coneflower

Coneflower should be watered deeply and infrequently. This means you should wait until the soil is dry to the touch 1-2 inches below the surface before watering again. When watering coneflowers, it is important to thoroughly soak the soil. A good rule of thumb is to water each plant for 10-15 minutes. This will help the water penetrate the soil and reach the roots more effectively. Apply water directly to the soil at the base of the plant and not the foliage. Avoid watering in the heat of the day as this may cause the foliage to sunburn.

Coneflower (Echinacea 'Milk Shake' CONE-FECTIONS) require full to partial sun, with a minimum of 4 hours of direct sunlight each day. They flower best in direct sunlight, so when growing coneflowers, ensure they get enough direct light for good flowering. 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day is ideal. Coneflowers can also tolerate light shade, but will not flower as much in partial shade.

Hardiness zone 4–9.

Pruning coneflower plants is an important part of caring for them. However, it is important to prune at the right time and in the right amount. Coneflowers should be pruned in early spring—typically March to April—right after the last frost. Prune away all dead and withered flower stalks and leaves, and thin out the foliage so there is more air flow. To do this, cut back the plant to 8-10 inches above the ground. Do not prune more than 1-third of the plant at any 1 time. Additionally, if the flowers begin to look lanky in the middle of the season, simply trim off the flower head to encourage new growth and a second round of blooms.

Division, Root Cutting, Seed Propagation, Layering Propagation, Grafting Propagation