Starting Echinacea seeds

6 years ago

I have several types of coneflower seeds i would like to start indoors for next year planting. I am in Delaware. Can someone tell me when the best time to start them and also do they need to be stored in cold place before starting them

Featured Answer

Nevermore44 - 6a

6 years ago

When you say several types.... what did you get? I’ve been collecting seed from my purchased varieties and doing some attempts a purposeful cross pollination for years. I’ve never cold stratified them and still get good germination.... though I guess two to four weeks would increase the rate some. For me (Ohio).... I start my seeds indoors under lights/heating mats around the beginning of the year.

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Comments (6)

dbarron
6 years ago
If you have a greenhouse, you can start now. Yes, a mild stratification would probably help, but germination is usually good anyway for E. purpurea.
Otherwise, I tend to just start them whenever, usually May or June, because likely they won't (for me at least) flower the first year anyway, and why jump through hoops. They should flower the 2nd year from seed. If started now in an environment (greenhouse) that would support growth through the winter, I suspect they might flower the first year.
mlm88 thanked dbarron
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mlm88
Original Author
6 years ago
I just have some pow wows , merlot and an unknown seed from a friend. I don't have a green house so will have to start them indoors.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
6 years ago
look into winter sowing .... which involves outdoors ... [there is a forum]

without a large light setup.. i dont see these doing well as houseplants ...

ken

https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffcm&q=winter+sowing&ia=web
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
6 years ago
https://www.houzz.com/discussions/winter-sowing
Nevermore44 - 6a
6 years ago
Winter sowing is the "easy" route Ken! Plus if you do start them under lights in the winter... you get something to do during the winter...and you will get much larger ... sometimes blooming plants the first year. I just have the cheap shop fluorescent light set up which doesn't cost much to run.