Life,  Projects

Add Beauty to the Garden– Zinnias Planting Time!

It’s Zinnias planting time! Spring is here! Just in time for Earth Day celebrating and adding beauty to the garden.

That wonderful group of blogging friends selected an Earth Day project to be shared today. If you have joined from Olivia’s post with that great wooden hairpin leg table, welcome! She has inspired me to make those for our fire pit…and perhaps for plant stands on the deck…or even gifts! Gorgeous!

Do you remember when I shared with you my zinnias last summer? or the harvesting of those zinnias for next spring? As, I shared in that post, I had a friend who gifted me the first seeds and helped to guide me in how to plant them in the spring.

Now, these seeds are of a variety that grow large in height–3-5′ which will require a support system as they grow so that a wind won’t lay them down–past lesson learned! This variety is also varied in the type of mixture of blooms and colors. Each one is unique and has it’s own personality which make for beautiful bouquets when gathered.

I’m all in for that!

Guess what?!! Today, the weather is perfect…most freeze warnings will be past when they begin to sprout…so, I prepared those seeds and removed them from their stems and gathered my supplies to begin planting.

Removing the seeds from the stems…
Discard the stems…
What a beautiful mixture of seeds to plant!

Perfect timing to plant those zinnias seeds!

What great helpers spreading out the compost before and after scattering seeds!
Generously spreading those seeds over the compost…and then covering up again with compost. Easiest planting ever!

How easy was that? Zinnias with a little help from friends!

Here’s my method for planting:

  • Last fall I dried those zinnias in paper bags and left them whole so that I could see the colors to make certain that as I took those pods apart, I was adding a great mixture of color that gave me the rainbow of zinnias I was after.
  • Once dried, I put them into a ziploc bag and labeled them with the name and date of harvesting.
  • When ready for planting, those seeds were removed from the stems, stems discarded and then mixed together to help create that mixture of color I was after.
  • Do you remember that great group who were spreading mulch and compost before? Well, they were back to help me with this project. Extra cash for them! Less back ache work for me! Win, win for all of us!
  • They took that great fine compost from our local composting site, and spread about 1/2″ over the bed to prepare for planting.
  • The next step was to sprinkle those seeds generously across that layer of compost.
  • Then covering those seeds with another 1/2″ of compost happened.
  • We watered in and the planting was done.
  • Watering happens each day for the first two weeks to make certain that those seeds germinate and sprout into those lovely flowers.
  • It is important to note that even though zinnias are annuals, there are usually some random zinnias that come back each year from the seeds left behind in the spot where they were planted; but, I still add new seeds to make sure that they are full and have the effect that I want.
This is at 10 days after planting! You may want to begin thinning at this stage to help air circulation and prevent mildew.

This was last year’s results after ten days following planting. Isn’t that amazing?

And a few more weeks…what a difference!

This is at about 3 feet…they grow much taller which requires a little more support as they grow.

Zinnias FACTS:

  • Zinnias are deer resistant! Yay for this deer happy location!
  • Add zinnias to a sunny location. They love full sun!
  • Planting zinnia seeds is preferred over planting plants. Evidently research supports this.
  • Plant after there is a great risk of frost or cover if frost is likely after they have sprouted.
  • As they grow, you may need to thin them out to make certain that they have good air circulation.
  • Maintain moderate moisture levels. We have learned that the leaves may get powdery mildew if watered from the top. We often lay down soaker hoses to water and help prevent that.
  • Thinning zinnias after they are about 3″ tall also helps with air circulation and to prevent mildew issues.
  • Because our variety is of the tall version that I was gifted, I will add supports as they grow to prevent them laying down. Once that happens…it’s pretty impossible to get them to stand back up again.
  • We have found that groundhogs love to munch on these and take them down…so sprinkling around them with Repels-All helps keep those furry friends at bay a little better.
  • Deadheading zinnias is important to keep them blooming. But then, I help with that by gathering lots for bouquets and arrangements!
  • It’s said that zinnias are a reminder of absent friends. That perfectly describes the giver of mine…and that mine have been shared with friends from California to South Carolina and places in between.

These zinnias make my heart happy.

As they grow and add beauty to the outside.

…and the inside with sweet bouquets and arrangements.

Mine may need to be covered in the next few weeks if we have frost warnings forecast. Since they are frost sensitive, you want to wait until it’s frost free in your world to plant them.

Someone asked if that entire length of that fence was zinnias…YES!

I love that the height of these and the fullness create a “field” the length of that fence. It allows me to see the expanse of wooded areas behind and yet, creates a beautiful view from the deck, patio, porch or kitchen window.

It also provides a huge expanse of flowers to bring indoors for arrangements or gift “happy” bouquets to friends.

Each year I wrestle with the consideration of planting knockout roses (deer buffet) or crepe myrtles or azaleas along that fence line to add interest the rest of the year when things are not blooming.

It’s then I look back at the photos of that rainbow of beautiful color and different varieties and uniqueness of each bloom, and am content with just zinnias there, friends.

And for Earth Day, the recycling of those original seeds from a friend is a reminder of him each and every year. His teaching me to harvest them and reproduce their beauty for the world.

Isn’t that what we should do? Even if you begin with the zinnia seeds in a packet–don’t forget to harvest those seeds from the flowers they produce. Save them for new planting. Share the bouquets and seeds with others. Enjoy the garden!

Share the love. We all would be better if we did that.

Happy Earth Day! Celebrate life in all of it’s beauty!

Join all of my friends who are sharing Earth Day ideas! Visit and enjoy their creations and celebrations!

My friend, Kippi, of Kippi at Home, is the creator of this blog sharing group. She always has amazing things to share and today doesn’t disappoint! I have never even heard of wax flowers! Have you? She shares all about propagation of these flowers and I am going to try out her method with a few of my plants here.

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