Productivity of Direct-seeded versus Transplanted and Season-long versus Successional Plantings of Zinnia Cut Flower Field Crops

North Carolina is the second largest producer of specialty cut flowers on the East Coast of the U.S. A recent survey of the NC cut flower industry found that most production occurs in open ground as field crops and that the majority of growers use organic practices. Zinnia is the most commonly grown annual cut flower crop. To increase yield and flower quality, and to control diseases, growers use a variety of production practices. Unfortunately, there is very limited research comparing annual cut flower production practices in terms of their effect on flower quality and yield. Two studies were conducted on zinnia cut flower production at the NC State University Horticultural Field Lab in Raleigh, NC. Study one evaluated the productivity of two planting methods (direct seeded vs. transplanted) and two planting densities on zinnia ‘Benary Giant Scarlet’. Study two focused on the effects of season long vs. successional planting times on the productivity of zinnias ‘Benary Giant Scarlet’ and ‘Zowie Yellow Flame’. Data were collected three times a week after flowering during the 2013 growing season. Flower quality was measured by stem length and flower diameter. Yield was measured by number of stems harvested. Preliminary data analysis showed that there was a tendency of longer/larger stem-length and flower diameter in lower planting densities, but not by planting methods, while higher yields were obtained at higher planting densities. In terms of planting time, the third planting had longer/larger stem-length and flower diameter in most cases. Further analysis of these results will be presented.