Hey All -

Got some great high quality zinnia seed ("Elegans Lilliput Mix") and I thought I read that one could sow direct to soil in the fall. Is this a reasonable possibility?

Also, can anyone confirm that zinnia will reseed and thus return year after year?

Thanks.

I can't say for sure what it will do for you... but it definitely doesn't reseed for me. Why not just wait and sow the seeds in the spring?

Zinnias have never reseeded here either. I too would wait until spring.

To late to plant now. Wait till spring.
Next year. As flowers dry. Pic them off and crunch them up into same bed. Do this mainally towards the end of blooming. As you crush them you will see the seeds. Need to be dry when you pick. Save some seeds to frig. Just to be safe or if you want to plant somewhere else the next year.
Mine reseed just fine.

😎😎😎

What's the weather like in Chicago?

I planted some zinnia back in August... it's in bloom, attracting butterflies like mad.... but... it's too late now to put out seed...
zinnia stops growing after getting frosted... our first frost is usually the middle of November... that leaves like 3 weeks of growing time... probably not quite long enough to get flowers.

While I've actually had some luck getting zinnia to self sow... I'm a lot farther south...

My zinnias, marigolds, petunias, stock, snapdragons, periwinkles, touch me nots, and even more reseed twice a year. August they start growing from seed again. I also get reseeding in the Spring. Here are my reseeded zinnias.



Why do I have reseeding? My temperatures. There is not a frost line in the soil here. If it snows(usually ice pellets) the ground and sun melt it right away. If others from colder temps tell you they have not had zinnias reseed, go with that. You do not want to waste and freeze out good seed. The reseeding is true but true for a different area of the country.

Reseeding also has its downfalls you never know where they will pop up and it takes longer to get flowers. Either buying flats or starting your own seeds can give you flowers at least two months earlier than reseeds. I do all of the above because you can never have enough flowers! Many blessings for the success of your garden!

Altheabyanothername said:
Reseeding also has its downfalls you never know where they will pop up and it takes longer to get flowers. Either buying flats or starting your own seeds can give you flowers at least two months earlier than reseeds. I do all of the above because you can never have enough flowers! Many blessings for the success of your garden!

In my area, self sown plants develop better root systems, and produce far more flowers than anyone ever gets from flats.

Generally, annuals purchased in bloom are finished.... Better enjoy the blooms, because those are all you are going to get!

My personal experience is that self sown plants do far better in my area than even spring sown seed!

Zinnias transplant extremely easily, so those "volunteer" plants are a piece of cake to dig and replant where desired....

Of course at my house in the subtropical sunlight and the dry sand.... I need to do a multi-step procedure with my transplants.....
1)Dig out of ground
2) pot up in individual gallon nursery pots
3)place in shade for a week
4) move into gradually increasing sunlight
5)eventually set plants out in garden as desired.

Moving stuff around in my garden without the extra steps.... Kills the plants....

But... Up in Illinois.... You can practically pull stuff without even using a shovel, plant it, and it will grow without missing a beat.
I used to know a woman that lived in the smoky mountains who transplanted stuff by pulling it out of the ground.... And tossing it whereshe wanted it... No planting necessary!

Gardening conditions vary tremendously...

Altheabyanothername said:Here are my reseeded zinnias.

what, no pollinators?

Those should be covered in butterflies... Maybe plant some host plants...

No worries! That's because right now all the butterflies, esp. Monarchs are on my milkweeds. Last stop to Mexico. The bees all prefer all my salvias. The moths they go wherever. The marigolds, periwinkles, petunias and zinnias get slower traffic this time of year. With them being self sown the pollinators were there, otherwise they would not exist! Many blessings for you and your gardens success!