Growing yarrow from seed in your garden this season—are you considering adding it? This is an efficient companion plant that serves many functions. Yarrow, or Achilles millefolium, is a hardy perennial plant that spreads well from seed.
A popular choice for herb gardens, yarrow has several therapeutic uses. This website has all the information you need to grow yarrow from seed this season, including requirements for upkeep and care.
Knowing the Yarrow
You can grow yarrow in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 9. Yarrow blossoms are characterized by large, dome-shaped flower heads with numerous tiny florets. In wild yarrow, small plants bear clusters of white blossoms.
Crushed yarrow leaves are fragrant, airy, and finely split. Since this plant is perennial, it has a long flowering season, with blossoms lasting approximately one month. Rhizomes and self-seeding are two ways that yarrow disperses. Every year, I make an effort to plant a yarrow patch from which to pick.
Seed Planting Inside
- Put the seeds in a cell tray with premium seed starter mix inside of it.
- Every cell on the trays should have a depression that the seeds may be placed into. Simply spread the tiny seeds on top of the ground.
- Keep the seeds exposed to sunlight so they can germinate.
- After moistening the soil with bottom water, keep it damp until the seeds sprout. Bottom water as required.
- Leave the seeds on a heat mat until 60% of them have germinated, after which you can remove the mat to increase the soil’s temperature. Fresh seeds should germinate in two weeks, if not sooner.
- When it’s time to move the seedlings outside in the spring, remove them from the heat pad and place them under a grow light.
- For vigorous, healthy plants, provide 14 to 16 hours of light per day.
Changing into the Garden
- Before putting the seedlings in the garden, make sure they have hardened off. This will assist in acclimating the seedlings to their new outdoor surroundings.
- When there is no longer a risk of frost, transplant yarrow seedlings outside into the garden. Your hardiness zone’s last frost date will tell you when to plant and when is not the best time.
- When placing your plants in the garden, give them a nine-inch gap between each other.
- After planting, be careful to give it lots of water.
- These perennial plants, unlike many others, can bloom in their first year when grown early inside. However, before they flower, the plants need to grow for at least 120 to 130 days.
- First-year plants will have smaller blooms and stems than mature plants. Mature stems reach heights of two to three feet.
- The yarrow will bloom for about a month after planting in the garden. If the blossoms are deadheaded, they will rebloom in late summer or early autumn. Our plants attain their peak bloom around mid-July.
Grow and Care
Soil
Growing a yarrow requires proper soil drainage. Since stagnant water can lead to root rot, it is advisable to avoid poor-draining soils. Although they need fairly fertile soil, the plants can thrive in low-soil conditions, such as rocky or sandy soils.
Light
Direct sunlight is ideal for plants to blossom. Yarrow needs six to eight hours of direct sunlight per day to grow well.
Yarrow grows best in full light, where it produces a profusion of lush foliage and blooms, which makes it an excellent plant for sunny garden beds.
Humidity
- Well known for its drought resistance, yarrow makes an excellent choice for water-conserving landscapes or gardens in arid areas.
- When planting a new plant, however, be sure to water well and keep the soil damp but not soggy throughout the root-forming phase.
- When yarrow establishes itself, it can withstand droughts pretty well. Typically, it just has to be watered occasionally during lengthy, dry seasons.
Harvesting Yarrow
Yarrow makes a stunning cut flower. Every flower head bears clusters of small, initially unopened, rounded blooms that resemble broccoli florets. Then the flowers open to reveal large, tightly packed umbels bursting with several tiny, bright flowers.
To assess if zinnia flowers are mature, you can also do a wiggle test on the stem. For optimal hydration, harvest in the early or late hours of the day. Cut a deep incision around the plant to get rid of the long stalks.
The lowest leaves on the lower part of the stems should be trimmed off before use, and they should at least be allowed to cure for a few hours in a cool shadow. When grown and conditioned properly, yarrow has a vase life of about seven days.
Using Yarrow
Use yarrow to fill in any empty spots in your bouquets. The romantic-looking lace umbels add a lovely finishing touch to the compositions. You might also use dried yarrow blooms.
Use with other mixed-dried flowers for dry flower crafts, wreaths, and floral arrangements. Harvesting for drying and fresh food should take place simultaneously.
When mature yarrow flowers are ready to dry, hang them in bunches of like hues and let them air dry for a few weeks. Store until dry in an area that is warm, dark, and well-ventilated.
Conclusion
Yarrow is a visually pleasing plant that grows quickly from seed, making it a simple and quick way to update your environment.
This resilient and adaptable perennial plant contributes to biodiversity and attracts beneficial insects, in addition to adding beauty to your surroundings and vase with its lovely blooms.
Yarrow is a fantastic plant for pollinator gardens. Once grown, the plant requires little care and is low-maintenance. Recognize the process and look forward to the benefits this incredible plant has to offer. Cheers to your successful gardening!
FAQ
Can Growing Yarrow Occur in Container?
It is possible to cultivate yarrow in containers. Containers in colder climates need to be stored safely during the winter.
A pot with appropriate drainage holes and good drainage is essential, as is a potting mix that drains properly. Container-grown yarrow requires more frequent watering than yarrow planted in the ground.
Yarrow Seedlings: How Often Should I Water Them?
Keep the soil moist but not soggy until the seedlings are fully established. Once planted, yarrow needs little irrigation and may withstand droughts.
How Much Time Do Yarrow Seed Need To Germinate?
When growing circumstances are ideal—that is, when the soil temperature is between 65 and 75°F (18 and 24°C) and there is constant moisture—yarrow seeds usually germinate in 1 to 2 weeks.