£1.99 incl. VAT
The Forecast is for zinnias all summer! ‘Forecast’ is a long-lasting zinnia that will bloom endlessly and is tenacious enough to thrive in virtually any conditions. Its mildew resistance makes it the obvious choice for cut flowers in damp, cool areas It bears purple, pink, orange, salmon, yellow or cream petals that surround bright-yellow stamens for a 2-3″ across bloom. No matter the weather, our ‘Forecast’ is for gorgeous zinnias—all summer long. 60cm Height Zinnia may be grown from seed sown early indoors and transplanted outside after frost, or sown directly in the garden after frost, or from potted plants.
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Sow indoors 5-7 weeks before outdoor planting date in spring using a seed starting kit Sow seeds ¼ inch deep in seed starting formula Keep the soil moist at 70-75 degrees F Seedlings emerge in 7-10 days As soon as seedlings emerge, provide plenty of light on a sunny windowsill or grow seedlings 3-4 inches beneath fluorescent plant lights turned on 16 hours per day, off for 8 hours at night. Raise the lights as the plants grow taller. Incandescent bulbs will not work for this process because they will get too hot. Most plants require a dark period to grow, do not leave lights on for 24 hours. Thin to one seedling per cell when they have two sets of leaves. Seedlings do not need much fertilizer, feed when they are 3-4 weeks old using a starter solution (half strength of a complete indoor houseplant food) according to manufacturer’s directions. Transplant hardened-off seedlings to the garden after the frost. Before planting in the garden, seedling plants need to be “hardened off”. Accustom young plants to outdoor conditions by moving them to a sheltered place outside for a week. Be sure to protect them from wind and hot sun at first. If frost threatens at night, cover or bring containers indoors, then take them out again in the morning. This hardening off process toughens the plant’s cell structure and reduces transplant shock and scalding.
