How To Grow Your Own Yarrow
Yarrow grows in our backyard so well you may think it is a weed. This easy-to-care-for plant is covered in tiny flowers. These flattened clusters of small flowers are great for attracting bees, butterflies, ladybugs, and lacewings. These beneficial insects help to pollinate your garden and protect it from invading insects like aphids. Adding this beneficial herb to your garden beds is a great way to help your garden thrive and enjoy the amazing benefits of yarrow. Learning how to grow yarrow at home is easy.
Yarrow is a perennial plant that blooms from June to September. The flowers of yarrow can be white, yellow, pink or red. It can grow to heights of up to three feet and spread to about two feet in width. This beneficial herb is known for its feathery foliage as a backdrop for the lacy flower clusters.
How to grow yarrow from seed
Yarow should be started from seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last anticipated frost date. Your plants will have plenty of time to start off the season with a flourish. You must have patience when dealing with Yarrow seeds at the start since they need between 14 and 21 days to germinate.
How to propagate yarrow
Division of established plants is the most common method of propagating yarrow. You are able to ensure that your plants have ample room to grow while simultaneously providing new plants for your garden.
Propagate yarrow with a cutting.
Another great way to propagate yarrow for your garden or even to sell for an opportunity to make extra money from your garden is through cuttings. What you need to grow yarrow from cuttings:
- Garden shears
- Potting mix
- Peat moss
- Rooting hormone
- Spray bottle
When propagating yarrow from a cutting in spring or early summer, choose a healthy stem with 3 to 4 buds. Take a cutting about 6 inches long with a clean pair of garden shears. Before placing your cutting in a well-draining potting mix with plenty of peat moss, dip it in rooting hormone. Water the soil daily with a spray bottle to ensure that it is moist but not soggy. Put the plants in a sunny spot and cover with plastic to stimulate rooting. After a few weeks, your plant should have a strong root system of at least 1 inch and can be placed in the garden.
How to care for yarrow
Growing yarrow does not require the most fertile soil. Your yarrow should be grown in a well-draining soil to prevent the roots from becoming waterlogged and soggy. Temperatures above 60°F and full sunlight are ideal for Yarrow. The yarrow plant is drought resistant and does not require consistent watering, making it an ideal plant for forgetful gardeners. It should only be tended to in severe droughts; otherwise, it can be left untouched and will grow beautifully on its own.
This plant is a perennial and it will come back year after year. There is a tendency for yarrow to grow and clump together, requiring division every three to five years even in garden beds. You can break apart your plants and rebury them in sections after digging them up. The new sections can be planted in your garden, or even sold as a way to help make money from your yard.
Yarrow companion planting tips
Yarrow is a perennial that likes full sun. For this reason, it is best added to garden beds with only other perennials that won’t need to be dug up every year. Yarrow thrives with plants you would find on the prarrie.
- Butterfly milkweed
- Rudbeckia daisies
- Purple coneflower
- Native grasses
How to harvest yarrow
This herb is very beneficial for your health. You can use it as a tea to relax. You can add yarrow to homemade bath and body products like soap, lotion, and shampoo. If you choose to grow this beautiful flowering herb for its many uses, harvest it with clean, dry pruning shears and hang it to dry for about 2 weeks until the flowers crunch under your fingers, or use one of these other great ways to preserve fresh herbs.
