Potting up seedlings

I’m moving some seedlings into larger pots, says Ruth

- Ruth Hayes

I LOVE Echinaceas but always have problems growing them from tubers – they start off well, then mysteriously fall by the wayside. Next spring I will start them in pots rather than the soil, but until then I have several healthy seedlings to look after.

They were grown from AG free seeds and are now large enough to be potted up into larger containers of multi purpose compost. I’ll keep them in a cold frame or greenhouse through winter and then plant them out next spring when the soil warms up again. Echinaceas originate from the

American prairies and while they can tolerate the cold they don’t like our relatively mild, wet winters.

They do best on free draining soil so if your garden has heavy clay you may have more success growing them in containers or adding grit and well rotted manure to the planting area.