Coral Zinnia Seeds

Sow Coral Zinnia seeds directly into the garden after the last frost, once the soil reaches 70°F. Don’t put seeds into cold ground, as it causes poor germination. Plant the seeds a quarter inch deep and 6 inches apart, then thin to 12 inches once the seedlings reach 3 inches tall. Coral Beauty Zinnia seeds germinate in 5 to 7 days in warm soil, and sometimes fAster under a sheet of black plastic mulch. You can start them indoors 4 weeks before transplant if your season is short, but use peat pots or soil blocks because zinnias hate root disturbance and a transplanted seedling sulks for weeks. 

Zinnia Coral Beauty needs full sun, at least 6 hours of direct light per day, or the plants get leggy and the bloom count drops by half. They tolerate most soils, but if you amend the bed with compost and aim for well-drained ground with a neutral pH, you will get sturdier stems and noticeably bigger flowers. Water deeply at the base once or twice a week and never water the plant overhead. 

Pinch the top inch off the central stem when each seedling reaches 8 to 10 inches tall to encourage the plant to branch. Cut flowers early in the morning and put the stems straight into clean water. Choose flowers with fully open petals. The wiggle test tells you when a stem is mature enough to cut — hold the stem 6 inches below the flower and shake gently, and if the head flops you leave it for another day, if it stays rigid you cut it.