Hi, I need help on growing them from seeds, when do I plant fall or spring. We don't get really cold weather until Dec or Jan. However, it's 88 today, 50 at night and could be 40 in a couple day.
I also need to know, sun or shade, etc.
Need information on growing coneflowers
I have know some people in TX that grow them, they need a little shade to protect them from the heat there. Not sure when to seed them, to wintersow them there must be Jan. or Feb probably.
Lorraine,
I would definitely check with your local nursery. Ask them when they will have coneflowers in stock. Since you have such a long hot summer, you will want to get your plants in the ground sooner, so they can get aclimated. Also, a lot of times the nursery will have lectures on various gardening topics. As an active gardener, you will end up spending a sizeable amount of money there over time, so you need to use this resource. Many of the larger nurseries also have a "help desk".
Two other suggestions that might be helpful: 1) Find out when you last frost day is, if you do have one in your zone. You can then count back from that day to figure out when to begin planting.
2) Finally, post this question on the Texas forum. The gardeners there are used to have a long hot summer, and probably have a good handle on when you should begin planting your flowers, and starting your seeds. You may even be in one of those areas where you could start now.
Good luck
LorraineR,
Can't help you with the TX part, as I'm from Arkansas.
But here's what I did.
I refridgerated my seeds for about three weeks.
I planted them in seed trays middle of February........
I grew them in the seed trays under about 16 hours of fluorescent lights for about two months.
Then, I took a chance and put them out in the garden a few weeks before the last frost.
I had to scramble one late weekend, with record frost temps, by building a cold frame around the bed, and luckily saved them.
I was satisfied in knowing that I wouldn't see any flowers the first year, but knew in my heart that next year would be totaly awesome. But by middle of July, more than half my plants started putting on flowers.
Middle of August was awesome.
I did water them about every morning, but finally stopped watering by late summer.
You can get flowers the first year. Secret - start seeds early indoors.
Coneflowers are one of the few perennials that I know that will bloom the first year from seed.
Isn't life grand!
Lorraine
I have started coneflowers from seed by Wintersowing and by planting seeds in peat pots in very early Spring. Both of those methods worked well for me. I have planted the starter plants out in the Fall and that has worked well for me too. I would start by wintersowing half of the seeds you have and if they do not germinate, then I would plant the seeds in peat pots and set them out after they had a good start to them.
Let us know what you end up doing and how you make out.
Carolyn
Thanks every one. I'm going to be brave and winter sow some and start some inside. Wish me luck
I think I'm going to try the same thing, Lorraine. I'll wish you luck and you wish me luck!
Which varieties are you going to try? I'd like to get some "different" ones, but even the regular "purple coneflower" would be okay to begin with.
and i will wish you both luck since i am also in texas and am hoping they grow from seed--i put some seeds in the dirt in the fall--and am going to try to plant more in the ground early spring--i don't know that it will work
I got mine in trades and all the packages said was coneflower. I think one said pink, so that's all I knowLet's keep our fingers crossed for each other and keep this thread so we can let each other know how we did
One rule!! If I screw mine up, just tell me you did too, even if they are the most beautiful things in the world.
Just kidding, we may be able to learn from each other!!
I had good success last year starting from seed from my purple cone but this year I tried seeds from a different one I collected in the fall (Big Sky that I had purchased grown from a local nursery) .it's been 10 days and not a sprout in site - i see someone suggested stratification but my propagation book didn't say anything about that...has anyone just started from seed without stratification and if so how long did you note germ time? (I was lazy last year and never wrote down these things..this year I know better! LOL) Thanks!