Jo Ann,

I've started zinnias indoors late March and then potted them up into 4" pots late April. They stayed in the 4" pots for about a month. I didn't plant them out until late May. They were beautiful that year, although I wish I would have pinched them to make them busier.

Thanks for the info joanne.

The giant ones sometimes require staking, but they're so pretty it's worth the little effort. I always grow a mix of zinnias, but hadn't seen the Mexican ones before. I start mine indoors in March too, like Joanne. Heh, and I'm always bad about pinching mine back, too.

I start mine only about three weeks before I'm gonna put them out so that they are still small. They seem to take off really well and I've never had to stake them.

I don't have that kind of restraint!

suzies joy.Thanks thats a great idea.I 'm going to try it I would like to give mine as much of a headstart as possible.

Tall zinnias were about my first flowers. I started them inside (too early) and potted them up, and carried them outdoors to get some sun, some days.

They were hard to kill and did fine. I may have set them out too close together, and had a few African marigolds in there, but they held each up fine without any other supports.

They did seem to like warmth.

They look nice.

Oh, those do look nice together!

I loke your zinnias. I will start mine a month early in small pots and transplant. My eyes are so bad I cant deal with teeny seedling and transplanting inside when they need it.

Thanks! Back in 2009, those were "whatever came out of some packets from a store". I might not even have been recording the seeds I bought, and I think it was before I took part in any flower seed trades.

Maybe some combination of:
Territorial Seeds "California Giant Mix" (Zinnia elegans)
and
Botanical Interests California Giant (Zinnia elegans)

and maybe
Botanical Interests 'Persian Carpet' (Zinnia haageana or Z. Mexicana)
or
'Cut & Come Again' Zinnia elegans pumila (what vendor??)

Plus I seem to have planted some marigolds in there! Maybe I didn't trust any to survive in the "lower bed" that was their "right place".

Its almost time to direct seed them here in North Central exas.

Zinnias originated in Mexico and crave direct sun, heat, and water.

When given these things they will grow strong, not flop, and bloom
like crazy, providing an outdoor extravaganza, and cut flowers
without leaving the flower bed naked. :hearts:

There are shapes, sizes, styles, and colors for every taste. <3

Its nice to know spring is somewhere.We had 1 day with 40 temps and the snow is disappearing thank gawd. I was going snow blind just looking out the windows.
I bought a variety of seeds,some pom pom types and some cactus's.

I figger we have at least another 35 days till it will be reliably spring. Not holding my breath before Easter

Around here we are sick to death of winter. Upsy, gownsy, yeetery0tottery weather this season: much worse than
most winters. Within thepoast week we have has temps ranging between 80 F and 18 F, with blustery March winds at times/

Beware the ides of March.

At least with snow you havea sort of blanket for the plants, not like our repeated freeze / thaw cycles with harsh dry winds thrown in !

Yes, winter this year has really been the pits.