Zinnias are one of the most popular flowers among gardeners, and it is so for a good reason. Zinnias come in different colours, which makes every garden lovely. Zinnias also are a perfect choice for decoration, whether you want to have them in a vase or as an addition to your flower bouquet. You can also grow Zinnias in pots to make your indoor surroundings more beautiful.
Can Zinnia grow indoors?
It is pretty common nowadays that we do not own a huge space to design a garden and plant flowers in the bed, but the good news is that Zinnias look as beautiful in a pot as they look in a massive garden. In addition to being aesthetically pleasing, Zinnias are also easy to plant and easy to grow. If you want to know how to grow Zinnias in pots from scratch, you are in the right place.
Why planting Zinnias in a Pot?
The most obvious reason is that you might not have enough space to design a garden, but this is not the only reason to grow Zinnias in pots. If you are planting any kind of flowers in a container or pot, there is a greater chance that you can take care of them in the cold months of winter. You can also move the pots around so that your Zinnias can get more of the direct sunlight, which obviously makes them have more flowers. It would be best to consider that growing Zinnias in a garden is different from growing the same plant in a pot, so this guide helps you through the latter.
How to grow zinnias in pots?
Zinnias are easy to plant and take care of, but you need to pay attention to some details. Here are a few tips to get you started;
Zinnias Variety
Almost all Zinnias Varieties can be planted in a pot or a container, but the shorter ones, found in hybrid varieties, are the best and safest choice. Here are some varieties you might want to consider: Zahara, Star Orange, Raspberry Lemonade Mix, and Sollecito cultivars.
source: Swaminathan
The Pot
The pot you choose for growing Zinnia plants must be at least 6 inches deep. If you are sowing one plant per pot, choose a pot at least 6-8 inches wide.
DrainageÂ
A critical feature of the pot that you should consider is the drainage. The pots and containers you buy from gardening stores typically have holes at the bottom, but you need to check the decorative ones to ensure the excess water has a way to exit. If the pot has no holes, drill some before you start to grow Zinnias in pots. Always keep in mind that you must keep the soil moist but not saggy.
The pot materials
You do not need to worry about this one. As long as the pot has a drainage system, the Zinnia plants do not care whether the pot is fancy ceramic or just plastic.Â
Soil
Zinnia plants adapt easily to different kinds of soils. For a better result, choose a well-draining one rich in organic matters. To grow zinnias in pots, you can use typical gardening soil; then, you can add perlite and peat moss as a sterile soil to improve its drainage. Do not forget to add some compost or vermicompost to your soil.
About the PH, Zinnias grow better in soil with a PH level between 5.5 up to 7.5. You should keep the PH level slightly on the acid side.Â
Condition
As previously mentioned, to grow zinnias in pots, it is better to have moist, rich soil. You need to keep Zinnia’s soil moist but do not overwater them. They require almost 6 hours of direct sunlight, so put them on a windowsill facing south to get enough sunlight.
They also need good air circulation. Make sure you place the pots at a reasonable distance from each other to prevent any kind of sickness.
When to plant Zinnias?
It depends on you. Whether you want to choose indoor gardening or outdoor gardening. If you are going to grow Zinnia indoors and keep them inside the house, you can do it any time of year, but spring and summer are better as you can have more sunlight.
If you want to primarily plant the seeds indoors and then move them out, you should do it about six weeks before the last spring frost. This timing is the best because the roots get enough time to grow strong before moving them outside. But if you rather plant the Zinnia seeds outside from the beginning, you should wait longer until all threats of frost are over.
How long to wait until Zinnia’s bloom?
Zinnias seeds germinate after 3-5 days. After germination, usually, it takes almost two months for Zinnia plants to bloom, and they keep producing flowers until the first frost of Autumn. Unless you are in a location that gets cold quite fast, then they might continue producing flowers for several weeks.
