How long for zinnia seeds to bloom

Zinnias' pointy seeds, shaped like little arrowheads, require only basic garden prep to sprout: sow them in well-drained soil, where there's full sun and lots of summer heat, and you'll have tiny seedlings in days, with flowers powering up in just a few weeks. No perennial can claim that speed! One gardening friend doesn't even bother to prepare her soil—she simply sprinkles seeds wherever she'd like a few zinnias, waters those spots for a couple of days, and lets zinnias' easy-to-grow nature take its course.

With variety names like that, you know you're in for color. Zinnias come in a preposterous palette of every bright and pastel except the blues , plus bi-colors, tri-colors, and crazy-quilt mixes designed for cutting, to attract pollinators, etc. Zinnias have style, in addition to long, strong stems, so they are naturally destined for the vase. Wonderful language gets used when describing zinnia flowers: stars and daisies, dahlias and spiders, buttons and domes, and quill-leaf cactus. Flowers can be "singles," with petals lined up in a row around an open center, or semi-doubles, or doubles.

All work marvelously in floral arrangements. Of course, the tall varieties are the zinnias of choice for cutting: 'Benary's Giant' is famous for its three-foot-tall, sturdy stems and large flowers. Cut zinnia stems at an angle just above a bud joint. Zinnias are typically long-lasting in a vase—strip the stems of all but the most visible leaves before setting them in water. Zinnias are low maintenance. Since they're fast-growing, they shade out weeds. They don't require much in the way of fertilizing just an occasional well-balanced mix , and they don't need mulching.

Deadheading helps to produce more flowers. No time to deadhead? Many varieties of zinnias will last from seven to 12 days in a vase. Flower farmers will attest that zinnias with their brilliant colors, easy care and long vase life are one of the most profitable flowers to grow.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. Growing zinnias in your flower garden. Did you find this article useful? Please tell us why Submit. Top-rated garden flowers for cutting — Part 2. Top-rated garden flowers for cutting — Part 1. Plan now for a beautiful flower cutting garden. The Star of Bethlehem: a beautiful and meaningful cut flower. Storing peonies to bloom at a later date. Color: Golden yellow shown , deep red, orange, carmine rose, coral, lime, wine, purple, bright pink, white, salmon rose, and scarlet.

This compact zinnia grows quickly and has single flowers. It is heat, humidity and drought tolerant. Get plant information, gardening solutions, design inspiration and more in our weekly newsletter. More about the newsletter. Copyright All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Get planting advice, garden design tips and trends, monthly checklists for your area, product specials and more in our weekly newsletter.

Subscribe No Thanks. From tools to furniture, these garden products are sure to delight. Discover unique garden products curated by the Garden Design editors, plus items you can use to solve problems in your garden right now, and best sellers from around the web. Flower Resources Discover the right flowers for your garden. Zinnias are appropriate for seasonal use in all zones. Exposure: Full sun Bloom Time: Late spring until first frost, but may show a slow-down in blooming at the peak of heat in summer.

Color: Flowers bloom in shades of orange, pink, purple, red, white and yellow and there are also bi-color and tri-color varieties.

Characteristics: Zinnias come in a wide variety of flower shapes with stars, daisies, dahlias, spiders, buttons, domes, and quill-leaf cactus shapes. Toxicity: Zinnias are safe to plant around animals because they are non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Where to plant: Locate your zinnias in an area that will get at least 6 hours of sun each day and where there is well-draining soil.

How to plant: Zinnias are best started from seed and can be sown directly in the garden after the threat of frost has passed. Watering: Water regularly, for a total of about 1 inch per week. Propagation: Seeds are easy to save by letting the flowers dry completely on the stem.