How to Plant and Care for Zinnias

Zinnias are fast-growing, warm-season annual flowers that bloom with abandon, requiring only minimal care. These flowers come in bold, hot-palette colors, with new ones introduced yearly, including some cool whites. Zinnias thrive in full sunlight, preferring nutrient-rich, well-draining soil.

Zinnia Care

Zinnias, unlike many plants labeled as annuals that are perennial in the warmest hardiness zones, are annuals everywhere. Fortunately, they're very easy to grow. Here are the main care requirements for growing zinnias:

• Choose a sunny spot that gets at least six hours of direct sunlight per day.
• Prepare nutrient-rich, well-draining soil.
• Water occasionally, though these plants are fairly drought-tolerant.
• Consider feeding once or twice throughout the growing season, but as annuals, zinnias don't need much fertilizer.

Light

Plant zinnias in a spot with full sun. You will get the most prolific blooms in a sunny spot, and it will help to keep the leaves dry and thwart powdery mildew before it starts.

Soil

Zinnias prefer to start off in nutrient-rich soil, and it's critical that the soil is well-draining. These plants are not picky about pH level. Overall, any well-draining soil mix should be just fine.

Water

Zinnias are very drought tolerant and don't usually need any supplemental watering.

Temperature and Humidity

It doesn't matter how hot the summer gets; zinnia plants just keep on blooming, even in some of the hottest of the United States.

Fertilizer

Zinnias are easy-going plants, needing only occasional feeding with a well-balanced fertilizer. For the amount to use, follow product label instructions.

Types of Zinnias

There are many cultivars of zinnias available, representing a range of flower colors and plant sizes. Here are some types to try:

• 'Thumbelina' has multi branching flowers that reach 12 to 18 inches tall with semi-double and double 2-inch blossoms in rich pink, salmon, lavender, purple, pumpkin, crimson, and yellow.
• 'State Fair' has tall stems with large dahlia-type blooms, ranging from 3 to 5 inches wide, with double and semi-double blooms that come in red, purple, salmon, yellow, white, and lavender.
• 'Dreamland' offers double flower heads on a compact dwarf plant.
• 'Envy' has semi-double chartreuse flowers that are 30 inches tall.
• 'Orange Star' is a bushy dwarf plant with orange flowers.

Pruning

Zinnias make great cut flowers for bouquets. The more you pick, the more they bloom. Or you can deadhead zinnias for a longer blooming period, but it's unnecessary. They may pause flowering for a while, but they'll start up again.

Propagating Zinnias

There are several ways to propagate zinnias, including division and through cuttings. Here's how to propagate zinnias by taking a cutting, which is best done in spring:

1. Cut a healthy, 6-inch stem that's not yet flowering.
2. Remove the leaves from the bottom half of the cutting.
3. Put the cutting in water and wait for roots.
4. Once roots are a few inches long, plant the cutting in moist soil or directly into the ground.
   

How to Grow Zinnias From Seed

This plant is extremely easy to start from zinnia seeds. You can direct sow as soon as the soil has warmed and there is no chance of frost.

1. Choose a sunny area and prepare appropriate soil.
2. Sow seeds about 1/4 inch deep.
3. Keep soil moist until germination, which should only take a few days.
4. Water and care for as needed.
   

Common Pests and Diseases

Zinnias are quite resilient, but it's possible for them to struggle with leaf spot, root rot, blight, Japanese beetles, aphids, and mites.

Some varieties can be very prone to powdery mildew. To cure, clip back the parts of the plant that are affected. Then, apply a fungicide with neem oil, potassium bicarbonate, copper, or sulfur.

How to Get Zinnias to Bloom

Zinnias are prolific bloomers that are prized for their flowers, which are available in a wide variety of colors and hues.

Bloom Months

Zinnias begin flowering in late spring or early summer, typically June or July depending on where you live, and they will continue to bloom into fall and until the first frost.

What Do Zinnia Flowers Look and Smell Like?

Colorful zinnia flowers come in many sizes and shapes. They are usually rounded and daisy-like, in both single and double forms. They do not offer much of a fragrance and are grown for their bright pops of color, not their scent.

How to Encourage More Blooms

First of all, be sure to plant your zinnias in a spot where they'll get full sunlight, because these plants love sun. Additionally, try starting them out from seed, which often leads to more blooms.

Pinch the main growth of young plants once they're about a foot tall, promoting branching and increasing the eventual number of blooms. And finally, deadhead zinnias throughout the summer to keep them producing flowers.