Arnica: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
How do you sow your mountain arnica outdoors?
Choose seeds of Arnica montana for your mountain arnica and check the instructions for your batch. Autumn sowing is not a universal requirement: some seeds germinate with gentle warmth around 20°C. Outdoors, wait for suitable conditions or use a cold frame to keep a closer watch on your pots.
Prepare a fine growing medium low in lime, moist but well drained. This species prefers acidic soil; adding lime or using heavily enriched compost does not suit its character. Spread the seeds over the moistened surface, press gently and cover only very lightly. Do not automatically bury them a centimetre deep. Water with a fine spray to keep the seeds in place.
Maintain even moisture without leaving the containers standing in water. Protect the sowing from sudden drying and watch for slugs after emergence. Ventilate the frame when it heats up. Once the rosettes are sufficiently developed, handle the young plants carefully and keep their identity on the label. This sowing is for an ornamental perennial: arnica is not an edible flower or a plant for making homemade herbal tea.
How do you plant mountain arnica?
When does arnica flower?
How do you tidy and cut back mountain arnica?
How do you collect arnica seeds?
