"Growing Echinacea to boost your health." Growing echinacea ( purple coneflowers ) in your garden really could help fight those stubborn colds, and a whole host of other things.
There's still tons of research and heaps of trials to be done before the final results, but so far echinacea is living up to it's fame. Echinacea is indigenous to mid-western america and native americans have used the root in herbal preparations for many years. The constituents of echinacea have cleansing and antiseptic properties and the plant is used to treat many medical conditions. Don't take home-made herbal preparations unless you are 110% sure you have it right!
Echinacea likes a sunny spot and is drought-tolerant, so if you forget to water, it'll probably be okay! Plants will survive in fairly poor soil as long as it's well-drained. It grows naturally on the prairies of the mid west of america so if you could replicate those conditions, the plant should thrive! Hot and sunny - not much rain. If you live in the UK - or any other high rainfall region - it may be better to try growing echinacea in a greenhouse or other protected area.
Transporting ready grown plants and re-planting them isn't always the best way to growing echinacea. They may survive but ideally you should start your own echinacea plants from seed... Buy the seed from a reputable seed company.. Thompson and Morgan have a few varieties..
Plant the seed in warm seed compost and keep soil damp until the seeds start to germinate. Water less after that but keep a close eye on your seedlings as they are vulnerable at this age! Echinacea seeds take ages to germinate - sometimes as long as six weeks. The plants do well in sandy soils and raised bed systems. The seeds can be started off inside a few weeks before the last frost. Plant in degradeable pots so you can plant out later without disturbing the roots too much.
When your plants are ready, plant out in the garden and do a sun-dance or two! Keep soil watered until plants are well established.
Keep weed-free as much as possible. When hoeing take care not to damage the roots. Traditionally the roots have always been used in medicinal treatments, but there is strong evidence the flowers have just as much healing power as the roots. Go with the natural flow and use the flowers when they bloom and the roots when the flowers have finished. The root should be collected for use in the third of fourth year of growth and after the flower has died right back in the autumn. The root should be dried using a home dehydrator or in a slow oven. A combination of echinacea root and garlic will help boost the immune system and protect against colds flu and all sorts of ailment throughout the winter months. The dried root and herb can be taken as a tisan ( 1-2 grams per tisan taken approx. 3 times a day. ) Echinacea is also used in ointments to treat skin problems such as eczema and boils. Care should be taken when applying echinacea ointments, or taking it internally, by people with allergy problems. If you are allergic to other flowers in the daisy family, it's possible you will have an allergic reaction to echinacea. The flowers are bright and cheerful and work well in borders. They also make a great cut flower to brighten up the house. Historically, echinacea was used over 400 years ago, that we know of, as a cure-all. Today, scientists are doing numerous tests with the herb in various forms to see if it really does live up to its reputation. The verdict so far seems good! Growing echinacea in your garden gives you daily access to this wonderful herb.
Happy Gardening! More "Echinacea" Reading
Back to Garden Herbs Back to Flower and Garden Tips Homepage Click here to subscribe to "Creative Gardening" - www.flower-and-garden-tips.com/growingechinacea.html |
