Zinnia 'Benary's Giant Mix'

This is the first summer I have grown zinnias from seed. It was easy to do and now I have some much needed late summer color in the gard...Read Moreen. So far the Benary's Giants have resisted mildew for us so that is a big plus for this strain of seeds. I liked the mix of colors, but next time I will purchase separate colors and make my own mix
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Update: Now it is 2017 and I grew masses of the Benary's Giants from mixes this summer. They are my favorite zinnia. I bought my seed from Renee's Garden Seeds and she offers several different Benary's mixes in different color schemes. I also planted some Verbena Bonariensis to complement the color scheme and for cutting. Benary's Giants and Verbena Bonariensis grown together in the garden are irresistible to our butterflies.

I started my seed outdoors in late may in potting mix in planters for protection from the animals. When they got about a foot high I planted them out in the sunny garden (mid June). This year I 'pinched out' the center stems when the plant was 18" tall, cutting off the stem down (12" or more) past the first set of side shoots (this is pretty far down and seemed drastic to me at first.). I saw this technique on You-tube and I recommend it if you want bushier plants with loads of bloom later in the summer. I left some plants 'un pinched' so that I could have earlier bloom from the center flower.

Zinnias like a nice rich garden soil but I also fed the zinnia plants with Miracle-Gro Bloom Booster for flowers (not the regular Miracle-Gro) a couple of times early in the summer and that helped a lot too. And they do like a drink of water when you have a dry spell. Benary's Giants seem pretty resistant to deer. I have lots of deer roaming through my yard and they never bothered them.

Benary's are bred for making bouquets. The are long lasting in the vase and have strong and long stems. They are also resistant to mildew (however never water the leaves, water only at the base of the plant or with a drip irrigation system.). Renee's Garden Seeds offers several different Benary's Giants color schemes so that you bouquets will be stunning if you require a restricted pallet for your decor.

Large-flowered strain from one of the oldest German seed companies, Ernst Benary, founded in Erfurt in 1843. Blooms are fully double, 4-5...Read More" across, a wide range of colors. Extra long stems are excellent for cutting and arranging. Annual, 3-4 ft tall.

This is the best zinnia I have grown here on Cape Cod. It's vigorous (no or little mildew) and gorgeous (great colors and double flowers...Read More). Butterflies relish it. The only zinnia I will grow here. Best from seed, if you can find it.