Growing Yarrow

Growing Yarrow from seed to harvest. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is a hardy, highly aromatic perennial medicinal plant with a long history in traditional medicine. It is  commonly known as Yarrow, bloodwort, carpenter’s weed, hierba de las cortaduras, milfoil, plumajillo,  woundwort and nosebleed plant.

Growing Yarrow from Seed

Indoor Sowing: Late Winter and Early Spring.

Direct Sowing: Autumn and Spring.

• Direct sow the seeds in Autumn or Spring. Alternatively start Yarrow seeds indoors about six to eight weeks before your last frost date.
• Surface sow the seeds in moist, normal potting soil or seed-starting mix.
• Do not cover the seeds with soil, as they need light for germination.
• Water the seeds with a spray bottle, as pouring water onto the seeds may dislodge the seeds.
• Keep the soil consistently moist, but not soggy.
• Place the pot with the yarrow seeds in a sunny and warm location.
• The seeds should germinate in 20 – 45 days, depending on the conditions.
• You can speed up the germination by covering the top of the pot with plastic wrap to keep in moisture and heat.
• Remove the plastic wrap once the seeds have sprouted.
• When transplanting, plant the yarrow as deep as they were in their original pot. Yarrow can be planted both in garden beds and in pots.
• They thrive in a wide variety of soils but do best in well drained soil and it likes full sun.

Maintaining Yarrow Plants

• Yarrow needs regular pruning and deadheading in order to keep the plant in a state of continual bloom. Pruning is done in late autumn when the plant wilts above ground, or alternatively the following spring when new shoots appear.
• The plant needs less water than other perennials and do not do well with very wet conditions, so only water when the soil feel dry.
  
• It prefers dry conditions and does not tolerate high humidity levels. High humidity and too much water can cause fungus growth. stem rot, root rot and powdery mildew on the foliage.
• Yarrow also does not like cold winds or temperatures near freezing, so if you live in an area with cold winters, it is advisable to provide the plant with protection during the winter months.
• The plant does not really need fertilizing, but you can add some compost as a side-dressing in Spring.
• Yarrow plants should be divided every 3-4 years to stimulate growth.

Harvesting Yarrow

• Yarrow is best harvested in either the late evening or early morning when the temperatures are coolest. Wait for the morning dew to dry so the plant isn’t wet.
• Leaves can be harvested any time of year, but is most potent in spring and early summer.
• The best stage to harvest the flowers, is when the flower heads are mature and the blooms become stiff.
• To harvest the flowers, cut the stems just above a leaf node.