Saving Zinnia Flower Seeds

As fall captivates our attention with it’s display of vibrant colors, the window of time to collect seeds for next year’s garden is drawing to a close.  If you’re like me, saving zinnia flower seeds is a must before fall fades to winter.

Zinnias add an extra layer of beauty to our vegetable garden and attract beautiful pollinators to boot.  Butterflies, bumblebees and honeybees, to name a few, are frequent visitors to the garden.

Tips to Saving Zinnia Seeds

• Clip zinnia flower heads once they have begun to die back.
• Before storing away, lay zinnias in a single layer to ensure the seeds are completely dry.
• Storing zinnia flower seeds in a freezer or refrigerator will prolong seed life.  Their germination rate goes down when stored in warmer temperatures.  Shoot for an average temperature of a minimum of 40 degrees.

Steps For Saving Zinnia Seeds

1. Clip flower heads after the petals have fallen and the heads are beginning to dry.
2. Lay in a single layer until the zinnia heads are completely dry.
3. Store in a freezer bag in the fridge or freezer for best germination.  (I always store a pint jar on the shelf for decoration.  It gives the home a nice cottage vibe!)
4. Label your storage container with name of seed and date saved.

Watch video of saving zinnia flower seeds.

 

Spring Zinnia Planting

Come spring, take your saved zinnia flower seeds and plant in rich soil among herbs and vegetables.  Interplanting flowers, herbs and vegetables totally changed our gardening outlook.  They added a beautiful charming feel to the garden.

You may want to check out these posts:

Building a Cold Frame

Interplanting a Garden – Tips for Interplanting

Wherever you choose to plant your zinnias come spring, you now have hundreds, if not thousands of potential zinnias to adore in your own yard…versus the few seeds you get when buying a packet.