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I was told best time to sow Echinacea seeds is Aug.?

14 years ago

Hi, i want to start alot of echinacea from their seed for next year. A nursery owner told me the best time to sow the seeds are in Aug. Is this true? I thought the seeds had to dry more. What is the best way to start from seed? I was going to sow some and start some indoors in a jiffy peat pot. I need some expert advice regarding the subject.

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Comments (10)

echinaceamaniac
14 years ago
If you mean the seeds from this year's blooms, I wouldn't plant them in August. I'd wait until the bloom stalk starts turning brown to harvest them. Store them in the veggie drawer in zip/lock baggies and plant them in December under a grow light or you can winter sow them outside in January or February. I grow mine under a light because I've been planting hybrid seeds and I wanted to give them more time to grow so they might bloom the first year. Many Echinacea Purpurea seeds will bloom the first year. Echinacea Paradoxa, Pallida, and Tennesseensis require at least 2 seasons before they bloom.
mayhem69
Original Author
14 years ago
Yes, i am talking about this yrs. blooms. When you say veggie drawer i am assuming you mean storing them in the refrigerator, right?
As far as growing under a light, what kind of light? Will a Fluro be OK?
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echinaceamaniac
14 years ago
Yes, I put mine in the refrigerator.

I have a 400W metal halide grow light. It is very good so far. I've had it for two years now. I replaced the bulb this January. I grow houseplants under it too. This is the first time I've had luck with an orchid ever. LOL.
diggerdee zone 6 CT
14 years ago
I've had good results with wintersowing echinacea. I've always bought seed, though, never saved my own, so I can't help with saving/storing seed.

Good luck!
:)
Dee
mayhem69
Original Author
14 years ago
If i winter sow them in Jan or Feb like echimaniac says, what if the ground is frozen? Do i just work them in with some fresh soil?
carrie630
14 years ago
wintersowing is done in containers... if the containers free and seeds have not germinated, they will be fine - when it warms they will eventually sprout.

All of my Echinaceas are grown from seed, but remember - the first year you will only get foliage, the second year is when you will see blooms

Good luck

Carrie
mayhem69
Original Author
14 years ago
OK, so when i sow the seeds in containers, should i set them outside or would it be better to keep them in my unheated sunroom out of the harsh environment? It gets down to about 32F in my sunroom or lower.
echinaceamaniac
14 years ago
You plant them in containers like 2 Liter Coke bottles and put them outside. The winter weather will actually make these seeds germinate better. The seeds will germinate when the weather warms up. You plant them out after the danger of frost in your area. The Winter Sowing forum has many helpful posts.

I do recommend using Jiffy Seed Starting Mix for Echinaceas. I put about 2 inches of potting soil in the bottom and about an inch of the seed starting mix on top. This worked perfectly for me last year in coke bottles.
mayhem69
Original Author
14 years ago
Sorry to go off subject, but do all varieties of Ech. have seed? Like Meringue? Pink Double Delight? After Midnight? Tomato Soup? Tiki Torch? I thought i read somewhere not all of them have seed.
diggerdee zone 6 CT
14 years ago
Warning - opening the below link may lead to addiction!

You've been warned. Have fun!

:)
Dee

Here is a link that might be useful: Winter Sowing Forum FAQs

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