more-echinacea

PERENNIAL

Summer/fall bloom
Frost hardy

BEST TO START EARLY INDOORS

In spring, 6 weeks before last expected frost date, sow seeds 1 inch apart in a container of seed starting mix. Cover lightly with mix, keep warm and moist, and provide a strong light source until seedlings are ready to plant out. Feed every 2 weeks with half-strength fertilizer. Once seedlings are large enough to handle, transplant 2 to 3 inches apart into a deeper container or individual pots so root systems have room to develop. When plants are 3 to 4 inches tall, gradually acclimate to outdoor conditions and plant out in full sun.

THIN OR TRANSPLANT

Space seedlings 8 to 10 inches apart.

GROWING NOTES

Sturdy perennial echinacea, or purple coneflowers, handle a wide range of weather conditions once well established. Plants will make sturdy foliage the first season, then send up long stems of 4 inch daisy-shaped blossoms at midsummer for years. The nectar-rich florets of their cone-shaped centers attract and nourish butterflies and other pollinators.