Common Zinnia
Zinnia elegans
Plant out 1 week after your last spring frost. Space plants 9 in (23 cm) apart.
Photo: Simon Koopmann, CC BY-SA 2.0 de · source
When to plant
Timed from your frost dates, so it holds wherever you garden. Give yours and every step below becomes a date.
Optimal Transplant Purchased Plant
From a plantRecommended from a plant- Plant out1 week after your last spring frost
- First harvestabout 60 days after planting out
Optimal Indoor Start
From seedRecommended from seed- Start indoors3 weeks before your last spring frost
- Begin hardening offaround your last spring frost
- Plant out1 week after your last spring frost
- First harvestabout 80 days after sowing
Optimal Transplant
From seed- Plant out1 week after your last spring frost
- First harvestabout 80 days after planting out
Optimal Direct Sow
From seed- Sow outdoors1 week after your last spring frost
- First harvestabout 65 days after sowing
Growing common zinnia
- Spacing in the row
- 9 in (23 cm)
- Between rows
- 12 in (30 cm)
- Planting depth
- 1/4 inch
- Sun
- Full Sun
- Soil
- Well-drained, average to rich loam, pH balanced.
- Germination
- 5-10 days at 70-80°F
- Harvest season
- Summer through Fall
- Mature height
- 12-48 inches
- Life cycle
- Annual
Sow shallowly, covering lightly; light is beneficial for germination.
Watering. Maintain consistent moisture during germination. Water deeply and infrequently once established, avoiding overhead irrigation to prevent fungal diseases.
Neighbours
The companion chart →Grows well beside
Cosmos
Basil
Borage
NasturtiumFeeding
- Seedlings
- Apply a light liquid feed (half-strength balanced fertilizer) once true leaves appear.
- Growing
- Utilize a balanced liquid fertilizer every 2-4 weeks during active vegetative growth.
- Flowering and fruiting
- Transition to a high-phosphorus fertilizer to support continuous blooming, applied every 2-4 weeks.
- How often
- Every 2-4 weeks during active growth and bloom.
- Note
- Avoid excessive nitrogen, which can promote foliage at the expense of flower production.
Your common zinnia, planned to the day.
Canopy turns these timings into dates from your own frost data, places every plant at its spacing on your garden map, and tracks it all the way to harvest.