Do you fertilize your plants? If so, what is the n-p-k?

Echinaceamaniac,

Have you heard of any issues with After Midnight?

Thanks,

Teresa

Teresa,

I have had better results with After Midnight than the other new Echinaceas. I recommend a location with shade in the afternoon. I put an After Midnight such a location last year and it is already larger than the original plant I took the cutting from!

Thanks!

mayhem69, N=nitrogen, P=phosphorus, and K=potassium all important for healthy plants.

Thanks Echinaceamaniac. I may succumb and buy one tomorrow. Right now, I am feeling a little hesitant to buy any of the new echinaceas. I saw another post about disappointments with Ruby Star, which I just planted. Ruby Star has been around for quite awhile so it surprised me that it had issues.

Does it seem that only one of the new hybridizers has issues with distorted flowers (Sundown and Sunrise)?

Teresa

Teresa,

I haven't seen the distorted petals in After Midnight. It's always Sunrise, Sundown, Sunset or Harvest Moon. Tiki Torch had a few of the petals, but it was more random. These new coneflowers seem to like less sun exposure than the old fashioned, regular coneflowers. At least here in Tennessee. Our summers are very hot and humid. This could be the reason. All I know is they are doing much better in my new coneflower bed with afternoon shade. You can learn a lot by planting them in different locations. I always take a division and plant it in both my sunny garden and my part shade garden.

Ech,
Friends of mine had plants of Sunset, Sundown, Sunrise, and Harvest Moon and gathered seeds for me to winter sow this past winter. (Notice the word 'had'...) Some have sprouted, but not many. What has sprouted however is nice and strong. I know I may not get the original plant look-a-like, but you never know...

tiffy,

I've planted seeds of all mine too. LOL. They are much nicer plants than their parents. I have one with very dark blooms, almost black! I will post photos later.

There is a new double orange echinacea coming out it looks like hot papaya in bright orange ! It is Hot! It is by Arie Blom called Marmalade!I will post a pic of it soon!

Thanks kyle72. I like his plants. His always perform well in my garden! He may be the best Echinacea guy around. The others are producing mutant garbage!

Ech,

Nice to know!! They did all sprout later than other echinaceas but they are strong just the same.

I did purchase a Sunset a couple of years ago. That silly thing is still trying to grow but it looks awefully pitiful!!

I just brought home 3 E. 'Crazy Pink'. It will be interesting to see how they do. I want to try 'Midnight Wine' also. They're growing very well for a friend,

I planted seeds of Hula Dancer too! I can't wait to see it.

let's try this again
magnus i bought today for $8.99
[IMG]http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/vv344/mayhem69/P6050074.jpg[/IMG]

nevermore44 -

I am in SW Ohio and I can't get Tiki Torch to grow worth a darn! And I work at a greenhouse! One didn't overwinter and the other has about three leaves. What's your secret?

I have no problems with Coconut Lime, Pink Double Decker, Harvest Moon, Raspberry Tart etc. But TT just doesn't want to grow. And now I can't even find any places around here selling it.

No secret... just luck of the draw i assume. It gets full sun. The soil is a mix of cruddy fill dirt from when the house was built and a mix of compost. And then in the fall i had thrown a in or so of aged horse manure over all the flower begs. So it stays pretty dry i assume. No fert.

I just saw some at a local nursery that were in gallon pots.. but only had a handful of small leaves... so they too didn't carry over from last year too well.

echinaceamaniac - where to you buy the Clonex gel? Thanks.

I bought it at Amazon.com. You can get some called Olivia's that is good too Look at the ingredients and get the one with the best price.

just as a quick update of the Mac & Cheese and Tomato soup that i bought a month back. The M&C has now out grown the TS. It does get a bit more sun since it is on the edge of a flower bed.. but it has 3 growth points and the one has the flower stalk almost a foot tall with 4 buds forming.

The TS has the same amount of growths.. and has a single flower stalk with a single flower... overall a bit smaller then the M&C... though still healthy.

I will try to take some pics this weekend.

Well, I just succumbed to After Midnight. This plant looks good and sturdy. Want more, lol!

My After Midnight are doing superb! They will probably start to flower next week. I am going to pick up my Tiki Torch tomorrow, yeah!

That's great to hear!!

I have Sundown, Sunrise and Harvest Moon, about 18 plants in total of that particular growers. All came back this year but about 6 of them peeked out, started to grow, then disappeared. The good news is the 12 that remained look superb and are doing swimmingly! No quills, no disease. Now, if I can keep the japanese beetles off of them, they will be fine. By the way, they are in part shade, they have a gigantic bradford pear on their doorstep.

I have had a tiki torch saga. First, ordered one from a grower that I wasn't familiar with. They sent me basically a plug it was so small. It had already started to get mushy, so needless to say it didn't make it. Got a refund. Found out after that I JUST missed Tiki at the local nursery. Second try, ordered from a very reputable grower, they sent me the wrong plant, so will be sending me tiki next week. Hopefully, third times a charm.

Anyone seen Tangerine in person? I hear it keeps color and performs better than Tiki. It's scented, also. My mouth has been watering over that one for months.

By the way, I also have Green Envy, Tomato Soup, Midnight, Elton John, Kim's Knee High, one mystery pink one, Mac N Cheese, and another yellow mystery one that the grower accidentally sent instead of Tiki. I have been "eyeing" green eye, too. Saw it in person at a local nursery. Haven't taken the leap on that one, though. I really like the colors other than pink as my favs.

Oops!

Correction, I have Green Jewel not Green Envy and Elton Knight not Elton John, LOL!!! Children have rotted my brain! I think that is the funniest slip yet!

I ordered 3 Tiki Torches from Sooner Plant Farm last year and received 3 plants growing in quart containers. They were huge, well-rooted plants and even bloomed their first year.

We had 3 days and nights of -22F temps in January, so I wasn't sure if the Tiki Torches would survive. However, these guys not only popped up and started growing in April, but have taken over the area and are even taller than the Crazy Daisies and my Summer Song Austin rose that is planted in the same bed. And, yes, these are the original three coneflowers, but the plants themselves are increasing in size. I plan to scatter their seeds in some different rose beds and see if any of the plants germinate next spring.

BTW, Sooner Plant Farm also offers many varieties of coneflowers, including Mac 'n Cheese, Pink Poodle, and Tomato Soup. They have 100% favorable reviews on Dave's Garden also.
-terry

Mine are just starting to bloom now.
Sunset, yes quite a few quilled petal but good strong healthy growth.
Double Decker, a good strong healthy plant, lots of flowers but no sign of it doubling up (2nd year blooming). Razzmatazz, lots of flowers not fully opened yet and good strong healthy growth (this plant has doubled in size since last year), take a pic later.
Sundown, WOW, what an eye catching color, 2nd year plant, 1st time blooming, good strong healthy growth.

2 pix of my Sundown, the pictures don't really pick up what a vibrant color it really is.

{{gwi:218863}}
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Annette

Annette - They won't be that color long. Try maybe 24 hours if you're lucky. These fade quicker than anything.

E~ Maybe it's the cooler weather we're having right now that's keeping the color longer, this flower has been open for 4 or 5 days.
My Double Delight is about the same size as it was last year when I planted it, isn't doing nearly as well as Razzmatazz. I'm thinking of picking off the flower buds, feeding it a root stimulator to give it a boost. The new ones I bought this year I'm going to disbud, maybe leave one bloom just to have a peek at what it's going to look like.
It looks like Echinaceas are fast becoming my new addiction, 27 varieties so far in different stages of growth :o).

Annette

Annette,

I bet that's it. Our summers are so hot here. Sundown Echinaceas are ugly here. I don't grow them anymore. I think it's awesome that you got one without the quilled petals. Those are hard to find.

Not to throw a monkey wrench in the theory, but my sundowns last for almost a week before they start to fade, also and the fading is fairly slow. They are shaded, though, so that is probably part of the formula, too. My Summers, however, fade like nobody's business! Guess you can't have everything.

The shade might have something to do with it too, my Echinaceas get morning and early afternoon sun, late afternoon shade from 4 on. Sundown is still holding it's color, I guess temperature, ours has been below 70 for at least a week now and amount of sun/heat these get might also be a determining factor in how well they perform.

Annette

They are faded here like all get out. I saw a ton of these at Lowes and they were so ugly. I think Sundown is one of the ugliest Echinaceas you can buy. I don't know why they still get them by the truck load, especially when the color is so washed out in all the ones they have for sale. They've marked them down, but nobody is buying.

I think it depends on location. They do very well here, they're a good beautiful plant. There isn't a plant in the world that does well everywhere.

Well I am glad to find more positive posts of the hybrids. I just started getting interested in the Echinaceas this season and just bought 2 Tiki Torches, 1 coconut lime to try - due to cool colours.
Thinking the hybrids would be as hardy and easy as the original purpurea, I did not dig twice as deep when putting the gallons into the ground.
Does anyone have any advise as to whether I should re-dig bigger holes and pamper these guys with lots of triple mix, transplant fertilizer etc. to ensure a good take?

Or maybe my 5b zone would be too challenging for these new varieties anyway and I should just pray ???

What a great thread (and photos!) as I ponder which variety to get for my mom in zone 6 Kansas City for Mother's Day (yes, I know, the shame of procrastination!) Can't help wondering how these varieties have performed for you all in the meantime, after another winter's experience?
I guess we're all pretty much after the same things (robustness/dependability, bloom longevity and even scent would be a nice extra) but if you have any favorites to recommend among these 'new color' hybrids, I'd be all ears... (echinaceamaniac, which if any of these have not disappointed you?)
I really appreciate your cultural tips as I would've otherwise plunked them into the full sun of a south-facing bed like an ordinary purpurea!

Paul
(watching his own first winter-bargain-table Sunrise leaf out with anticip-p-pation)

All of mine made it, and are doing great! I have, in multiples; Midnight Wine, Crazy pink, Tiki Torch, Pink Poodle, After Midnight, and several varieties of lost tag noids. They're all nice robust plants. I'll be looking for more to add as the season goes on.

I'm glad yours made it! My Tomato Soup didn't make through winter or something may have eaten it over winter. My Mac and Cheese is horrible! It is a pathetic excuse of an echinacea and I'm ready to throw in the shovel lol with that one and try something different. It's the 3rd year with it and it never bloomed yet! Never grew large and looks distorted all the time.
In fact, I think echinacea's just don't like me! lol I have horrible luck with them.
Hopefully my After Midnight and Tiki Torch will do better this year.

Hey Kenstar, I am not big into echinaceas, but I have some experience with them here in NE Ohio also. My tiki torch is going on it's forth year and is always very little not much to talk about. I have a big sky that is yellow from lowe's that does well and is a very unique color. But if you want a huge vigorous grower go with the ruby star! It is my first enchinaceas to bloom every year and goes strong until first frost! I love it! It produces 100's of flowers!

Has anyone tried the new variety Hot lava?

My tomato soup is back but does not seem to be in a hurry to grow. Whereas the regular echinacea variety can barely restrain itself even after tranplanting

Well here's my 2010 list. All came through the winter just fine, even the very small Green Jade I bought last fall. Others I have up and growing are.
After Midnight
All That Jazz
Coconut Lime
Double Decker, this one started to double deck last summer but I really don't care for it so it's going.
Green Envy
Harvest Moon
Mac 'n' Cheese
Pink Double Delight
Primadonna Deep Rose
Razzmatazz
Ruby Star
Sundown
Sunrise (strong grower but quilled petals)
Sunset (strong grower but quilled petals)
Summer Sky
Tikki Torch
Twilight
Vintage Wine
White Swan

Annette

wow, this thread picked up from last yr. LOL!
I see a few posts that mention about some varieties doing better in shade. I know my Summer Sky love the partial sun. What are some others that like the part sun? I am thinking about moving my remedial Mac N Cheese to a partial sun location.

My Mac and Cheese is in the partial sun location and just sits there. I wouldn't.
The two on each side of that one grow much better, don't figure.

I put my Mac 'n Cheese out of its misery yesterday. It got replaced with a 'Jethro Tull' Coreopsis which is BEAUTIFUL! Got it at Wal-Mart for less than 5 bucks. There is no yellow Echinacea that can compare to this beauty!

I was thinking of replacing mine soon with something similar like coreopsis moonbeam which I've heard raves about. It's got just a couple weeks maybe to start growing or it's outa here!

My Mac 'n Cheese is a plug size after its first winter.

'Tomato soup' is doing great - looks like a blooming size plant already. It was purchased with Mac 'n Cheese last year (both were plugs).

'Hot Lava' survived. Still tiny.
'Pink Poodle' bloomed for me first year after planting. Overwinted OK.
'Tiki Torch' is finally growing (two years in the garden, never bloomed).
Same thing with 'Merinque' and 'Coral Reef'.
'Ruby Star' and 'Coconut Lime' are doing great. No surprise here: they both were gallon size plants at the planting time.
'Hot Papaya', 'Tangerine Dream' did not survive. I just ordered one more 'Hot Papaya'. Will give it one more try.

Green Jewel was in partial sun last year, and it seemed to believe that it was perfectly sited. Bloomed its little heart out till very, very late. And it's back already with buds that are going to open any minute now! :D Love, love love Green Jewel.

After reading all the Big Sky bad reviews, I was a little nervous about the Sundown I bought last year. But it's back as well, bigger than last year, and has one bud so far.

alina, same thing with my Tiki Torch. It's on it's third year now and the first two, no blooms! I have yet to see what it looks like! It seems to be growing better this year, so I am keeping my fingers crossed!
If the few echinaceas I do have don't perform their all out!

Kenstar,

I just checked my TT. It has 3 stems with tiny buds. I hope nobody will eat these buds and I will see TT blooming finally ;)

As for other new cultivars, I'll give them a couple of years after planting. Then, only the best ones stay in my garden...

See my post from last year (link below) re 'Tiki Torch'. I can't wait to see it again!

Here is a link that might be useful: Tiki Torch 2009

See my post from last year (link below) re 'Tiki Torch'. I can't wait to see it again!

Here is a link that might be useful: Tiki Torch 2009