Where to Start
Zinnia, or Zinnia elegans, is a large annual seed that packs one heck of a punch. It grows virtually everywhere and can germinate in only five days! Most gardeners plant their zinnia seeds directly into the garden where they want them to bloom, so choose a good place with good soil, loosening the soil, and then just scatter the seeds. Unlike most wild flowers, zinnia seeds need to be sprinkled with about a quarter inch of soil. Just put it right on top of the seeds, and then establish seed-to-soil contact. Just tossing the seeds on the soil isn’t enough. You have to press them into the dirt as shown in our video about planting Salmon Queen Zinnias from seed.
In larger plantings, press the seeds down with a lawn roller or a piece of plywood. Then, water the area until they sprout, which is usually in under a week.
Salmon Queen
The hybridizers have been hard at work on zinnias, and among their more memorable colors is this one, which goes by the name Salmon Queen. Salmon Queen blooms about a foot high, and works beautifully at the front of a border. Its big double blooms can be up to 4 inches across making them ideal for cut flowers.
As for zones (as hardy as ever) zinnia is approved for all of them. In fact, they’re so easy to grow, you can plant them in spring or fall after frost. As the name would imply, zinnias definitely like sun, so whatever you do, don’t plant them in deep shade.
Dozens of Varieties to Love
Eden Brothers offers over 80 varieties and mixes in the zinnia category, but these have been some our most consistent and popular picks, so check them out today! And if you’d like to learn more about zinnias, check out (and download!) our Zinnia Planting Guide.
