A guide on how to grow and care for Zinnias flowers

From my little experience one of the easiest annuals to grow is zinnia flowers, this plant bring an explosion of color wherever they go. Flying insects like butterflies and hummingbirds are really attracted to the cheery flowers that bloom. Zinnia flowers grow quickly and they are reliably, this actually makes them a great choice for first-time flower growers.

The basic facts

The Height/Spread of the plant: This varies by type. This plant have dwarf varieties which is about 6 to 12 inches tall and wide, and others grow up to four feet tall and one to two feet wide.

Plant exposure: Zinnia flowers need full sun.

The bloom time: The bloom time is late spring until first frost, although may show a slow-down in blooming at the peak of heat in summer.

The color: The flowers bloom in shades of purple, red, orange, pink, white and yellow and there are also bi-color and tri-color varieties. Also the leaves are pale to mid-green.

The characteristics of the plant: This particular plant comes in a wide variety of flower shapes with stars, spiders, daisies, buttons, dahlias, domes, and quill-leaf cactus shapes. Although within those shapes, there are also singles, semi-doubles and doubles.

The plant toxicity: This flower is really safe to plant around animals because they are non-toxic to cats, dogs and horses.

How to plant Zinnia from seed

When to plant Zinnia seeds: If there is actually no threat of frost zinnias can be planted any time through the end of June. You can even plant multiple rounds at two to three week intervals up until the end of June for non-stop blooming into fall.

Where to plant the Zinnia seeds: Make sure you locate the zinnias in an area that will get at least six hours of sun each day and where there is well-draining soil.

How to plant the Zinnia seeds: This plant is best started from seed and can be sown directly in the garden after the threat of frost has passed. You can start the seed earlier indoors, you can try peat pots or other containers that can be planted directly in the ground, this plant can be a bit finicky when transplanted. Make sure you sow the seeds ¼-inch deep and follow spacing directions on seed package. If you give them sunshine and water and you will see the seedlings popping up in 4 to 7 days. You can thin the seedlings to spacing of about 6 to 18 inches (although depending on the variety) by snipping at the soil line with scissors. Don’t forget that pulling out seedlings can disturb the roots of those left behind. This particular flower grows quickly and you’ll have beautiful bright blooms in about sixty days.

Zinnias flower care

Plant pruning: For some taller varieties that you like to use for cut flowers, Floret Flower Farms you can snip out the center flower when the plants are about eighteen inches tall. Although it feels pretty counterintuitive at the time. This will encourage plants to begin branching low and ultimately produce much longer stems. Also spent blooms should be deadheaded in other to encourage and prolong further flowering.

The soil: This plant prefer a soil that is fertile, humus-rich, well-drained and also with a pH of 5.5 to 7.5.

Fertilizer application: Make sure you add compost to the area where the zinnias will be planted to enrich the soil. You can apply an occasional light dose of a well-balanced fertilizer, although is not always necessary.

The watering of plant: Make sure you water regularly, for a total of about one inch per week. Although zinnias can actually tolerate dry conditions, this plant will do much better with consistent moisture in the soil. Make sure you keep excess moisture away from the foliage by watering at the base of the plant. Doing this will help to keep the plant healthy and prevent disease.

The propagation: Zinnias seeds are easy to save by letting the flowers dry completely on the stem. You can remove the seeds by lightly crushing the dried seed head. Make sure you store the seeds in a cool, dry place for planting next spring. Don’t forget that seeds saved from hybrid plants may not develop true to the parent plant.

Pest and diseases control: Some diseases like bacterial and fungal spots, powdery mildew and bacterial wilt can really be a problem for zinnias. If you can actually keep the foliage dry and also provide good air circulation it will go a long way toward prevention. This plant can also be host to mealybugs, caterpillars and spider mites. You can remove caterpillars by hand, but mealybugs and spider mites can be treated with insecticidal soap. You can try cultivars from the Profusion series for increased resistance to powdery mildew.