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Tips on growing echinacea from seed
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Posted by ladyaustins NSW Aust (My Page) on Fri, Aug 29, 03 at 7:50
| Last year I tried growing echinacea from seed with no result.Put them in pots in seed raising mixture and nothing happened. Does anyone have any tips on how I can get them to grow this year? I dont have a problem growing anything else from seed.
Cheers
Louise :-) |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Tips on growing echinacea from seed
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| ...ummmmm........ What you do is put in a bought plant - it'll sit there and sulk for the whole season and send up a few measly flowers. You leave the seed heads on to go black and ugly, and collect what seeds you can to sow. It doesn't really matter much where you sow these, because they won't grow. It's the few you miss, and which sow themselves which will grow in-situ. Not much help, I know, but it worked for me. :] Pam |
echinacea from seed - the sensible version
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Louise, a bit of research suggests that they might need a few weeks in the fridge, in a plastic bag containing moist peat moss or vermiculite. Apparently they can be a bit slow to germinate (several months). Then once they've grown they won't flower 'til the following year.
That's just what I read - I really wouldn't know. Last year they were readily available in punnets, which might give you a bit of a head start. Pam
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RE: Tips on growing echinacea from seed
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| Louise, sow at around 20oC (bit hard in Vic!) then if no germination in a few weeks then chill at around 0-4oC for a few weeks to break any dormancy then move to outside temp. |
RE: Tips on growing echinacea from seed
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| Ignorance is bliss, they say, so hope reading all this info hasn't jinxed me. I sowed a few (bought) echinacea seeds in a punnet in seed-raising mix and they have germinated. Didn't do anything fancy to them, just put the punnet in the sun and watered it. Also, the plants I bought last year were very disappointing. I cut them to the ground in autumn and they are looking healthy already. Fingers crossed!! |
RE: Tips on growing echinacea from seed
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| I would appreciate some advice on this plant too. I managed to grow one from seed, but I just could not get it to grow to flowering height let alone produce even one flower. I next purchased a plant and had the same problem. I am now on my 3rd plant and still having no luck, only a small clump of leaves a few inches above the ground. Any ideas please ? |
RE: Tips on growing echinacea from seed
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| Echinacea requires LIGHT to germinate. Plant shallow or just sprinkle seeds on the surface of the soil. Stratify first - put seeds in the fridge for 4 weeks before sowing. They usually take 10-20 days to germinate. The mature plant likes a well-drained, but fairly poor soil. A fairly dry soil is OK as well. Plant in full sun, or in very hot climates they can be in part shade. |
RE: Tips on growing echinacea from seed
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| I am glad I am not the only one to have problems with this plant. Usually you figure that anything remotely 'herby' would be strong as an ox and almost weedy. I managed to kill one of these plants early on in my gardening experience and was sure I had a black thumb. I have never dared buy another one. You give me courage to try again....one day.... |
RE: Tips on growing echinacea from seed
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| Well, I gave up on the seeds as tried many of your suggestions but nothing worked. I went out and bought a couple of plants and they seem to be doing fine, they probably wont flower until next year as they are small.Hopefully I will get seed from them when they flower and I may have more luck.Thanks for your suggestions and keep your fingers crossed. |
RE: Tips on growing echinacea from seed
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| I'm currently growing echinacea from bought seeds, they've germinated and I just moved them into pots today. I sprinkled them on the soil in a shallow tray, kept them in a bright place but out of direct sunlight with a plastic covering to keep humidity high, let you know if they continue to survive, don't expect flowers for a couple more years though |
RE: Tips on growing echinacea from seed
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| The sand I used to improve the drainage in my pots unknown to me came from our highway dept and was mixed with salt so those echinacea were short lived :< |
RE: Tips on growing echinacea from seed
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| Good day!After buying probably my third packet of seed, never having success in the past, this year I have! I have even had people telling me it won't grow in our climate, but I tried anyway. The most important aspect of growing Echinaceae from seed is the soil. The water should run straight through the soil when watered.(Excellent drainage) Further I throw some well rotted chicken manure around it every second week. I water the plants, growing in pots, every day in warm weather, or else I'll skip a day. The plants receive around six hours of direct sunlight a day. Good luck! Have a great day. |
RE: Tips on growing echinacea from seed
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| On my echinacea seed packet it says that seeds need "cold stradifying" and with a little research online, a few places suggest putting your seeds in a plastic bag with some damp sand and putting it in the freezer for a few days, then the fridge, and keep switching back for about 4 months before planting them. I just planted a flat of seeds, so I'm going to try sticking the whole thing in the freezer/fridge and heck, it's almost March and it may just take 4 month for these things to be plantable outside anyway here in Wyoming! |
RE: Tips on growing echinacea from seed
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| I purchased a pkg one year of the purple ones. When I went to plant..the pkg said to plant in the fall. I am wondering why they are selling them in the spring. Anyway long story I put them up find them every spring and then forget to plant them in the fall. been thinking about going a head and planting them. oh well if not maybe this fall I will remember haha |
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