Growing Double Zahara Zinnias: How Tall Do They Really Get?
🌱 Seedling Update: Petunias & Eggplants
Today, on the fourth day after sowing, the petunias sprouted: 4 out of 6. The zinnias have a germination rate of 11 out of 12. And this morning, my very first two eggplants popped up!
It brings so much joy to watch seedlings emerge—it honestly feels like a baby is born! 💌
Nata N. said on Mar 5, 2021:
The zinnias have a germination rate of 11 out of 12.
With your grow lights, those zinnias are going to be in full bloom by the time you plant them outside!
Natasha, what variety of zinnia do you have? I’m going to sow some from our group seed order, it’s Double something-or-other, I forgot the exact name. I’ll sow mine closer to the end of March since I don’t use any grow lights.
🌸 Zinnia Panic: How Tall Does ‘Double Zahara’ Get?
SvetaR said on Mar 5, 2021:
Natasha, what variety of zinnia do you have? I’m going to sow some from our group seed order, it’s Double something-or-other…
Sveta, it’s probably the exact same one you have: Double Zahara Raspberry Ripple.
I’ll have to up-pot them into large containers in April if they grow too fast. For some reason, I was totally convinced I bought a dwarf zinnia. I have a spot right in the front row of the border prepared for it. If this beauty ends up growing 24 inches (60 cm) tall, I’m going to have to find a completely different spot for it.
Nata N. said on Mar 5, 2021:
For some reason, I was totally convinced I bought a dwarf zinnia.
Oops… I was convinced of that too. Until just now. I better go read up on it.
SvetaR said on Mar 5, 2021:
Oops… I was convinced of that too. Until just now. I better go read up on it.
Here is the official info from PanAmerican Seed:
* Height: 16-20 inches (40-50 cm)
* Spread: 16-20 inches (40-50 cm)
* Spacing: 8-10 inches (20-25 cm)
* Bloom time: 3 weeks
So it basically grows as wide as it does tall. Hmm. I’ll probably just plant it in a pot. Let it grow into a little globe. Or will the stems flop over?
SvetaR said on Mar 5, 2021:
I’ll probably just plant it in a pot. Let it grow into a little globe. Or will the stems flop over?
Zinnias have very sturdy stems, they won’t flop over.
Well, I definitely messed up regarding the height. I could tell it was going to be a tall plant just by looking at how the seedlings are growing.
On a side note: My third eggplant seedling popped up. The eggplants are having really spotty, uneven germination. And my peppers will probably take forever to sprout. When I sowed them, I didn’t realize they were leftover seeds from last year’s order.
📷 The Verdict: Real-World Zinnia Results
Nata N. said on Mar 5, 2021:
For some reason, I was totally convinced I bought a dwarf zinnia.
Natasha, I don’t know about that specific variety, but I’ve grown 3 varieties from the Zahara series (though mine weren’t the double-flowered ones). The bushes didn’t get very tall, but they were quite wide. They are actually great for a border. Mine basically sprawled out like trailing plants! 😁
Ninulia said on Mar 5, 2021:
The bushes didn’t get very tall, but they were quite wide. They are actually great for a border. Mine basically sprawled out like trailing plants!
The breeder lists the height for those non-double varieties at 12-18 inches (30-45 cm). That’s exactly the height I was counting on. But 16-20 inches (40-50 cm) for the ‘Double’ is probably going to be a bit too tall for the spot I planned.
SvetaR said on Mar 5, 2021:
I’ll probably just plant it in a pot. Let it grow into a little globe. Or will the stems flop over?
Sveta, did you happen to see any suitable containers for this zinnia in our group seed/supply order?
Nata N. said on Mar 5, 2021:
Sveta, did you happen to see any suitable containers for this zinnia in our group seed/supply order?
I’m actually not participating in that group order this year. Plus, I didn’t manage to get my hands on any vegetatively propagated petunia cuttings, so I’ll have plenty of empty pots laying around. I’ll just plant them in those.
Nata N. said on Mar 5, 2021:
I was totally convinced I bought a dwarf zinnia. I have a spot right in the front row of the border prepared for it. If this beauty ends up growing 24 inches (60 cm) tall, I’m going to have to find a completely different spot for it.
When I grew it, it stayed quite short—only about 12-14 inches (30-35 cm) tall.
Lyudmila, thank you so much for this valuable info!
I was racking my brain trying to figure out where to plant it. That height works perfectly for me! 💌
