![]() That being said, I start zinnias indoors every year, often using plastic containers, and mine have always done just fine. It is useful to start seeds in two- to four-inch biodegradable containers like peat pots, or use seed blocks, to avoid disturbing the roots too much when transplanting them out. In areas with shorter, cooler summers, transplanting can be a useful way to extend the season. Roots are sensitive and prefer not to be disturbed, so if you live somewhere with a long growing season, this annual is best started outdoors. Read the instructions on your seed packet for specific spacing requirements. ![]() Recommended spacing and mature spread varies depending on which cultivar you plant. When seedlings are about three inches tall with a few true leaves, thin to six to 18 inches apart. Keep moist until germination, which usually only takes about a week. ![]() Seeds should be planted 1/4 inch deep a few inches apart in rows or clumps. Sow seeds directly in the garden after the last frost, in a bed of well draining soil amended with compost. The roots are a bit sensitive to transplanting, so take extra care if you start seeds indoors. These flowers are easy to start directly from seed outdoors or can be propagated indoors to transplant out after the last frost. The flowers were planted not only to beautify the station, but also provided opportunities for scientists to research how plants grow in microgravity. They have even been grown in space! In January 2016, astronauts shared photographs of zinnias blooming aboard the International Space Station. With hundreds of cultivars available, these spectacular flowers continue to be one of the most popular garden annuals. However, according to Eric Grissell, author of “A History of Zinnias: Flower for the Ages,” this is unlikely to be true, as the supposed occurrence happened 150 years after his death.Īt any rate, these enticing flowers found their way from Mexico to Europe in the 1700s, were bred for all sorts of different traits, and eventually returned to the Americas, becoming popular in North American gardens in the early 1800s. One story goes that Gottfried Zinn, the German botanist that gave these plants their name in the 1700s, was accosted by bandits while collecting seeds in Mexico.
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