I grew Echinops 'Ritro' in 2004. I didn't write down when I sowed them that year, but they germinated on 4/8 so I couldn't have sown them too late. I like them in my garden. I may have to look at the white ones. Good luck!

I grew echinops ritro last year. You need to stick the seeds in the ground vertically, with the wider end sticking up. One end is pointier than the other and that is the end you stick in the ground.

I did not withersow them, so I can't comment on how successful that will be.

Becky
ramazz

I have had good luck wintersowing this family of seeds every year- although- every year- I weed out those darn thistles that come up....
Then- just like Homer Simpson- I slap my head and exclaim "Dough"!
I have to use some fluoresent stakes, at each seedling when I plant out next year...
I lay seeds on top of the soil to wintersow. I use a more closed system to my winter sowing containers, I drill holes in the bottom and 1 small hole near the top of the containers on 4 sides and put the lid back on tight after drenching the soil, checking the drainage and adding seeds. I put the containers directly on the ground (or snowbank) in a part sun, well draining come spring, area. I never have to water my containers till the tops come off when the leaves touch the tops.
These will reseed themselves in most gardens easily around here- so I would think you could easily WS- keeping them on the ground (possibly less thermally fluctuating) and more closed container (to eliminate both drying and excessive moisture), well draining (not in a puddle come spring), part sun sight.
When starting these indoors- I have found they are light hogs- and resent transplanting and hardening off- and remain stunted till I pull out the darn thistles.....

Julie

Thank you very much! I have 20 seeds so I'm going to do half sticking up and half flat. I'll make a special pot for them that doesn't have too many holes on the top. All my containers go on the ground but I have to water before the tops come off or my pots dry out. It's a chore, I envy you, Julie! I love to grow indoors but the hardening off I don't enjoy so it's good to read they are fussy. Hopefully, I will have seeds to share in a couple of years! I had a whole mess of thistle that I weeded out, too. This years purple globe dropped most of it's seed because I didn't get to harvest it in time so I'm going to watch the area next spring.