Echinacea Seeds,
Green Twister

Green Twister is a mid-season coneflower, maturing in roughly 100 to 120 days. Start it indoors 8-12 weeks before your last frost, sowing 1/8 inch deep and keeping the soil relatively moist until seedlings are up in about 10 to 15 days at 65-70°F, then move them to the garden once frost danger has passed. Direct sowing about two weeks before your last frost is the simpler route. Space plants 8 to 10 inches apart so air moves freely around them. They overwinter as perennials in Zones 3-8.

• Seeds germinate in 10-30 days.
• Start indoors 8-12 weeks before last frost or direct sow seeds outdoors before last frost (you can direct sow in the fall and allow seeds to sit over winter).
• Sow seeds 1/4- 1/2 inch deep.
• Ideal germination temperature is 65-70 F.
• Keep soil relatively moist until germinated.

• Plants are very adaptable and will tolerate a wide range of conditions, but will perform their very best when given full sun and rich, well-drained soil.
• Space plants 12-24 inches apart.
• Keep plants deadheaded to promote blooming.

PESTS/SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

A generally disease-free plant.

• Be sure to keep echinacea free of powdery mildew and rots by not overcrowding plants.
• Poor air circulation and very poorly drained soil can lead to fungal issues for the plants.

• Allow the flowerhead containing the seeds to completely mature and dry on the plant, then clip off the flowerhead and place in a container.
• Working over the top of another clean, opened container, rub the flowerheads between the palms, breaking them apart.
• The small, blackish seeds can be separated from the chaff by first screening and then winnowing.