Every year when I harvest zinnia seeds some are loaded with seeds while others I just can't seem to find one solitary seed?
Anyone else experience this? Seems some of the bigger flowers are loaded with seed and then another huge one will have none that I can find and the same with the smaller ones?

I've never collected the seeds, but will check them. Still a lot of flowers, so I'm not sure if they have set seed yet

I snip the head when they are finished and then let them dry Joanne, can't get the seed out very easy until they are good and dry.

I agree with that, I usualy let the heads stay in a box untill I need them next year, much easier to get the seeds.

Really Doris, I do shake mine out this time of year, but I like that idea of keeping the heads in a box and then just shaking them out next year.

works real well because they are so dry by then

Well, then perhaps I will stop my sorting right now and just take it easy!

I had a similar experience the one year I got some dry seedheads before Fall rains rotted them.

A few Zinnia heads had 10-20 well-formed seeds, but most had very few, like zero to 3.

The heads with very few real seeds mostly had them around the very periphery of the bloom.

My two guesses were:
1. incomplete fertilization - not enoguh bees
2. not left on the plant long anough to mature the seeds

haighr said:Every year when I harvest zinnia seeds some are loaded with seeds while others I just can't seem to find one solitary seed?
Anyone else experience this? Seems some of the bigger flowers are loaded with seed and then another huge one will have none that I can find and the same with the smaller ones?

I've never seen that happen. Maybe it's just a difference in various types of zinnias (e.g. hybrids), or maybe I just wait longer to collect the seed heads. I leave them on the plant until the blossom is dry and brown, and the stem below is turning brown too.

I have better luck overall from narrow leaf ones (profusion and zahara). Other ones get too much powdery mildew and their seeds don't reliably produce seedlings even close to the parent plant. The profusions and zahara never get PM and always seem to produce identical babies to the mom both in plant size and flower color. If I take the time to nurture something I want to see something like this


Not this


Karen

all the ones I grew in the past.. look like your 2nd one will be trying those for sure

Again, I try to stick to the easy way (which I think is the smart way), and stick to the KISS principle: KEEP IT SIMPLE, STUPID. It's easier and more rewarding to grow plants and seeds that are suited to my alkaline clay soil, cold winters, hot humid summers, etc., that to try to adapt my growing conditions (soil, weather, etc) to the plants.

Profusion zinnias are definitely my favorites. I've never seen powdery mildew on them, and saved seeds come true to the parent size and shape and color every time. And they are heavy bloomers. The photo above is dark apricot profusion.
zahara

apricot profusion

pink profusion


I really liked the orange profusions, too, but can't find a photo of those. They look especially good in fall.

Karen

if you find it.. would love to see.. love orange!

Not the best pic of orange profusion, but the best I can find now. They're lining the walkway to porch.

going to try them for sure.. thanks!

Yes, I think I might do orange again next year, too. I talked myself into it.

Karen

Beautiful photos, as always, Karen. Love that "Apricot Profusion", but I don't think I"ve seen that color before. Did you start those from seeds, or purchase plants?

Thanks, Linda. Yes, I started from seed as always. Wintersowing method but sown in early spring.

There are two shades of apricot profusions. The one I grew this year is called dark apricot, the lighter colored one is called apricot. I've grown that one a lot too, and I like them too.

Karen

If you like orange you will like these
profusion double fire

purchased plants , but I will be looking for seeds.

ooooooohhhhhhhh drool Cinda!!!

I have seen these zinnias growing around town, but only in mixed plantings of bright orange, bright golden yellow and white. I performed a random act of kindness (or obsessive act of seed hoarding) by partially deadheading the neglected plants. They must be healthy zinnias to have healthy foliage in spite of the terribly rainy, humid weather we have been having. I am glad to see that they have pastel varieties also!