Gro 'n Sell
Zinnia Benary Giants
Yup. Zinnias. The easiest of all annuals to grow yourself. That said, some of us are better than others at actually remembering to sow those succession plantings, and it might make sense to just order what you need when you need it. Now available in straight colors!
Benary Giants are huge and productive and colorful. The industry standard.
**We do not guarantee any specific shades will appear in Mix products, as the Mix is created by the seed breeder. It is possible that Mix will be all one color, or significantly different from pictured colors. If you need specific shades, please order straight colors as opposed to Mix trays.**
Sold in a 216 cell tray, billed at 210.
Order 6 or more weeks in advance of desired ship date.
About Tray Sizes
210 and 125 cell trays are full-sized trays, and three of these will fit in a shipping box.
50 cell trays are half-sized trays (unless otherwise noted) and two of these are the equivelent of one full sized tray. Six of these will fit in a shipping box.
18 and 32 cell trays are full sized trays specifically for our vernalized perennials. These have their own set of shipping rules (find details HERE) and cannot be combined with items grown in 210, 125, or 50 cell trays.
Growing Guides
Click here to access all of our comprehensive growing guides.
| Common Name | Zinnia |
| Genus | Zinnia |
| Species | Z. elegans, Z. haageana, Z. peruviana |
| Family | Asteraceae |
| Life Cycle | Annual |
| Format | Plugs |
| Plug Care | Zinnias are fast growers and will quickly become rootbound in the plug trays if not planted out soon after arrival. |
| Netting / Staking | Not absolutely necessary but 1 or 2 layers of support can be helpful. |
| Temperature Range | Extremely frost sensitive - zinnias like it hot and sunny, so wait until the threat of frost has passed, the soil has warmed up and temperatures stay consistently above 55F at night. |
| Spacing | Minimum 8-12" depending on variety. |
| Soil Preference | Well drained, fertile soil. Neutral to slightly acidic pH for best results. |
| Day Length | Facultative short day (Zinnias can still flower under long day conditions but are most floriferous when the day length shortens). Plant zinnias in full sun. |
| Pinching | One pinch is recommended when the plants are about a foot tall - pinch down to three or four sets of leaves to promote side branching. |
| When to Plant | In the spring after all threat of frost has passed and the soil has warmed. |
| Harvesting | Expect the first flowers approximately 60-80 days after planting. Harvest flowers when fully open and when the stem is stiff. If the flower wobbles from side to side when the stem is wiggled, it is not fully mature and the vase life will suffer. Zinnias are a cut and come again plant - expect many stems over a long flowering window. |
| Post Harvest Care | Place into cool water immediately after cutting. Cut zinnias benefit from a cvbn tablet or a couple drops of bleach in the water to increase vase life. Do not store zinnias in a cooler as they are cold sensitive and the petals will brown (store at or above 50F). |
| Diseases / Insects | Zinnias have a reputation for developing powdery mildew and alternaria leaf spot, especially later in the season. Increasing airflow between plants and keeping foliage dry when irrigating can help slow the spread of these diseases. Zinnias have few insect pests. |
| Bailey's Notes |
Zinnia plugs may bud early due to becoming rootbound. Deadhead all flowers as they fade to promote continuous flower production. Seed development saps a lot of energy from the plant and productivity will decline. |
| Resources |