Zinnias for container gardening
Overview:
Zinnias are one of our summer staples that thrive in the summer heat, even here in Phoenix. We love planting them because they are easy to start from seed, and offer so much color. Traditionally zinnias were tall flower reaching 3-4’ in height. These varieties would either need to be staked and supported or they would flop over in a rainstorm.
New varieties are on the market that give the same zinnia flowers, on compact plants that only get 12-18” tall. These varieties are perfect for anyone that has a balcony garden, container garden, or simply wants to enjoy zinnias without having to support them.
Starting seeds:
Starting zinnia seeds is relatively easy. You can direct seed them into containers or ground when nightly temperatures are consistently in the 50’s. Here in Phoenix that is typically towards the end of march. We wait until night time temperatures are hight, because that is when zinnias are actively growing. They do not like cooler temperatures and could be prone to root rot if they are too wet and cold.
If you have a bird or animal problem you can start them inside and transplant them into your beds. sow them 1/4” deep. Check out our seed starting guide for more tips and tricks.
Spacing:
9-12” depending on vareties
Sun:
Full sun, 6-8+ hours per day.
Water:
Zinnias like consistent moisture. Make sure they dry out a little bit in between waterings.
Fertilizer:
We typically liquid feed zinnias every two to three weeks during their growing season. They do not need a lot of fertilizer, but some keeps that pushing out blooms. Find our favorite fertilizer here.
Potential issues:
The only issues I have seen people run into while growing zinnias is powdery mildew. This is a fungal disease that is mainly caused by high humidity. We are so dry here in Phoenix that its typically not a huge issue. In places where it is an issue, we recommend spacing out your plants more so they can get airflow. 20 -30 percent more spacing should help. Succession planting more frequently may also help, as younger plants can tolerate powder mildew better than an older succession.
Succession plant:
Yes, I definitely recommend succession planting. I’m going to be the first to say that i’m am by no means the best at succession planting zinnias but you can plant these flowers almost all summer long. I typically plant three sucessions of them because out growing season is so long. We do a Spring planting (April) early summer (early June) and mid summer (July) for beautiful zinnias all summer.
Favorite Varieties:
Short stuff’
We grew ‘Short stuff’ mix for the first time last year and we blown away with how it grew! It came in an array of colors from red, gold, orange, pink and purple.
We loved pairing them with this dwarf cocksbomb that we picked up from our local nursery. I wish I knew the name of them!
This picture was about a month after the first two, they look amazing with the angelonia archangel ‘cherry’, celosia kimono ‘gold’, vinca kawaii ‘red’ and the Lisianthus Arena ‘apricot’.
We have grown other varieties in years past, like Magellan, Dreamland and profussion that we are growing again this spring. Cannot wait to share pictures of them with you guys!
Want to grow your own zinnias?
You can find all our zinnia seedshere.
