RE: Echinacea purpurea

Hi Sue

> Pretty tasty, I'd say-- amended last year with mulch, peat moss, and
> potting soil, then this year with more much and aged manure. (I have
> clay soil and have steadily been trying to improve it.  This particular
> bed is now nice and moist/crumbly.)

That shouldn't be too rich depending on the amounts mixed with 
the clay, but it is probably just fine.

> I don't know.  Remember, I am a beginner.  

I do forget.  You sound very knowledgable.  :))

> Haven't yet broached the area of pH.

Hmmm.  peat moss .. what kind of mulch?  I'll bet it's leaning 
to acid pretty well, especially if you used a good bit of peat.
I will not hurt at all to add a goodly handful or two of 
dolomitic lime around the clump.  Scratch it into the first inch 
of soil or so and water it in deeply.  That may well give it the 
boost it needs.

> There are a few small rocks, but the bed is dug about 2 feet deep.

Just loverly.  

> They are growing next to oriental and alpine poppies and a really nice
> lemon sage, all of which are doing very well.  Well, the alpine poppy is
> starting to yellow, and seems to have stopped blooming-- I assumed that
> it was just 'done', as it bloomed for about 8 weeks.  Right or wrong??

The reason I asked that, in case you are curious is just what 
we've discovered from your answer.  Poppies & sage both require 
very well drained soil, as does the Echinacea.  If they are 
doing well, so should the Echinacea.  Oh.  yes, right.  The 
alpine poppies are done for the year & the foliage is beginning 
to fade away.

> It may be my imagination, but they already look a bit better.  The
> petals seem to be filling out a little.

Since you started this exploration, I went around looking at all 
of my Echinacea.  I did notice that the angustifolia in the herb 
& butterfly garden is significantly shorter & I know that bed 
wasn't dug deeply enough.  Thanks for the reminder.  I need to 
fix that bed.  Clay is a b****, isn't it?  :)

Good luck with them, Sue.

regards,
jaime
jknoble@warwick.net
Z6/5, NW NJ
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