Avoid One Common Gardening Mistake To Ensure Your Zinnias Thrive All Season

Under the right conditions, zinnias can provide bright color and nonstop cheer for months in your yard and cut flower bouquets. Although these prolific producers are fairly easy to grow, they can be finicky about watering. Zinnias thrive best if you let them dry out slightly between waterings. Water them when the top one to two inches of soil is dry and water from the base of the plant.

Giving too much water or watering from overhead can lead to common zinnia problems such as root rot, powdery mildew, or alternaria blight. In addition to careful watering, you can protect your zinnias by spacing them far enough apart — 8 to 24 inches — so that they have plenty of air circulation. You can plant varieties that grow on a single stem closer together, but bushier varieties need more room. Make sure your soil drains well. If your soil is heavy or compacted, add sand or compost to improve drainage. Otherwise, your zinnia's roots may be left sitting in water too long. It's pretty easy to grow and care for zinnias as long as you follow a few simple guidelines. 

When you dial in the right watering schedule, your zinnias should start to thrive and produce abundant blooms. You can maximize the number of flowers on each plant with a few more tricks and techniques. You'll get the best results by starting your zinnias from seed. When plants are started in a nursery, they're often over-fertilized to improve the odds you'll buy them. When you transplant them and change their routine, they won't produce as many flowers.

Cutting blooms for bouquets will also encourage plants to produce more flowers. This productive cycle means you'll have ample flower arrangements to fill your home and spread good cheer to friends and neighbors. Cut stems as long as possible, preferably at least 18 inches. Make sure the flowers are ready to cut by grasping the stem about eight inches below the bloom. Give the stem a shake. If the flower flops around, give it a little more time to firm up. Blooms that are on firm stems and pass this foolproof test to tell whether your zinnias are ready to be cut or not will do best as cut flowers.