Do you have a zeal for zinnias? You aren’t alone—we all do! If you are new to zinnias be prepared for endless blooms in bold, pastel, spotted, striped, and streaked colors this summer, and lots of butterflies visiting your garden. Zinnias are easy to grow and make excellent, long-lasting cutting flowers for bouquets.

Here are our best tips for zinnias:

1. Zinnias can be direct sown. Warm soil (70°–80°F) is best, which is usually a couple of weeks after your average last frost date. 
2. Prevent powdery mildew by thinning/spacing plants properly and watering only the soil, not the foliage.
3. Want more flowers? Encourage branching by pinching the top growth off once seedlings have 4 or more sets of leaves.
4. Blooms will last longest in a vase if they are harvested before the small, yellow, flowers emerge from between the petals. It is always a good idea to harvest in the morning and place stems into water right as they are cut.
5. Encourage blooming by deadheading frequently, redirecting energy to flower production rather than seed production.