Steve Yoder
I'm Steve, a 30-something urban gardener fascinated by companion planting research. Growing up surrounded by greenery sparked my passion for gardening early on. I enjoy transforming my small backyard, experimenting with companion planting techniques and eco-friendly practices. Sustainability matters—I advocate for native plants and composting.
Table of Contents
For good reason, zinnias are among the most popular garden flowers. They’re gorgeous, simple to grow, and available in a wide range of hues and sizes, so you can have them all over your garden or yard. Zinnias are excellent for increasing pollination in your yard since they also draw butterflies and bees. However, zinnia plants need attention if they’re going to grow in your landscape—especially if you want them to produce a lot of flowers!
Check out this list of the best and worst zinnia companion plants before spending money on a large number of zinnias to ensure that they will thrive in their surroundings.
Best Zinnia Companion Plants
Calendula and Zinnia
This time we start our list of the best zinnia companion plants with calendula. Some people think that it’s the same plant as a marigold, but that’s not true! There are slight differences between both. Calendula is a very friendly plant and can almost be planted with any other plants in your garden, especially with zinnia. The flower calendula is frequently used as a herbal remedy. It aids in the treatment of inflammation and rashes as well as skin problems including eczema and acne. Calendula can also be administered topically to aid in the healing of wounds.
Marigold with Zinnia
Such as Calendula, marigold is also a fantastic companion plant for zinnia. You’ll get more robust blooms on your plants since marigolds help keep pests away from your zinnias. Additionally, they entice pollinators to the garden, increasing the likelihood that the fruits of your labor will include additional blooms. These are the reason why marigold is one of the best members of the best zinnia companion plants.
That’s not all! Marigold is a lovely plant that loves the presence of neighbors. Therefore, we have also prepared a list of the best marigold companion plants. Check it out:
Nasturtium & Zinnia
Nasturtiums are simple to grow and effective in keeping pests away. If you are growing them for aesthetic purposes, you may gain an additional advantage by putting them close to other plants that require pollinators because they also draw bees and other pollinators. The leaves of nasturtiums are edible and not merely for aesthetic purposes since they are rich in vitamin C.
Your zinnia flower garden will look amazing with the addition of these blossoms’ color and texture. You may choose one that goes with your other plants because they come in a variety of colors. Additionally, they are simple to grow and have tasty leaves.
For more information about nasturtium companion plants:
Sunflowers as Zinnia Companion Plants
Sunflower is also on the list of the best zinnia companion plants. It draws pollinators and gives them pollen that is beneficial for the zinnia blooms in your garden.
These flowers will add color and texture to your zinnia flower bed as well. They provide fantastic backdrops for photographing flowers because of their towering stalks. They are available in several variants. Some flowers have white petals, while others have yellow ones. They may be planted together as well because they want comparable soil and temperature conditions.
Another good news about this wonderful flower is that it has many other companions. In the article below you will learn about the best sunflower companion plants:
Tithonia Planted with Zinnia
We continue our great list of the best zinnia companion plants with tithonia. Zinnias go very well with tithonia. It keeps pests away, promotes the growth of your zinnias, and draws pollinators to the garden1. This plant is an amazing supporter of your zinnia plants!
Tomatoes as Zinnia Companion Plants
The next member of the best zinnia companion plants is the tomato. Since they are both pest-attractive and thrive in comparable environments, tomatoes make a wonderful zinnia companion plant. You may use tomato leaves to help get rid of these bothersome insects. This happens because tomatoes are also great at attracting aphids and whiteflies. So, plant tomatoes next to your zinnia plants to benefit from this companionship!
Squash – Melons – Cucumbers as Zinnia Companion Plants
The last three members of the best zinnia companion plants are squash, melons, and cucumbers. Members of the Cucurbitaceae family, squash2, melons, and cucumbers are all edible fruits. The family of pumpkins is another name for this. Bees and other flying insects pollinate these plants. Since zinnia flowers resemble pumpkins in appearance, they go well with these plants in your yard. They provide you with beauty as well as a different food source for pollinating insects!
Another good news is that we have prepared amazing companion plant lists for all these plants too! Check them out in the articles below:
What NOT to Grow with Zinnia
This time we don’t listed up plants that would harm your zinnia as neighbors. The reason is that zinnia is a very friendly plant as does not have enemies. On the other hand, there are some points you must consider when planting zinnia. Let’s have a look at them!
- Pest
- Sun
- Water
Protect Zinnia from Pests
Once zinnias are grown fully, they develop a certain immune system against pests. On the other side, while growing, little zinnias are susceptible to pest attacks. Now the question is, how can you avoid this? It is not that easy, and you have to care for your zinnias very well. One option is to use anti-insect soap sprays, slightly under your zinnias. Like that you will protect your plants.
Be Careful with Shadow
Zinnia needs huge amounts of sun. It grows best in warm weather and great sunshine. Zinnia produces blooms, that’s why they need so much sun. If you plant your zinnia in the wrong spot like next to a higher plant this will not end in a good way. The shadow provided by this neighbor will take away the sun from zinnia. If this happens for too long your zinnia won’t grow and in the worst case die before it grows out fully.
Water your Zinnia
Water is not just a zinnia’s source of hydration. It also transports nitrogen, potassium, calcium, as well as several other nutrients essential to photosynthesis. Water zinnias thoroughly while they are in the seedling and growing stages but take care not to drown them. By pushing your fingertips into the ground, you may examine the dirt. If a lot of water presses up from the earth, the soil is too wet. If the soil is moist enough to adhere to your fingertips but no obvious puddle appears, the soil is moist enough.
References
- Pavithra, P., Selvaskanthan, S., Raveenthira, V., & Sivachandiran, S. (2021). Effect of different dehydration techniques for preservation of selected garden flowers.
- Beeks, R. M. Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botan y. Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany: Vol, 3(2), 4.
