Zinnias are a popular choice for gardeners due to their vibrant colors and impressive heat tolerance. These cheerful annuals offer a long season of blooms, attracting beneficial pollinators like butterflies to the garden. Since zinnias thrive in warm conditions, knowing the best way and time to acquire them is the first step toward a successful display. This guide focuses on where and when to purchase zinnias, whether starting with seeds or transplants.
Seeds Versus Established Plants
Purchasing zinnia seeds is the most economical option, offering significantly more plants for a lower cost than buying transplants. Seeds also provide access to the widest selection of varieties, including heirloom and rare colors that are unavailable in garden center six-packs. Planting seeds requires more time and effort, however, as the gardener must manage the germination and early growth stages.
Established plants, often called transplants, offer a quicker path to color and an earlier bloom time. These young plants bypass the most vulnerable early growth phase, making them a suitable option for gardeners with a shorter growing season. Transplants are more expensive per plant and often limit the gardener to common, readily available varieties like the ‘Profusion’ or ‘Zahara’ series. Zinnias are sensitive to root disturbance, meaning transplants must be handled carefully to avoid shock that can briefly stall growth after planting.
Retail Venues for Purchasing
The location of your purchase often depends on whether you seek seeds or transplants. Local nurseries and independent garden centers offer the highest quality transplants and specialized advice for your specific growing region, often carrying unique cultivars adapted to local conditions. This personalized service comes at a higher price point than mass-market options.
Big box stores and home improvement centers provide convenience and bulk availability of common zinnia varieties at a lower cost. These retailers are ideal for gardeners needing a large quantity of plants or seeds for mass plantings. However, the selection is limited to the most popular hybrids, and plant health can vary, requiring careful inspection before purchase.
Online retailers specialize in seeds, offering the largest diversity of types, including niche varieties like the tall ‘Benary’s Giant’ series or the antique-toned ‘Queeny Lime’. Buying seeds online allows access to specialized seed houses and their extensive catalogs of rare colors and shapes. Some online nurseries also ship live plants, though the gardener must factor in shipping costs and the potential for a small, stressed plant upon arrival.
Timing Your Zinnia Purchase
Zinnias are warm-weather annuals, and timing the purchase to coincide with proper planting conditions is crucial. Transplants should not be purchased and planted outdoors until the danger of the last spring frost has completely passed. The soil temperature is an important indicator, as zinnias thrive when the ground has warmed to at least 60°F, with 70°F being optimal for rapid growth.
Gardeners who start from seed have different timing considerations. Seeds can be sown directly outdoors about two weeks after the last frost date for a mid-summer bloom. For an earlier show, seeds can be started indoors four to six weeks before the last expected frost. Purchasing transplants too early in the season and holding them indoors can result in weak, “leggy” plants that struggle to establish themselves when finally planted outside.
Choosing Healthy Plants
When selecting zinnia transplants, a visual inspection is necessary to ensure the plant is healthy and ready for the garden. Look for plants with compact growth, meaning the leaves are close together on the stem, rather than tall and spindly or “leggy.” The foliage should be a vibrant green without any signs of yellowing, brown spots, or white powdery residue, which suggests disease like powdery mildew.
Check the undersides of the leaves for small, sticky residues or insects like aphids or spider mites, which can quickly infest other garden plants. Gently slide the plant out of its pot to inspect the root system. A healthy plant will have white or light-colored roots that hold the soil together, but the roots should not be excessively thick or wrapped tightly around the soil ball, which indicates the plant is root-bound and may struggle to grow once planted.