Keep your vases filled all summer long with the reliable varieties that the pros grow
latterly , there has been increasing interest among house gardeners in plant the cut - flower varieties that professional flower granger prefer . We see those gorgeous , long - halt flush on social media and think , Could I get that?Happily , the reply is yes , you may .
Due to the farm ebullience for specialty cutting off flower , these once heavily - to - get change are now more widely available in modest packets , staring for imbed a quarrel in thecutting gardenor incorporating a pulley-block of colouration into any garden bed . Even a small planting can leave an copiousness of blooms to love and share over a long season .
As the founder of the Slow Flowers Society connection of flower farmers and floral designer across North America , I have instruct so much from the professional who are turn unique yearly flush for their community . To impart this knowledge further abroad , I inquire 10 flower farmers to partake in some of their favorite cultivar , include tips on seminal fluid starting , spacing , care , and harvesting . The result list include nine one-year species , and one perennial that produces flowers in its first twelvemonth and is often grown as an annual . Any of these arresting selections would be an excellent addition to next summer ’s garden plan .
Amaranth
Amaranthus caudatusand cvs.;A. cruentusand cvs .
There is nothing quite like an amaranth to add elegance , form , and texture to a floral transcription . Caitlin Carnahan , a Seattle - area specialty flower agriculturalist , sells hundreds of amaranth bunches to florist shop throughout the grow time of year . While flowered designer value the arching lines and tracking or textural elements in their arrangements , home gardeners will prize that amaranth is along - go excision peak and comparatively gentle to grow . When seed shopping , you ’ll notice that there are unsloped diverseness ( A. cruentusand cvs . ) and trailing amaranth ( A. caudatusand cvs.),which has fun , drooping tassels . Both types are wonderful in bouquets .
Favorite Amaranth Cultivars for Cut Flowers
Caitlin ’s pet amaranth cultivars
‘ Sunset Goldilocks’is a unique blonde - and - rose commixture .
‘ Hot Biscuits’is an upright change with coppery plumes .
‘ Mira’is a beautiful , trailing , rose - and - green variety with plump , drooping tassel .
Other agriculturalist commend
‘ Red Spike’,one of the darkest reds available , is idealistic for summertime andfall arrangements .
‘ Coral Fountain’produces antique , coral - pink tassel that are beautiful in system and corsage .
How to Grow Amaranth from Seed
day to Germination:7 to 10 day at 70–75 ° fluorine
Days to maturity:65 to 75 day
When and how to sow in : initiate sow indoors 4 to 6 weeks before transplanting outdoors . The ideal indoor grow temperature is 62 to 65 ° farad . Using a 50 - cubicle stopple tray , sprinkle 10 to 15 seeds together in each cell ; the clusters of seedlings that develop can be transplanted to the garden without cutting or naval division . Amaranth can also be direct - seeded outdoors after the last icing with great results .
Height:48 to 60 inch
space : primed clusters of seedling 12 inches apart . “ I discover the amaranth maturate big and chunky with this method acting , and I am able to glean an abundance of really nice cuts , ” Caitlin say .
Harvesting Tips : Amaranth is a passion - love crop , so be sure to grow it in plenty of sun . “ It is full to harvest when the stems have firmed up and the flowers have develop to the desired size . The harvest window extends two to three weeks until seeds lead off to drop , at which point you will probably see amaranth seedlings in your garden the following class because it is a prolific ego - seeder ! ” make out back plants before the seeds form if you do n’t want volunteers next time of year .
Calendula
Calendula officinalisand cvs .
Calendula is an elegant addition to any knifelike garden . Xenia D’Ambrosi , who grows herbs and issue peak and teaches sustainable - gardening workshop , highly commend calendula because it is easy to arise and quite rich . Its vibrant orange - and - xanthous bloom have a long vase life when write out . The flower petal are edible , and the flora has been traditionally grown for its health benefits . This is a good crop to uprise for the recent season because the plants will bear light frost .
Favorite Calendula Cultivars for Cut Flowers
Xenia ’s favorite calendula cultivars
‘ Ivory Princess’has 2- to 3 - in double and semidouble blush with creamy petals flecked with hints of gold that counterpoint beautifully with a dark center disk . The grandiloquent , vigorous , level-headed plants succumb sturdy stems .
‘ Flashback Mix’is a salient medley featuring bicolor petals;the bottom of each petal is tinted with muted Bourgogne , allow for unequaled contrast .
‘ orange tree Flash’has cream - colored irradiation flower petal that darken to apricot at the petal edge .
‘ Pacific Apricot Beauty’boasts 1½- to 3 - inch blooms surrounding a bronze center with tip of peach and ointment .
How to Grow Calendula from Seed
Days to germination:7 to 14 day at 70 ° F
Days to maturity:50 to 60 sidereal day
When and how to sow:“I prefer to sow calendula seeds directly into my garden beds in other spring , after the last Robert Frost , ” Xenia explains . “ Calendula can also be started indoors , four to six week before the last frost . I sow two sequence to extend my harvest windowpane . In milder mood , it can also be sown in fall to overwinter and bloom originally in the spring . ”
‘Sunset Goldilocks ‘ Amaranth
Height:18 to 24 in
Spacing : industrial plant should be spaced about 9 to 12 inch aside to give up air flow and prevent mildew .
Harvesting Tips : Harvest bloom when they are half to three - quarters open for longer vase lifespan . harvesting when fully open for edible usance . “ veritable cutting and deadheading encourages more blooms and prevent the plant from going to sow , extending the harvest window . ” Calendula is an easy choice if you ’d like to try your hand at ejaculate saving .
‘Sunset Goldilocks ‘ Amaranth
Cosmos
Cosmos bipinnatusand cvs .
Cosmos is one of the most rewarding and easiest cut down - and - get along - again flowers you’re able to grow . It has beautiful , daisy - like flower in individual or double var. . Beth Syphers , an Oregon agriculturist , note that cosmos blooms from the raging summertime time of year until autumn ’s frost . A few cosmos scratch line or seeds can fill a space and make a Modern nurseryman palpate successful in just one season . soft to grow from semen , cosmos is also one of the hard annual to kill , which , Beth read , “ I know from experience ! ”
Favorite Cosmos Cultivars for Cut Flowers
Beth ’s favorite cosmos cultivars
‘ good afternoon White’offers the classic feel of clean snowy bloom with bright yellow centers on long , sturdy stems . “ We fuck using this potpourri in design oeuvre , and it also wait sound and plays well with other flowers in the garden . ”
‘ Apricotta’has a bloom colour that infuses a delicate rose flush with apricot highlights , on plants with a full-bodied , productive blooming riding habit .
‘Sunset Goldilocks ‘ Amaranth
‘ Double Click Cranberries’is one of the marvelous kind ( 42 to 46 column inch ) with bass cranberry , fully double petals and a soft yellow center .
‘ Rubenza’has unique , cranberry - colored petals that change to a cryptic hue as they age . Plants are very fat and efflorescence early .
‘ Versailles Flush’offers pale pinkish blooms held atop strong stems , make it an excellent choice for tedious shape . Staking may be required in particularly exposed locations .
‘Red Spike’ Amaranth
How to Grow Cosmos from Seed
Days to Germination:7 to 10 days at 68–72 ° farad
Days to maturity:75 to 90 days
When and how to sow : If you are direct - sowing , wait until all danger of freeze has passed and sow seeds with just ¼ column inch of dirt to cover them . select a cheery , well - debilitate fix . “ Cosmos can tolerate little water , poor soil , and no special attention or soil amendments , ” Beth tell . “ In fact , they do well in almost any conditions . ” If you want to get a jump start on the season , sow in planting tray in a dependable semen - start mixture . Plant each seed about ¼-inch thick . When seedlings are about 1 inch tall , transplant to a larger pot to continue growing until quick to transplant alfresco . look at direct - sowing a few succession to extend the season . Beth pinches back her beginning when they are 8 to 12 column inch marvellous and have 2 to 3 hardening of true leave . Removing the top 3 to 4 inches encourages branching and a stronger , shaggy-coated habit .
‘Hot Biscuits’ Amaranth
Height:16 to 48 inches
space : dilute the works to 12 to 18 inch apart , depending on the variety .
Harvesting Tips : you could harvest blooms from the time when flowers have just unfold and petals are still pointing forward with centers not yet showing pollen . The blossom will go on to open up once picked . “ It is critical to harvest existence at this degree to increase vase lifespan , ” Beth apprise . “ I suggest harvest every morning for the best blooms and to keep the prime coming . I cut my base sixteen to twenty inches for adding to mixed fragrance , but for a vase arrangement , cut any length that gibe your vas and composition . Cut flush can be hive away in clean water in a coolheaded , dark station for up to five days . ”
Flowering Tobacco
Nicotianaspp . and cvs .
inflorescence tobacco plant is another cut - and - arrive - again one-year that produce from spring through fall . Katie Tolson , the proprietor of a dress shop cut - efflorescence farm and plant baby’s room in Westchester County , New York , appreciate its versatility . It tolerates some shade , coolheaded temperatures , and lightsome hoar , but it also holds up well in hot , humid summers . Katie grows several diverseness to supply local florists , who appreciate the magniloquent stems for the notion , structure , and movement they supply to designs . “ Nicotiana is one of the few trumpet - shaped efflorescence that is utilitarian in arrangements ; the flower are not too great , it has uncompromising prow , and it has a vase life of seven days . ”
Favorite Flowering Tobacco Cultivars for Cut Flowers
Katie ’s favorite cultivars
‘ Grandiflora’has large , pure white , fragrant bloom ; it tend to hold longer as a cut bloom and is less pest - prone than some other variety .
‘ Scentsation’(sometimes call ‘ aesthesis ’ ) is fragrant and long bloom , and offers a great mixture of colors including pink , lavender , rose , red , and white .
‘Flashback Mix’ calendula
‘ Tinkerbell’produces a 3 - fundament - tall flora with nodding , tube-shaped flowers that are a unique shade of dusky rose inside with lime immature on the back .
‘ Starlight Dancer’has elegant , wiz - shape bells that are calcium oxide and cream colored on the external throat , opening to 1 - column inch - widely , ivory blossom . It grows well from source and is ready to bloom in the field .
How to Grow Flowering Tobacco from Seed
Days to Germination:7 to 14 twenty-four hour period at 72–78 ° degree Fahrenheit
Days to Maturity:80 to 90 day
When and how to sow in : Katie starts her seeds indoors in trays over hotness mat and under lights , 6 to 8 weeks before the modal last frost . Surface - sow seeds and do not insure , because they need light to germinate . Bottom water tray with domes until the seeds sprout ; then uncover and remove from heating system . retain to grow under Light until they can be transplanted out of doors . verify to season off over the course of a few days to avoid accentuate young plants . “ you may also come on - sow seeds in saltation in area that wo n’t be disturb or know water runoff , ideally in raise seam , ” she adds .
‘White Swan’ marigold
Height:32 to 40 inches , or tall
Spacing:12 - inch spatial arrangement is recommended .
Harvesting Tips : Katie prefer to harvest flowering tobacco in the early evening when temperatures are cooler and flush are starting to open . She recommends cutting when about one - third of the lower flowers are undetermined on the stem . It ’s all right to dilute halt long — an arm ’s duration from finger tips to armpit . “ I wear upon light boxing glove to reap , as the plant halt can be more or less viscous , especially when I strip the lower foliage , ” she pronounce . Take care , especially when bunch up stem , to void shoot down or crushing the lower blooms . Place stem right away in water supply and storage in a coolheaded , black place until use . After a row has been to a great extent harvested and the plants commence to attend pass , Katie swerve all the plant down to about 24 to 36 inches . “ The whole bed will regrow and flower again within about six weeks , ” she tell .
‘Pacific Apricot Beauty’
Love-in-a-Mist
Nigellaspp . and cvs .
Monique Morris , a former wedding and event deviser and floral designer , recently began grow cut peak in partnership with her husband , David . She love the unique , airy vibe that love - in - a - mist brings to arrangements . Its feathery foliage and delicate blooms contribute an unexpected tactual sensation to fragrance , and theseedpods that follow add even more versatility . The pods areperfect in dried arrangements , extending their usefulness into the winter time of year . As a comparatively new cultivator , Monique tell making love - in - a - mist is a consummate yearbook to try out with .
Favorite Love-in-a-Mist Cultivars for Cut Flowers
Monique and David ’s favorite cultivar
‘ African Bride’offers glorious white flowers topped with a spidery , deep burgundy - black center follow by pale light-green seedpods .
‘ Albion Mix’has whiten two-fold flowers and ornamental seedpods .
‘Apricotta’ cosmos
‘ Delft Blue’has varying tint of blue- and greyish - splashed flower flower petal surrounding deep - purple centers . Its unusual seedpods can be used in tonic or dried arrangement .
‘ Miss Jekyll Mix’has fluffy , star - shaped blooms on stiff , 12- to 28 - inch stems . unvarying vigorous plants are accented by attractive ferny leafage and plenty of rose , white , sky blue , and bass blue flowers . The whimsical , balloon - shaped seedpod dry pronto .
How to Grow Love-in-a-Mist from Seed
Clarence Day to Germination:10 to 14 days at 60–65 ° atomic number 9
day to Maturity:65 to 70 for flowers ; 80 to 85 for pods
When and how to sow in : Love - in - a - mist is ideal for winter sowing outdoors , as it thrives in cooler conditions . Monique and David lineal - sow theirs in well - drained stain , and also expend ground blocks for seed starting , approximately 4 to 6 weeks before planting out . “ Depending on your zone , you may also direct - sow in early leaping , so this is a beginner - friendly yearly , ” Monique adds . The source need ignitor to evolve , so compensate them very lightly . flimsy seedlings to approximately 2 to 9 inch apart . Love - in - a - mist is a one - cut crop , cause it a nifty campaigner for multiple sowings . Try direct - sowing every 2 to 3 weeks early in the time of year for continuous flower and seedpod yield . Fall sow where wintertime are soft .
‘Rubenza’
Height:24 column inch or tall
Spacing : Monique space plant about 6 inches asunder to earmark room for a shaggy-coated ontogeny riding habit . “ It ’s a relatively prompt bungle and does n’t always take pinching , but pinching once it ’s about four to six column inch grandiloquent can facilitate it branch out more . “
Harvesting Tips : you may harvest stem for their delicate blooms or wait for the seedpods to form . “ For fresh cuts , I like to harvest just as the blooms jump to open . For dry out , I waitress until the pod are amply formed , which adds outstanding grain to fall arrangements . After cutting , I always train the stems in cool piss to keep them overbold . ” As an summate bonus : “ Nigellacan self - seed , so you may savour a few surprise blooms next year ! ”
‘Afternoon White’
Marigold
Tagetes erectaand cvs .
granger - flower store Caitlin Mathes is based in Ithaca , New York . Owner of The Marigold Gardens , she only grows one crop — marigolds — which are clearly her favorite . “ There are so many honorable reasons to grow marigold seeds . The flowers and even the foliage last forever in the vase , and marigolds are also great as a dried flower , ” Caitlin say . Compared to other cut - bloom varieties , the plants are very thickset and attractive , making them easy to incorporate into almost any garden design .
Favorite Marigold Cultivars for Cut Flowers
Caitlin ’s favorite cultivar
‘ burn Embers’has long - flowering , bright red - maroon blooms with wan edges .
‘ Court Jester’produces pocket-sized , unmarried flowers with petals boldly striped in Burgundy wine and yellowed .
‘Versailles Flush’
‘ Nosento Lime Green’is nearly scentless . Its lime - green to pale jaundiced bloom have deep unripened centers that lighten up to lemon scandalmongering asblooms mature .
‘ Xochi Orange’offers amply forked blooms with abstruse , rich colour . “ These have huge flowers and big secure stems , ” Caitlyn mouth off .
‘ gargantuan Orange’produces with child , 3 - inch blooms atop sturdy plants . elephantine marigolds are fecund producers for cuts and are also excellent garden performers .
‘Double Click Cranberry’
‘ White Swan’bears 2- to 3 - column inch , ointment to pale yellow , fully double blooms on productive , inflexible , uniform plant . The bloom have a meek , gratifying marshmallow fragrance , without the distinctive strong marigold olfactory property .
How to Grow Marigold from Seed
mean solar day to germination:4 to 7 day at 75–80 ° F
Days to maturity:55 to 70 days
When and how to seed : get going seeds indoors in your preferred seedling container 4 to 6 week before embed out , thinly shroud seed . graft outside after the danger of frost has passed . Direct - sow seeds ¼-inch deep . Pinching encourages branch .
‘Starlight Dancer’ flowering tobacco
Height:24 to 40 column inch
space : About 12 inches for larger marigolds , 6 to 8 inches for diminished or leggy mixture such as ‘ Court Jester ’ or ‘ combust coal ’
Harvesting Tips : Marigolds are cut - and - come - again flowers , so Caitlin likes to cut down to a skillful ramification point : “ Take the root duration you involve ! ” The strongest stems will always be the first cut of meat .
Pincushion Flower
Scabiosa atropurpureaand cvs .
Pincushion bloom offer trim - and - come - again abundance with foresightful , strong stem and a lengthy bloom season . Katie Skelton , who specializes in growing cutting - garden plants from seed for gardeners and flower Farmer in the Seattle – Tacoma orbit , notes that its pincushion - elan blooms last well in vessel when they are harvested at the right-hand stage . The flora will detain fertile over a long season in the garden , particularly if they are pinch when young and the salad days are harvested regularly .
Favorite Pincushion Cultivars for Cut Flowers
Kate ’s favorite cultivars
‘ disastrous Knight’has deep - red-faced blooming that are almost grim , lend clamant dramatic event to any nosegay or garden .
‘ Fata Morgana’has a mild , creamy apricot chromaticity that look great with darker dip efflorescence colors .
‘Delft Blue and White Formula Mix’ Love-in-a-Mist
How to Grow Pincushion Flower from Seed
day to germination:10 to 12 twenty-four hour period at 65–70 ° F
Days to maturity:90 to 100 days
When and how to sow : Scabiosais a cool - time of year , hardy one-year . seed it in recent wintertime or late summer , found on your hardiness zone ( Scabiosais wintertime - Thomas Hardy in Zones 7–8 ) . Start sow 10 to 12 weeks before the average drop or fountain Robert Frost particular date . Sow in 72 - cell packs or soil block using lightly moistened soil . Cover seeds gently and place on a 70 ° F estrus mat . Once sprouted , move to rise Inner Light in a nerveless way ( about 60 ° F ) . Avoid high-pitched temperature , and use a buff if call for . feast every week with an constituent fertilizer richly in N for strong increment .
‘African Bride’
Height:24 to 36 inches
Spacing : Transplant outdoors 5 to 7 calendar week after the 2d set of leaves has take form , about 4 to 6 weeks before your last icing appointment . Amend soil with organic compost and starter plant food , and space plants 9 inches apart . “ While staking help with true stem , you’re able to also maturate scabious between marvelous flora for natural sustenance , ” Kate notes .
Harvesting Tips:“Harvest when bud are just opening , and berth cut stanch in cool water supply immediately . For best vase life , let them ride in a cool way for a few hours before arranging , ” Kate suggests . “ call back to change the body of water daily and retrim stems for the longest vase life . ” crimp the fundamental stem whenScabiosaplants are youthful facilitate improve the consistency and lineament of subsequent blooms .
‘Miss Jekyll Mix’
Sunflower
Helianthus annuuscvs .
helianthus are careen stars in the film editing garden , with colors ranging from idle yellow to almost inglorious . Modern breeding has produce many multistemmed and pollen - spare cultivar that are everlasting in arrangement . When harvested at the right point , you may enjoy 10 to 14 days of vase life . When the petals start to drop , roll them off and use the source header in arrangements for pursuit and singular texture . Rita Williams , proprietor of WilMor Farms , in Metter , Georgia , recommends sequence planting . She has found that starting ejaculate every week or two in the first part of the growing time of year is an good way of life to extend the harvest windowpane .
Favorite Sunflower Cultivars for Cut Flowers
Rita ’s best-loved cultivar
Vincent ® and ProCut ® series:“We always have two varieties growing on our farm . In spring or early summer , we select Vincent ® ‘Fresh ’ and ProCut ® ‘Gold Lite ’ , as they have green - colored substance that complement the pastel colors of the season . As we move into summertime , we grow Vincent ® ‘Choice ’ and ProCut ® ‘Orange ’ for their darker center of attention , which look fabulous with bluff colors of zinnias and celosia .
In fall , we also grow ProCut ® ‘Plum ’ and ProCut ® ‘Bicolor ’ , which create two - tone sunflower . Our most pop fall sunflowers are ‘ Moulin Rouge ’ and ProCut ® ‘Red ’ , which are almost like blackened velvet in appearance . All of these produce single stems , except for ‘ Moulin Rouge ’ , which is a branching helianthus . ”
‘Burning Embers’ marigold
‘ Goldy Double’boasts fully doubled , halcyon petals around a gullible center .
‘ Soraya’has a classic look , with a ring of orange yellow around a chocolate brown centre .
‘ Greenburst ’ , part of the pop Starburst ™ series , is a pollenless early bloomer noted for powdery mildew resistance .
‘Giant Orange’ marigold
‘ Sonja’is a multistem cultivar that produces sprays of 4 - column inch individual heyday with dark centers .
How to Grow Sunflowers from Seed
Days to germination:7 to 14 24-hour interval at 70–75 ° atomic number 9
Days to maturity:50 to 70 days
When and how to sow : Sow newfangled come every week until the beginning of September to ascertain a continual harvesting . Rita notice , “ We go all of our sunflowers in tray to protect the seedling from birds and field mice . The home gardener can start by lineal - seeding first , to see what pestilence they are up against , and view transplanting if necessary . “ If you are ineffectual to put up protection or know in a colder zone , Rita recommends starting seeds indoors 2 weeks before your last frost date . you could also unmediated - sow after your last frost escort .
‘Fata Morgana’ pincushion flower
Height:48 inches and taller
Spacing:“For our bouquets , we do not require a really large - faced sunflower , as it takes up a deal of space in an organisation , ” Rita read . “ We grow our sunflowers on six - column inch centers to produce smaller blooms . Depending on your desired peak size of it , distances of nine to twelve inches between seed or plants can promote larger bloom . ”
Harvesting Tips : Rita conceive sunflower to be unfearing , tough yearbook . “ They can be harvested any prison term of the day , even in our Georgia heat ! But we unremarkably choose a morning harvesting , ” she add . “ We prove to harvest when the first petal are beginning to lift up off the cum head . ”
Flowerburst ™ ‘ Red Shades ’
Yarrow
Achillea millefoliumcvs .
Yarrow is a drouth - tolerant perennial native to all moderate regions of the northern hemisphere . But because it flowers abundantly in its first year , it can be uprise as an yearly . Briana Bosch , who own a flower farm near Denver , value yarrow ’s foresightful harvesting menstruation . It can be used all summertime long for flowered arrangements , and at the final stage of the season its stems can either be cut and hang for dry out or allowed to dry in the line of business . While Briana bonk the looking at of the straight metal money , she also enjoys working with the wider mountain range of hues of propagated cultivar , which go from sick pinko and apricot to deep fuchsia and Capsicum annuum grossum red .
Favorite Yarrow Cultivars for Cut Flowers
Briana ’s favourite cultivars
Flowerburst ™ ‘Red Shades’is a vibrant mix of mostly red , rose , and lavender hues . The blooms make first-class cut flowers and dependable perennial garden plants with cosmetic , fern - like foliage .
‘ Summer Pastels’is an sluttish - to - grow seeded player mixing that farm an copiousness of sunny pastel blooms .
‘ProCut® ‘Plum’
How to Grow Yarrow from Seed
twenty-four hour period to Germination:10 to 14 day at 65–72 ° F
Days to Maturity:120 to 130 days
When and how to sow : Sow into 72 - cubicle flat , or your preferred seedling container , 8 to 10 week before planting out . Light is required for sprouting . Cover seeds with a thin layer of vermiculite to retain moisture and contain seeded player in place . Bottom water or mist gently to void underwrite seed . For seedling development , 3 to 5 calendar week at 55 to 65 ° F in full light are idealistic stipulation . Harden off seedlings before transfer outside . lineal - seed in late leaping , early summertime , or come .
‘Goldy Double’
Height:28 to 36 inches
space : Plant seedling 12 to 24 inches apart .
Harvesting Tips : Yarrow bloom hold on the plant longer than many perennial . Briana recommend harvesting when the flower have fully spring , waiting until the top of the stem ( just beneath the flower head ) feels firm . The seed heads hold their colour for weeks and can be dry and used as an stark peak .
Starburst™ ‘Greenburst’
Zinnia
Zinnia elegansand cvs .
The vast regalia of flower colors and sizes available and the bountifulness of blooms that each industrial plant provides make zinnias a staple crop for many flush growers . blossom farmer Christian Ingalls make love them because “ they have great vase life and are also eatable , making them a wonderful improver to the home garden . you could add a bloom to your favorite beverage or besprinkle the flower petal over salads . ” Because zinnias are comparatively rut tolerant , they are fertile at Christian ’s Hawaiian bloom farm , growing for months on destruction as a cut down - and - come - again harvest that raise more flower as they are harvested .
Favorite Zinnia Cultivars for Cut Flowers
Christian ’s favorite cultivar
‘ Oklahoma ’ serieshas cute blooms that add just the right amount of colour when paired with foliage and herb abridge from the garden .
Christian ’s favored colors admit ‘ Oklahoma Golden Yellow ’ , ‘ Oklahoma Salmon ’ , and ‘ Oklahoma Pink ’ .
‘Moulin Rouge’
‘ Isabellina’is a mild cream - yellow heirloom zinnia with to the full double to single blooms .
‘ Senorita’is thoroughgoing for a tropic floral palette , with its salmon - pinkish petals coil in dissimilar directions for a casual , bungalow - garden aesthetic .
‘ Benary Giants ’ seriesis a classic and superior air originating from a historical German cum company . Its turgid double blossoms are about 4 to 5 inches wide and come in multiple splendid colors .
‘ Queeny ’ seriesoffers a advanced gloss palette on sturdy and well-fixed - to - spring up plant life .
How to Grow Zinnias from Seed
Days to Germination:3 to 5 days at 80–85 ° fluorine
When and how to sow in : go seeds indoors in tray prior to the last hoar . “ you’re able to also inseminate come about 1 - column inch deep in pots , address them lightly with land and keeping them moist until plants are established . I cover seed with a exculpated dome or charge card wrap for even germination , ” Christian explains . “ As soon as fifty per centum have germinated , dispatch the domed stadium or wrap . transplanting when seedling are two to three weeks old . To ensure the plants produce longer stems , pinch or snip away the first heart flower bud , using your fingertips or clear clippers . ”
Height:12 to 18 inches
‘Summer Pastels’
Spacing : Zinnias grow long , straight stems when given support , such as netting , or when they are imbed closely together . Ideal spacing is 9 to 12 inches apart . For a continual supply of fresh blooms , Christian recommend planting successions of zinnias every 2 weeks , start in early summer .
Harvesting Tips : Harvest just before the blossom are totally open , cut betimes in the morning for best results . “ Cut deep , as this will promote more growth and boost farsighted stems , ” Christian says . “ range your fingers below the first leafage set and trim down the radical with the other hand , stripping off all the leave of absence and possible side shoot . ” Zinnias are known to be susceptible to powdery mildew , but often only on the foliage , so stripping off the foliage is a near way to battle it . After being cut , zinnias favor to be hive away at way temperature , rather than in a cooler . To dry the flower , just leave them in water and they will slowly dry out out as the water evaporates .
Debra Prinzing is a Seattle - based author , speaker , and leave advocate for domesticated and locally originate flowers .
‘Senorita’
| Sources |
The following mail - society generator may carry a selection of the seed varietiesmentioned in this article :
Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company , Mansfield , MO ; 417 - 924 - 8887;rareseeds.com
‘Oklahoma Mix’
Eden Brothers , Arden , NC ; 855 - 440 - 2929 ; edenbrothers.com
John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds , Bantam , CT ; 860 - 567 - 6086;kitchengardenseeds.com
Johnny ’s Selected Seeds , Albion , ME ; 877 - 564 - 6697 ; johnnyseeds.com
‘Oklahoma Golden Yellow’
Select Seeds , Union , CT ; 800 - 684 - 0395 ; selectseeds.com
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‘Queeny Mix’
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