Guidelines for Planting Zinnia Seeds Inside
How to Sow Zinnia Seeds Indoors
If you're looking to brighten your home with beautiful cut flowers, consider growing zinnias. These vibrant blooms are available in a dazzling array of colors and make excellent cut flowers. Here's a simple guide on how to sow zinnia seeds indoors.
Step 1: Fill small plastic pots or a seed tray with seed compost and water it gently.
Step 2: Place the zinnia seeds on damp seed compost, lightly firming them in place. Cover them with a fine layer of vermiculite, horticultural sand, or more seed compost.
Step 3: Carefully water the pot of seeds, allowing excess water to drain off. Place the pots or trays on a warm windowsill or in a heated propagator at 20-25°C.
Step 4: Prick out seedlings when they've formed two pairs of leaves, grow them on in their own pot, and harden them off before planting out 30cm apart when all risk of frost has passed.
By following these steps, you can enjoy riotous color from midsummer until the first frosts. It's important to note that zinnia seedlings dislike disturbance, so it's best to sow seeds directly outdoors rather than starting indoors and transplanting.
Zinnias are versatile plants that can be used in borders and for filling gaps or transforming patches of bare soil. They grow best when planted in a sunny and sheltered site with well-drained soil.
Remember, zinnias can be sown outdoors in May and June, even if they were not sown indoors by April. If you're sowing outdoors, plant the seeds directly in prepared garden beds after all danger of frost has passed and when the soil temperature is consistently warm, around 70 to 75°F (21 to 24°C). Sow the seeds about 1/4 inch deep and space them approximately 24 inches apart for good air circulation and growth. Keep the soil moist until germination, which typically occurs in about 10 days. Zinnias grow best when temperatures stay in the 80s°F for a couple of weeks after sowing.
In addition, zinnias mature in about 75 days, producing large, colorful flowers that grow on 36-inch tall stems. If you're looking to grow other cut flowers from seed to ensure an abundant supply of flowers for the house, this method can be applied to many other species.
Happy gardening!
[1] Gardening Know How. (n.d.). How to Grow Zinnias from Seed Indoors. [online] Available at: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/flowers/zinnia/how-to-grow-zinnias-from-seed-indoors.htm
[4] The Spruce. (n.d.). How to Grow Zinnias from Seed. [online] Available at: https://www.thespruce.com/growing-zinnias-from-seed-1412982
To cultivate a lively home interior and garden, consider growing zinnias as part of your home-and-garden gardening project. Beyond their beautiful blooms, zinnias can greatly contribute to enhancing the overall charm of borders, filling gaps, and revitalizing patches of bare soil in your garden.
