Zinnias are one of the easiest and most beautiful flowers you can grow in North Texas. They’re versatile as both ornamental landscape plants and cut flowers for making bouquets.
In North Texas, these colorful beauties grow best between April and October. Before planting, amend soil with plenty of high-quality compost purchased from a nursery to improve drainage, balance pH, and enhance soil fertility.
You can grow zinnias in landscape beds, raised beds, or containers. When growing in containers, choose dwarf or compact varieties, and be sure to water regularly.
Zinnia tips from a pro
- Start indoors in late February or start direct sowing in early April. Sowing several times throughout the summer ensures a big harvest. You can direct sow zinnias anytime between April and August. (Direct sowing is planting seeds directly into the garden. Pay attention to the seed depth and spacing recommended on the seed packet. Zinnias are not at all tolerant of frost so do not rush planting them in the spring.
- Avoid using sprinklers on zinnias. This contributes to a fungal disease called Powdery Mildew. Set them on drip irrigation or water by hand. Proper spacing also prevents disease.
- “Pinch” back your zinnias once they are roughly 12 inches. Cut off the top 3-4 inches just above a set of leaves. This will promote branching for more sturdy plants that produce more blooms.
- Zinnias are tough, but they don’t recover well if allowed to wilt from lack of water. Spread a 3-inch layer of mulch (I use shredded hardwood) around plants to retain soil moisture, and provide water regularly whe rain is scarce.
- Harvest flowers regularly to promote more blooms. When harvesting, cut long stems. Like pinching, this promotes bushier plants.
Favorite zinnias
Cactus-flowered zinnias (look for cactus-flower blends)
Dahlia-flowered zinnias
Benary’s Giants
California Giants
Purple Prince or Benary’s Giant Purple
Profusion Zinnias (for landscape)
Oklahoma series
Harvesting and making bouquets
- Harvest zinnias in the morning once the flowers are fully open and stem below flower head is stiff, not wobbly.
- Cut long stems to promote bushier plants, then trim stems as needed when arranging flowers.
- Don’t forget to add flower preservative to your vase water. Zinnias are “dirty flowers” that will muck up vase water quickly.
- Zinnias look great when paired with sunflowers, rudbeckia, gomphrena, or salvia.
Learn more about zinnias and cut flowers
Ready to turn your backyard into a mini flower farm? To learn more about growing cut flowers in North Texas, we recommend the following courses. These courses are available to all students enrolled in The Dallas Garden School.
- Easy Cut Flower Garden
- Backyard Flower Farm
- Cottage Cut Flowers with Cold Hardy Annuals
- Garden Design 101
Related reading
- Spring Fruits and Vegetables, Done Right - February 10, 2026
- The Simple Seed Swap That Attracts More Birds - February 5, 2026
- 2026 is Your Zinnia Era - February 4, 2026
