Do you want to have a garden full of your favorite flowers for just pennies? Do what your grandparents would have done. Learn how to save your own zinnia seeds!
Some reasons to save zinnia seeds
To be honest when I started gardening I did not grow any flowers. I didn't think there was any point in growing flowers and I thought that they were difficult to grow.
I then read some books that explained all of the benefits that flowers offer to a garden. So I planted a few flowers in the garden including bachelor buttons, nasturtiums, and zinnia plants.
To my surprise they were super easy to grow and there were so many benefits. I had more pollinators which then pollinated more of my vegetable plants and led to higher yields. These flowers also attracted many beneficial insects to my garden which reduced my pest population.
Here are just a few benefits to saving your own zinnia seeds.
- Free seeds
- Large amount of seeds so you can grow more zinnia plants next year
- Benefit of having more pollinators and beneficial insects visit your garden
What type of zinnia seeds can I save - not hybrid
This step is super important so don't skip it. Read your seed packet to see if you are growing hybrid zinnias or open-pollinated zinnias
If your seed packet shows a F1 or states that the seeds are hybrid, then you cannot save seeds from these plants. Hybrid plants will yield either sterile seeds or seeds that do not grow true to type (weird off type plants that do not look like their parent plant).
On the other hand, if your seed packet shows that your seeds are either open-pollinated varieties or heirloom seeds, then you will be able to save seeds from these plants.
Don't skip this step, because it is very disappointing to save seeds from plants that will not grow.
Zinnia Varieties to grow
Here are a few open-pollinated varieties of zinnias that you can grow for seed saving and cut flowers. The good news is zinnia flowers are one of the easiest flowers to grow.
Whirly Gig Zinnias
All of the pictures in this post are of the Whirly Gig Zinnia Mix that I have grown. These flowers have a mix of vibrant colors and most of the flowers are two toned. I grow these long-lasting blooms for cut flowers!
California Mix Zinnias
The California Mix Zinnias are not only great for cut flowers they also attract pollinators and hummingbirds. These beautiful flowers come in a mix of vibrant colors.
These seeds are from Seeds For Generations and if you buy through my affiliate links I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you!
Try out some different varieties in your flower bed to see which zinnia variety is your favorite. Just remember to buy open-pollinated varieties that produce viable seed.
Problems with your zinnia plants
When growing your zinnia plants for seed you will want to save seed from the healthiest plants. If you notice one of your plants is sickly don't save any seeds from that plant! Here is a common disease that your zinnia plants may get.
Powdery Mildew
Powdery mildew is a white fungi that will grow on your plants shading the sun out and eventually killing it. This disease usually presents itself in the late summer. There is a natural solution to powdery mildew that I use on my plants. Simple mix up a solution of 40% water and 60% milk and drench the plant. Do this a few times to make the mildew disappear.
Step-by-Step Guide To Saving Zinnia Seeds
Follow the below steps to save your own zinnia seeds from your garden. Note: Grow your zinnia flowers just like normal before following the below steps. You can learn how to grow your own beautiful zinnia flowers for cut flowers here.
Step 1. Let your plants go to seed
While flowers are usually grown to be cut and put in vases you should not cut off all of your zinnia flowers. Leave a few flowers on your healthiest plants so that they will go to seed.
The flower petals will eventually dry up and you will be left with a dried flower head. Just know that once you let your plants go to seed they will die.
I will harvest cut flowers from my zinnia plants until mid August. After this is when I let the flowers stay on the plants and go to seed. You can also just save seeds from a few plants, so you can continue to harvest cut flowers.
Step 2. harvest the seed heads
Zinnia seed heads are ready to harvest when they are completely dry and once all the petals have turned brown. But make sure to harvest the zinnia seed heads before they drop the seeds on their own.
You will want to watch your plants closely so that you don't let your plants drop their own seeds. The good news is if they do drop seeds on their own sometimes they will grow as volunteer plants the following year. After you have harvested the seed head move onto the next step.
Step 3. dry the zinnia seed heads
Once you have picked your zinnia seed heads it is time to dry and process them. You can rub the seeds out of the seed head and separate the seeds from the dried petals.
I then dry my zinnia seeds on a window screen. It is also a good idea to use a fan to keep the air flowing around the seeds.
After a week or two of drying your seeds they are ready for storage. Make sure that your seeds snap when you try to bend them; this means that they are dry enough and that it is the right time for storage.
The optimal conditions for drying seeds are dark, cool, and dry place. My basement has all these conditions so that is where I dry my seeds. Some people ask if they can use a dehydrator to dry their seeds with.
Most dehydrators lowest setting is 95oF. If you heat your seeds past 90oF you can kill them, so don't use a dehydrator to dry your seeds.
Step 4. store your zinnia seeds
You can place your zinnia seeds in either a paper seed envelope, glass jar, or another airtight container. If you want to know the best way to store seeds read this article.
Final Thoughts
I hope these simple steps to saving your own zinnia seeds will help you to save your own seeds to grow next year! Saving your own flowers seeds is pretty simple and it saves you from buying new seeds every year.
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Lisa says
Thanks for sharing!
Josiah says
I am glad you enjoyed it!