Echinacea's - Very slow

[NoTWHaTiTWaSNT]

Hi Guys,
I planted around 20 Echinacea seeds March 25th and only a few made it.

My concerns are that they have not grown much.

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...echinacea.html

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...-close-up.html

They are currently in the greenhouse, any ideas of what to do now and how best to start off a new batch from seed?

TIA

[WendyC]

Your compost looks very wet. I know I can't grow them on my clay soil which suggests to me they like something which is a bit more free draining. Ideally you'd repot them when they have there first true leaves, perhaps try the ones which have got that far in fresh compost mixed with perlite or horticultural grit into quite a small pot so they are not sitting in lots of wet compost.

[ancee]

Hmmm.... They look as good as mine do! I've planted whites and pinks, both a bit rubbish actually! I'm hoping the warm weather will encourage them

[mothhawk]

I sowed echinacea for the first time last year, so I had a thumb back through my diary to see how they did -

23rd March - sowed indoors about 20 seeds
31st March - 3 sprouted
14th April - put outside under a cloche (the temp that week was in the 7 - 14 degrees range)
7th May potted on into individual 3" pots
6th June - they have about four true leaves each
20th June - planted out

I've no notes after that, but I recall they were just starting to grow flower stems towards the end of September, then the weather turned cold and they came to nothing. This year they look sturdy little clumps of leaves.

HTH

[NoTWHaTiTWaSNT]

Thanks again Mothhawk that's put my mind at ease

[NoTWHaTiTWaSNT]

Update

Moved this one and the others to a shaded spot in greenhouse and two have started showing more leaves

[NoTWHaTiTWaSNT]

Update on how these turned out

[Martin H]

Well done! These are ready to go into their permanent places now.

Suggest you change out of your carpet slippers first though.

[NoTWHaTiTWaSNT]

Well done! These are ready to go into their permanent places now.

Suggest you change out of your carpet slippers first though.

Well spotted