Zinnia information, and check out the #3 Becky's Greenhouse Adventure

Profusion Zinnias image from Pinterset 

Magellan zinnias image from Ball Seed 

      Good morning.  Looks like the clouds are moving in.  We could have some rain.  High today is 57F(14C).  Stay warm, stay safe.
 
Australia family and friends for April 10 Thursday 71F(21C) with cloudy skies.  To be looks like a fall day for them.  Stay safe and enjoy.
 
The planting gals have planted zinnias into packs.  We do some of these for the Mason City public garden beds.  We have several colors of the Profusion Zinnias, and colors of the Magellan Zinnias.   In the article that I have posted it talks about planting seeds, and you can do that.  But for our purpose at the public gardens in Mason City it is to have instant plants and color sooner.  When you have the plants, then the weeding is easier than if you plant the seeds and have to wait for the zinnias to get bigger for weeding. 

These bushy Profusion Zinnia plants, 14 to 18 inches high and 20 to 24 inches wide, are simply smothered nonstop all season with cheerful, 2-inch daisy-formed blooms. The petals are a bold mix of scarlet and orange, some looking almost striped while others a wash of both bright sunset tones. The petals surround a bold, eye-catching central eye of frilly golden—a very unusual combination for zinnia, and absolutely magnificent in a large planting. And large plantings are just what this landscaping series is designed for—unlike the cut flower or bedding varieties, Profusion is a dense, bushy, many-flowered little plant that covers ground and fills the garden with color.
One of the colors we have in 4 packs:  Profusion Fire Zinnia is highly tolerant of mildew and other foliage diseases, and laughs at heat, humidity, and drought. We are proud to give Profusion our highest recommendation for garden-worthiness.
Zinnias are one of the easiest annuals to grow and attract butterflies to the garden. They are the perfect cut flower, the more you cut, the more you get. Profusion Fire Zinnias thrives in the sun and heat of summer and ask only for well-drained soil. Space the Profusion Fire Zinnia plants generously to prevent overcrowding. When cutting the blooms for the vase, trim off all the foliage; unlike the blooms, it does not age well. Direct sow or start ahead indoors.

Magellan zinnias A magnificent blend of extra-large and fully double, 4-5 in. zinnias formulated from the following Magellan series varieties: Magellan Cherry, Magellan Coral, Magellan Ivory, Magellan Orange, Magellan Pink, Magellan Salmon, Magellan Scarlet and Magellan Yellow. The 14 in. tall plants branch freely from a young age - no pinching is required.

Now I will talk about Becky’s Greenhouse Adventures:  I am going to include this as adventure with your shopping.  We grow as many plants as we can in 4 packs, large or small.  It will give you more for your $, and more to plant.  We use a standard 4 pack for small and large super 4 packs.  Depending on how they grow for you to put into the garden is how I decide what size container to use.  Other growers use small 4 packs, or just plants into single pots.  I just want you to look at what you are shopping for.  Here at Becky’s Greenhouse, we want to give you the best plants at a reasonable price.
Becky's Greenhouse Adventure #3 
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Planting, Growing, and Caring for Zinnia Flowers by Catherine Boeckmann
Zinnias create a massive burst of color in your garden from summer through the first hard frost of fall. They are annual plants that are best planted from seed. Perfect as cut flowers, they’re also food for butterflies
Zinnias are annuals, so they’ll grow for one season to produce flowers and seeds, but the original plant will not come back in subsequent years. They have bright, solitary, daisy-like flower heads on a single, erect stem, which makes them great for use as a cutting flower or as food for butterflies.
The most popular zinnia species is Zinnia elegans, which has been bred to produce a great number of unique varieties.
Zinnia flowers come in three main kinds: single, double, or semi-double. The distinction between these forms comes from the number of rows of petals and whether or not the center of the flower is visible:
Single-flowered zinnias have a single row of petals and a visible center.
Double-flowered zinnias have numerous rows of petals, and their centers are not visible.
Semidouble-flowered zinnias are somewhere in-between, with numerous rows of petals but visible centers.
In addition to these forms, zinnia flowers come in a number of shapes, including beehive, button, and cactus. The plants also come in different heights: taller varieties are best for the background of a garden bed, while shorter varieties work well along a border. There’s a zinnia for every garden!
Plant zinnias in an annual or mixed border garden. Smaller zinnias are suitable for edging, windowboxes, or other containers.
Planting
Choosing a location that gets full sun (6 to 8 hours of sunlight per day) is essential to getting plentiful blooms throughout the season. Additionally, a site that offers good air circulation will help to prevent foliar diseases such as powdery mildew later in the season.
Zinnias are able to adapt to most soil conditions, but the ideal soil will be rich in organic matter and well-draining. Soil pH should ideally be between 5.5 and 7.5. If soil is amended with compost (humus), the flowers will grow more quickly.
Zinnias will grow in a minimum daytime temperature of about 60°F (16°C), though a range of 74°–84°F (23°–28°C) is preferred.
After the zinnias flower, cut off the old flowers (a process called deadheading) to encourage more flowers to form.
Zinnias are annuals and will die with the first hard frost of fall. However, if you want them to reseed, let the last flowers of the season mature fully and scatter their seeds.
Zinnias generally take 60 to 70 days from seed to flower (though it depends on conditions and variety). They work great in a flower bouquet!
To save zinnia seeds for replanting, simply collect a few blossoms that are at least halfway brown and let them dry in a paper bag until the seeds shatter.
Find the dark, pointed seeds at the bases of outer petals, with more along the center of the flower.
Dry on a paper towel until hard and almost crisp.
Store in a paper bag in a dark, dry location until you plant again in the spring.
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/plant/zinnias
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected] 641-794-3337  cell  641-903-9365  Facebook Becky Kerndt Litterer or Becky’s Greenhouse