My Tomato Soup showed up 3 or 4 weeks ago and is strong and healthy looking. Mac and Cheese planted right next to it didn't show up till late last week and is looking rather puny. All other Echinaceas in the yard have been growing strong for at least 2 weeks. I wouldn't give up on Tomato Soup yet, but it doesn't look good.

Voles are abundant in my yard, but they don't seem to be eating the Echinaceas.

My Tomato Soup and Mac and Cheese both did not make it. My other Echinaceas are doing great. I doubt I will replace them, even though they were both very pretty last year. I live in Louisville, Ky. We had a very cold winter, lot of snow. My roses look fantastic, and I only lost one out of 30 roses.

My Mac and Cheese made it, but I have yet to see a bloom on that one. I think TS did not make it. I doubt I will replace them either. I just don't have much luck with echinacea's, I guess they don't like me lol.
Maybe, I'm thinking of just moving over my Tiki Torch (haven't seen a bloom on that one yet either), Mac and Cheese, and After Midnight, to give each more room anyways. I also hesitate to just replant because I don't really like the whole layout of the bed, and am thinking of redoing the entire thing lol! I think I get too much shade on that side of the house, and maybe I need to go with more shade lover plants.

I dug up "Tomato Soup" if you could call it that. There was almost nothing left of it. Either it died over winter, or a vole got most of it. Bummer... So, I moved my other echinacea's over, which gives them more room to grow anyway. I won't replace..

The only one I seem to have lost this year is Tiki Torch. This is the third one I have lost and I won't try again. Too bad, really liked the color. Tomato Soup looks good, so does Mac and Cheese. Denise in NC

Tomato Soup has returned for me; however, Tiki Torch is basically an expensive annual. I have had 5 and only 1 has ever returned. I've tried different locations and different soil conditions to no avail. I love the color though and don't remember ever seeing anything similar. Maybe there are some orange zinnias that are similarly colored but I've never seen one.

My TS are doing great. I can't believe how strong they grew last yr. after purchase. My Mac n Cheese is a pathetic excuse growing in slo mo again, just like last yr. I will probably move it to another location and replace with Maui Sunshine.
What kind of boost can i give the Mac n Cheese to try and speed things up?
Of all my plants, Summer Sky and Hope have flowers forming already and are about 12" tall. Here are some pics.

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My Mac N Cheese dwarf
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Hope and Summer Sky
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Same here: TS looks nice; M&C as pathetic looking as on mayhem69's picture.
Tiki Torch returned, so I hope I will finally see it blooming this year....

I hate to say this, but I don't think there is anything you can do to make those Mac 'n Cheese plants grow. I have tried all the tricks in my book and nothing has helped. I do know that good plants of it do exist, but you need to try and find one that is already gallon-sized. There seems to be a problem with some of the plants coming out of tissue culture being defective in some way. I have seen about 2 plants that looked good out of all the Mac 'n Cheese photos.

echinaceamaniac, what I bought that is beautiful and a nice orange color (don't know if it will survive for me, but you shouldn't have any problem) is geum Fireball. Gorgeous color! I bought mine at Romance Gardens and Greenhouse and it's a gallon size.
I know a lot of people that like Bluestone Perennials, but I'll tell you I am DONE with small potted plants that come in the mail! If I can, I will choose the larger or gallon size if they offer it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Geum Fireball