Yarrow is a distinctive hardy perennial plant, with a long history of medicinal use around the world. It is also an ingredient in biodynamic compost preparations and the beautiful sherbet coloured flowers are lovely as cut flowers which are also very attractive to pollinators.
Seed Sowing
Sow seeds in early spring, around February to March. Sow into modules and only cover very lightly with soil as seeds need light to germinate. Keep the seeds moist by covering with a plastic bag until germinated. It can also be direct sown outdoors in late spring.
Transplanting
Plant out after the last frost, spacing plants 30cm apart. Yarrow can also be grown in containers or lawns.
Plant Care
Keep the area weed-free and watered during hot spells. You can mulch around the plants to keep in moisture and prevent weeds. Deadhead to prolong flowering. Once established, Yarrow usually thrives without much care and can be easily divided by the root once plants appear crowded to propagate more plants.
Challenges
Yarrow are generally easy to grow and free from most pests and diseases but can be vulnerable to slugs when the plants are young. Things to watch out for are aphids and powdery mildew.
Harvest
Pick the flowers often to encourage more flowers to form; they will usually flower for around 10 weeks. Ideally, harvest the flowers in the morning when temperatures are low and plant water content is high. Plants will arrange better if left to sit in water for a few hours after cutting.
To dry, cut stems and remove lower leaves and hang upside down in bunches in a cool, dark, and well-ventilated space.
Culinary Ideas And Uses
Well known for its myriad of medicinal properties, Yarrow is a beneficial herb for all members of the family with its wound healing, circulation-boosting, and digestion-stimulating properties as well as in providing menstrual support for women.
For internal consumption, try steeping in a tea (the taste is quite bitter so will benefit from other flavour enhancers) or making a tincture.
Use varieties closest to wild yarrow (with white petals) for the highest medicinal value.
Seed Saving
Harvest the individual flowers as they dry or whole plants once most of the flowers on the stem have dried. Lay out on a sheet to dry further and thresh by hand and winnow to clean the seeds.
Store in a cool dark place.
Most popular Yarrow Seeds Flower Seeds
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Yarrow – Summer Berries (Organic)
£2.25 Add to basketYarrow – Summer Berries (Organic)
A breath-taking rainbow of pastel shades including buttercream, peach, coral, blush and raspberry. This is a truly stunning yarrow mix and such a joy to grow. Predominantly gentle shades punctuated by the occasional magenta shock.
Ideal for cutting due to their very long stems and vase life of up to 7 days.
(Approximate seed count – 350)
£2.25 -
Yarrow (Organic)
£2.10 Add to basketYarrow (Organic)
A distinctive hardy perennial plant, with a long history of medicinal use around the world. It is also an ingredient in biodynamic compost preparations, and the beautiful white flowers are lovely as a cut flower which are also very attractive to pollinators.
This is the wild white flowered variety with occasional hints of pink. Other common names include ‘Nosebleed’, and ‘Carpenter’s Weed’ reflecting its traditional use in wound healing. Yarrow has a remarkable ability to grow happily in a mown lawn, meadow or garden beds. It can be mown and remain low, but may grow up to 60 – 90cm tall in the right conditions
(Approximate seed count – 1000)£2.10
