Zinnias

Expect blooms in late spring/early summer. You can pinch 'Purple Prince' zinnia plants to encourage branching, which is desirable, unless you are growing them for cut flowers.

Any & all flowers I grow from seed, I start them in a cardboard container(Toilet paper tube/paper towel tube that has been cut short, etc) so that when the time comes to plant it in my flower garden, I just plant the whole container with the plants inside...that way, the roots never get disturbed in any way, & as for the cardboard container, eventually it will decompose which also feeds the plant.

After you thin your zinnias to recommended spacing for your variety, you can certainly try to transplant the extras. However, know that zinnias prefer not to be transplanted. They like to be sown in the ground and grow very quickly that way. If you try this out, be sure to limit root disturbance and transplant shock. Loosen the soil all around the root and use your hands to gently remove the roots and limit the exposure to sun.

Space plants 4 to 24 inches apart depending on variety. Usually, the back of seed package will advise. (Many popular cultivars are 6 inches.)

You also may not have given them enough light as they were starting. Without enough light, seedings get "leggy" (long, spindly stems). Did you have your plant light about 2" from the seedlings?
You can try transplanting them a little deeper than they were in their pots.

Zinnias need room to grow, you have WAY too many in that small pot! I use a 20" pot for 2-3 zinnias that will grow about 36" tall and YES, they will need to be tied up.. I usually just tie them to the deck rail!

Zinnias don't like being transplanted. Sow seeds in peat pots that can be directly transplanted into the garden. It's ideal to just sow seeds directly in the garden when the soil is warmed above 60 degrees, they germinate in just 5 to 7 days and, once germinated, they grow quickly. If seedlings are flimsy or falling over, it's often due to lack of sunlight and/or not enough air circulation/crowding. They are sun lovers who need lots of direct sunlight.

It may be that the original zinnias that you had planted were hybrids. In this case, you will not usually have offspring from these plants looking/behaving like the parents--in other words, they do not "come true" from seed. Instead, each seedling may exhibit different combinations of traits. Some of these traits may not be as good as the original hybrid, or they might be more desirable. For example, vigor may be less than the original hybrid, while flowers might bloom earlier.

For seedlings to look/act like the original hybrids, you'll need to buy more seeds of the same zinnia variety.

Also, in general, look for open-pollinated varieties. Unless there is cross-pollination with another variety, they should come true from seed if you'd like to save seeds for next year.

Zinnias should be planted outside after the last expected spring frost. For the northern part of Texas, this can be in early April to early May. We'd suggest that you find the last expected spring frost date for your specific area by contacting your county's Cooperative Extension. You can find the contact information at: http://www.almanac.com/content/cooperative-extension-services

It sounds like it is too early for your area, in which case you could still start the zinnias indoors four to six weeks before the last spring frost and transplant them outdoors once the threat of frost has passed. Hope this helps!

According to our friends at Burpee, "Zinnias don't like being transplanted. Sow seeds in peat pots that can be directly transplanted into the garden. Place zinnia seeds on soil surface and lightly press into the surface. Cover with 1/4 inch of soil. Lightly water and cover with clear plastic or glass to keep seeds from drying out. Seeds should germinate in 4 to 7 days. Once up, remove cover and keep soil evenly moist."

Here's a tip: Save the seeds while they are still on the plant, not after you deadhead it. Instead of deadheading all the dying flowers, let some just dry out. The seeds will be attached to shriveled petals and they are ready to harvest when they darken and become dry. Let the seeds form, mature and dry on the plant before you collect and store them. Some plants distribute their seed when their seedpods explode, flinging the seeds away from the parent plant. Make sure to harvest before this occurs or fasten a fine mesh or paper bag over the seed heads to catch the seeds.

If it is the bottom leaves that turn brown it's normal for zinnias. If you have brown spots on the leaves it could be leaf spot disease. Try not to get water on the leaves. Keep them dry.

It is possible that your plants have a virus; if so, you'll need to remove the plants. Viruses can create strange effects sometimes, such as twisted leaves or flowers, flowers with little or no petals, etc. We'd recommend asking your county's Cooperative Extension service to see what diseases are prevalent in your area that might be affecting your zinnias. They might also be able to diagnose your plant if you give them a sample. For contact information, go to:

http://www.almanac.com/content/cooperative-extension-services

Be sure that the soil is not highly alkaline. Zinnias like a soil pH of between 5.5 and 7.5. Check the level of boron--a lack can cause stunted growth and bud blasting.

Hope this helps!