I'm not much of a Gardner, but I would like to learn a little.

I had a sprout where I wasn't expecting one and decided not to pull it as a
weed, and a great looking little plant with vibrant red flowers w/ yellow
centers grew up. In researching it I've decided that it's a Zinnia that a
seed from somewhere happened to blow into my garden and grow, or that there
was a seed in one of the annuals that I did plant.

How do I collect seeds from this plant to try and grow it next year in my
garden? Or is it easier to just buy seeds at the store and grow them next
year (but I really like the look of this one, and it obviously likes the
conditions where it grew).

I'm in south eastern Michigan so it will be dying at the first hard frost.
If I learn how to collect seeds (how?) or if I buy them, is it better to
just plant them in the garden next year and try and differentiate between a
Zinnia sprout and a weed, or should they be started in pots and
transplanted?

On Sat, 9 Aug 2008 13:55:23 -0400, "Paul B"
wrote:

I'm not much of a Gardner, but I would like to learn a little.

I had a sprout where I wasn't expecting one and decided not to pull it as a
weed, and a great looking little plant with vibrant red flowers w/ yellow
centers grew up. In researching it I've decided that it's a Zinnia that a
seed from somewhere happened to blow into my garden and grow, or that there
was a seed in one of the annuals that I did plant.

How do I collect seeds from this plant to try and grow it next year in my
garden? Or is it easier to just buy seeds at the store and grow them next
year (but I really like the look of this one, and it obviously likes the
conditions where it grew).

I'm in south eastern Michigan so it will be dying at the first hard frost.
If I learn how to collect seeds (how?) or if I buy them, is it better to
just plant them in the garden next year and try and differentiate between a
Zinnia sprout and a weed, or should they be started in pots and
transplanted?



You'll get better results buying fresh seeds. Zinnias are very easy
to grow, just follow the directions on the seed packet. I planted
them right into the ground in a sunny location with huge success and
little fuss.

In article ,
"Paul B" wrote:

I'm not much of a Gardner, but I would like to learn a little.

I had a sprout where I wasn't expecting one and decided not to pull it as a
weed, and a great looking little plant with vibrant red flowers w/ yellow
centers grew up. In researching it I've decided that it's a Zinnia that a
seed from somewhere happened to blow into my garden and grow, or that there
was a seed in one of the annuals that I did plant.

How do I collect seeds from this plant to try and grow it next year in my
garden? Or is it easier to just buy seeds at the store and grow them next
year (but I really like the look of this one, and it obviously likes the
conditions where it grew).

I'm in south eastern Michigan so it will be dying at the first hard frost.
If I learn how to collect seeds (how?) or if I buy them, is it better to
just plant them in the garden next year and try and differentiate between a
Zinnia sprout and a weed, or should they be started in pots and
transplanted?

Educate yourself. IF you know how to google, try "saving flower seeds".
--

Billy
Bush and Pelosi Behind Bars
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KVTf...ef=patrick.net
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0aEo...eature=related

Collect seed and keep in a brown paper bag to avoid seed sweating and then plant on a tray in spring. Or sprinkle seed in under a light dusting of soil in the garden where you want them to grow, this stops you haveing to do the pricking out etc.

www.carreglefn-nurseries.co.uk

kathryn

On Aug 9, 10:55 am, "Paul B" wrote:
I'm not much of a Gardner, but I would like to learn a little.

I had a sprout where I wasn't expecting one and decided not to pull it as a
weed, and a great looking little plant with vibrant red flowers w/ yellow
centers grew up. In researching it I've decided that it's a Zinnia that a
seed from somewhere happened to blow into my garden and grow, or that there
was a seed in one of the annuals that I did plant.

How do I collect seeds from this plant to try and grow it next year in my
garden? Or is it easier to just buy seeds at the store and grow them next
year (but I really like the look of this one, and it obviously likes the
conditions where it grew).

I'm in south eastern Michigan so it will be dying at the first hard frost.
If I learn how to collect seeds (how?) or if I buy them, is it better to
just plant them in the garden next year and try and differentiate between a
Zinnia sprout and a weed, or should they be started in pots and
transplanted?

Paul
It doesn't have to be either/or, do both.
Buy a packet of zinnia seeds, open it and look at the seeds so you
know
what they look like. Many good seed packets will have a small drawing
of a seedling. Collect your own seeds too. However the seeds you
collect
may or may not resemble their parent plant. But you will have the fun
of
a surprise.
Emilie
NorCal

On Aug 9, 9:13*pm, Billy wrote:
In article ,
*"Paul B" wrote:





I'm not much of a Gardner, but I would like to learn a little.

I had a sprout where I wasn't expecting one and decided not to pull it as a
weed, and a great looking little plant with vibrant red flowers w/ yellow
centers grew up. *In researching it I've decided that it's a Zinnia that a
seed from somewhere happened to blow into my garden and grow, or that there
was a seed in one of the annuals that I did plant.

How do I collect seeds from this plant to try and grow it next year in my
garden? *Or is it easier to just buy seeds at the store and grow them next
year (but I really like the look of this one, and it obviously likes the
conditions where it grew).

I'm in south eastern Michigan so it will be dying at the first hard frost.
If I learn how to collect seeds (how?) or if I buy them, is it better to
just plant them in the garden next year and try and differentiate between a
Zinnia sprout and a weed, or should they be started in pots and
transplanted?

Educate yourself. IF you know how to google, try "saving flower seeds".

He is trying to educate himself. He asked a question of a supposedly
knowledgeable group of usenet posters.

to answer the OP's question, I'm in Central Virginia (zone 7a) and my
zinnias self seed every year. If there's a flower I particularly like
(shape, colour, etc) I'll wait until it's done and the snip the head
and collect the seed heads to save over winter and sow in the garden
next year.

Callen in VA

In article
,
wrote:

On Aug 9, 9:13*pm, Billy wrote:
In article ,
*"Paul B" wrote:





I'm not much of a Gardner, but I would like to learn a little.

I had a sprout where I wasn't expecting one and decided not to pull it as
a
weed, and a great looking little plant with vibrant red flowers w/ yellow
centers grew up. *In researching it I've decided that it's a Zinnia that
a
seed from somewhere happened to blow into my garden and grow, or that
there
was a seed in one of the annuals that I did plant.

How do I collect seeds from this plant to try and grow it next year in my
garden? *Or is it easier to just buy seeds at the store and grow them
next
year (but I really like the look of this one, and it obviously likes the
conditions where it grew).

I'm in south eastern Michigan so it will be dying at the first hard
frost.
If I learn how to collect seeds (how?) or if I buy them, is it better to
just plant them in the garden next year and try and differentiate between
a
Zinnia sprout and a weed, or should they be started in pots and
transplanted?

Educate yourself. IF you know how to google, try "saving flower seeds".

You didn't find Googling "saving flower seeds" helpful?


He is trying to educate himself.
One learns by doing. If He had read the material and had questions,
he would have been in a better position to understand the response.
You can't expect people learn how to learn if you spoon feed them.
I told him where to go and what to ask. Think you can do better?
Knock yourself out ;O)
He asked a question of a supposedly
knowledgeable group of usenet posters.

to answer the OP's question, I'm in Central Virginia (zone 7a) and my
zinnias self seed every year. If there's a flower I particularly like
(shape, colour, etc) I'll wait until it's done and the snip the head
and collect the seed heads to save over winter and sow in the garden
next year.
I believe he asked how to differentiate between the germinating plants
and weeds. Once he learns how to germinate seeds, he will know what a
zennia seedling looks like. If he plants them in a row in the ground,
the little green things that are in a row are his seedlings but now we
have done all the work for him, except teaching him how to germinate
seeds, successfully;O)

Callen in VA
--

Billy
Bush and Pelosi Behind Bars
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KVTf...ef=patrick.net
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/

"Paul B" wrote in message
...
I'm in south eastern Michigan so it will be dying at the first hard frost.
If I learn how to collect seeds (how?) or if I buy them, is it better to
just plant them in the garden next year and try and differentiate between
a Zinnia sprout and a weed, or should they be started in pots and
transplanted?

Mine reseed themselves every year. Only problem is each year they're
taller. This summer they're at least 3 1/2' tall. I started with the little
10" to 12" ones some years ago.

Thanks for the helpful responses I recieved.

Billy, I certainly hope you aren't a teacher or in a position where you need
to pass on knowledge. If I mentored a junior engineer according to your
teaching philosophy, I'd point him to the 50 volume ASTM standards and codes
and tell him the answers are in there, go find it. That wouldn't be very
helpful to him, or ultimately to me. Self directed study doesn't typically
start until graduate school, I already have all the degrees that I want.

I'm not quite sure what you're doing perusing the newsgroups with the
attitude you seem to have. The point of newsgroups is to share knowlege and
expieriences, and to ask questions. Personally I LIKE the human
interaction, hell I WOULD invite someone over for lunch to talk about this,
look at the plant and pick their brain :-)!

Someone's response giving a website that they found helpfull or interesting
would have been great, instead of a hit or miss search through the almost
20,000 results your query gives - oops that was when I added a +Zinnia, your
query gives over 400,000 results with no guidance as to which ones are good,
accurate, or scams.

Maybe you were just having a bad day and were short of patience for some
reason, but if that is your normal attitude it would be a topic for your
annual work performance review if you worked for me.

Paul


"Billy" wrote in message
...
In article
,
wrote:

On Aug 9, 9:13 pm, Billy wrote:
In article ,
"Paul B" wrote:





I'm not much of a Gardner, but I would like to learn a little.

I had a sprout where I wasn't expecting one and decided not to pull
it as
a
weed, and a great looking little plant with vibrant red flowers w/
yellow
centers grew up. In researching it I've decided that it's a Zinnia
that
a
seed from somewhere happened to blow into my garden and grow, or that
there
was a seed in one of the annuals that I did plant.

How do I collect seeds from this plant to try and grow it next year
in my
garden? Or is it easier to just buy seeds at the store and grow them
next
year (but I really like the look of this one, and it obviously likes
the
conditions where it grew).

I'm in south eastern Michigan so it will be dying at the first hard
frost.
If I learn how to collect seeds (how?) or if I buy them, is it better
to
just plant them in the garden next year and try and differentiate
between
a
Zinnia sprout and a weed, or should they be started in pots and
transplanted?

Educate yourself. IF you know how to google, try "saving flower seeds".

You didn't find Googling "saving flower seeds" helpful?


He is trying to educate himself.
One learns by doing. If He had read the material and had questions,
he would have been in a better position to understand the response.
You can't expect people learn how to learn if you spoon feed them.
I told him where to go and what to ask. Think you can do better?
Knock yourself out ;O)
He asked a question of a supposedly
knowledgeable group of usenet posters.

to answer the OP's question, I'm in Central Virginia (zone 7a) and my
zinnias self seed every year. If there's a flower I particularly like
(shape, colour, etc) I'll wait until it's done and the snip the head
and collect the seed heads to save over winter and sow in the garden
next year.
I believe he asked how to differentiate between the germinating plants
and weeds. Once he learns how to germinate seeds, he will know what a
zennia seedling looks like. If he plants them in a row in the ground,
the little green things that are in a row are his seedlings but now we
have done all the work for him, except teaching him how to germinate
seeds, successfully;O)

Callen in VA
--

Billy
Bush and Pelosi Behind Bars
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KVTf...ef=patrick.net
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/

In article ,
"Paul B" wrote:

if that is your normal attitude it would be a topic for your
annual work performance review if you worked for me.

That is what I refused to do.
--

Billy
Bush and Pelosi Behind Bars
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KVTf...ef=patrick.net
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1009916.html

"Paul B" wrote in message
. ..
Thanks for the helpful responses I recieved.

Brevity snip!

Ignore those who don't give helpful replies. I learned long ago there are
those here who will help anyone if the can and those who seem to resent
people asking questions and send them to Google. If everyone Googled
everything this NG and many others would be as dead as a doorknob.

Zinnias are beautiful flowers and I hope you enjoy yours as much as we enjoy
ours. :^)