Don’t just snip zinnias for bouquets; take your time. The lifespan of the zinnia vase can be greatly increased by correctly cutting the stems. The Old Farmer’s Almanac advises going outside to cut your zinnias early in the morning or later in the evening. You want to avoid the midday sun. Additionally, keep an eye out for blossoms that have begun to open but are still closed, since these will stay longer.
Use pointed pruners or shears to guarantee a clean cut while trimming the zinnias. Chicago Botanic Garden advises cutting the stems at a little slant immediately above a bud junction. When arranging your flowers, leave as much length as you can so that you can trim it to a vase length afterwards. Make sure to remove all of the stem’s leaves, excluding those closest to the flower. To keep the zinnia cut flowers hydrated, place them in a jar with lukewarm water as you work.
To avoid sap loss once inside, recut the stems under water and then scald them. To achieve this, place the stems over a candle flame or into a pot of boiling water for 20 seconds. To encourage hydration, leave the chopped zinnias in a jar of lukewarm water for several hours or even overnight. The process will be aided by placing the container in a cold, dark environment.
Are zinnias suitable as cut flowers?
I don’t know about you, but a zinnia was among the first flowers I ever raised from seeds.
I was amazed by how quickly the State Fair zinnia patch took off after buying it from a cheap ten-cent packet with the worst picture ever on it. The zinnias grew enormously and blossomed with ease over the heat, muggy summer, covering the garden and landscape in their vibrant, fiery hues.
There is unquestionably something about the vibrantly colored blooms that is simply breathtaking. They are a beautiful flower, and I’m glad we can regularly grow them wherever we live. And because they are so simple to grow, I believe we will continue to plant them every year.
The workhorse of most flower farms, zinnias produce season after season of limitless, plentiful bucketfuls of large, fluffy, bright blossoms with little effort. As I produce more flowers, I find that zinnias are my favorite variety to grow because of how well they perform both in the garden and when cut into arrangements.
Selecting your Variety
There are many different zinnia varieties available, seemingly for every need and circumstance.
There are large, enormous zinnias like the “Benary Giant” series, which have beautiful double stunning flowers in a wide range of colors and can measure around 3–4 inches across. They are almost like Gerbera daisies in appearance—fully double in most cases, with those same fluffy outer petals that resemble a tutu—making them the ideal zinnias for cutting and utilizing in arrangements.
However, there is also the “Queen” series. The “Queen” series is a lesson in subtlety as compared to the “Benary Giant” series’ vivid and striking hues. These zinnias are unlike the ones you see in home gardens and landscapes because they have a lovely tarnished, heirloom quality to them. They come in subdued dusty pink tones and pair beautifully with the delicate light green of viburnum and hydrangea petals. They also have excellent form, sometimes taking on an almost spherical, ideal shape.
If you prefer smaller blooms to the enormous ones, there are lesser varieties of zinnias available. The ‘Oklahoma’ line of zinnias, which come in all the hues of the zinnia rainbow, are particularly noteworthy. These miniature double flowers bloom profusely and abundantly, resembling tiny macarons on top of the stems.
Another option is the “Zinderella” series, which is distinguished by its puffy, scabiosa-flowered forms. Even though we rarely get the cupcake-shaped scabiosa flowering forms after growing these for several years (less than 5% of all the plants we grow have any sort of double nature, instead usually ending up as singles), they are still stunning with the pale light lavender of Zinderella lilac and pale peach of Zinderella peach, respectively, that add a certain elegance and lightness to any arrangement.
It’s interesting to note that the ‘Cresto’ series of zinnias are also purported to flower in the scabiosa form, purportedly at a greater rate of 75%. We’ll expand this year to determine whether or not it’s true.
The haageana group of zinnias are the last group. Although they are short and prolific, these zinnias are typically better suited for the front of the border or as bedding plants. However, if they are pinched firmly and given enough water and fertilizer to thrive, they may eventually produce flowers that are tall enough to be used in arrangements.
The ‘Jazzy’ mix, a warm-toned haageana group zinnia with lots of doubles and bicolors in little sizes that work well combining into bouquets and arrangements all season long, has captured my heart in particular.
Scheduling
Zinnias may bloom from seed to full bloom in around 75 days, which is very quick for such a lovely flower. They grow from seed incredibly quickly and readily, so you’ll get a plant that will develop soon and become rather enormous.
Zinnias are a typical example of a hot annual that thrives in the heat of July and August because they are native to Mexico. So they require heat to germinate when you start your zinnias. If you’re starting zinnias early in the season, you can use a heat mat; alternatively, when the ground is warm enough, you can direct-sow them (my favorite way of doing so).
I’ll really start early to make sure the “fancy zinnias”—the Benary Giants, the Queen series, and the Zinderella series—get a little bit of cooler weather when they’re first growing because it helps them develop the wonderful double flowering forms at a faster rate.
Seeding
Because they are so big, zinnia seeds are simple to handle. They are the perfect size for gripping between your thumb and forefinger and planting into the ground; they resemble sunflower seeds in size. They are one of the few plants that I direct sow, which is one of the reasons.
Remember that heat is necessary for the zinnia seeds to germinate, whether it comes from a heat mat, the sun’s rays, or the residual heat from the sun-warmed ground. You can surface plant zinnia seeds as long as you keep them moist and warm, but I prefer to cover mine with a small layer of mud or soil to keep them moist during the germination process.
Keep an eye on them and plant them out immediately if you are planting into trays or soil blocks. Zinnias can become root-bound because of their rapid growth and ability to outgrow tiny soil blocks or cells. We often transplant them out after they develop their first pair of genuine leaves, so you don’t want that to happen.
Growing Out
Since most of us don’t live in the Pacific Northwest near the beach, we can still produce wonderful zinnias as they can survive a very wide range of circumstances. The optimal climate for zinnias is around 70-80 F during the day and enough of moisture and air movement.
Once they start growing, zinnias take very little maintenance. They manage heat, sun, drought, and even rain reasonably well. They will develop into large, bushy plants that can occasionally reach 3′ broad and as tall as long as they have a reliable source of nutrients and water.
Given our generally dry location, we don’t use netting, but if your zinnias grow too tall and succulent, you might want to. Personally, we like to plant our zinnias just far enough apart to ensure that they sustain one another.
Harvesting
Because they are one of those flowers that bloom again after being cut, zinnias are definitely a fantastic flower for cutting. The plant will continue to produce flowers for you all season long as long as you keep cutting them.
It’s crucial to cut the first stem all the way to the plant’s base because it is the largest and most magnificent stem you will ever receive, sometimes measuring about half an inch thick.
In essence, the zinnia plant is being pinched in this way to encourage the growth of multiple side shoots. In spite of the fact that it may seem counterintuitive and be excruciating to do so, especially after waiting so long for the first flower to blossom, I tell you that it is crucial to do so in order to ensure that your zinnias continue to produce.
Avoid the error of leaving your zinnia plants’ blossoms on them for an excessively lengthy period of time. First of all, blooms that remain on the plant begin to deteriorate and make a patch of zinnias appear worn-out or obsolete. A zinnia will begin producing seed if you leave old flowers on it, which means that it will focus all of its energy on creating seeds rather than continuing to produce flowers for you to cut.
The optimal time to pick zinnias is when the outermost petals are open or nearly open but the interior coiled firmly. The stem test, which involves jiggling the zinnia back and forth while holding it by the stem, is the best way to find out. The zinnia is ready for harvesting if the stem is quite sturdy and the top of the flower doesn’t shift around too much. It’s not nearly time to harvest a zinnia if the stem flops back and forth, making the flower’s head flap around like a muppet.
Zinnias should be cut into cool, fresh water. The water must be extremely clean because zinnias are known for being “dirty flowers,” which quickly sully their water. The cleaner the water, the better. We are aware of numerous flower farmers who use zinnia chlorine tablets to keep their water sparkling and fresh.
Arranging
Because of their complementary colors and their disc-like form, which mimics the pattern and shape of other prominent flowers, zinnias make excellent supporting or secondary flowers.
Having said that, a Senora or a Benary Giant can be utilized as the focus flower on their own, depending on the size and style of your arrangement.
The larger zinnias, such as the Queen series or the Benary Giants, are typically used as the primary supporting flowers, and the smaller zinnias, such as Jazzy Mix, Oklahomas, and Zinderellas, are used as the secondary supporting flowers. It again serves to generate rhythm and pattern within an arrangement, which really helps to bring arrangements together and make them feel very cohesive, when comparable flowers of various scales and types are mixed together.
Fresh zinnias should be used in your bouquets. Although some people have claimed to preserve zinnias for up to seven days, we find that they often only endure for three to four days for us. To guarantee that florists receive the freshest zinnias possible, we often strive to cut them the night before delivery.
If you’ve been hesitant to grow zinnias because you believed they were too basic, only came in gaudy bright colors, or weren’t deserving of your attention, I hope this year will be the year that you give it a try. No other flower can genuinely provide you with as much beauty and production while being as simple to grow and happy to thrive in both humid and rich soil and drought-prone environments.
Check out our eBook series on growing cut flowers for profit and success if you’re interested in flower farming and want to learn how to cultivate zinnias and other flowers as a business.
In the vase, do zinnias bloom?
8. You might utilize zinnia buds in your de signals due to their brief vase life. They will begin to open in the customer’s house, extending the vase’s overall life. However, if you do this, make sure to leave enough space in the arrangement for the blooms to fully unfold.
After clipping, do zinnias bloom again?
The extreme heat and dry conditions have forced many growers to scramble to tend to and harvest their stressed fields and gardens, including here on our farm in the Skagit Valley and throughout much of the Western United States. While many flowers bloom profusely in this kind of weather, it is crucial to know the optimum times to harvest and ways to care for your fresh cut blooms immediately after they are cut if you want your flowers to last as long as possible—especially with the added stress of high temperatures. (This is referred to as “stage of harvest” and “post-harvest handling” in the language of flower farmers.)
Here are some of my favorite hints for avoiding heat waves and getting the longest vase life possible from 10 high summer flower varietals.
Zinnias: To ensure a long vase life, zinnias must be harvested at the proper time. Wait too long, and the blossoms will swiftly fade; harvest too soon, and the stalks will sag and droop. The “wiggle test” is a pretty easy way to determine whether your zinnias are ready for harvest. Simply take hold of the stalk a few inches below the flower and gently shake it. The stem will be delicate and flexible if it is young. If it is ripe to harvest, the stem remains stiff and upright when you wiggle it. Cut time has come! To create a long, sturdy stem, deeply cut the plant. Don’t be hesitant to clip off lateral sprouts on the main stem you just plucked; remove the foliage as well. Because zinnias are “cut and come again” flowers, they will continue to grow all season long even after being severely pruned.
We cut zinnias and place them directly into clean, fresh water that has either been supplemented with a drop of chlorine or a CVBn pill. The little conditioning pills, which are frequently marketed for gerber daisies, are actually ideal for all of the “dirty flowers with hairy stems that easily gather dirt and bacteria that can muddy up the water.” The hottest time of the year is when zinnias blossom continuously, and they also enjoy heat throughout the post-harvest period. One of the few flowers we don’t treat in the cooler before delivery or design work is this one. Simply said, we keep them out of direct sunlight in a dark, shaded area of our studio. These few easy steps will give you gorgeous, long-lasting blossoms that last 7–10 days in a vase.
Note: In general, certified organic agriculture does not permit the use of commercial flower food. Using bleach or hot water and harvesting at the right stage are crucial if you have certification. To give your flowers the longest possible vase life even if you are not certified organic, CVBn tablets and other hydration and conditioning options are worth the extra money.
Basil: During the height of the summer, we nearly always add at least one or two stems of Cardinal, Oriental Breeze, Lemon, or Cinnamon basil in our mixed bouquets of flowers for grocery store clients. When the flower heads start to appear and the stems start to harden, I pick the basil. To keep them from wilting, I treat them with Quick Dip (a non-organic alternative) or boiling water (an organic alternative). As these plants wilt quickly, be cautious to harvest them in the cool of the morning or evening. Basil doesn’t like the cold, just like zinnias, so keep them out of the refrigerator to finish their conditioning. The vase is frequently where stems root, and they should last 7 to 10 days.
The fuzzy, aromatic leaves of scented geraniums are a must-have for bouquets, but if you don’t take a few simple precautions, they could wilt easily. In order to avoid the heat of the day, I always attempt to trim the scented geraniums first thing in the morning. I sliced them, placed them in cool water, and gave them 3–4 hours to rest and condition before arranging them. Dip the bottom 2-3 in boiling water for 5-7 seconds or dip the stems in Quick Dip if they are still wilting.
Another flower that is prone to wilting is the hydrangea. Perhaps more significant than the harvesting stage is how you hydrate the produce after it has been sliced. My secret is to cut them when they are still chilly, use Quick Dip quick hydration solution, or cut them into hot water for organic production. I am familiar with some flower growers who swear by dipping the just-cut stems in alum powder (found in the grocery store’s spice aisle), while others would soak the entire bloom in water before use to prevent wilting.
Cosmos: Cosmos generally don’t have a very long vase life, but if you cut them at the proper point, you can extend their beauty. Cosmos should be cut when just one petal is beginning to unfold, and once that happens, let the vase’s other buds and blossoms bloom.
Sunflowers: Harvesting the blooms just as the first few petals begin to lift off of the central disk and removing all but the top few leaves will give your sunflowers the longest vase life possible. This can be challenging for beginners since it still appears to be “closed” and not ready to pick, but if you cut them early, you can prevent bug damage and enjoy longer vase life. These people, who are referred to as “dirty flowers,” may benefit from some bleach in the water or from being cut into a pail of water that has been CVBn-treated.
Celosia: When harvesting crested celosias, also known as “cock’s comb,” wait until the crests are fully grown (or a bit sooner is good too), but before the plant begins to produce seeds. Before plucking celosias with feathers, let them stretch and become feathery. Make sure to remove around 3/4 of the leaves after cutting and submerge them in cool water.
Cerinthe: Harvest during the coldest part of the day, then immediately treat stems by putting the bottom 2-3 inches in boiling water for 7–10 seconds, followed by a cool water bath. After harvest, stems become extremely floppy, but once hydrated, Cerinthe can last up to a week in a vase.
Harvest rudbeckia when the flowers start to unfold. Black Eyed Susans are infamous for fast turning their water murky. By reducing this and extending their vase life, you can expect a vase life of 7 to 10 days by adding a few drops of bleach to the water.
If you have any more advice or methods for gathering high summer blossoms and extending their vase life, please let me know. Please share any more advice in the section below.