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I was initially so dismayed after planting my echinacea and the colors began to completely change. Little did I realize that the soil acidity would greatly affect the outcome of the flowers.
What in the world is eating my echinacea? I have three beautifully colored plants - each of the past three years I get plenty of buds and as soon as they look like they might start growing petals something is interfering. If there are petals, they get eaten off leaving one or two sad looking flowers. I don't see what might be eating them but have a 3' fence around them that doesn't help much at all. Please help!
I have had a similar problem, determined to be caused by slugs/snails.
If the whole flowerhead is disappearing I would blame critters like deer or woodchucks. If only the petals are affected then it might be squirrels but probably is an insect. Japanese beetles, earwigs, caterpillars, or a microscopic mite that lives in the flower bud could all be the culprit. If you suspect the mites then it is a good idea to remove the plants and start fresh.
DISSAPEARING PLANTS
Submitted by Denise T on April 3, 2021 - 5:28pm
I'm stumped. Over the course of two years I planted 7 or 8 various echinacea plants in various locations. They grew, flourished and even self seeded for a year or two and then, for no apparent reason, two years ago not a single plant came up. A few of these were pretty healthy, large specimens. The care they received was always consistent and I never use herbicides or insecticides near them. Have UFO's invaded my garden and carried them away?
Woodchucks; Racoons; Skunks; Birds; O'Possums might be eating them;
Maybe but more likely soil is an issue. These prairie natives like soil on the dry side so if they had to stand in wet soil for any length of time - over the winter perhaps - that would certainly do them in. If you had a wetter than normal winter or early spring that could be the culprit otherwise check to see if the roots were damaged in another way - heaving out of frozen soil and breaking, chewed by voles or other critters, unable to penetrate hardpacked clay soil, or rotting due to disease.
I live in Georgetown, CO., elevation 8,500ft. Will they grow here?
Check out this website-
https://www.petalrepublic.com/native-colorado-flowers/
Can you successfully grow native echinaceas? If so then some of these may work for you. I have to say that the hybrids I have planted have not been as hardy as good old purpurea.