seed, just lightly press them into the soil. You should also give them a good soak which also secures direct contact with soil particles. Well-drained beds are ideal, for zinnias detest soggy water-logged soils! Also, try not to sow them too thickly as they will compete with each other and never realize their full potential. Some people mix the seed with sand before sowing, but I prefer to thin them out later- transplanting the extra ones. Just remember to weed them all throughout the growing process.

Young seedlings look like this

Like almost all sunflower relatives, zinnias prefer full-sun. You can get buy with a little afternoon shade, but I think they perform best in full sun. As far as moisture goes, they seem to like average conditions, although it may be best to water them from ground level as they are prone to foliar mildew in hot sultry conditions- spraying the foliage with water is less than ideal, although I'm definitely guilty of showering my plants in summer. I love the effect of water droplets on blooms. It makes for beautiful photos!

If you want a continuous pulse of fresh flowers throughout the summer, I'd urge you to plant multiple crops starting in late April. I like to plant a "batch" the last week of April, one in the middle of May, and one towards the middle of June. If you space out your plantings like this, you will have blooms for a much longer period of time. Deadheading, or cutting off spent flowers also extends the bloom season.

Seed collection is fun- I like to cut the dry flowers off and just through them in a paper bag.

Don't use plastic as the seed will not breathe and rot! I don't even clean the seed- I just keep the whole head. Store them in a dry dark room over winter and plant as you would your purchased seed next year.