Little echinacea plants

Hi

This has been worrying me a while. Bought a packet of echinacea seeds in the spring and the instructions said to plant them in propagators. Never having used a propagator before, I bought one and planted about a few seeds in one section. The instructions said to harden them off gradually, but I haven't put them outside at all yet this year, as they are still quite small.

I've potted them into pots and have several growing well, if slowly. My question is, should I keep them on the window sill all winter then try to plant them out in the spring now? So really, it's how and when should I harden them off? We are already into frosts - had a hard one last night.

Do I need to post a pic for size assessment.

Thanks for any advice

Jennie

 

Hi Jennie

Echinacea is a hardy perennial and normally survives in the border or flower bed with no problems - the biggest problem I have with it is keeping slugs and snails from eating developing growth in Spring! It's a herbaceous perennial so will disappear underground for winter and re-emerge in Spring.

Your baby plants will be happier outside, but keep them in the pots somewhere sheltered, against the wall of your house perhaps, or somewhere south facing. The foliage growth may die away over winter but it should re-appear in Spring as I said already and then you can plant them out in the garden.

Of course, you could always do a belt and braces approach and keep a couple inside for extra peace of mind. But I regularly leave hardy perennials that are too small to be planted in the border, in pots outside over winter and most survive fine.

 

Jennie, play safe and keep them indoors over winter. Start hardening them off at the end of February if the weather is dry and above freezing. Plant out towards the end of May.:gnthb: