How to Grow Echinacea {Start to Finish}

This morning I planted a flat with White Swan echinacea seeds under grow lights. I don’t know about you, but echinacea, or cone flowers as I like to call them, are one of my favorite perennial flowers to grow. We have 5 {or 6} purple con flower plants right beneath the window box in our front yard and they are the flower I most look forward to seeing every year.

This year I decided to try something different and am planting the white ones instead. I love them, the bees love them and their blooms seem to last forever, so the more the merrier I say!

Brief description:  Echinacea is an easy-to-grow perennial.  It has long-lived blooms, making it perfect for borders and garden beds.  They bloom from June to October and attract both butterflies and birds to your garden.

Where to Plant Echinacea:   Echinacea can be planted in raised beds, garden beds, flower beds, and pots in full sun to light shade.

Planting Seeds:  Sow seeds 1/4″ deep.  Grouping 8 seeds per pot, and thinning to 1 per pot or every 18″ when the seedlings are 1″ tall.

Growing Tips:   Echinacea doesn’t require a ton of attention, it prefers well-drained fertile soil, but will grow in clay soil as well.   Dead head to keep plants looking tidy.

How to Harvest:  Echinacea makes fantastic flowers arrangements.  To harvest, cut stem off at desired length and place in a vase.  Easy pleasy.

Are you ready to start your garden but you’re not sure when you should plant your seeds or set out your transplants? Head on over HERE and you’ll be taken to a handy dandy chart that is broken down into what vegetables should be planted {or transplanted} each month in your area.

Anyone can do this. Dirt + Seeds+ Water = Food!

~Mavis

Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine

Interesting tidbits:  Echinacea is prized for it’s medicinal properties.  It is said to boost immune function and fight infection.  They can be used in teas and syrups.  I have never used them like this, have you?