How to grow purple coneflower (Echinacea) from seed? Sowing methods and key care points

1. Timing

Generally, we choose to sow in late April or early September.

2. Choosing and preparing the growing medium

Choose soil with good drainage and aeration and relatively rich nutrients. After choosing it, to ensure a sufficient nutrient supply, you also need to add some fertilizer, such as animal manure.

3. Seed selection and treatment

Choose plump seeds that are not damaged, and put them into warm water at about 35 to 40°C and stir briefly. After about two to three hours, soak them in a disinfectant solution for about a quarter of an hour. Take the seeds out, dry them in the sun for about one to two hours, and then they are ready for sowing.

4. Actual sowing

We generally choose to sow purple coneflower mixed with soil. First, put part of the soil into the container, then mix the seeds evenly with another part of the soil, then put it into the container in the same way, and water thoroughly. After that, patiently wait for it to emerge and sprout. In about seven to ten days, you can see it sprout. In about half a month, the seedlings will all come up.

5. Later care

The first thing is water. Young seedlings generally need relatively little water in the early stage, so keeping the soil slightly moist is enough; there is no need to water too much. When it grows two or three true leaves, you can start watering a bit more. However, in rainy weather, also pay attention to draining excess water.

If some weeds grow around it, we should remove them promptly. However, in order not to damage the roots of the young seedlings, we had better remove them by hand rather than with tools.

In addition, if sowing in September, you can use plastic film and so on for heat preservation.