Can i grow zinnias in pots

If you find zinnias in pots at the store, oftentimes they are already planted in a pot. If zinnias are not available to purchase that way, then you can buy zinnia seeds and grow them yourself. Zinnia plants are really easy to take care of! Here is what you need to do:. Make sure your container has holes at the bottom. Water needs to be able to drain from your container. If there are no holes, water will sit at the bottom, rotting the roots and ultimately killing your plant.

Fill the bottom of your chosen pot with potting soil. I usually use Miracle-Gro Potting Soil, but lately have been using a hybrid mix that works great. Gently pull the zinnias out of the plastic pot they came in. Update: Since we moved to a new place with no dirt on the ground, I planted all of my zinnias in pots and raised garden beds this year. I started all my seeds in the containers and they did fairly well.

Once I placed potting or raised garden mix in the containers, I added a thin layer of seed starting mix on top. Once this was watered, I planted three seeds at a time several inches apart. I then covered these seeds with a thin layer of starting mix, then watered the entire container again. Next year, I need to space out the seeds more, but its hard when there is so much I want to grow! I noticed the zinnias that were spaced farther apart grew better than the ones I kept close together. Gardening is still a learning process for me!

I decided to grow my zinnias along the edge of my patio. I cleared the ground of weeds and debris. I then laid a thin layer of ground soil on top of the soil already there. Once my seedlings were ready, I carefully scooped each out with my hand shovel and placed them in a small hole I made. I spaced out each seedling by about 6 inches to give them room to grow. I then lightly watered each seedling. Despite some heavy rain we have had, they seem to be doing well!

If you plan on growing more mature plants in the ground, you want to get the soil ready before planting. Make sure you know your soil before planting. The ground around here is clay-based, so mixing with in-ground garden soil helps make it less dense. Spread about two to three inches of the garden soil on the ground where you will be planting.

Mix into the native soil about six to eight inches deep. Dig a hole that is deep enough for your zinnia plant. When you take your plant out of the plastic container, gently pull on some of the roots. This will let the plant know it can start spreading out. Place the plant in the hole and fill the surrounding area with soil. An optional step is placing a few inches of mulch around your new zinnia plant. This helps keep the moisture in the ground and discourages weeds from growing.

Once your zinnias are planted, give them plenty of water. Zinnias prefer moist soil, so once they are settled and mature, give them a deep watering several times a week. You can buy a soil moisture meter or do it by hand. Stick your finger all the way to the second knuckle to feel for moist soil. Containers will need more water since they dry out quickly, so keep this in mind when watering your containers.

Add fertilizer to get bigger and more frequent blooms from your zinnia plants. You can mix fertilizer into your soil when you first plant a mature zinnia. Earth fertilizer. Zinnias must be planted in situ - meaning you sow the seeds in the exact spot you want your finished flower as they dislike being transplanted or having their roots disturbed.

Add a couple inches of mulch or compost and a bit of fertilizer,' advises Kristin Winterbottom from Parkseed 'Keep the soil moist by watering at the base of the plants. Cut blooms frequently for arrangements or simply pinch off spent blooms. Discover what else to grow in your beds with these beautiful ways flower bed ideas. If you're wondering 'Should I soak zinnia seeds before planting? Soaking your seeds will increase the speed of propagation.

However, you need to be careful not to leave the seed in water for too long as the seed will start to rot. Soak your seed for between hours. One of the most common mistakes when it comes to how to grow zinnias is planting them too early. Zinnias won't survive any frost, so only sow your seeds once all risk of frost is over and the cooler nights have passed. You can also grow zinnias in pots — the same rules apply: plant and grow in situ and only place your pot outside when the frost is over.

If you are growing your zinnias in pots, you can sow them earlier if you have a warm greenhouse in which they can germinate and start to grow. Whether you grow in pots, the ground or a raised bed, it is worth mulching them with straw or bark in order to retain moisture which is a particular challenge in the hot conditions that zinnias love. Growing zinnias from cuttings is an excellent way to duplicate your favorite plants, though these have less success than growing straight from seed.

Water well and place in a warm spot — either the greenhouse or a windowsill - and your cutting should root with two-three weeks. The best place to plant zinnias is in a sunny spot in the garden. Originating from South-Western America and Mexico, zinnias thrive in warm climates.

If you live in a cooler part of the world, then growing them undercover in a greenhouse will offer more success. No, zinnias don't come back every year as they are annual plants. This means that the flowers complete their entire lifecycle in one year. Zinnias are very vulnerable to frosts and will die soon after the first frost. I use a seed starting soil mix, water and then place the pots in my sunny greenhouse window. The beauty of using the coir or newspaper pots is that they can be put directly in the planters pot and all without disrupting the plant's roots.

I love that Zinnias are frequently visited by butterflies, bees and hummingbirds. They make great cut flowers too! Thanks for the informative article on this fabulous plant. They thrived. This was my first year growing Zinnias, what an amazing flower. I absolutely love the variety of colors and all the butterflies that visited.

Now that the season is over what do I do with the dead flowers since I want to plant fresh seeds in same area next spring? Does garden soil need tilled and everything pulled up? Every year I sow zinnia seeds right into the mulch after my husband mulches.

I just brush away a little mulch and sprinkle 4 or 5 zinnia seeds and then brush the mulch back over them. I never divide or thin the sprouts when they start coming up and they do just fine. I bought several packs of cut and come zinnias in the Spring of but wasn't able to plant them that year as we were under construction for a new pool. They were in a drawer in the original seed packs for over a year and I planted them in the late Spring of this year in PA.

They are taller than me and I am 5'3", and they're still full of blooms and it's the end of October. I think I will harvest the seeds from these giants and try them in the mulch next Spring. Can zinnia seeds to started indoors in late winter so that they are ready to bloom when planted in the garden in late May? All information I've read talks about starting a month before the last frost.

I would like to have them similar to the flowers bought at a nursery. You can certainly try it but bear in mind that as noted above these plants are not always happy to be transplanted.

But try it! Hi, I've read on lots of pages online that zinnia flowers are edible but none have mentioned anything about the leaves and stalks.

That said, I have eaten some of the leaves but am hesitant to go "all in" on eating them because no one has given "approval" of that. They aren't bad at all and I'd love to make salads based on the leaf and garnish with flower petals.

What say you? We can not find much about eating the entire above ground plant. Is it better to plant just one in a pot so the rootball gets huge or is it okay to plant several in one pot?

I have a very wide 20 in pot and want to know if I should put several in it or just put one and let it get huge. I have had good fortune at seasons end of covering patio pots with thick layer of pine tags to keep from freezing in central Virginia. Bounced back two years in a row. In theory, you could grow zinnias indoors, but they will need to be in a spot that gets full sun all day.

Otherwise, they will likely become spindly and not bloom well. They would do better in a container on a porch or balcony. Received a packet of Zinnia seed, Pompom, as a gift and planted them in a large tub about a week ago, they are sprouting already, in full sun and we have had some rain. Should I try and transplant them or just thin them out? I also want to collect the seeds at the end of the season. I am in zone 3. Hi Joanne, Once the Zinnia seedlings are about 3 inches tall, it would help their growth to thin them to 6 inches apart.

You could also try to transplant some that you are thinning out. To save the seeds at the end of the season, wait until the flowers finish blooming and then leave them there for the seed pods to develop. Let the seed pods dry until they are brown and crunchy. Cut the pods from the flower stalk and break open the pods to harvest the seeds. Save the seeds in a sealed bag or container and place in a dry, cool place until the following year.

This year, I have had to plant a "brand new" generation of zinnias. For the past 5 years I have saved the end of the seasons zinnia seeds to be re-planted the next year. This rotation has gone on successfully for the past FOUR years!! My zinnias were several ft. This year, the seedlings were not spouting as I suspect I waited way too long to retrieve their seeds.