Grower Facts
Echinacea PowWow (Echinacea purpurea)

Germination

Approximate seed count (raw): 7,400-7,600 S./oz. (260-270 S./g)
Use a well-drained, disease-free, soilless media with a pH of 5.8 to 6.2 and a medium initial nutrient charge (EC 0.75 mmhos/cm).

Sowing

Sow 2 seeds per cell in 288 or larger plug tray. In Europe, 264-cell trays can be used. Covering seed with vermiculite is recommended.
Germination begins at day 4-5 continuing through day 14
Soil temperature: 71 to 76°F (21 to 24°C)
Light: Optional.
Moisture: Keep soil wet (level 4) during Stage 1.
Humidity: Maintain 95%+ relative humidity (RH) until radicles emerge.

Plug Production

Key flowering facts:
- First year-flowering perennial.
- Photoperiod response: intermediate-day plant will flower most rapidly and uniformly at 13-14 hours daylength.
- Vernalization: not required but beneficial as flowering will occur two to three weeks earlier following a minimum of ten weeks cold treatment.
- Flower timing: m Sown in January as Spring production will flower naturally in middle to late June. m Sown from July to early September for overwinter production; will flower late May to early June of the following year.

Media

Use a well-drained, disease-free, soilless media with a pH of 5.8 to 6.2 and a medium initial nutrient charge (EC 0.75 mmhos/cm).

Sowing

Sow 2 seeds per cell in 288 or larger plug tray. In Europe, 264-cell trays can be used. Covering seed with vermiculite is recommended.
Stage 1 – Germination begins at day 4-5 continuing through day 14
Soil temperature: 71 to 76°F (21 to 24°C)
Light: Optional.
Moisture: Keep soil wet (level 4) during Stage 1.
Humidity: Maintain 95%+ relative humidity (RH) until radicles emerge.

Stage 2

Soil temperature: 71 to 73°F (21 to 22°C)
Light: Up to 2,500 f.c. (26,900 Lux)
Moisture: Reduce soil moisture slightly (level 3 to 4) to allow the roots to penetrate into the media.
Fertilizer: Apply fertilizer at rate 1 (less than 100 ppm N/less than 0.7 mS/cm EC) from nitrate-form fertilizers with low phosphorous.

Stage 3

Soil temperature: 68 to 70°F (20 to 21°C)
Light: Up to 2,500 f.c. (26,900 Lux)
Moisture: Allow media to dry further until the surface becomes light brown (level 2) before watering. Keep the moisture level to wet-dry cycle (moisture level 4 to 2). Fertilizer: Increase fertilizer to rate 2 (100 to 175 ppm N/0.7 to 1.2 mS/cm EC). If growth is slow, apply a balanced ammonium and nitrate-form fertilizer with every other fertilization. Maintain medium pH of 5.8 to 6.2 and EC between 1.0 and 1.5 mS/cm (1:2 extraction).
Growth Regulators: Generally not needed

Stage 4

Soil temperature: 65 to 67°F (18 to 19°C)
Light: Up to 5,000 f.c. (53,800 Lux) if temperature can be controlled.
Moisture: Same as Stage 3.
Fertilizer: Same as Stage 3.

Growing On to Finish

Container Size

4.5-in. (11-cm) square/quart pots: 1 plug per pot
6-in. (15-cm) or gallon (18-cm) pots: 1 plug per pot

Media

Use a well-drained, disease-free, soilless media with a pH of 5.5 to 6.2 and a medium initial nutrient charge (EC 0.75 mmhos/cm).

Temperature

Nights: 50 to 60°F (10 to 15°C)
Days: 60 to 75°F (15 to 24°C)
Note: To keep plant growing, keep daily average temperature above 55°F (13°C). Otherwise, plants will stop growing.

Light

Maintain light levels as high as possible while maintain moderate temperature.

Photoperiod

It is an intermediate-day plant and flowers most rapidly and uniformly at 13-14 hours daylength. Under daylength 12 hours or shorter, flower can be initiated but will not elongate and develop more slowly. Daylength 16 hours or longer including night interruption causes flowering sporadically or unpredictably. When forcing crop, use 14 hours instead of 16 hours daylength or night interruption to promote flowering. Once plant has begun to flower, it will keep blooming regardless of the daylength.

Irrigation

Maintain media moisture. Avoid both excessive watering and drought.
For overwinter production, keep plants on the dry side during cold period as overwatering could result in plant loss from root rots.

Fertilizer

Apply fertilizer at rate 3 (175 to 225 ppm N/1.2 to 1.5 mS/cm) using predominately nitrate-form fertilizer with low phosphorus and high potassium. Maintain the media EC at 1.5 to 2.0 mS/cm and pH at 6.0 to 6.5.
For constant fertilizer program, can apply fertilizer at rate 2 (100 to 175 ppm N or 0.7 to 1.2 mS/cm) while maintaining the above recommended EC and pH ranges.

Growth Regulators

For height control: Echinacea is responsive to tank mix of B-Nine/Alar (daminozide) 2,500 ppm (3.0 g/l 85%
formulation or 4.0 g/l of 64% formulation) mixed with Cycocel (chlormequat) 500-750 ppm (4.2-6.4 ml/l
11.8% formulation or 0.67-1.0 g/l of 75% formulation). PGR application can be applied at the point when stem starts elongation, about 4 weeks after transplant. If necessary, repeat the application two weeks later. Optional PGR treatments: 1-2 applications of B-Nine at 3500 to 5000ppm (4.1-5.9 g/l 85% formulation or 5.8-7.8 g/l of 64% formulation) or Sumagic (uniconazole) at 20ppm (36.4 ml/l 0.055% formulation) spray also work well.
Note: Higher PGR rates may cause plant height to be less uniform. It is recommended using lower rate with multiple applications.
For branching: Configure (active ingredient Nphenylmethyl- 1H-purine-t-amine, commonly called benzyladenine or 6-BA) will promote Echinacea branching. Configure can be applied at 300ppm two weeks after transplanting and repeated two weeks later.
In northern Europe conditions: 3,200 ppm B-Nine/ Alar (3.8 g/l 85% formulation or 5.0 g/l of 64% formulation) works well.
Pinching
Pinching is not needed.
Spacing
Space plants when foliage is touching.
Crop Scheduling
Sow to transplant (288 cell plug): 5 to 6 weeks
Transplant to flower: 13 to 17 weeks
Under proper daylength and temperature range from 60°F (15°C) to 68°F (20°C)
Total crop time: 18 to 23 weeks
Under proper daylength and temperature range from 60°F (15°C) to 68°F (20°C)
Spring Production: Sow in January for natural flowering in middle to later June.
Overwinter Production: Sow in July to early September for natural flowering later May to early June of the following year.
Note: Plants from overwinter production will flower slightly early, have better branching and shorter flower stems.

Common Problems

Insect: Aphid, Fungus gnat, etc.

Disease: Powdery Mildew

Garden and Landscape Information

- Echinacea is first year-flowering perennial to USDA Hardiness Zone 3 (-40 to -30°F/-40 to -35°C minimum temperatures).
- Plant in full sun after all danger of frost has passed.
- Space plants at 12 to 18 in. (30 to 45 cm) apart in well-drained soil.
- After plants are established, echinacea is quite drought tolerant.
- Garden height is shorter than other seed propagated echinacea at 16-20 in. (40-50 cm) tall and a spread of 20 to 22 in. (50 to 55 cm) in the first year.