Grow Your Own Zinnias Indoors: A Step-by-Step Guide

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Craving a burst of color in your cottage garden without the hassle? This guide spills the secrets to growing stunning zinnia flowers from seed, right at home. Learn how to seed zinnias indoors with these simple tips.

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Supplies – Cosmos Seeds – Vermiculite – Seed Starting Potting Soil – Seed Trays – Bottom or Drainage Trays – Clear Dome Lids – Grow Lights - Shelf System - Heat Mat - Plant Labels - Oscillating fan - Programmable Timer

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Zinnias can be started indoors about 4-6 weeks before the last frost date in your locality. Use a seed starting tray or small pots with drainage holes filled with a quality organic seed starter mix that is pre-moistened.

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Make a small hole then sow the seeds then lightly cover them with vermiculite. Sow only one variety per cell tray as the different plants will germinate at different times.

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Cover seed trays with a clear dome and move them under the grow lights on a heat mat to speed up germination. They typically germinate within a few days.

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Remove the cover when the seeds start to germinate. It’s OK if they didn’t all germinate, more will grow after the cover is removed. Keep soil moist by bottom watering only

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Before transplanting zinnia seedlings outdoors, harden them off by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over a period of 14 days.

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When seedlings are hardened off and ready to plant in the garden, space zinnia transplants in your flower garden about 9 inches apart after the last frost date. Spacing is really important so there’s enough airflow between plants to prevent problems like powdery mildew.

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Follow along to learn more about how to grow zinnia flowers from seed.

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