If you’ve been following along, you may have caught on that Zinnias haven’t always been my favorite flower. I used to think zinnias only came in the bright reds, yellows, and oranges. I would scroll right past them when seed shopping or overlook the seed packets in the garden centers. I quickly realized the error of my ways, and have been kicking myself since for the years wasted that I could have been growing these beautiful flowers! Now, they are a staple in my cut flower garden. However, I firmly believe every gardener should have some zinnias growing. Not just the flower farmers.

Why I Love Growing Zinnias

There are plenty of beautiful flowers to grow, but zinnias are always going to be dependable.

Once they get going, they bloom continuously from summer until your first hard frost. Every time you cut them, the plant responds by sending up even more blooms. Literally, the more you cut, the better they perform!

A single planting can provide armfuls of flowers for bouquets, gifts, your kitchen table, or simply to brighten your home.

They’re also one of the easiest flowers to grow from seed, making them perfect for beginners. You don’t need fancy equipment or years of gardening experience to have success with zinnias. The best part, they actually do best when direct sown in the garden. Which means, you don’t even have to worry about starting them inside with grow lights. Sprinkle some seeds down after your last frost date, and you’ll soon have these lovely flowers popping up.

A Rainbow of Colors to Choose From

One of the things that makes zinnias so much fun is the incredible variety available- something that took me way too long to figure out.

You can grow flowers the size of dinner plates or tiny button-sized blooms. Some have single petals that attract pollinators, while others are packed with layers and layers of petals that resemble dahlias.

Colors include:

• Soft blush
• Cream
• White
• Butter yellow
• Bright yellow
• Peach
• Coral
• Salmon
• Orange
• Red
• Burgundy
• Lavender
• Purple
• Lime green
• Nearly every shade in between

Many varieties even change color as they mature, giving bouquets incredible depth and texture. Whether your style is soft cottage garden pastels or bold summer color, I’m sure there’s a zinnia out there for you.

They Are Pollinator Magnets

While I tend to grow zinnias for bouquets, the pollinators appreciate them just as much. This is why I believe every gardener should have a patch of zinnias. It’s a perfect way to encourage pollinators to stop by your garden, which means more benefits for your vegetables or other plants you may have growing!

Why They Make an Incredible Cut Flower

Zinnias tend to be one of the hardest working flowers in my garden.

Here’s why:

• Long, sturdy stems.
• Hundreds of blooms from one planting.
• Continuous flowering all summer.
• Wide range of colors.
• Mix beautifully with almost every other flower.
• Easy to harvest.
• Easy to arrange.
• Excellent vase life when harvested correctly.

Zinnias can be the focal flower in a bouquet or simply fill in empty spaces with color.

They pair beautifully with:

• Cosmos
• Snapdragons
• Celosia
• Daucus (Queen Anne’s Lace)
• Basil flowers
• Feverfew
• Rudbeckia
• Sunflowers
• Dahlias
• Gomphrena

They are the kind of flower that easily makes a bouquet feel full and abundant- which is a huge goal as a flower farmer.

How to Grow Zinnias Successfully

The biggest key to success is sunshine. Zinnias thrive in full sun and need at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight every day.

They also appreciate well drained soil, and are one of the few flowers that doesn’t need perfect soil. However, adding compost before planting gives them a healthy start and encourages stronger plants.

One of the main perks being a Zone 5b gardener, is unlike some flowers that prefer cooler weather, zinnias absolutely love summer heat. In fact, once temperatures climb, they really begin to take off and do incredibly well.

Direct Sow or Start Indoors?

Both methods work- but I’d recommend direct sowing. Not only is it easier to direct sow, but zinnias germinate quickly and don’t like their roots disturbed. That means if you start them indoors (which can give you earlier blooms), you run a higher risk of transplant shock and losing some of your baby zinnia plants.

There is a current trend called “chaos gardening” where growers sprinkle a packet of seeds and see what happens. Zinnias are actually PERFECT for this! If you don’t have the best green thumb, zinnias are where you should start!

Space Matters

It’s tempting to plant everything close together, especially when seedlings are tiny. I’m not going to lie, I am notorious for crowding my garden. This is a “do as I say, not as I do” situation.
Because zinnias get so large so quickly, and tend to branch at every leaf node, giving zinnias proper spacing is one of the best ways to prevent disease later in the season. If plants are too close together, they are incredibly prone to powdery mildew or other fungal diseases that can spread through contact or the spray of a garden hose against the dirt.

Good airflow is important to keep the zinnias happy and healthy. I would recommend a 9-12 inch spacing of each zinnia plant. That means, if you notice your seedlings popping up close together, it would be best to thin them out when they are young and easy to separate.

The Secret to More Flowers

This might be the hardest lesson for new gardeners.

Cut your flowers.

Don’t be afraid to harvest your zinnias. The more stems you cut, the more branching the plant does.

When figuring out where to cut, don’t be afraid to cut DEEP. You may have a blooming zinnia with a stem only a few inches long, before it branches into more stems. Go deeper down to the next node. Trust me. Sacrificing those top branches will mean longer stems and more production in the long run.

Pinching for Bigger Plants

When young plants reach around 8–12 inches tall, many gardeners will actually pinch out the growing tip. I’ll admit, I tend to forget to do this with my zinnias. It’s not essential, but just like cutting deep when harvesting blooms, it is going to encourage more branching and longer stems.

Knowing When to Harvest

One mistake many people make is cutting flowers too early. An immature zinnia bloom will quickly wilt in a vase- sometimes even overnight.

A simple trick flower farmers use is called the wiggle test. Hold the stem a few inches below the flower and gently wiggle it.

If the flower head flops from side to side, it isn’t ready yet.

If it stays firm and upright, it’s ready to harvest and should have a much longer vase life.

It’s one of the easiest tricks to learn, and it makes a huge difference. Soon, you’ll be wandering through your garden wiggling all of the zinnias. Your neighbors might question your methods, but you will have long lasting blooms (usually over a week!).

Saving Seeds

One of my favorite things about zinnias is how easy they are to save.

Allow a few flowers to remain on the plant until they dry completely. Inside each bloom are dozens of seeds you can collect to plant out the following year.

Keep in mind that zinnias cross pollinate quite easily, so if you plant multiple varieties, you will not have an exact copy the next year. This can be a fun way to experiment and produce new color and unique colors and sizes.

Final Thoughts

If I had to choose one flower that captures summer, it would be a zinnia.

Whether you’re hoping to fill your home with fresh bouquets, attract butterflies, grow flowers for your vegetable garden, or simply enjoy some color outside your kitchen window, zinnias are one of the best flowers you can grow.

Plant a packet once, and I have a feeling they’ll become a permanent part of your garden too.

Do you have zinnias growing in your garden this year? I’d love to hear your favorite varieties below!