How to Save Zinnia Seeds
Keep zinnias coming back year after year (for free!) by saving seeds from these beautiful flowers. It's incredibly easy to do, and there are no special tools required.
The process of saving zinnia seeds to use next year is quite easy. In fact, the most difficult part is in waiting for the flowers to dry out! Here are the steps.
Allow flowers to dry out on the plant until they are brown and petals are crunchy. Cut flower off of plant.
Remove the dried petals from the plant and set to the side or compost. (Learn how to compost here!)
Break apart the center section of the flower that’s left and place the seeds on a plate or in a clean container. The seeds are thin and can be wispy, so don't do this outdoors on a particularly windy day. As you pull at the center part of the flower, the seeds should come off easily in your hand.
Pick out any dried petals that may be mixed in with the seeds. (You can leave them if you like. They shouldn’t really affect the saved seeds.)
Store the seeds in a sealed container or envelope in a cool, dry place. Seeds can also be kept in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to use the following year.
You can also allow the flowers to dry out and simply sprinkle the seeds on the ground. Chances are some of the seeds will take and bloom the following year, no planting from you required!
Zinnia seeds will remain viable for 5-6 years if stored properly. So be sure they are fully dried out before storing. See the full post below for more tips on saving seeds!
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I planted zinnias in a raised bed two years ago and they were just gorgeous. When it became time to clean the bed I just let the seed fall back into the bed. I tapped the seed into the ground and waited for the spring. It was unbelievable to see how many plants came up. I immediately thinned and shared the young plants. The
flowers were full color but most were smaller blooms. This year I just collected seed and cleaned the bed for a fresh start. I love zinnias!
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Not all zinnia seeds will produce the same plant/flower of the original plant. The hybrids will only grow to be what 2 plants were used to produce the hybrid. The older original versions will grow true.
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
Do you just sprinkle on the ground or dig a little hole for the seeds
Not really a question....I’m so excited to try this! I had a full garden of Zinnias this year & just loved watching the Bees and Hummingbirds visit my garden!
Planted Zinnia seed (plant food included in with the seeds) but put them in large pots and a window box (didn't want animals to eat them). Havent gotten any blossoms. Planted them in early July. Will they grow only in ground or deep planted?