One of my favorite garden tasks is caring for a cutting garden that produces fresh flowers all year long. Most people are unaware that zinnias may be planted into the late summer and enjoyed until the fall, despite the fact that they are a popular addition to spring cutting gardens. Zinnias grow well in hot climates and are simple to grow from seed. Because the temperature is typically a little dryer in the fall, zinnia growing conditions are ideal. I advise sowing zinnia seeds by August 15th to enjoy them all fall long. After the first frost, they will go extinct.
Full sun and well-drained soil are preferred by zinnias. Sow seeds 9–12 inches apart. Pinching zinnias when they are young is beneficial when they are grown for cut flowers. Longer flower stems and branching are encouraged by pinching. When the second or third true leaf set occurs, pinch off the new growth. Only one pinch is necessary. Additionally, zinnia cuttings encourage additional branching and flowering. I advise deadheading the spent flowers if you’d rather leave them on the plant. Deadheading is the process of removing wilted flowers to promote new growth and prevent disease.
Although zinnias can withstand short periods of drought, they occasionally need irrigation. Keep overhead irrigation to a minimum. Use a drip tape, a soaker hose, or just let your hose drip at the plants’ bases. The spread of illness can be stopped by watering the plants at their bases. Those who have ever raised zinnias are likely to have encountered zinnia leaf spots. Leaf spots on zinnias begin at the plant’s base and progress up the leaves, finally killing the plants. Different fungus diseases can cause zinnia leaf spots, which can be treated with fungicide sprays. Since you will have plenty of time to enjoy zinnias before the spots take over, I often advise against spraying them. However, if you must, consider rotating mancozeb with myclobutanil (Spectracide Immunox) every seven days to ward off the spots.
Although there are numerous zinnia seed variations available online, I find that whichever variety the neighborhood garden center provides works just as well. I suggest giving them all a try! Old favorites include The Benary Giant, State Fair, and Cactus Flowered Mix. Good fortune!
How late may zinnia seeds be sown?
Look no further than zinnias if you’re looking to plant flowers for brilliant summer color. There are so many different zinnia kinds that it’s no wonder they’re so well-liked as cut flowers.
Zinnias can be planted outside in May, but they can also be planted indoors from February through April. Simply pick a productive, weed-free place, whether it be a hole in a fence or a patch of bare ground, and start planting.
As soon as they blossom, you may anticipate a riot of summer color that will last until the first fall frosts.
Look no further than zinnias if you’re looking to plant flowers for brilliant summer color.
Step 3
In order to identify what you are growing, label the space and thoroughly water the seeds. As seedlings start to grow, keep the soil moist but not wet and cover with a cloche.
Zinnias for pollinators
Pollinating insects, especially hoverflies, are drawn to zinnias. Grow single-flowered kinds that don’t restrict pollinator access so they can get to the pollen and nectar.
Can August be used to plant flower seeds?
A second gardening season that can be as fruitful as your initial early spring plantings can be started in August, which is the best time to do so. For a nice fall vegetable and herb harvest, late summer is ideal.
Based on your location’s Hardiness Zone, the flower, vegetable, and herb varieties listed below are excellent choices for planting in August.
Beans (Zones 3-8): With the soil and air has warmed up, early August is the final viable time to plant both bush and pole beans. Study More: Growing Beans: A Guide Recommended cultivars include Vermont Cranberry Shell, Golden Wax, Scarlet Runner, and Slenderette.
Growing fall/winter cover crops this fall is an excellent approach to enrich your soil with nutrients for the upcoming season (Zones 3-10). Start in August to ensure that they have a good amount of growth before winter. Study More: Growing Cover Crops: A Guide Offer variety: Autumn Mix
Cucumbers (Zones 3-9): Planting bush or vine cucumbers in August will produce a tasty yield in the fall. Although vine cultivars require far more area than bush kinds, they might have the finest flavor. Study More: Growing Cucumbers: A Guide Variety suggestions Calypso, marketer, and Carolina
Flowers (Zones 3-8): August is the ideal month to grow these flowers for a stunning harvest in the fall. Many different types can be planted this fall to begin blooming in the early spring. Recommended Varieties: Alyssum, Snapdragons, and Marigolds
Kale (Zones 3-9): If kale is planted now from mid-July to mid-August, it will produce a fantastic harvest in the fall and winter. Study More: Growing Kale: A Guide Recommended varieties: Dwarf Siberian and Red Russian
Sow lettuce in August for a fall crop (zones 3-8). Consider cultivating early-harvest types to get a harvest before the cold weather arrives. Study More: Growing Lettuce: A Guide Recommended Varieties: Mesclun Salad Mix, Spicy Salad Blend, All Year Round
Peas (Zones 3-7): For a reasonable fall yield, it’s best to grow sweet and green peas in August. Study More: Growing Peas: A Guide suggested varieties: Wando, Cascadia, and Tom Thumb
Radishes are one of the fastest-growing vegetables and are simple to grow (zones 3-9). Plant today, and in 30 days they’ll be ready! Study More: Radishes: How to Grow Them Recommended varieties: Black Spanish Round, Comet, and Watermelon Radish
Spinach (Zones 3-8): A good fall crop can be had by sowing spinach in August, which is more of a cool-weather veggie. Study More: Growing Spinach types to consider include Red Kitten, Bloomsdale, and Renegade
Please choose from the options below to view a full map and planting timetable for your state.
Can zinnia seeds be planted in the summer?
Nowadays, not many flowers are cultivated from seeds, but zinnias are worthwhile. These simple summer annuals reward the grower with colorful flowers up to six inches across that complement both urban and rural gardens and make lovely bouquets.
My summer flower garden last year got off to a late start, with my zinnia seeds not being planted until July. May or June is the suggested time so that plants can establish themselves before the sweltering summer heat.
I went to my local nursery and purchased many packages of zinnia seeds as I hadn’t placed a catalog order. But I also bought some zinnia seedlings in the hopes that they would produce a yield earlier.
To my amazement, the nursery seedlings only blossomed 10 days before my seed-grown plants did, despite having a lead start. Although the blooms in each group were beautiful, the plants grown from seeds cost a fraction of what I paid for nursery plants, and the seeds produced hundreds of plants—many more than I needed.
Zinnias are available in a huge range of shapes and sizes. The huge, cactus-flowered blossoms with mop-headed daisy-like heads are my favorites. The tiny lilliput (pompon) species, whose thickly packed petals resemble parrot feathers, is another favorite of mine.
The Haageana or Mexicana variety features 1 1/2-inch flowers with pointed petals bordered with a contrasting shade, as opposed to the more formal dahlia-flowered zinnias, which have huge blooms with flat petals.
It’s laughably simple to grow zinnias. Children frequently perform on par with skilled gardeners. Contrary to petunias or snapdragons, the seeds are huge, making it easy to seed them and give them the proper spacing.
Make a furrow in the prepared soil that is about 1 inch deep. The seeds should be deposited four inches apart. To prevent the seeds from being washed away, cover with one-eighth inch of soil and water lightly. Till the seeds sprout, which typically takes four to eight days, keep the soil moist. Transplant any surplus seedlings to bare places or pots after thinned to a distance of 10 inches.
Mildew is the main issue with zinnias, especially where I live near the shore. Planting zinnias early enough in the summer to allow them to bloom before late September, when the days start to get shorter and the plants get more damp at night, can lessen its effects. It’s also a good idea to water the roots solely, leaving the foliage dry. Spray a fungicide, such as Funginex, on the leaves at the first indication of a white powder coating them.
I experimented with Z. augustifolia one summer (also called zinnia classic, Z. linearias, or thin-leaved zinnia). Although its 1 1/2-inch golden-orange semidouble blooms were not as eye-catching as modern hybrids’, the plants did have one enticing quality that made them stand out: they did not develop mildew, even in my humid climate.
Now I find that the Z. elegans and Z. augustifolia hybridizers at Burpee have produced a pink, 2 1/2-inch bloom that is supposedly mildew-resistant. In the flower garden this summer, I can’t wait to test this new type, Rose Pinwheel.
I’ll also plant pink cosmos, pink statice, rose cleome, blue salvia (S. farinacea Victoria), rose shades of strawflower, and gloriosa daisies around it. Rose Pinwheel’s gold centers should compliment the gold daisies well, and blue is a great complementary hue in general.
I’ll start the strawflowers in flats a few weeks prior to planting them in the garden because they take longer to flower. The seeds for all the other plants will be planted right in the garden. Although blue salvia is simple to cultivate from seed, it takes several months before it starts to bloom, making it a summer flower that I typically buy from the nursery.
All of my plants will be cultivated next to soaker hoses so that I may use water as effectively as possible. My irrigation system is basic, despite the fact that some irrigation systems are fairly complex (with computer timers and multivalve stations).
I use 150 feet of soaker hose connected to the garden hose for each tier of my garden where annuals are sown. Twice a week, I let the water run gently for about five hours. I may decide whether to apply more or less by keeping an eye on the soil’s moisture level.
Several well-known zinnia strains can be acquired at garden centers for gardeners who like the speed and convenience of seedlings.
The biggest is State Fair, a dependable favorite that has been around for years and is dahlia-flowered. On 12- to 18-inch bushes, the Peter Pan, Pulchino, and Cut-and-Come-Again zinnias yield three-inch flattened blooms. Thumbelina, the smallest zinnia, is adorable but only blooms for a little period of time, making it seem hardly worth the effort.
Zinnias are a favorite of Terry Hartog, who grows thousands of bedding plants for his Vintage Nursery in Lakewood. Because of its relatively big blossom size and compact growth, he prefers a mass planting of Peter Pan that is surrounded by the white vinca Little Bright Eye. The bottom leaves of zinnias can grow unattractive, thus the vinca conceals them.
According to Terry, both vinca and zinnias are suitable for hot climates since they can withstand the heat.
The best assortment of zinnias may be found in catalogues like Burpee Gardens, Warminster, PA 18974 (with zinnias on the cover), and Park Seed, Greenwood, SC 29647-0001. The majority of neighborhood garden centers also carry a range of zinnia seeds.
When growing zinnias from seed, how long does it take?
Beautiful flowers like zinnias are ideal for novice gardeners! These annual flowers come in a wide range of hues and variations, adding a vibrant pop of color to your yard and making them ideal for bouquet-making. Zinnias require only plenty of sun, warmth, and well-drained soil to thrive and can be grown without much care from summer until the first hard frost in the fall. They don’t have any significant pest issues and can draw lovely butterflies to your garden.
Depending on your location, the growing strategy may change slightly. When the temperature starts to rise, zinnia seeds can be sown immediately into the garden in warmer climates. Here in New England, it takes longer for the temperature to rise, so if you can keep the soil between 70 and 80 degrees F, you can start the growing process about a month before the final frost is predicted. Since zinnias dislike being transferred, sow seeds in peat pots that can be placed straight in the garden. From seed to flower, zinnias normally require two months, though this might vary depending on the weather.
Here are some more hints for growing zinnias:
- For your zinnias, choose an area that is sunny and bright.
- Zinnia seeds require sunshine to sprout, so only cover them with 1/4 inch of dirt.
- Keep the soil damp while the flowers grow.
- Thin seedlings to 6-8 inches apart for small varieties and 1 foot apart for large varieties when they are 2-3 inches tall.
- Avoid drowning the zinnias in water. Water intake of 1 inch per week is advised.
- To encourage the zinnias to generate more blooms, remove any faded or dead flower flowers. Deadheading is the term for this.
Before planting zinnia seeds, should I soak them?
If you’re raising zinnias from seed for the first time this year, you might still have some concerns. Here, I’ll address them for you.
How do you germinate zinnia seeds fast?
To hasten the germination of zinnia seeds, keep the seed trays warm. The biggest effect will be made by heated mats and a warm environment. Zinnia seeds can germinate in as little as five days when the soil is 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, the ideal temperature for germination.
Should I soak zinnia seeds before planting?
Before sowing, zinnia seeds don’t require soaking. The seeds of zinnias are designed to sprout quickly when exposed to water since they are warm-season annual flowers that are indigenous to hot climates like Mexico and the southwest of the United States. The seeds only need to be sown and watered for germination to begin.
How long do zinnia seeds take to germinate?
The normal germination time for zinnias is 5 to 10 days. Seeds sown in trays with the soil kept warm at 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit using heat mats will germinate more quickly than seeds sown in cold soil, which could take up to three weeks.
Do zinnia seeds need light to germinate?
Zinnia seeds should be placed with 1/4 inch of dirt on top of them because they don’t require light to germinate. The seeds will require intense light in the form of a shop light or grow light as they begin to germinate and break the soil’s surface.
At what temperature do zinnias germinate?
Zinnia seeds should be germinated at 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The soil will reach these temperatures with the help of a heat mat put beneath the seed trays. In soil that is colder than 70 degrees, the seeds will still germinate, but it will take longer.
Do zinnia seeds need cold stratification?
Cold stratification, which involves chilling seeds prior to sowing, is not necessary for zinnias. The seeds of zinnias are designed to germinate without being exposed to cold because they are warm-season annuals that are native to hot climates.