zinnia seeds?

any recommendations for a website with a nice selection/price for Zinnia seeds?
Also which Zinnia's would you recommend?

thanks!

Swallowtail Seeds has a lot of zinnias.

I like the really dwarf series: Profusion

Zinnias usually get really tall (36") and fairly wide (24-30"). By the end of the summer, they look pretty ratty and get powdery mildew on them for me. They're easy to grow, bloom all summer and are showy. They re-seed easily.

thanks much! they seem to have a good collection for Zinnia and a lot of other stuff too !

Of the zinnias I have grown, my favorites are Purple Prince, Green Envy and the Sorbet mix. I got a couple unusual colored zinnias from the sorbet mix including a russet one and a bicolored pink/orange one. I collected seeds from those two to grow again this season. My seeds came from swaps, so they are F1 (or later generations) of commercial seeds.

I grow the purple prince as a clump. I plant a group of seeds or seedlings close together. It was as pretty as my dahlias, but bloomed earlier. I am not a "pretty flowers all in a row" person.

I like the Benary dahlia style zinnias. I am growing more colors of these this season. I got those seeds from swaps also.

I am shopping for cactus style, scabosia style and other unique zinnia seeds.

I really like pictures of the new Zinderella lilac and peach zinnias. does any one have a good source for those?

Garden Quilts thanks for your input regarding your use of zinnias.
Swallowtail Seeds has both the Zinderella lilac and Peach Zinnia Seeds.

On the topic of Zinnias:
I like zinnias, but my humid weather creates powdery mildew on the leaves of the zinnias in August. The plants look pretty ratty. Does anyone else have this problem? and what do you do about it? I am wondering if I plant a second round of zinnias a month after the first ones start going, if the new younger plants would get the powdery mildew? Any experience or suggestions?

If you keep them spaced or trimmed so that there is sufficient air circulation, I have noticed that you can reduce the mildew somewhat.
Maybe planting the second round may work too. Could be worth trying it out.

I am going to try the Whirligig Mix, Purple Prince and Senora this year :)

I haven't had trouble with mildew on zinnias.

I have some purple prince seeds left from two years ago. I have a couple of other kinds including the Envy. I liked those two together. I am adding a hot pink from a trade because I think purple/pink/green would be a nice bouquet a nice bouquet. (I moved twice in the interim.The garden was in buckets). I am willing to trade or SASE. Dmail me if you are interested.

I have to figure out how to change the address in the trade tracker. It still has my old address.

I will have to check out Swallowtail Seeds. Everyone seems to like them.

I am also looking for long, trailing nasturtium seeds in bulk - 1-2 oz. I want to plant a bunch of them along a walkway.

Garden Quilts: Sounds like a beautiful combo. I like to hear others combination plantings.

You guys are in Wahington state and Pa. I don't think you get the heat mixed with the humidity that I get? That's what causes the mildew. I still like to plant the zinnias though.

I forgot to give you a website that has several vining Nasturtiums. They sell in packages of 200 or 400 seeds. I have used them. They are prompt and seeds are of good quality. Here's the website:

http://www.outsidepride.com/search?terms=nasturtium+vines

Your walkway with the vining nasturtiums sounds very nice. I love the vining nasturtiums. I plant Nasturtiums with my tomaotes every year. The red and orange Nasturtiums really pop with all the green tomatoe leaves.

One can't have too many Nasturtiums!

Thanks for the nasturtium source. I got the idea for the nasturtium walkway from a cookbook featuring recipes from Monet's kitchen with pictures from his garden. I wanted to recreate the look along the side of my house.

I plant marigolds with tomatoes. I love the yellow ones. I have LOTS of yellow marigold seeds both short french and coordinating tall African varieties. I plant them together to make a wide border.

I planted zinnias with my dahlias after reading that zinnias deterred bunnies. Bunnies devoured my dahlias one year before I started making pepper spray. I had dismissed zinnias as "grandma garden" flowers, but I planted some seeds that I got in a swap. the new varieties are nicer than the ones I remember.

I was also checking Eden Brothers for bulk seeds. Someone on some list recommended their seeds (but not their bulbs). They have some zinnia seeds on sale. I will have to open a bunch of windows for a bunch of companies and compare their lists.

Garden Quilts: Yes, I use Eden Brothers also. I believe I have ordered nice bulbs from them also. Eden Brothers doesn't have the selection of vining Nasturtiums that Outsidepride has. I have used both venders and been happy.

That is good to know. I have had some mail order nightmares. I am careful where I buy things.

Eden had a few things I like, including zinnias and some orange/russet sunflowers.

I am still shopping. I haven't places any orders, yet. The endless snow and late winter blues are getting to me.

Keep looking in those catalogs and making spring/garden plans: landscaping, combos, put it down on paper. Sometimes I peruse the online catalogs, order stuff and then forget what I was going to do with it. :(

On cloudy days, I pull the blinds, turn up the lights and put on some good music.

I haven't ordered my seeds, yet, but I got a good deal on zinnias at the grocery store this weekend. they had a selection of seeds 5 for $1 or @ for $1 jumbo packs. It wasn't all the seeds, just selected ones in a special display. I got two jumbo packs of American Seed four o'clocks mixed colors. I got American Seed tall single mixed nasturtium (only 8 seeds in the pack, not a great deal, glad that I didn't buy 5 of them). I get confused with all the companies. I have to get moving while a coupe are offering free shipping.

The rest were zinnias! American seed Giant Cactus mixed colors, Burpee Starlight Rose, Pinwheel Mix (which look like the profusion series to me) and Jazzy Mix (red and white or gold bicolors like the Aztec style). You know I will be checking that display when I am out shopping tomorrow!

I ordered french marigold seeds from Eden Brothers (they;re "just up the road" 30 miles away!) and was very satisfied with them (85% germination rate: not too shabby for a first timer!). Because I was having problems getting my mail (and yet USPS continues to raise costs), I got the opportunity to speak with their customer service: no automated system, friendly and helpful. . . . a replacement order was sent immediately!! (USPS STILL has not found my order in its sorting facility!!!)

Bottom line? Eden Brothers GOOD, USPS BAD!!!

I'm also going to plant zinnias this spring (forgot who I ordered them from) and read on their site that zinnias were prone to powdery mildew; they recommended watering them ONLY from the bottom - ie avoid getting the top of the leaves wet - so I've made a "drip irrigation" system for them: I made a portable (easily storable as

ps. I also have ordered from and had good responses with Outside Pride (3 years and counting. . . )

I LOVE zins !

To prevent mildew, don't water late in the evenings, and bottom water when possible.

You may still end up with a little mildew, but not a lot. Just the nature of the beast.

Swallowtail is one of my favorite sources,
Eden Bros is fine. Outside pride, to me, seems expensive for what you get but
I do order things from them that I ant get somewhere else

There is a website that specializes in zinnias, will have to look for the name.
My experience is that NO source sells everything that is available on the market.


If you are looking for a specific choice, the best method is to go to your preferred search engine
andtype in "order ______ zinnia seed" including the quotes, and it will bring up a list of sources.

My preferred choices are thei taller cultivars. Among then I like Candy, any of the Benarys, California Giants, Oklahoma, Scabious-flowered, Candy Cane, & Candy Striped. But I never met a zinnia I didnt like, same with marigolds

I was back at the store for corned beef on sale, but they didn't' have the 5 for $1 seed rack anymore.

One type of zinnia - Burpee Pinwheel Mix - said they were mildew resistant. I hadn't grown that kind before. I got my package from the grocery store, but you could probably find it anywhere that has Burpee seeds or directly from Burpee online. The packet says "Mildew resistant single, daisy-like, 3" flowers." Height is 12 inches. The picture looks like the single, profusion zinnias.

I grow a cottage style flower garden with roses, so I always bottom water. I haven't had mildew or pest problems on the zinnias. I originally planted zinnias (and ornamental peppers) to keep the bunnies away from my dahlias. Bunnies supposedly don't like zinnias. It helped. I also spray the dahlias and any bunny favorites with hot pepper spray (diy spray made with powdered and/or liquid hot pepper from the dollar store and water). I probably get some on the zinnias too.

I never bought marigold seeds. I got mine by deadheading plantings. My neighbor planted a flat of Antigua yellow marigolds. I really like them. I have a thing for yellow marigolds, those were my favorites to date. He won't have to buy any this year if the seeds germinate.

I also got a little zinnia crazy this year. I picked up a few varieties from Select Seeds and Bakers. I guess they cost a little more but they had other things I was looking for.
I'm trying Pink Senorita, Meteor, Lilac Emperor, Benary's Giant Wine, Burpee's cactus flowered mix, Zinderella Peach and zinnia white star which I grew before. Plus I received a trial pack from Jung last year to try called Tudor and I have an older pack of Red Lime Queen that I'm not even sure is still good. Where am I going to put them? I'm not sure! I'll have to con some neighbors into trying a few!
In the past, I've also grown Green Envy and Purple Prince along with Salmon Oklahoma. I was a little disappointed that they weren't as full as the photos but now I know what to expect with zinnias - some full and some not full flowers.
I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's pictures.

I must confess I am a seed hoarder sorta/kinda.

I like swallowtail because they sell bulk seeds, so you get more seed bang for the buck.

That what I have enough to share or start plants for others, or grow extra plants for
Roundup.

I like to plants group of seedlings/plants in a rounded group. They look like a small flowering shrub or a large perennial like a dahlia. I like them that way.

A friend grew the same purple prince seeds as single plants. I think they look better in groups. She disagrees. Vive la difference!

I have been putting the seeds I like on pinterest this year. It is more fun than scribbled lists - as long as I remember to pin them.

Loretta, I like the zinderella peach too! I want to grow both zinderellas. I hope they are as pretty in person as they are in the pictures!

I hope so too. It won't be the first time I would be disappointed by a zinnia in real life.

Hi Yada and everyone. I garden in Washington state, like Yadavguard. I fiddled around a bit with zinnias some years ago. I found that in an average or cool summer here they mostly didn't grow/flower well. I grew up in the Midwest where they did fine and did not understand what was wrong at first. Then I found that in a hot (for us which isn't very hot) summer (and we always have lovely low humidity summers without much rain) they did fine. Then someone bred 'Profusion Orange' which did great without any care at all, blooming all summer and fall. The other profusions are good too. I pretty much haven't tried anything else since-if I want Zinnias I just get the Profusion series. Yada- let us know what you try and how it does.

I grew "Lilliput" mix zinnias from Eden Bros last year, and loved them. Gonna order more! Nothing says cottage garden like that riot of color!

Those are very sweet!

Aren't they pretty? I planted them in the front because I thought "Lilliput" meant "short!" LOL. But all those tall plants leaning over the walkway ended up being quite charming. =)

I always thought Lilliput would be short too. They have an airy charm though so they work up front.

Wifeygirl-I agree, they are just perfect there. I like the height and bright color mix.
By the way Wifeygirl, how is your landscaping coming along?

Hi Pistil! Thanks so much for asking. My landscaping is coming along, but slowly, as I have money! Here are a few recent pics.

The Hollyhocks are happy as clams over there on the left. I haven't added many foundation plantings, other than a little red maple in front of the window.

Back in the corner is the kids' "Plants vs. Zombies" garden, where we have planted a row of sunflowers in the back and other vegetables inspired by the video game. =)

It's hard to see in that pic, but behind the birdbath I've added a Sweet Tea Olive bush, which should add a wonderful smell for people walking up.

The whole thing is going to change soon, though, because I'm letting the lawn die this summer. As of now, it gets not another drop of water from me. I needed to do something about the drought, and so I decided that in a battle between green lawn and garden, garden wins every time! =)

I think it is coming along great.I love the "Zombie Garden" idea for the kids. Yah the lawn is lovely, but in Fresno it would be water-intensive. Do you frequent the Xeriscaping forum?

Just a thought: they're some ground covers that serve as "lawn" but don't need the watering!!

iffen I HAD a lawn, I'd forget that darn grass (ALWAYS needing something: watering, mowing, weed control etc) and opt for something OTHER than that needy green stuff!!

Here's a picture of one of my ground-cover plants I'm using in my garden (don't know how it'd stand up to kid traffic. . LOL)

Fried egg plant, right BetNC?! I didn't know that was a groundcover. So cute!

A drought-hardy lawn replacement is part of my plan at this point, but I'm going to road-test it first. I'm leaning toward this one: http://www.stepables.com/5/Herniaria_glabra_Green_Carpet_Rupturewort.html

I can't have something that attracts bees, or else the kids will get stung. Plus I want something that might pass for grass from far away.

I don't frequent the Xeriscaping forum, but I guess it's time to!! =)

This message was edited Mar 24, 2015 3:06 PM