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| Echinacea | Common name; Purple Cone flower |
A hardy perennial closely related to Rudbeckia.
The purple flowers, with cone-shaped orange centres are 75-100mm (3"-4") in diameter and appear from July to September.
Regular dead heading can prolong the flowering season.
The plants grow to around 900-1200mm (3ft-4ft) high and should be planted out 500-600mm (18"-24") apart in well drained fertile soil, preferably in a sunny location.
Week 8; Take root cuttings if weather and ground conditions permit.
Insert 50-75mm (2"-3") cuttings into trays containing equal parts (by volume) peat and river sand, and place in a cold frame to root.
Pot them up or place them in a nursery bed when the young leaves appear, and grow on until planting out time.
Week 12; Sow seeds in pots/trays of seed compost and germinate at 13°C (55°F)
Germination should take about 7-10 days.
Week 15; Prick the seedlings out into 75mm (3") pots of potting compost.
Week 17; Place seedlings in cold frame to harden them off.
Grow on until planting out time
Week 40; Plant out seedlings.
Week 42; Divide established plants and replant in new location immediately.
Week 44; Cut down stems of established plants to ground level.
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