10/15/2026
SEEDS WILL BE AVAILABLE THIS WEEKEND ON THE STAND. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF SEEDS IN AN ENVELOPE SO IF THEY GROW WELL YOU CAN THIN THEM IN SPRING. NO PESTICIDES OR FERTILIZERS USED
Fall Planting Guide for Blue Globe Thistle
• Light Requirements: Choose a spot that gets at least 6 hours of full direct sun daily.
• Soil Conditions: Plant in poor, average, or lean, well-drained soil (sandy or rocky) with a pH between 5.5 and 7.0. Avoid heavy clay or wet, waterlogged areas, which cause the taproot to rot.
• Sowing Seeds in Fall:
• Surface-sow seeds directly outdoors in the autumn.
• Lightly dust with a tiny fraction of soil or leave mostly exposed, as they need light to germinate.
• Winter's natural chill will stratify the seeds so they sprout when spring arrives.
Planting Seeds in the Fall (gayfeather/meadow) liatris)
meadow blazing star (Liatris ligulistylis) seeds in the fall.
How Fall Planting Works
• Natural Stratification: Meadow blazing star seeds need a period of cold, moist conditions (cold stratification) to break dormancy and trigger germination in the spring. Planting them outdoors in late fall lets winter rain, snow, and freezing temperatures do this work naturally.
• Timing: Direct sow the seeds in late fall or early winter before the ground freezes solid.
Steps for Planting Meadow Liatris Seeds in Fall
• Soil Preparation: Choose a sunny spot with well-draining soil.
• Sowing Depth: Press the seeds lightly onto the surface of the soil. Do not bury them deeply—Liatris seeds need light and shallow placement (less than 1/16 inch or a very light dusting) to germinate properly.
• Moisture: Water the area gently after sowing.
• Timeline: The seeds will remain dormant over the winter and sprout in the spring when temperatures warm up. Keep in mind that plants grown from seed usually focus on root and corm development and will not bloom until their second year
Echinacea/coneflower
Planting Echinacea (coneflower) seeds in the fall allows them to naturally undergo cold stratification, a freezing and thawing cycle that signals the seeds to sprout in the spring.
When to Sow
• Timing: Sow seeds in mid-to-late fall, typically right before or just after the first hard freeze or frost.
• Goal: You want the soil cold enough that the seeds will not germinate prematurely before winter arrives.
Where to Plant
• Sunlight: Choose a location that receives full sun to partial shade (at least 4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight daily).
• Soil: Use well-draining soil. Echinacea tolerates poor or rocky soil, but it will rot in wet, heavy, or mucky conditions.
How to Plant
1. Clear and Prepare: Remove weeds and debris, then lightly level the soil. You can work in a small amount of compost if desired, though rich soil is not required.
2. Sow the Seeds: Broadcast the seeds across the surface or place them in small groups. Echinacea seeds need a little light to help trigger growth, so cover them with only about 1/4 inch of soil.
3. Pat Down: Gently press the soil down to ensure good seed-to-soil contact.
4. Protect (Optional): Some gardeners note a consensus on Houzz Forum that animals or heavy rains can disturb fall-sown seeds, so sowing a bit more generously than you would in spring is a good safety measure.
5. Spring Sprouting: Leave the area undisturbed over the winter; the seeds will germinate naturally when warmth returns in the spring. As detailed in the Eden Brothers Planting Guide, expect seedlings to emerge and eventually require thinning to roughly 12 to 15 inches apart.
Cutleaf and yellow coneflowers
• Storage: Store the cleaned seeds in breathable paper packets or envelopes in a cool, dry, dark location. Avoid plastic bags or airtight jars for long-term storage unless the seeds are completely dry and paired with a silica gel packet.
Planting Seeds
• Fall direct sowing (Recommended): Scatter the seeds directly onto bare soil outdoors in late fall (October or November) so they experience natural winter freezing and thawing (cold stratification). Lightly press them in or cover with a thin layer of soil (about ⅛ to ¼ inch) so birds do not eat them.
• Spring sowing (Alternative): If planting in spring, cold-stratify the seeds by wrapping them in a damp paper towel and placing them in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 weeks before sowing. Sow them after the last frost date, keeping the soil moist until they sprout.
All these seeds when planted in fall do not need to be cleaned. and will be available this weekend on the farmstand.
