Yarrow: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
How to sow yarrow successfully under cover?
Start yarrow under cover in spring, about eight to ten weeks before a suitable outdoor planting time. Use seed identified as Achillea millefolium: seed mixtures or offspring do not necessarily reproduce a particular selection’s colour. Fill small pots or module trays with free-draining seed compost and moisten it before sowing.
Scatter the very fine seed over the surface and press gently for contact. Light helps germination, so avoid an opaque layer of soil. A very light covering of vermiculite can help retain moisture. Water from below or mist gently without washing seed away or burying it. Keep the tray bright but protected from scorching sun, at around 18–22°C. Emergence often takes one to two weeks, but timing varies.
After germination, provide good light and ventilation. Transplant crowded seedlings carefully and wait for well-rooted plants with several true leaves. Height alone does not show they are ready for the garden. Harden them off gradually before planting in a sunny, free-draining position, about 30–60 cm apart depending on the form. Water during establishment; drought tolerance mainly applies to established clumps.
How do you sow common yarrow outdoors?
When does common yarrow flower and how do you care for it in bloom?
