Zinnias are a flower farmer’s best friend. They are easy-to-grow, cut-and-come-again flowers that produce a lot of flowers per plant. Although Zinnias are a common flower among gardeners alike, they continue to make their way into flower bouquets, and I think it’s because of how easy they are to grow. They truly are a no-fail flower. This flower will always produce, especially for beginner gardeners who want a cut-flower garden.
Why We Love Zinnias
- They are easy to grow.
- Zinnias are a great filler flower for flower bouquets.
- We love them because they grow for a long time in our short growing season.
- Buying seeds is inexpensive, so we get a lot of bang for our buck!
- Zinnias handle the heat well and even has handled our cooler nights with ease.
- They are extremely low maintenance. They will grow in the worst soil and still produce amazing flowers for you.
- You can save their seeds to plant the next year!
The Down Side to Zinnias
- Zinnias are a “dirty flower.” This means they dirty the water in a vase, making the other flowers not last as long because the water gets dirtier faster. I have not had the issue of shorter vase life, but I have noticed the dirty water. Dirty water = a place for bacteria to grow. To combat this, I change out the water every so often.
- Because they are an annual flower, they will only be here for the summer/fall season. Which means more planting will be done next season. But, as a cut-flower farmer, that comes with the territory.
Sowing Zinnias
We sow our Zinnias in little grow trays. They are usually the first flowers to pop up from seed. We kept our Zinnias in our greenhouse, but they could easily be started inside.
Zinnias like it warm. We always make sure to water all our seedlings from the bottom so as not to disrupt the tender seed from shooting down roots and shooting up a stem.
Pinching
If you want your Zinnias to produce many flowers, you must pinch them. You need to pinch the plant when the plant has about three sets of leaves. We usually pinch them when they are about 6-8 inches tall. We then pinch the Zinnia right above a set of leaves. If there are three sets of leaves, you want to pinch the plant right above the second set of leaves.
Transplanting or Direct Sow?
We choose to transplant our Zinnias as they are tough and don’t even go through a shock phase after being transplanted. Our weather in North Idaho makes us have to transplant most of our plants because the weather can be finicky until June. Like most flowers, Zinnias do not like frost and do not tolerate it well. So, to be on the safe side, we always transplant.
Zinnia Plant Spacing
We transplant our Zinnias to be six inches apart. They can be planted 6-12 inches apart, but to fit more in our small-scale flower garden, we opt for 6 inches. This also helps the plants grow taller, longer stems.
Zinnias will get so tall that they will topple over from heaviness, rain, or wind. To combat this, we installed netting over the Zinnias before they got tall so that they would grow through the netting and have enough support not to topple over. Our area has high winds, and our Zinnias are still standing. They would be down for the count if we didn’t have the netting and support.
Best Time to Cut Zinnias
For backyard gardeners or flower farmers who want to add a little pizazz to their bouquets, the best time to cut a Zinnia is when it is fully open. The Zinnia will not continue to open after being cut.
Another test the gardener or farmer can do is the “wiggle test.” Gently grab the stem of the Zinnia in question about halfway down the stem. Then, give it a little wiggle. If the neck of the Zinnia is floppy, it is not ready to harvest. But if the neck is stiff, this Zinnia is ready to sit in a vase.
Zinnias are cut-and-come-again flowers, meaning they will continue to grow new flowers as long as you continue to deadhead the spent blooms. My goal is to use these beauties to add color to our home during the summer and fall, so I always cut a lot of Zinnias and make just Zinnia bouquets. They are that prolific!
Where Should I Cut a Zinnia?
Keeping up on cutting your Zinnias is important because this signals the plant to shoot up more flowers. Just like when you pinched your Zinnias when they were first starting out, cutting makes the Zinnia send up more blooms! Always make sure to cut Zinnias long and between two sets of leaves. I usually cut about 18 inches down and right above a pair of leaves. Cutting a Zinnia long trains the plant to grow long stems when it sprouts up more buds.
As with all cut flowers, a deep cut is the best cut.
How Do I Know When to Cut a Zinnia?
The Wiggle Test:
Hold the Zinnia down the stem about 6-8 inches. Gently wiggle the stem. If the flower flops from side to side, the Zinnia is not ready to be cut. But if the flower moves like it’s getting blown back and forth, you can cut the Zinnia. Super simple!
Check out my video below showing The Wiggle Test:
Enjoy all the colors that Zinnias have to offer!
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