Winter Sowing Echinacea - The Secret to Abundant Blooms

[@richbishop7896]

I never heard of winter sowing until I started watching KZbin. Maybe I'll try it. Thanks for the pointers Pamela. Bonny

[@Chefabs911]

Its a great method if you have limited space.

[@FlowerPatchFarmhouse]

It is so rewarding. And don't give up if you have a failing season. I have done this several years and usually do wonderful but last winter was rough and I had so many of my containers get smashed but I was not too disheartened as I knew it was the unusual circumstances and not the method.

[@lornabaker4039]

It’s the only way I can get good results with celery, onions, and many flowers I’ve tried. Zone 6, and I’ve had 2 years of excellent harvests of onions started with winter sowing; whereas the previous several years of planting sets or direct sowing gave very disappointing results.

[@patjackson3506]

I have to get my winter sowing started! Thanks for the inspiration and reminder.

[@FlowerPatchFarmhouse]

You are so welcome! I plan on doing a lot more myself. Even if I only get to a few a week it all works out in the end and I am glad in the Spring.

[@aldaguzman6428]

Thank you for all the information on weather sowing

[@FlowerPatchFarmhouse]

Our pleasure!

[@RMcDaniel1985]

Omg! I just started echinacea, a few milkweed, yarrow, bucked eyed Susan and some bee balm! Excited to see how yours and mine go! 🎉🎉🎉

[@FlowerPatchFarmhouse]

You are ahead of me but I will endeavor to catch up!

[@TeresaByington]

Fun in the greenhouse! Winter sowing is just the best! I won’t start my winter sowing for another week or so but one of the seeds I’m starting is White Swan. Many of my Coneflowers were eaten by either raccoons or ground hogs last year! 😠 Happy gardening! 🌱💐🌱

[@FlowerPatchFarmhouse]

Why are echinacea so delectable to the critters. I couldn't believe how the gophers went around all my gardens eating them while leaving other plants alone. This year I am going to plant them in protected raised beds and in pots I place into the ground.

[@TeresaByington]

I even put up High barriers… they climbed in them! Must taste amazing!

[@HoaGarden902]

Cornflowers are my favourite perennial. I want all the varieties.

[@FlowerPatchFarmhouse]

Being such great growers I want to add many more myself. @@HoaGarden902

[@lornabaker4039]

@@FlowerPatchFarmhouse Echinacea is medicinal! Maybe they needed the immune support. 😂

[@valerieoster8049]

I was so inspired by your videos last year that I started my whole new flower farm for my new wedding venue all with winter sowing. I had SO many containers. I also loved using the gallon ziploc bags. I can fit about 4 across 2 raised beds and use marshmallow sticks run through the tops of the bags to hold them up. You also add a clothes pin to give the precipitation hole some rigidity. Unbelievable success. I do add a coffee filter to the bottom of my containers. It’s supposed to keep the slugs from getting in your drainage holes.

[@FlowerPatchFarmhouse]

Wow, sounds like you had a stellar year of winter sowing! I did not hear about adding coffee filters, thanks for the tip.

[@brendahayes3365]

Thanks Pamela! You have just saved me a lot of work with your method of placing the containers in a tray to get water, I thought if they didn’t have long roots yet they wouldn’t pull up the water… what a tip!!! Also will be putting extra holes in the top like you did, smart!! Great, great advice 👍 ❤️Pumpkin! Brenda🇨🇦

[@FlowerPatchFarmhouse]

Glad it was helpful! Yes, I want to see how the extra holes in top may help, this will be my first season adding those.

[@mollypitcher9380]

@@FlowerPatchFarmhousemine drown with additional holes on top… very discouraging☹️…(nj) ….maybe if you live in a drier area, the holes would work.

[@joettedignanweir6893]

I’m glad you talked about bottom watering. It makes so much sense. I use a potting tray, add water and then set the jugs in - works perfectly!

[@FlowerPatchFarmhouse]

It works so well that I wonder why folks insist on watering from the top through the hole when that is not only more work but it has such problems with dislodging things in the jug.

[@janetthornton7909]

A local restaurant saves the jugs syrup comes in for me. They are a little more sturdy and have smooth sides so taping is easier. I use clear duck tape. I often grow two varieties in one jug by putting dividers in the soil. I cut these from thrifted document covers.

[@FlowerPatchFarmhouse]

Sounds great, I have done two types in one jug as well but I used an old plant label to divide them, I hadn't thought about the document covers.

[@gracehSF]

I bought some white swan echinacea seeds a few days ago and was planning to winter sow them. I’ve never sowed echinacea, so happy to see you have success with it.

[@FlowerPatchFarmhouse]

Sounds great! I wish you success.

[@Aurorasocali]

I just got some white swan seeds, pow wow wild berry echinacea seeds and a seed tray, this is my first time so this video was very helpful. Thank you!

[@FlowerPatchFarmhouse]

I wish you success. I am also going to start some later towards spring inside to make doubly sure I get plenty. I will make a video of that too.

[@Aurorasocali]

@@FlowerPatchFarmhouse Thank you! Your garden will be beautiful with extra echinacea, I look forward to seeing your videos.

[@arnorrian1]

I was pleasantly surprised by Cheyenne Spirit, Paradiso, and Red in Shades varieties of Echinacea flowering in the first year.

[@FlowerPatchFarmhouse]

I haven't see Red in Shades yet, I am going to have to look that one up. I see a seed order in my future! Thank you.

[@MHL1528]

I thought echinecea didn't flower until the second year if planted using seeds.

[@arnorrian1]

@@MHL1528 Wild species will not. But cultivated varieties will, if started early and planted out. Four varieties did it for me.

[@andrevstedal4595]

In norway 🇧🇻 - 24 C in winter and lots on snow wating in spring 1 Mars 🌱🌱

[@FlowerPatchFarmhouse]

Yes our spring weather doesn't arrive until May. Its a long wait, it seems!

[@rhondaschenk5727]

Fun video! Thanks Pamela!

[@FlowerPatchFarmhouse]

I am so glad you enjoyed it!

[@jewlstime]

I’m so happy you said something about making sure they get shade…. Is that only when they sprout?

[@FlowerPatchFarmhouse]

No that is when it gets warmer, as the temperature inside the jug can get quite hot in direct sun. Most plants like it around 70 degrees to germinate (some lower, some higher) and it gets much warmer than that in the jugs when the outside temps are 60 or above. For example, peas and lettuce like it about 60 to 65 degrees to germinate.

[@jewlstime]

@@FlowerPatchFarmhouse I have a bunch of them on my back deck in fullllll sun! I will move them to my front porch where they get morning, and early afternoon. Thank you!

[@yourvaluableva]

Hi Pam, Im in zone 10b and in December, I started my white swan echinacea seeds in a wet paper towel and strastfied in frig for 30 days. I did this with the purple coneflower seeds too. All my purple coneflower seeds germinated and most are growing on. My white swan didn’t do so well. They germinated but when I potted them into their cell tray, and put under lights, most turned moldy. I noticed in your video you said you don’t stratify the white swan and you have good success. So maybe I don’t need to do that step!?

[@FlowerPatchFarmhouse]

Some seem to do fine without it. If you have a fail one way then try another. The White Swan I direct sowed one year in early Summer did fabulous and bloomed by Fall, which I did not expect. They would be a huge mass right now if the gophers had not eaten them!

[@alien11able]

Hi Pam, did you say you had a painting channel? I love your painted flower designs in the garden. So beautiful!

[@FlowerPatchFarmhouse]

Yes, I do, it is pamelagroppe.com for the website and the videos are linked in every lesson.

[@sherryporter8647]

You are the first you tube gardener that I’ve found who explains all the details of whatever you’re doing. Finally, someone who answers all my questions as a beginner ! Thanks 😀🌸🪴

[@FlowerPatchFarmhouse]

I am trying very hard to do that, I have left things out in the past so I am learning to think things through better. But please feel free to ask questions if something is not clear enough!

[@mollypitcher9380]

Thanks!

[@FlowerPatchFarmhouse]

You bet!

[@jewlstime]

How long do you think these seeds are good for? Also, if you get 4 of those seedlings to germinate, will those plants spread when they are fully mature?

[@FlowerPatchFarmhouse]

How long they are good for is dependent on how they are stored. Optimum conditions then they should be viable for years. The plants will get larger and spread seed if you let them but if you have other colors in your garden the seedlings of the ones that volunteer will be different colors. My White Swan will reseed but I don't get all white, many are usually a light pink, with maybe one or two white ones as well. I am planning a video on root dividing them so you are assured of the color you want.

[@anapaulacrawford5837]

Maybe because you're in a cooler zone , but in zone 9a I put my seeds in the fridge for a week or for great germination.

[@FlowerPatchFarmhouse]

Yes, some will do that I have done that with my delphiniums when I sow them in Spring. I have direct sown the echinacea in late Spring after things have warmed up and gotten great germination as well as when I gardened in a zone 9b zone so it may help but it isn't required for most echinacea.

[@gail7998]

Thank you! What zone are you in?

[@FlowerPatchFarmhouse]

I am in zone 8b

[@gail7998]

@@FlowerPatchFarmhouse thank you!

[@karenschrantz2307]

I am doing this today with the white Swan seeds! So timely. Did you pre-moisten your soil before you put it in your milk jugs? I did last year and was very successful, but it sure is messy.

[@FlowerPatchFarmhouse]

I bottom water and don’t premoisten. Many time the potting soil has enough moisture and other times I will set the container in a tub of water to soak up what they need.

[@Jpatmeadowbrook]

What zone or state are you?

[@FlowerPatchFarmhouse]

I am in zone 8 in California in the mountains.