Zinnias are of the most rewarding flowers to grow. They look great in the garden – with bright, daisy-shaped flowers – and make excellent cut flowers.

Zinnias do not like to be transplanted. They work best if seeded directly into the garden. If you do want to get a jump on the season, plant them in peat pots and plant pot and all.

They need full sun and well-drained soil. What zinnias don’t need is a lot of fertilizer.

Plant the seeds about a quarter-inch deep. Read the back of the package for how far apart to plant them; the most common distance is 6 inches apart, though taller varieties will need more room.

Zinnias attract butterflies and other pollinators, but they also attract Japanese beetles. Since the Japanese beetles were not as bad last year as they have been, we are giving zinnias another try this year.

– Tom Atwell


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