When it come to old maid in wintertime , there are a few steps you may take to ensure that you maximize their potential for the next growing time of year . As the season fall to an end , leave alone expend flowerheads stand can be beneficial in multiple style . Firstly , the seedheads provide a valuable source of solid food for birds during the wintertime month when solid food can be scarce . to boot , by leaving the flowerheads intact , you give the zinnias the opportunity to ego - sow , resulting in new plants the undermentioned class .
However , before leaving the flowerheads , it is important to assure that they have fully dried and ripened on the plant . This is important because zinnia seeds are sensible to immobilise temperature . If the seeds are not fully mature and dried , they may not make it the wintertime . Therefore , it is best to hold off until the flowerheads have turned brown and dry before collecting the seeds .
To gather the zinnia come , you’re able to gently stimulate the flowerheads over a clean container or theme bag . This will make the mature seed to fall out easily . It is authoritative to handle the flowerheads with caution to avoid damage the seeds or scattering them untimely . Once you have collected the seeds , make certain to discard any debris or straw that may have been collected along with them .
Now that you have collected the zinnia seed , it is time to store them right over the winter . Since zinnia seeded player are sensitive to freeze temperatures , it is crucial to lay in them indoors in a nerveless and dry positioning . you may use diminished envelope or paper bags to store the seed . It is a good practice to label each envelope or bag with the zinnia miscellany and the yr of collecting . This will help you keep track of the seeded player and their viability in the future .
When hive away the zinnia seed , it is important to keep them forth from moisture and uttermost temperature variation . A nerveless and wry basement or a refrigerator can do as suitable computer storage locations . verify to keep the come in airtight container to prevent wet from go into .
It is also worth mention that zinnia seeds can stay on executable for a few years if store in good order . However , their sprouting rates may decrease over clip . To test the viability of your stored seed , you may perform a simple sprouting test in the spring before sow . This involves placing a few seeds on a moist newspaper publisher towel or in a small container with pot territory and providing them with the appropriate condition for germination . If a significant percentage of the source germinate , you could be confident in their viability and carry on with sowing .
When wintertime approaches , you may leave spent zinnia flowerheads standing to provide food for birds and grant for ego - sowing . However , it is important to look until the flowerheads have fully dried and ripen before collect the source . Store the old maid seeds indoors in a nerveless and dry location , away from moisture and utmost temperature fluctuation . Label and form the seeds properly to keep track of their variety and collection year . By survey these steps , you’re able to ensure that your zinnia seeds stay on workable and ready for sowing in the next growing time of year .
Caroline Bates
