Zinnia Purple Prince Zinnia elegans Packet: 50 seeds Purple Prince is a tall, dahlia-flowered zinnia carrying big, fully double blooms in a rich royal purple-magenta. Sturdy upright stems and a long flowering run from summer into autumn make it a first-rate cut flower, and the open faces are a magnet for bees and butterflies. The more you pick, the more it throws. Sowing Zinnias love warmth and resent cold, wet soil, so wait until the weather has settled. Sow seeds about 5 to 7mm deep, direct or in punnets, with the best germination at a soil temperature of 22 to 25°C. Seedlings emerge in 7 to 14 days. Space plants about 30 to 45cm apart. When to Sow - Australian Climate Zones Cool & Mountain: October to December Temperate: September to January Subtropical: August to March Tropical: April to August (dry season) Arid & Semi-arid: September to February Care Grow in full sun in free draining soil. Pinch out the growing tip when plants are around 30cm tall to bring on more branching and more stems. Water at the base rather than over the leaves to keep mildew at bay, and feed every few weeks with a seaweed solution. Cut or deadhead often to keep the flush coming. Harvest Cut for the vase from about 10 to 12 weeks, choosing blooms that are fully open and firm, since zinnias do not open much further once picked. The wiggle test helps: give a stem a gentle shake and take it only if it stays straight. Deadhead spent flowers and the plants bloom right through to the first frost.