🎨 Zinnia
Zinnia elegans
Cut-and-come-again color that thrives on neglect and deadheading.
Sun
Full sun, 6+ hrs
Days to harvest
Blooms ~60–75 days from seed
Spacing
9–12 inches apart
Soil pH
5.5–7.5
How to grow
Direct sow after the last frost — zinnias germinate fast and hate root disturbance. In Florida, sow spring through midsummer for blooms till frost. The secret to bushy plants: pinch once at 12 inches, then cut flowers ruthlessly — every cut makes two more stems.
Water & feeding
Water at the base, keeping foliage dry — wet leaves are a mildew invitation. Deep, infrequent drinks beat daily sprinkles.
Common problems
- Powdery mildew — space well, water at soil level, choose resistant varieties
- Bacterial leaf spot in wet weather; remove affected leaves
- Japanese beetles chew petals; handpick in the morning
Harvest
Cut early morning when blooms just open; the wiggle test — if the stem wobbles, it's not ready. Deadhead relentlessly for nonstop flowers.
Nerdy fact: Zinnias were the first flowers ever grown in space — astronauts bloomed them on the International Space Station in 2016, proving that even orbit needs deadheading.