How to Plant Coneflower Bulbs

Coneflower, or echinacea, is a hardy plant with purple, daisy-like flowers that bloom in mid to late summer. The plant can reach a height of 36 to 45 inches, and in USDA Hardiness Zone 3 or higher, it is a perennial. Propagation can be by using seeds or bulbs. Bulbs planted in containers grow just as well as those planted in a garden, making it an easy plant for the novice gardener to grow.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Rake
• Hand trowel
• Compost
• Water

1. Select a section of your garden in either full sun or partial sun. The bulbs require some sunlight to sprout and grow properly. They won't germinate in the shade. Wait until spring, after the soil has warmed, to plant your bulbs.

2. Remove weeds, grass or other debris in the planting area. If you use herbicides to kill unwanted vegetation, allow the area to remain barren for two weeks before planting the coneflower bulbs.

3. Till the area with a rake to loosen the soil. Add compost and mix it into the first foot of the existing soil. Coneflower bulbs grow best in fertile soil that drains well.

4. Dig a hole 1 to 2 inches deep and wide enough to accommodate the coneflower bulb. Place the bulb in the hole and cover it with soil. Continue placing bulbs in the garden, spacing them 12 to 18 inches apart.

5. Water the bulbs. Keep the growing area moist, but not soggy, while waiting for the bulbs to sprout. Coneflower bulbs will rot if the growing area is too wet. You will start to see growth within several weeks.

Tips & Warnings

• Coneflowers are quite drought tolerant and will not require steady watering after they have established themselves. Deadhead the spent flowers so the plant will put its energy into making more blooms.

References

• National Gardening Association
• Plant Biology

Resources

• Coneflower information