Let's talk about Zinnia Seed...

13 years ago

Though I grow both profusion and star zinnias from my own saved seed and some traded seed, I find that zinnias for cutting do best in my yard out of a commercial package. Don't know why that is but it has been discussed here and many agree. Parent plants are grown under more controled conditions commercially.

Last year I did an experiment - - 4 different kinds in a big bed (newly made in April by lasanga method - amazing)and choose a favorite - - but lost the venitian blind label by fall. Might have been oklahoma mix but maybe not. So I am looking for recommendations of varities and best sites to purchase from. I love all the colors and shapes except the pompom ( almost round) kind. Disease resistance is important too. The "lost tag" plants made it through September with no powdery mildew at all. We have automatic sprinklers (which are a god send) but, combined with humidity, can bring on the mildew.

I have a lot of rudbeckia in the gardens, so I am often counting on the zinnias to add contrasting ,bold brightness (reds, deep oranges and apricots, deep pinks)Between 18" - 3.5' with sturdy stems for cutting - - what are your favorites?

Thanks,

Nancy

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Comments (7)

trudi_d
13 years ago
Nan, Zinnias go hand in hand with powdery mildew, and black-eyed-susans get it too. We live on an island, mildew happens. Sigh. Go to a good nursery, or Home Depot, Lowes, Wally World, etc, and look for a product called Bayer Rose Food and Treatment (or some similar name), it's in a silvery blue bottle and has granules you strew about the plants. It's systemic and does a great job at preventing PM on roses and it works great on zinnias, rudbeckias and balsam too.

The Mexican Zinnias seem to have better resistance to PM than the others, and of them I like the parti types. But for just knockout beauty in the garden you can't surpass Cactus Flowered Zinnias, they are my absolute favorites. They are butterfly magnets too, the monarchs, swallowtails and morning cloaks are always on them. Most of the time the Cactus Zinnia are available in dollar store packs, but you can get them from any garden center or catalogue.

Just a suggestion, get a piece of oaktag and map your garden on it then tack the posterboard to the wall in the garage or slip it between your mattresses. I do a mapping each year of my tomato beds because I need to save their seeds, most of the flowers I don't map, and likewise you don't need to map the things you know well, just scribble down a general location and name of the special plants, you can even glue or tape the seed pack to the oaktag. I always put markers out in my garden, written with a commercial sharpie too so they don't fade, but I've seen them blow away in severe storms and Liz, the most wonderful of dogs, will sometimes snatch them out of the beds and chew them up into unreadable piles of shreddies; so for a back up a map is very helpful.

T
karendee
13 years ago
Nancy you are the reason I am growing zinnia! I like them now. Nice bright colors. I did see the store bought packs seemed to do better than the collected seeds.

I planted both anway I like the variety. I will take collected seeds anyday.

I also added some zinnia to a container and they are sprouting now. I sure hope it does not get too cold for them!

Karen
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cynthianovak, thank you for the reply! I'm glad it's not just me who's given into temptation and tried these. I was trying to grow wildflowers that would attract butterflies--that's it, nothing fancy. I wanted to direct sow because--well, because wildflowers should be able to handle direct sowing! And I wanted to use a seed mixture to save money and get a large variety of flowers. I've sown wildflower seeds in this spot at least five times (various brands/e-tailers) over the last couple years, and all I get are weeds. I was so frustrated--I grow a lot of very interesting plants, and I can't grow wildflowers! But then I found the birds pecking away at that garden bed a day after I put out a round of seeds, and I realized they were eating all my seeds and that's why I can't get anything to grow there! I direct sow other seeds in various spots, and I always expect some seeds to be eaten by critters, but I think this empty bed with so many kinds of seeds was just a buffet the birds could not resist. I was really hoping this seed mat would help protect the seeds from birds long enough for them to grow into plants--I thought maybe they wouldn't pick at the seeds so much in this format. And now I can't tell if I just bought a shoddy brand, am doing something wrong, or if the birds are still getting the seeds. I can tell you that the birds in my yard are little gluttons, and very well fed with the feeder I'm constantly refilling. I probably need to just admit defeat with direct sowing in this bed, and start a bunch of cuttings to populate it without spending a fortune. It's a little embarassing, though, that the last bouquet my husband bought for me contained carnations, roses, lilies--I teased him for buying me flowers that I grow in the yard--but I cannot get the wildflowers to sprout. Embarassing! LOL
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kqcrna
13 years ago
Profusion zinnias are very resistant to PM. The Zahara are supposed to be similar, and I'm trying a few of those this year.

Karen
northforker
Original Author
13 years ago
I am a big fan of profusion zinnias and started cherry and white( my own saved seed)a few weeks ago in my pop up greenhouse. They are not germinating as well as they have in previous years, but we have not had much heat yet (although my Y. Salvia germinated finally). I also have orange profusion from trade. Hoping to get a bunch. Today I started profusion "pink" I got in trade (not sure if it is the same as cherry or lighter). I had cut and come again started (germinated great) and tetra giants (pretty good germination.) Have to get some of those cactus ones you spoke about Trudi.

Today I sowed:

Zinnia
California Giants
Lilliput
Profusion Pink
Solcito

The solcito (very small flower, almost look like melipodium flowers) are suppose to be very mildew resistant. I'll use them at the front of beds and in containers.

I am going to look for the product Trudi recommends for powdery mildew next time I am at a garden center. I don't get there much anymore with over 250 containers "cooking!" I'll put it around the base of both roses and zinnias.
teresa_b
13 years ago
I grow zinnias for cutting and am very happy with Benary's series of zinnias. Very long stems and a great color selection.

They may be too tall for your needs though.

Teresa
northforker
Original Author
13 years ago
I am going to try a packet of the Benary - thanks! Now that you have said the name, I'm realizing that I've heard folks hear recommend them.
karendee
13 years ago
Ok, now I am getting jealous and need to plant more zinnias!

I need some more of the special kind. Next time I go shopping at target I am gonna grab some, lol. Then I have to hide from hubby! I need something different.

Gotta love zinnia!

Karen

Let's talk about Zinnia Seed...

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Let's talk about Zinnia Seed...

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