California Giants Zinnia Mix

Seed Count: Approx. 200 seeds

Days to Maturity: Annual

Description: California Giants are the perfect zinnia mix to grow in beds, or as a border.  They grow on bushy 3-4 ft. tall plants, and produce double flowers around 5-6 inches wide.  It boasts rounded petals in a range of vibrant bright hues of yellow, orange, red, lavender, violet, and white, throughout the summer season.  California Giants are the perfect zinnia mix to plant huge patches of, since they look absolutely stunning in mass, make great cut flowers, and are a perfect edition to add to your butterfly garden.  Plus, this heat loving plant is pretty drought tolerant too!

How To Grow

Sowing:  Direct sow this seed in warm soil. Plant just below the surface and keep the soil lightly moist until germination, which usually occurs within 7-10 days. Seedlings do not transplant well so use peat pots or pellets if transplanting.

Growing:  Water seedlings regularly until they become established; mature plants can handle some drought. This plant grows best in rich soil, and may need light fertilization to produce lots of blooms. Pinch off the growing stems to encourage bushiness, and deadhead spent flowers to keep it blooming all summer long. This plant is great for attracting butterflies and bees. 

Harvesting:  To harvest cut flowers, choose stems with flowers that have just opened, and strip any foliage that will fall below water level, and place in a container of water immediately.  To save seeds wait until after the petals drop off, the centers of the flowers will then darken and develop tight clusters of seed at the base. As soon as the seed heads have turned dark brown, remove them and spread them out to dry for several days. Thresh the dried heads to separate the small, arrow-shaped seeds from the chaff, and store the cleaned seed in a cool, dry place.