How do you Grow Echinaceas?
This can be a difficult question to answer for beginner gardeners because of numerous factors including climate, soil, and experience level.
This article will help solve this problem and give beginner gardeners Easy-to-Follow Steps on growing echinaceas ANYWHERE.
And I recommend scrolling to the bottom of this page to find answers to the 7 most frequently asked questions most gardeners have when growing echinaceas.
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Step #1: Plant My Favorite Type of Echinaceas
When buying and planting one of these 5 types of echinaceas you should make sure that the bulbs are firm, unblemished, with few or no tears to the outer coating.
I am recommending five specific types of Echinaceas that are simple to grow and care for regardless of your experience.
Best of all is that all of these Echinaceas are perennials and beautiful!
A) Cheyenne Coneflowers
- Hardiness Zone: 4 – 9
- Length & Width: 36 inches x 6 inches
- Watering Needs: Average
- Sun Exposure: Full
- Bloom Time: Late Spring/Early Summer
When the typical gardener thinks of Echinaceas they are thinking of Cheyenne Echinaceas.
What you’ll love about this flower is that it takes the guesswork out of garden design.
It only takes one packet of seeds to bloom beautiful colors of yellow, red, purple, and even brown.
What you’ll love about the coneflower is that it is the perfect perennial flower to that bees, hummingbirds, and other beneficial insects.
- Related: 50 USEFUL Plants that Attract Bees
- Related: How to Attract Hummingbirds
And this is the perfect flower for raised garden beds, traditional gardens, or anywhere in your yard.
Step #2: How to Grow Echinaceas from Bulbs
Echinaceas are a beautiful flower that blooms in early to mid-spring.
Unlike conventional thinking, Echinaceas are perennial flowers.
Most flower gardeners think Echinaceas are perennial flowers but some can be annual depending on where you live.
Step 1 – Plant Your Echinacea Bulbs in the Fall
First, make sure you buy your appropriate Echinaceas on Amazon from another reputable garden vendor.
Plant your echinacea bulbs in the fall when your soil has cooled off & the temperature is between 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Plant your bulbs before the first frost!
Take the temperature of your soil and ensure that it will stay below 60 degrees for 12 weeks or think about planting your echinaceas in pots.
- Hardiness Zones 3 – 5: Plant in September
- Hardiness Zones 6 – 7: Plant in October
- Hardy Zones 8 – 9: Plant in December
*Find Your Hardiness Zone HERE*
Step 2 – Prepare Your Soil THIS Way!
Locate the area of your flower garden or yard where you want to plant your echinaceas.
- Echinaceas do best in an area that receives partial to full afternoon sun.
- The soil should be well-draining and should be neutral to slightly acidic (6.0 – 7.0 pH level).
- The flower garden should be well protected from wind and heavy rain.
Mix 3 inches of Flower Garden Soil to the top 6 inches of your garden soil.
Step 3 – Simply Plant Your Echinacea Bulbs
To have the most success planting your bulbs you should simply dig a hole 8 inches deep and plant 10 echinacea bulbs next to each other.
*Make sure the Echinacea Bulbs “pointy” part is facing up*
Then mix flower fertilizer (that has a 10-10-10 NPK ratio) in the hole (according to the the instructions). And then fill the holes with your flower and garden soil mix.
Next, water your echinacea bulbs for 15 seconds. This will help promote the start of root growth. Continue to water your bulbs for 15 seconds once a week for the first month.
Then continue this process for as many bulbs as you want to grow. Make sure to spread each set of 10 echinacea bulbs 4 inches apart.
Step 4 – Do THIS in the Winter
In the beginning of winter you will want to mulch your flower garden bed.
After you mulch the flower garden bed do nothing else to your echinacea bulbs the rest of winter.
Step 5 – And do THIS in the Spring
Once the year becomes spring and your echinaceas grow leaves then you should add flower fertilizer again.
Then water your echinaceas once a week until your echinaceas bloom.
As soon your echinacea petals fall off the flower deadhead it.
And make sure to keep your leaves on the flower for 6 weeks while your flower absorbs and retains energy for next year’s bloom.
Step 6 – Maintain minimal maintenance in summer
Once it becomes summer you should cut the stem and leaves of your echinaceas where it meets the soil.
Do not water your echinaceas in the summer. Do not fertilize your echinaceas in the summer. Simply leave your echinaceas in the ground all summer.
Frequently Asked Questions (9 Questions)
#1. How Do You Grow Echinaceas in Pots?
If you are not able to plant your echinacea bulbs in an area your garden or yard, or if your soil will not stay below 60 degrees Fahrenheit then you should plant your Echinaceas in a container.
To have the most success planting Echinacea Bulbs in pots you should do the following:
- Bury your bulbs in a container with 8 inches of Flower Garden Soil over it.
- Make sure the “pointy” end of the bulb is facing up
- Immediately water your echinacea bulbs for 15 seconds
- Before the first frost of the year move your container to an area of your property that is cool and dry. Keep it here throughout winter
- Once you notice green growth emerging in the winter move your container into a sunny area and begin watering it once a week.
- Once your echinacea petals fall off you will want to deadhead your flower.
- Let the green growth of your plant remain for 6 weeks. Then cut it and your stem where it meets your soil.
#2. How Do I Water My Echinaceas?
You should water your Echinaceas three different ways.
- Immediately after you plant your echinacea bulbs you should soak the soil for 15 seconds
- Continue watering your echinacea bulbs once a week for the first month and then don’t water until the spring
- Begin watering your echinaceas once a week once green growth returns in the spring
#3. How Do I Feed My Echinaceas?
To properly feed your echinaceas with fertilizer you should wait until the echinacea flowers have faded and begun falling off your flower.
To have the most success use Echinacea Fertilizer. This will help your echinaceas store nutrients properly for the next season.
For best results, simply follow the instructions on your fertilizer product.
#4. How Do I Cut Echinaceas?
If you want to display your echinaceas indoors then cut echinaceas when the flowers have grown, but not blossomed. It is okay if the flower bud is slightly green, but should have color.
Place the cut echinacea in a vase with water at room temperature. Every few days change your water.
If you want your echinaceas to last longer in the vase then you should add Miracle-Gro for Fresh Cut Flowers.
#5. How Do I Protect my Echinaceas from Pests
The biggest threat to your echinaceas is deer, squirrels, and chipmunks. This is both when your echinaceas are growing and blooming.
To prevent your bulbs from digging up place bird netting over the ground where they are planted.
If you are trying to prevent deer then you should use deer repellent. If this does not work then grow your echinaceas bulbs in pots and containers out of the deer’s reach.
#6. How do I Prevent Common Echinacea Diseases
The most common echinacea diseases and harmful insects are gray mold, slugs, snail, aphids, nematodes, and bulb rot.
You can help prevent these diseases and harmful insects by using a fungicide spray and an insecticide spray in early spring as green growth begins to emerge.
#7. What are the Best Uses for Echinaceas?
Echinaceas are best used for indoor display, but can also add color to raised garden beds, container gardening, or even in your traditional flower garden.
Echinaceas can complement columbines, azaleas, lilacs, daffodils, crocus, and even hyacinths.
#8. What types of Bulb Should I buy?
Purchasing Echinacea Bulbs is a much easier task than say vegetable or herb seeds, where you have to worry about GMOs, Organic, Heirloom, etc.
When buying echinacea bulbs you should stick to hybrid or heirloom. These will give you the best success in growing Echinaceas.
Hybrid Echinacea Bulbs are weakened perennials that may or may not come up every year.
Heirlom Echinacea Bulbs are perennial bulbs that come up yearly but have a higher risk of contracting a disease, harmful insect, or fungus.
Just as important is where you buy your bulbs from. I recommend buying your seeds from Amazon. This will provide you with the best price and quickest delivery.
#9. What Type of Gardening Pot Should I Buy?
I recommend buying one type of pot.
Buy a 5-gallon pot.
- This is essential if you want to allow your echinaceas to grow to its fullest. It is also important if you want to continue to grow your echinaceas outside.
