~Saving Zinnia Seeds~

"Tear Shaped" Zinnia Seeds
(File Photo)

This is the time of year when I usually save many of the bright Zinnia blossoms that usually add so much color to our garden. After drying out the blossoms I usually harvest the seeds to save and plant the following Spring (after danger of frost is gone). These flowers attract the Monarch Butterflies. 

A Visitor to Our Garden
(File Photo)

I wrote usually, because this year there really are not many Zinnias in our front garden. However, there is one plant that is producing bright orange blossoms. It was a different growing season this year for my Zinnias. In the Spring the seeds were planted and they did sprout. However, there was a family of bunnies that wandered into our yard. Those tender, small green sprouts made a delicious meal for those hungry bunnies! Only one sprout was able to hide from the bunny family. That sprout hid among the white and pink Vinca that we planted after realizing that the Zinnias would no longer be a reality. Yes, I will save the seeds from the orange flowers and plant them next Spring. Maybe I will plant them in a pot on our deck where the bunnies cannot find them.

The Surviving Zinnia Plant
with a blossom and 2 buds 

For those of you who do have beautiful colorful Zinnias in your garden, save the seeds to plant next year. It is an easy process! Cut the colorful blossoms and let them dry out. After they dry out, harvest the seeds and place them in a labeled paper envelope. It is cool to save the seeds and plant them the following year. 

Click here for my complete Instructions for Saving Zinnia Seeds. 

I wrote the instructions above a few years ago, but I have been using this process to save Zinnia Seeds for so many years.

Happy Gardening!

     

~Saving Zinnia Seeds~

Time to save the Zinnia blossoms and dry them
for next year's bountiful crop!

It's time! For what you may ask. If you have a garden with beautiful colorful Zinnias it's time to save the blossoms, dry them out and then harvest the seeds for next year's crop. It is a very easy process! So great being self sufficient and saving the seeds rather than purchasing commercial Zinnia seed packages next Spring.

After snipping the colorful blossoms you want to save, place the blossoms in a box to dry out. I use a cut down tissue box.

Blossoms drying out

 

After the blossoms dry out, separate the seeds from the dried blossoms by pulling off the petals. The seeds are "tear" shaped and attached to the petals.

"Tear" shaped Zinnia seeds

   
Then, place the treasured seeds in a large labeled envelope and save to plant next Spring after the danger of frost is gone in your area. 

Our Zinnias attract Monarch and Swallowtail Butterflies and Hummingbirds in addition to adding so much color to our yard.

Happy Gardening!

~Saving Zinnia Seeds!~

Beautiful Zinnias!

Do you have beautiful colorful Zinnias growing in your garden(s)?  Are you interested in enjoying the flowers again next summer?  You can next year without purchasing new seed packets or small plants from your garden center!  Save the seeds from this year's pretty flowers and plant the seeds in the Spring after any possibility of frost in your area is gone.  

Saving the seeds is not difficult!  It's at this time of year that I snip the colorful flowers from the plants growing outdoors and save them in cut down Kleenex boxes, so the flowers can dry out. 

Colorful Zinnia blossoms drying out!

After the flowers dry out, harvest the seeds by pulling them away from the stems of the plant.  The seeds are "tear" shaped.

Blue arrows point
to the dried out Zinnia seeds!

After harvesting the seeds place them in large labeled envelopes and seal.  You are on your way to enjoying beautiful colorful Zinnias again next year.

Enjoy!
Happy Gardening!

 

Planting Saved Zinnia Seeds

Zinnia seeds

It's time!  You may be thinking "time for what?"  Time to plant the Zinnia seeds that were saved from last year's crop.  That was accomplished today.  It was a perfect day to plant them with our warm weather today and it will continue.

We are dreaming about enjoying a colorful abundant crop- like we do every year.

Colorful Zinnias from a previous crop.

 

In a few days we will be looking for the small green seedlings to pop up.

Happy gardening!

 

Saving Zinnia Seeds

Our bountiful Zinnia harvest!
September 2022

It's apple season in New England! Pumpkins and Butternut Squash are now available, too!  That can only mean one thing.  It's time to save the Zinnia seeds from the plants that are blossoming in our garden. I save seeds from one year's crop to plant in the garden the next year.  It's the perfect time to harvest the seeds.  

The process is very easy:

Snip the colorful flowers (that are blossoming) from the green stems and place the cut flowers in a flat container to dry out.  I use cut down Kleenex boxes.  By sniping the fresh flowers I am able to choose what color Zinnias I am saving.  The boxes are placed on a shelf in our garage. The air circulates between the flowers and they dry out very well.  Some petals turn brown.

Colorful Zinnia flowers will be drying out.
(File Photo)

 
After they dry out, it's time to harvest the seeds from the dried out blossom.  Pull the petals from the short stems and you will find the cherished tear shaped seeds to plant in your garden the next year. I store the seeds in a business sized white labeled/ sealed envelope.  Usually, I need more than one envelope.  There are times when it is difficult to separate the seed from the dried petal, so I save "as is" and plant the seeds "as is" the following Spring.  It all works very well!

Tear shaped dried out Zinnia seeds
(File Photo)

After continually saving the seeds in September and replanting them, for about 5- 6 years, you will find the blossoms from the saved seeds getting smaller.  That is the clue to purchase commercialy packaged seeds from your garden center the following Spring.  After planting the new seeds and enjoying the beautiful colorful flowers, save the seeds again in September.

If you have Zinnias blossoming now, save the seeds for next year's beautiful garden!  It has been a tradition in my family- a tradition for decades.  Zinnias have always been a favorite flower!

Enjoy!
Happy Gardening!      

~Early June~

Gardening in early June

June brings more color to our yard and it's great to see! The Knockout Rose buds are beginning to open. First, there was one flower and now there are three. So many more buds are visible!

Another great surprise was the Zinnia seeds began to sprout.  That is always a great success, because the seeds planted were harvested from last year's bountiful colorful crop. Every day they will get a bit bigger.

June is a great month!
Enjoy! 

~Saving Zinnia Seeds~

Zinnias
2021

We've been enjoying our colorful, beautiful Zinnias in our gardens all summer.  Now, it's time to save the seeds from this year's flowers.  You guessed it!  I am already thinking about next year's bountiful crop.  For that reason this past week many colorful flowers were snipped from the plants and placed in cut down tissue boxes.  These snipped flowers are drying out in our garage.   

Every year during the month of September I continue this tradition.  The red, pink, orange and yellow snipped flowers will dry out and then I will be able to separate the "tear shaped" seeds from the dried out petals.  

Saved Zinnia Seeds
(File Photo)

 
Then, the Zinnia seeds will be stored in labeled sealed envelopes.  It's amazing how many seeds a gardener can harvest!  After 5- 6 years the colorful flowers become smaller, so I purchase new seed packs the following Spring.  The process continues for another 5- 6 years. 

It's great to plan ahead!
Enjoy!          

The Beautiful Month of May!

Every week during the month of May there are always new "happenings" going on in our gardens.  A quick walk around our yard or a glance out of our windows bring beautiful sights!

Today, the large cluster of lavendar Chives can be seen from a distance.  A closer look at the Irises brought a great surprise!  The long slender buds are beginning to form.  Soon there will be many more.  The big pink Peonies are beautiful and there are more buds!

In another area the small green Zinnia sprouts have popped up. They were planted from seeds that were harvested from last year's abundant colorful crop.  It's a tradition to save the seeds, plant them the following year and enjoy the gorgeous colors!  Spring is a beautiful time of year!

Enjoy!
Happy Gardening!

Saving Zinnia Seeds!

The cooler mornings are here!  It's great that we are not in yet another heat wave.  The beautiful Zinnias and Marigolds have added so much color to our yard again this year.  Now, it's time for me to start snipping the colorful Zinnia blossoms to save and then dry out.  Attached to the flowers' petals are the seeds for next year's beautiful crop.  This weekend I started harvesting the colorful blossoms.  I snip them when there are not bees buzzing in the immediate area.  Some flowers are yellow and pink.  Others are white, beige and red.  What a colorful assortment!  It's great to choose what colors to have next year.

The snipped blossoms will dry out in cut down Kleenex boxes in our garage.  In a few weeks after the flowers are dried, I'll pull the "tear" shaped seeds from the dried petals and then save the seeds in a labeled envelope.

"Tear" Shaped Zinnia Seeds
(File Photo)

This has been a tradition of mine for, well, years.  I guess, decades.  While growing up my family had two large veggie gardens.  At the end of one of the gardens we planted three rows of Zinnias.  They were just gorgeous!  In autumn we always saved enough seeds to plant the following year for the following crop.

No longer do I take care of a veggie garden.  We purchase our supply at the local farm.  However, bring on the colorful flowers that brighten any day any week in the summer and in autumn!

I'm planning ahead for next year!
Enjoy!

           

May Colors!

There is a rotation of color in our yard when the flowers start to blossom.  I've been waiting for the Peonies' buds to open and this morning some did.  Bright pink flowers!

Overnight, the Iris buds appeared.  It was also a very welcome sight today!  Before I know it the lavender flowers will be visible.

The Zinnia seeds planted last week are beginning to sprout.  It's always so cool to see.  The seeds we planted were saved from last year's colorful crop.

Spring is here and beautiful colors are visible!

Enjoy!

 

Saving Zinnia Seeds

This summer and now in autumn we've been enjoying the colorful, abundant Zinnia blossoms in our gardens.  Shades of pink, yellow, orange and white blossoms were admired day after day.  Now that October is here it is only a matter of time when a frost will end the Zinnia season!  It has not happened yet, but that is in the near future.

For that reason I've been snipping off the colorful blossoms to save.  Then, they are dried.  Cut down tissue boxes make great storage boxes for the blossoms to dry out.

Looking at the first box of my collected colorful blossoms, I noticed that there were no white ones.  Another trip to the garden and a few more blossoms were snipped- this time only white ones.

The flowers are now dried, so next week the seeds will be harvested from the dried blossoms.   To do this:  Pull the dried petals off the flower and "tear drop" shaped seeds will be found.  These are the seeds to plant for next year.  I will store them in a labelled sealed envelope.  Next spring they will be planted in our gardens. 

This has become a tradition with me- saving the Zinnia seeds.  After saving and then planting the saved seeds for about 5 years, the flower blossoms will become smaller.  That is my clue to purchase new seed packets to plant the next year.  Then, the saving and replanting starts again.

Enjoy!
Happy Gardening!

           

Saving Zinnia Seeds

Sometimes the Zinnias Attract Butterflies!

It's autumn!  It's time to save those Zinnia seeds from the plants you've been enjoying all summer.  You know you'll want to enjoy these beautiful colorful flowers again next summer.  So, save the seeds from this year's crop and plant them in your flower garden next spring!  In other works, it's time to plan ahead.

Before we get a frost this autumn I harvest the colorful flowers (no stems).  That frost will end my Zinnia crop!  Place the flowers in a cut down tissue box.  Then, place the box in front of  a window to dry them out.  After the flowers have dried, pull off the outer petals.  No longer are the petals colorful, but dried out.  Each petal is attached to a "tear shaped" seed.

"Tear Shaped" Zinnia Seeds

Those seeds are a gold mine of new plants for next year!  The red, the orange, the pink and the yellow flowers!  Save the seeds in an envelope for next year.  I always seal it, so none fall out.

Next spring, take out your envelope of seeds!  You will be so happy that you saved those seeds!  Find their spot in your garden & plant them in the warm soil.  Cover with a light coating of soil.  Water.  Before you know it sprouts will pop up & your new Zinnias will be on their way!

This is a tradition with me!  After perhaps 5 years the flowers start becoming a little smaller.  Then, I know it is time to purchase the seed packets to plant.  Until then, I'll be saving my colorful Zinnia seeds!

Enjoy!
Happy planting!

         

Looking Forward- Zinnia Seeds!

This past weekend some of the colorful Zinnia blossoms were snipped off from the plants.  My plan has started.  After these flowers dry, I'll save the seeds for next year's gardens.  The bug?  No, that's not part of the plan.  :)

Enjoy!

 

~A Saturday in June~

~Irises~

The annuals were planted last weekend.  Marigold seeds found their new homes in pots.  They have a history with me.  A beautiful potted Marigold on Mother's Day was gift from my little grandsons 2 years ago.  That sturdy plant provided seeds to save the first year.  They were planted last year & blossomed.  Seeds saved again.  It didn't take long for them & the Zinnia seeds to sprout! 

Today, just enjoying the perennial gardens while doing chores.

Enjoy!

Harvesting Zinnia Seeds

The bright red, yellow, pink & orange Zinnias blossomed all summer!  So many vibrant colors!  Each seed planted grew into a very bushy plant with so many bright blossoms & buds.  Combined with the Marigolds that were planted in front of them, our side garden has been enjoyed by our neighbors, too!  Especially our next door neighbors! 

Now that Autumn is here, it's time to save the Zinnia seeds from this year's crop!  What might seem like quite a chore, really is not at all.  When the colorful Zinnia blossoms have a dried out look, snip off the flowers from the stems of the plant. 

***I harvest the seeds before we get a good hard frost here in my area of Western Mass!  That frost will end my Zinnia crop.  Our weather will change & it will get colder. 
 

With a gentle breeze blowing!

A tissue box that has been cut down is the perfect container for the flowers, so they can continue the drying process.  Place those dried out looking flowers in the tissue box.  My container is sitting on the sunny window sill in our Family Room.  Those seeds that were harvested are the source for some of next year's colorful gardens! 

After the blossoms are dried, pull off the outer flower petals.  Discard the remaining parts.  Each dried petal is attached to a "tear shaped" seed.  After planting that seed next year, it will grow into a Zinnia plant.  There is next year's crop!  Sweet! 

"Tear Shaped" Zinnia Seeds attached to dried petals.
(File Photo)

I remove the dried petals from the seeds - as much as I can.  Those dried seeds will be stored in sealed labelled paper envelopes.  Next spring, after the rows in our gardens have been created for the seeds, I'll place the Zinnia seeds in the ground & cover with a light coating of soil.  Then, pat the soil gently.  Every day they will need to be watered.  Before you know it there will be sprouts!  Those little green plants will need to be thinned out.  When any plants are 5"- 6" tall, they can be transplanted to other parts of the yard.  The process will start again!     

Harvesting & saving Zinnia Seeds is a yearly tradition with me.  In any given year if I find that the flowers are much smaller than the previous crop, I take the clue.  The following year I'll purchase newly commercially packaged seeds for that year's colorful gorgeous Zinnias in our yard.

Do you harvest & save seeds for the next year's crop? 

I Enjoy it!

Sewing or Sowing?

Zinnia seeds from previous year - still attached to dried flower petals.

It really wasn't a question!  I knew the answer!  My Janome & the fabric for the Envelope Pillows would need to wait.  Sunday's cold temps and the previous days of much needed rain was not ideal for planting the Zinnia and Coreopsis seeds.  Yesterday, the sun was shining, so I was ready to go.  Go outside and plant flower seeds, that is!

During the summer months it's always so relaxing to glance outdoors or to walk past and view vibrant colored flowers in our gardens.  Last year the Painted Lady Butterflies visited the colorful Zinnias.  These butterflies do look similar to a Monarch Butterfly, but after examining closely, a difference can be noticed.  (Click on FuN Facts above.)

Painted Lady Butterfly on Orange Zinnia.  (File Photo)

Last fall many Zinnia seeds (from small, medium and large plants in height) were saved and dried from the beautiful flowers.  The seeds would be planted this Spring.  With our cold weather and then rainfall this past week, the first opportunity was yesterday.  After gently crushing the dried petals, the seeds were ready to be planted.

Sure, the seeds may be purchased in packets, but there is something very satisfying about drying, saving and then planting seeds from a crop of gorgeous flowers that you've enjoyed during the previous summer.  Much like cooking healthy meals for your family to enjoy.

The seeds are in the ground and now will be watered daily.  Depending on our weather, little sprouts will be coming up...soon!

I cannot wait!
The flowers are to Enjoy!