Zinnia California Giants mixed is a stunning and beautiful mixture of tall Zinnias in bright colours. These exotic-looking flowers in various bright colours light purple, pink, light pink, red and light red brighten up any garden, window box, balcony box or flower pot. Zinnia California Giants mixed is native to Mexico. The large, tall flowers grow between 80 - 90 cm tall and can reach a diameter of 10 - 12 cm. Flowering is prolific and long-lasting. If the spent flowers are removed regularly, Zinnia Californian Giants mixed blooms from July to October. As soon as frost sets in, this zinnia stops flowering. Zinnia Californian Giants mixed is an attractive, pretty, mixture of single and double flowers. This plant is great for the border, but can also easily be grown in large containers, flower pots, window boxes and balcony boxes. Also a flower not out of place in bee and butterfly gardens or even neglected nature gardens. Zinnia California Giant mixed is also a beautiful and long-lasting cut flower and dried flower. Give this plant a sunny, sheltered, nutrient-rich spot with well-drained soil. Despite being originally from Mexico, this plant can be grown very easily in our colder climate (the Netherlands). Zinnia California Giant mixed is very popular with bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects. Non hardy annual. Height: 80 - 90 cm.
Indoor sowing: end of February - beginning of April
Outdoor sowing: end of April - May
Germination: 10 - 15 days
Germination temp. : 15 - 22 °C
Sowing depth: ½ cm
Transplanting: 4 weeks after germination
Plant distance: 20 - 40 cm
Distance sowing in rows: 20 cm
Plant position: very sunny and sheltered
Flowering period: July - October
Sow indoors from the end of February in seedtrays filled with pottingsoil mixed with some sand. Sow the seeds about ½ cm deep and cover them with a thin layer of sieved soil. Zinnia needs light to germinate. Cover the trays with a lid to keep the moisture in. Put the trays in a warm and above all light room. Germination takes about 10 - 12 days with a roomtemperature of 18 - 20°C. Keep the temperature as even as possible and don't let the temperatures drop to much during the night. Remove the lid when the seedlings emerge. Transplant the seedlings to seperate pots 4 weeks after germination. Be carefull with the tender rootsystem of the seedlings. Only water the seedlings when the top layer of soil is dried out. Put the transplanted seedlings away in a cooler enviroment (15 - 18°C) untill it's time to harden them of.
Harden the seedlings of in the middle of May, after the Ice-Saints. Put them outdoors during the day on a sunny and sheltered spot or put them in a cold frame. Put them on a very sunny, sheltered plot with free draining soil after about 6 days. Loosen the soil at least 30 cm deep and mix pottingcompost in with the soil to give some extra nutrition to the Zinnia's.
Sow outdoors from the end of April - beginning of May, when there's no longer any danger of nightfrosts. Loosen the soil at least 30 cm deep and mix pottingcompost in with the soil. Give the plants a very sunny and sheltered plot with free draining soil. You can also sow in rows about 20 cm apart. Sow the seeds about ½ cm deep and cover them with a thin layer of pottingcompost mixed with soil. Sow the seeds about 5 - 10 cm apart, depending of the hight of the flowers. Keep moist till the seeds are germinated but not to wet. Thin the seedlings, when they're large enough to handle, to 20 - 40 cm apart, depending on the hight of the flowers. Water Zinnia's when the soil round the flowers is dried out. Deadhead often to make sure these plants keep flowering for a longer period. The foliage of Zinnia's is eaten often by snails and slugs. Protect especially the young plants against snails and slugs.
