Ball thistle ∗ The 10 best care and planting tips (Echinops)

Plant thistle correctly

Echinops always produce their distinctive appearance if the few requirements are taken into account during planting. Choose a sun-drenched location in which you create spacious planting pits in the rather poor, marginally moist soil at a distance of 60 to 90 cm. No fertilizer is added here, as an excess of nutrients affects the stability. Pot out the young plants in order to insert them into the loose soil, which reaches maximally to the lower pair of leaves. It is an advantage to use a support rod now to protect the spherical thistle from windthrow. A post implemented support could damage the rhizome.

Care tips

The uncomplicated care program poses no significant challenges for the experienced hobby gardener. We have summarized all fundamental measures for you below:

Water echinops cautiously to avoid waterlogging and rot
Limit the nutrient supply to the one-off start fertilization in spring
Consistently clean out withered flowers to motivate the perennial to re-bloom
Cut back to just above the ground in autumn or spring

Winter protection is recommended in the first years of standing until the spherical thistles have established themselves well. To do this, pile up the root disc with leaves and needles, which at the same time keep winter moisture away from the rhizome.

Which location is suitable?

Echinops show a floral presence in the garden wherever it is sunny, dry and warm. The more sheltered the location from the wind, the more secure the stability is. Their bushy silhouette always gains charisma when the soil corresponds to good garden soil.

The correct planting distance

The floral force of a spherical thistle depends not least on an adequate planting distance. The individual specimens should not be arranged in a tightly packed or widely spaced manner. Compact varieties with a height of 50-80 cm are ideally placed at a distance of 60 cm, while the larger Echinops with a height of 80-100 cm are placed at a distance of 70 cm. Arrange the giants within the genus at a distance of 90 cm from the neighbor.

What soil does the plant need?

While Echinops do not compromise on their requirement for a sunny and warm location, they prove to be tolerant of the soil conditions. As long as the earth is largely on a par with normal garden soil, the strong rhizomes spread busily.

What is the best time to plant?

Spring planting makes sense for Echinops, as the perennials only develop their full winter hardiness over the years. The time window for planting opens from mid / late April, as soon as the soil has completely thawed and no more frosts are to be expected.

When is the flowering time?

Its botanical name Echinops is made up of “echinus” for hedgehog and “opsis” for appearance, as the flower balls of a spherical thistle actually resemble a curled up hedgehog from a distance. The flowering period extends from July to September, with the small tubular flowers gradually opening from bottom to top along the up to 6 cm large ball. If you cut off withered flower heads consistently, this measure promotes the abundance of flowers and has a lengthening effect on the flowering time.

Cut the ball thistle correctly

If you cut out everything that has withered and withered regularly, the spherical thistle will keep its neat appearance. At the same time you lure out more flowers for a never-ending flowering period. Environmentally conscious gardeners only cut the perennial back close to the ground in the spring so that the plant parts that have moved in can serve as a retreat for wintering insects.

Pour ball thistle

Despite their pronounced hunger for sun, Echinops rarely ask for additional irrigation water. Under normal weather conditions, the magnificent spherical thistles are satisfied with the amount of rain. If the perennial is too wet, it reacts with root rot. You should therefore only water during summer drought.

Fertilize ball thistle properly

Echinops prefer organic fertilization in spring. Nitrogen-accentuated complete fertilizer is less suitable, as it promotes leaf growth, so that the flower balls fall behind. The perennials are much better served by guano granulate or compost, optimized with a handful of rock flour. (€ 14.95 at Amazon *) You can leave it with this one-off dose of fertilizer.

Pests

Fortunately, snails give Echinops a wide berth. However, this fact does not give the all-clear for pests, because aphids are not deterred by the prickly-looking flower balls. As soon as you discover the pests on and under the leaves, the classic soft soap solution is used. Add 1 tablespoon of pure liquid soap and alcohol to 1 liter of water. This mix is sprayed onto the beleaguered spherical thistle every 2-3 days until the pests take off.

Overwinter

The largely hardy perennials are given light protection in the first few years for reasons of caution. Cover the planting area with leaves, compost or coniferous branches. In the best case, leave the remaining parts of the plant as a natural winter coat over the rhizome until spring.

Propagate ball thistle

The reproduction of Echinops succeeds in different ways, which place different demands on your horticultural experience. The following 3 methods have proven themselves in the hobby garden:

Division of the rhizome in spring
Removal of root cuttings in March to allow them to take root in the pot
Sow seeds behind glass from February

The greatest challenge to your horticultural skills and your patience is the sowing. The seeds are cold germs that have to go through a stratification in order to be put in the germination mood. You can look forward to the first spherical flowers after 3 to 4 years.

How do I transplant properly?

With spherical thistles, very long-lived perennials move into your green realm, which prefer to remain undisturbed. After 10 to 15 years, however, it is time to rejuvenate Echinops with a transplanting action. Dig up the rootstock in March / April or August / September. Then divide the rhizome into two or more pieces, each with at least 2 buds. Now is a good time to remove rotten and stunted root strands and cut off aging areas. Then plant the worked rhizome segments in such a way that the previous planting depth is retained.

Nice varieties

Blue Globe: Mighty spherical thistle, the blue flowers of which do not unfold until August; Growth height 100-150 cm
Veitch's Blue: Abundant and compact Echinops with steel-blue flowers from July to September; Height 50-80 cm
Arctic Glow: A large-flowered variety whose pure white flower balls thrive over silvery-green foliage; Height 80-100 cm
Taplow Blue: The hybrid captivates with flower balls in an intense blue until autumn; Growth height 100-120 cm