Black Eyed Susan, Rudbeckia Hirta - Comprehensive Grow and Care Guide
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 23 ต.ค. 2020
- A comprehensive video containing all grow and care information for Black-Eyed Susan. Their native range, growing conditions, natural habitat, lifecycle. Also example of how to grow them from seed, and what wildlife they attract. Finally a discussion on whether Black Eyed Susans are Deer and Rabbit resistant. As it is an annual or biennial, it generally will require re-sowing after it has bloomed.
The below links were mentioned in the video. We try to make them easy to follow, step by step. So, have a look for a quick reference on any of the topics that were shown in the video. Hope you enjoyed everything!
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Articles that are of help:
Black Eyed Susan, Rudbeckia hirta
growitbuildit.com/black-eyed-...
An overview of different Black Eyed Susan / Rudbeckia varities:
growitbuildit.com/getting-sta...
How to Grow Black Eyed Susan from seed, step by step
growitbuildit.com/rudbeckia-s...
• How To Save & Collect ...
HOW TO WINTER SOW SEEDS
growitbuildit.com/illustrated...
How to Save Black Eyed Susan Seeds
growitbuildit.com/harvest-rud...
How to grow Black Eyed Susan's in Containers
growitbuildit.com/growing-bla...
Other species mentioned in video intro:
Brown Eyed Susan
growitbuildit.com/brown-eyed-...
Perennial Black Eyed Susan, Rudbeckia Fulgida
growitbuildit.com/perennial-b...
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Hi all - I wanted to point out something that I don't think I made clear in the video. Once this plant blooms, it is likely done and you will need to start more seeds for the following year. I generally sprinkle some seed each year for this reason.
It mainly grows as an annual or biennial, meaning a 1-2 year lifecycle. If it is annual, it will be blooming nicely the first year. If biennial, it will only have foliage the first year, and bloom a lot in the second. The flowers you see in my wildflower bed did not bloom last year. So, this year they made a great display.
Thank you for getting back to me the reason I bought it was because I thought it was a periannul
They can be used and look good in a variety of settings
Hi Joe! Love your videos. I thought for sure I had Black Eyed Susans growing in my garden and then you mentioned that the stems and leaves are hairy! Mine aren’t! One plant ID says they are Rudbekia Fulgida but I don’t think that’s true because they are supposed to have hairy stems and leaves too. What could a non-hairy Rudbeki-look-alike be? Trying to ID my flowers.........
I planted these once and the birds move them all over my property. I love them. The birds too!
They are wonderful flowers. My back garden is having a great year with them.
Your wildflower garden is gorgeous
Thank you! It takes a couple years to really fill out. But it is worth the wait. You'd be amazed how busy it is back there with life.
Joe, you have some of the best videos out there. You should have a million subs. Very well made videos, and no nonsense.
Thank you Seamus! Much appreciated.
I love seeing large fields of this plant! Made my day! Thank you!
You are quite welcome Nancy. It was an amazing sight.
Very helpful, thorough guidance, and gorgeous photography, thank you!
You are very welcome Venice. Thank you for the kind words!
Great Content! You pack a lot of information into the allotted time. I really appreciate it!
Thank you! I'm glad you find the info useful!
Joe, your videos are always informative and inspiring! Keep them coming!
Thank you so much Connie!
Favorite plant in my yard, I grow them every year, long flowering time.
I couldn't agree more - absolutely beautiful flower.
This is an amazing video! Thanks so much
You are very welcome! I'm happy you enjoyed it!
Black-eyed Susan's grow wild here. They came up in my flower beds by theirselves. I gathered seeds 1 year, they didn't come up , just the ones i didn't collect. I know now they have to get cold for so long. Like tulips. Very hardy plant. Love them.❤
I love them too Judy - absolutely beautiful. They attract a fair number of pollinators too, just smaller ones.
What a fantastic flowers 🌹🌹🌹
Thank you Suzanne - they are beautiful.
Wealth of information. Thank you for this
You are very welcome - I am very glad you found it helpful. Good luck this season!
I see and appreciate the black-eyed Susan plant because MORE IS HE😁😘😘
Thank you. This was very helpful.
You are very welcome Mary!
Hi joe,
New subcriber from Southern CA
Enjoy your knowledge filled videos. Thanks
Thank you - I'm very glad you are enjoying them!
Great info - thanks!
You are very welcome Lisa
Great review of BES’s thanks!
You are very welcome - glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks!
Thank you so much Susan! I really appreciate it.
Thank you for the video I love this flowers. At first I thought I was listening to John snider Lol
You are very welcome Xoxo. I had too look up John Snider! First time I've been accused of sounding like him. I've been accused of being Nicholas Cage in the past.
Hi Joe! As an organic cutflower grower, who's trying to add as as many native species as possible to my gardens, your videos are very useful. Areyou still planning on making a video about rudbekia triloba? I would love to watch that. :)
Hi Marie - it is one the list but I have not done so yet. I haven't even reviewed my footage to know if I have enough shot. But the key difference between that and all other Rudbeckia (in my own experience) - don't grow Rudbeckia Triloba in a mulched garden. It self-seeds like crazy. And, without significant competition (or even with) it can get way bigger than the 'published' size. The first time I grew one back in 2014 or so it was in a mulched garden, produced hundreds of blooms, and the plant was 8' tall. Also, it is basically a biennial.
For a cut flower, the multiple stalks w/ blooms would be great for filler. And it is absolutely prolific in late mid to Summer.
I was wondering if gold finches like to eat the seeds of the Rudbeckia and right at the 8:26 time stamp, you answered my question! Thanks for the video!
You are very welcome!
We have a butterfly garden section with lots of bes. They last for months after flowering.. give them some love & they'll reward you
Absolutely.
Thanks
You are very welcome
I have added organic matter to my soil for over 40 years that might be the reason why hirta does so we'll in my yard. I bought some seed and the rest is history in my yard it self sows readily.
Enjoyed your video. I was looking for a video on how to control these when used in a non-wild formal landscape as mine have gotten too big. You didn't get to that issue. Do we just dig them out to shrink them down?
Hi - these normally don't take over too much, as they generally don't live more than 2 years old. But pulling seedlings in Spring is the best way to manage Rudbeckia hirta.
There is a closely related cousin, Rudbeckia fulgida that expands as a clump each year. Looks the same at a glance, but blooms later. That one you should just use a shovel to dig out what you don't want. Also best done in Spring.
Hey there, greetings from Greece!
Great content! I would like to ask you regarding stratification in the fridge, how long should the Rudbeckia seeds stay in the fridge before put them in pots to germinate? Or should they stay there till germinate on the moisted papper and then put the seedlings in pots? (I wouldn't prefer to do this since they would be super fragile to plant)...
Thank you so much in advance!
Yannis (agardeningreece)!
Hi Yannis - most references say about 30 days in the fridge following a typical stratification process. Then, I would just put them in a pot with moist soil, and keep it moist. Really try to make sure it gets morning sun/afternoon shade, as that way it will stay moist but not dry out from the afternoon sun.
Any tips on harvesting seed and planting Gaillardia Pulchella? I have a prolific plant that I can't seem to get any of it's seeds to germinate
Hi Timothy - I've written about that flower here - growitbuildit.com/indian-blanket-gaillardia-pulchella/
But to save seed, I wait until the seed heads get fuzzy. Then just pluck the seeds out. They look like little badminton birdies.
The seeds need a cold stratification period of 30-60 days, or to be winter sown. They also need exposure to sunlight to germinate. So just press them into the soil - don't cover them.
When you're sowing for a natural flower garden vs a manicured bed, do you prepare the soil in any way before planting the seed?
Hi Dennis - you need to remove the grass somehow. Or get it to bare soil. Most seeds will germinate just fine as long as they have good contact with the cool moist soil in Spring. Also, you need to get rid, or reduce any competition for your seed. There are about 5 ways to remove grass - I wrote a summary of each of them here ==> growitbuildit.com/5-ways-to-remove-grass-for-a-garden-or-flower-bed/
I have personally done all of them, and by far the easiest method is to smother the grass with cardboard and apply some form of mulch on top. If you don't want to pay for mulch, you can always wait until Autumn and use leaves.
Otherwise the sod cutter or flat shovel work good too, but you need to do something with the Sod. If you are making a wildflower meadow, then you could probably just flip sod rolls or pads upside down. You'll still have some grass get through the seams, but there won't be very much.
Hi there. I just planted a few of these in the autumn color variety that I purchased from Lowe’s. I’m curious what I should do towards the end of the season/winter. Do I need to cut them back? Or will they die completely and I’ll need to replant them? I’m pretty new at gardening.
Hi Katie - the common practice is to cut the plants back to the ground once they go dormant. Any stalk/leaves that are brown can be removed.
Personally, unless it is in a prominent place in our front, I leave the plants through winter. Certain insects will bore into the dead stalks and hibernate over winter. Then, once I start seeing insects emerge in Spring I will cut down the stalks.
Hi! At 2:51 it looks like you have 3 different types of Bee Balm/Monarda. Where can I get the purple Bee Balm? Thank You!
Hi Lewis - that was actually grown from seed that I had purchased. It was supposed to be Monarda didyma (Red Bee Balm), which it certainly doesn't seem correct. I'm pretty sure the seed I got was mislabeled and was actually Monarda media or a very different cultivar of Monarda didyma or fistulosa. For Monarda media, I just looked and don't see any sources with in-stock seed that I would necessarily trust for purchasing at the moment. Given the difficulty in collecting some species of Monarda seeds, I can understand why it may be hard to find.
Everwilde has sold it in the past, and they are a company I've bought other species from many times, always with good results. You may want to contact them to see if they have any plans to obtain more. www.everwilde.com/store/Monarda-media-WildFlower-Seed.html
You could also watch izelplants.com to see if it comes in stock.
Good luck!
Thank you for posting this ☀️🪴
You are very welcome Lisa! I'm glad you found it helpful
I feel like this plant is so easy to grow
It's not too difficult. It is a wonderful flower.
Any ideas for micro prairie plant selections for southern colorado (we see Pikes Peak from backyard)
Hi Susan - a few that should be native to your area to start....But you would need to match moisture conditions on these to your yard. So, all may not work.
-Blanket Flower
- Verbena stricta
- Liatris ligulistylis & punctata
-Lupine
- Helianthus Annus (& others)
- Wild Bergamot
- Echinacea angustifolia (I just started growing this one)
- Rudbeckia hirta (as you are aware)
But I will give you two other resources that can help you identify what is 'good' for your area.
NWF - put in your zip code, and they come back with a list of native plants. This list is probably not comprehensive! As I've tested it in my zip code(s) and found many plants missing. But it is a good resource to start.
Another resource that I utilize, wildflower.org has a native plant search where you can put in your conditions (dry/wet), and height range. It has a more complete list, but is at the state level.
The key thing for you when using either of these tools is to select plants that 'should' be on a prairie - aka full sun. If your specific location within CO is dry, then try to match that condition with drought tolerant plants native to your area. If you are in a wetter area, or border a creek, then adjust accordingly.
Try to find at least 3-4 species of grasses too. And pay attention to the height! Big Bluestem is really big.
Then, the principles I used in my article on the micro-prairie would apply. Put the tallest plants in the Northern edge, layering smaller plants until you reach the southern edge. This is to prevent big plants overtaking small plants. And mind the spacing when it comes to larger plants.
Hopefully this gets you started. You can always email me to talk more. You can get my address on the 'about' tab on my channel page.
Do you have any information on butterfly host plants? Thank you for your help,
HI Rick - sorry for not including it in my video, but Black Eyed Susan does host the Silvery Checkerspot
In one of your videos you mention a container RUBECKIA that has two layers of petals -- shorter variety that you planted near mailbox. What variety was that? Please reply.
Hi, it was just a random seed packet I bought at a big-box store. It stated it was Rudbeckia hirta, 'container variety'. I'm pretty sure you can find it in the large seed display racks they put out in the Spring. I'm sorry I don't have further information.
Thanks for sharing! Ton of helpful information. If I so self seed in a bare spot in my flower garden, can I mulch on top of the seeds, or does the bare ground need to be exposed?
Hi Jeff , you can give a light dusting of soil after pressing into the surface. But make it really light. In my experience this needs light to germinate.
Also, I would wait until Feb/March. It would be less likely that the seed would get eaten by birds or mice. And one last thing, if this flower blooms, it is probably done. It's nominally a biennial meaning it grows foliage the first year and blooms the second.. So maybe expect to do it each year to keep a steady flow of flowers. But, it isn't a big chore so not much of a hassle. Good luck man!
@@growitbuildit thanks a lot! I'll give it a try next March
@@growitbuildit does planting coneflower seeds work pretty much the same way?
For Echinacea, I plant mine 1/8-1/4 inches deep. If it is Echinacea purpurea then you don't need any cold treatment. But it doesn't hurt either. So you could plant at the same time.
Some varieties of Echinacea need 30-90 days cold stratification.
@@growitbuildit cool. Thanks
This looks great and I might try it in my side yard towards the front in a bear patch of dirt and roots after I cut down some trees in that area. Can I direct seed now in mid May? And do I still need to give it to Kolb treatment first?
Hi Alex - you might be able to get away with direct sowing. Sometimes this will germinate with minimal or no cold treatment. You could always split the difference - direct sow 1/2 the seed and apply cold treatment to the other half. If the direct sowing doesn't germinate in 2-3 weeks, then sow the treated.
@@growitbuildit Thanks for the information. I reached out to a wildflower seed company and they recommended direct seeding only after the first or second frost; maybe around mid October. I’ll spend the summer prepping two areas and cover with plastic to kill the weeds.
Could you help me with some tips on how to grow these from root? Which I understand is a much faster way to get blooms. Should I put them in the refrigerator for a few days prior to planting? Thank you
You basically plant bare roots by just burying them about 1/2" deep or so. You can soak them for a brief period before planting. And then water after planting. But that is about it. I would not put them in the refrigerator at all.
I think you need to look into winter sowing seeds this fall. It will allow you to grow most of your own flowers from seed in the most economical way. It also allows you to have complete control over what you grow, which will avoid the 'bee balm' mix up you had with Home Depot.
But it is extremely easy to do, and your seeds just sort of wake up in Spring. This is a guide to winter sowing I wrote some time ago. I winter sow dozens of species each year. growitbuildit.com/illustrated-guide-to-winter-sowing-with-pictures/
@@growitbuildit Your really kind relying with all this information. I have been back and forth trying to add another nectar source in my garden for my beehive. After much research and having several youtubers guide me, I ended up buying 1 gallon, already developed CatMint plants. I ended up calling a few nurseries asking what is the NUMBER 1 plants honey bees absolutely love and they all told me CatMint Neptune. So I ordered 4. thanks again my friend.
P.S. I will order some Black Eye Susan seeds for sowing this winter.
Hi, I was wondering.. in the Blake "eye", are those the seeds? when are they mature? can you collect and save them for regrowing somewheres else? and finally do they require a frozen period? thanks, I love you field! im just trying to grow a few colors indoors and out.
Hi, the seeds are located in the eye. I have a detailed video on how to collect them. I'll reply w a link.
th-cam.com/video/dAiS2y_FODs/w-d-xo.html
I never stratify mine and still have great germination
I've had good germination rates with minimal stratification at times, and other times almost nothing. But in general, Rudbeckia hirta germinates pretty easily. The stratification just helps increase the rate.
Very useful advice, on all your videos in fact. Thank you 🙏🏻🙏🏻I have 2 questions, would be very grateful if you can advise. I grew from seed rudbeckia goldsturm, and now they are large seedlings size. Should I keep them in cool greenhouse overwinter, or are they frost hardy and can keep them outside? I also want to collect seeds from rudbeckia 'sahara' range, which produces numerous different colour flowers. But I don't know do I collect seeds from every individual flower type, or does every flower carry the same dna code, and doesn't matter from which flower I collect seeds, they will all come in the same range next year I sow them? Cheers, your answers will be much appreciated 🙏🏻 🙏🏻
Hi - thank you for the kind words! Unfortunately, I'm not sure about the sahara. If the plant is in fact 'true to type', then you would probably want to collect 1-2 seed heads from each plant that you wanted a color from. Seeing that you can buy the seed, knowing it is mixed colors, I would think that collecting from a variety of plants would be my strategy.
@@growitbuildit thank you so much for your help, will do that. That was very useful 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
I just bought some plants in July. The plants were in 9 cm pots and root bound. Will they bloom this year?
Hi Joan, it all will depend on how many warm days we have left. It is possible depending on where you live.
Hi, Are the Rudbeckia Hirta Indian Summer Black Eyed Susans a biannual or perennial in zone 5? Conflicting posts on the internet regarding this. I just ordered some based on them being a perennial. I just find the internet at times to be so misleading - especially posts from nurseries selling plants. I could give a lot of examples. Perhaps that's why I find your videos to be a nice honest breath of fresh air.
Hi S - I have no direct experience with that variety of Rudbeckia. But if the package says 'Rudbeckia hirta', then in my experience it will be an annual or biennial no matter the labeling. Once it blooms, it will not come back.
In the past I've purchased packs of seed that was Rubdeckia hirta, but was clearly labeled as a 'perennial'. This was absolutely not the case, and they did not return the second year.
But the good news is, you can always save some of the seed from the plant or packet. And, these plants tend to self-seed a decent amount. So, I've had 'volunteers' pop up plenty of times in the same location (was a mulched flower bed).
Should you dead head these? Also, your little prairie is so very beautiful. You should do a video on the basics of creating a mini prairie if you haven’t already. Finally, just a great channel. Ok - one more - do you have any summer sweet/clethra?
Hi - I don't deadhead them. Primarily because I want the seed. Plus, there are different types of Rudbeckia. You can grow Rudbeckia fulgida which is perennial and blooms later summer. Plus there are many others - so you can keep this kind of flower going most of the season and still harvest all the seed you want (deadheading reduces seed).
For the mini-praire, I haven't made a video on that yet. Sometime down the line, as we started that well before having a TH-cam channel. But I do have a detailed article on it - growitbuildit.com/how-to-make-a-micro-prairie/
And I don't have Summersweet - perhaps I will start some next year. There are just so many species.....
@@growitbuildit Thank you so much for your reply! I think I’ll try finding some rudbeckia fulgida! I’m a brand new gardner. Just started a few months ago. Now every morning I can’t wait to get out to my new garden for at least an hour. Wish I had started years ago!
I want to plant a window of these. How much per sq ft do you reccomend when broadcasting
Hi Michael - I checked USDA on your question. Here is what they recommend -
"Use a seeding rate of 0.8 pure live seed (PLS) lb/acre when drill planting on 20 inch or less row spacing; 0.7 PLS lb/acre when drill planting on 21 to 40 inch row spacing; and 1 PLS lb/acre when broadcast seeding. "
plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/plantguide/pdf/pg_ruhi2.pdf
I was recently given a large number of seed heads that I plan on planting in an area that I cleared of invasive species. As it is in the middle of winter in Minnesota, is it OK to scatter the seeds in early spring or should I subject them to the winter cold first?
Hi Terry - I if the soil is disturbed, then I would wait until March or so before scattering them. I'm fairly certain there will be enough cold nights in Minnesota in March or even April to reach the cold stratification requirements.
Waiting a bit to scatter them will also help keep them protected a bit from birds/rodents.
@@growitbuildit thank you so much for responding so quickly. I agree, there should be plenty of nights in Minnesota in March and April.
My plant has doubled in size had it two years have coneflowers in. the flower bed what I wanted to know is can you dibbled it with a shovel and do you do it in the fall or in the summer thank you
You can divide Rudbeckia fulgida (perennial Black Eyed Susan) with a shovel. Just do it when the plant is dormant, or nearly dormant. I prefer to divide mine in early Spring just after emergence.
Growit Buildit thank you for the info
I was given black eyed Susan seeds, I placed them in fridge- do they still have time to grow it’s middle of July. Thank you
You can start them now AR. They may not bloom until next year though. It will probably just be a clump of leaves on the ground.
They may be weeds in the US but here in India it needs excessive care and grow light to bloom. High maintenance but boy how I love it!
Amazing that it is difficult to grow - it is quite easy here. Just needs disturbed soil and sunlight.
@@growitbuildit Yeah. They are. PHEW! Still learning. Very prone to fungus due to heavy showers in the monsoon in Calcutta. Still they are my favorite!!!
I didn’t cold stratify when I planted these yesterday, just tamped them into a growing cell. Will they grow and bloom this year?
They might - it all depends on how soon they sprout. In my experience, you can get seeds to germinate without stratification, but it will likely take longer.
Thanks!
You may want to do some in the fridge in a paper towel at the same time. That way you know you'd get some to germinate
I'm looking for an Illinois native flower that the deer won't eat. Should I plant rudbeckia hirta? If not any suggestions?
Monarda fistulosa will work well, aka Wild Bergamot. I have a video on that one. Easy to grow, long bloom time, lots of pollinators, native to IL, and deer will leave it alone.
@@growitbuildit Thank you very much!
I saw from your video you can plant the seeds in a container or just scatter it in the wild. I love the latter way. Is this the way to grow seeds? how soon can they germinate? What is a good time to scatter the seeds? Thanks!
Hi - the best time is either fall, late Winter, or verrrry early Spring. That way they can compete with everything else and have the longest growing season. These are not long-lived perennials, so it is important that they germinate in Spring.
@@growitbuildit Thank you so much for your response!
How long do I need to cold stratification my seeds before planting.
For this specific species, 2-4 weeks is usually sufficient.
why do my BES' flop even before they flower? they are in a partial shaded are and get about 3 hours of sun
If they get sun from one side, that might be the issue, as they will grow directly towards it to maximize their photosynthesis. Also, if you have really nice soil sometimes plants will flop. You can try trimming them about a month before flowering, that should stimulate branching and make the overall plant shorter, which usually means they stay up more. At least it works with Asters and Heliopsis.
Aw I like them Preakness stakes flower.i,k in michigen I want some and marigolds
They are a great flower to grow Greg.
Cani start seeds today in June 4 th? Will they bloom this summer?
I think it could be done, if you managed to get them to germinate quickly. But there is only one way to find out!
Hi question can we harvest seeds from cut flowers?
Hi Martha, the seeds from cut flowers are never really "fully formed". Each plant usually spends several weeks making seed after blooming.
Can someone suggest native plants in the zone 6 eastern NA for borders under 3ft? trying to surround my swamp milkweed, new england aster, coneflower, liantris and golden alexander? I am thinking of red columbine, pestememon digitalis, hirta and butterflyweeds. Im intimidated with plants that spread aggresively via rhizomes. Estimated roughly 300sqft.
Maybe consider Penstemon pallida, Penstemon hirsutus, Prairie Smoke, Prairie Dropseed, Sideoats Grama, Pink Muhly, Fire Pink, and there are dwarf versions of Plains Coreopsis available too.
How long to do the seeds need to stay in the fridge?
About 30 days is sufficient.
Any ideas how and when to watering them?
Shall we watering them during sunset or twilight?
Thanks
Hi - they are pretty drought tolerant once established. But if you see the edges of the leaves turning brown, or leaves wilting and the soil is dry, then you should water them. And it is best to water either early in the morning or at evening.
@@growitbuildit
The problem I have is sometimes the leafs get holes and after they drop.
Why it happens?
Thanks
Something is eating the leaf
@@growitbuildit
hum ...thanks
Will they grow in an area that has sun from 1pm to late evening?
Morning sun is blocked by a tree.
Hi Dan, yes you can. But sun from one direction can sometimes cause a plant to lean or arch. Im not certain it would happen with this species, but it may. It's less likey with its cousin, Rudbeckia fulgida.
But with Rudbeckia hirta you may wish to Chelsea Chop the plants, as that can reduce the propensity to lean.
@@growitbuildit Thank you so much.
I've grown Black Eyed Susans for two years but I hate the ugly mess they leave when they die off - full of weeds, dead blooms and so forth. I've never seen an explanation of what to do to avoid the eyesore. Do you cut the stalk back to an few inches off the ground? Surely I can't be the only person unsure of what to do. Thanks.
Hi Rod, you can cut the stalks back. Just cut anything brown. You also may want to check out a later blooming Black Eyed Susan, known as Rudbeckia Fulgida. That one gets cut back too, but blooms after the common biennial black eyed susan.
I just bought 2 packs of seed a d didnt know there needed cold strat. :(
I've germinated them with only two weeks stratification before. Perhaps try some in the fridge/paper towel method. Pull half the seed at two weeks, and surface sow in a location that gets morning sun/afternoon shade (helps keep it moist). If nothing happens in two weeks, pull the rest.
How often should I water the plant? With how much water?
Hi Manvir - when it is a tiny seedling, I just water in the morning with a spray bottle. And I keep the seedling on the East side of my house, where they get morning sun/afternoon shade.
For mature plants that are in the ground, I almost never water. They are drought tolerant. I actually have some of these growing in the cracks of my street (and are blooming right now). That is a pretty dry and harsh place, but yet they are able to survive.
If you are keeping them in a pot, then you should water when the pot is dry. But that is basically all I would do.
I’ve got some seeds in january from a Rudbeckia plant growing next to my allotment. I’ve saved the seeds that had a cold treatment (outside in november till january). Before planting them next year, do they need a cold treatment again before sowing? Or once is enough?
Hi Adeline - I have not tried it like that, where you give it a cold treatment and then remove indoors. I always just place them out for winter sowing, or give them a cold treatment right before sowing. There is still plenty of time to winter sow, if you would like to try that. It is very easy to do, I've been doing it for about 8 years. It works great. This shows you how to do it, step by step. growitbuildit.com/illustrated-guide-to-winter-sowing-with-pictures/
@@growitbuildit thank you so much, I will read it ☺️👌🏼
You are very welcome! Good luck!
I transplanted my potted black eyed Susan's into the ground and now they look like they are dying leaves are turning black and some leaves are totally black and dry!? I water them everyday and even added plant food before I put it into the ground! 🤷♀️ Do you know what I did wrong? I've also been seeing carpenter ants all over it, I dont know if they are playing a part to why this plant seems to be going dead on me! :(
Hi Yvonne, were they blooming when you put them into the ground? If so, they could be done. I've had them bloom in a pot before, and then they just reseed themselves.
Otherwise, were they root bound? That , or poor soil drainage could be a contributing factor.
How long to keep them in the refrigerator ?
They should have a 30 day cold/moist stratification period in the fridge. Winter sowing is something you may consider it you not tried it before, as that is the easiest way to start almost any plant from seed.
Something is stealing all the flowers and leaving bare stems. Any thoughts who is the culprit.
Perhaps deer? They eat blossoms. I've not seen squirrels do that to Black Eyed Susans, but have seen them do it to sunflowers.
Can the they be transplanted?
Hi Ruth - Yes, but you need to transplant them prior to blooming. Since they are biennial, once they bloom, they are generally done. And transplanting blooming flowers carries it's own unique challenges.
It is best to go collect seed in about a month. Then, just scatter that seed in a disturbed area where you want the plant, or Winter Sow some of the seed.
Hell they grow wild were I live
Mine won’t bloom, I’m so depressed
Sometimes they won't bloom until year two. For them to bloom in year one, you need to get them into the ground pretty quick.
Nicely explained. There is a reason why it is a perennial. It is a prairie/plains flower, not a bedding plant or a container plant. If we try to grow them as bedding/container plants, we risk losing their perennial attributes. I had Monarda growing in my garden for years. I thought I was being smart and moved it to a very large container. It did well for 2 years and then it never came back. There is something "about" native plant species, they want to be in their "soil" all of the time.
Hi Kris, actually this specific species Rudbeckia hirta is a biennial or annual. No matter if in ground or container, they generally don't come back after blooming.
You maybe right on other species. I had a monarda in a pot for several years, but it waskilled in a particularly harsh winter
I have this plant, it smothers out everything else I have. Spent most of the time pulling out and keeping just a few. Beautiful flower tho.
This specific species smothers them? Wow - I've never seen it be that aggressive. It has trouble keeping it's population alive in my wildflower area by self-seeding due to competition.
where is the detailed instructions on the cold treatment in the fridge? i wonder how long it needs to stay in the fridge. and if i can just put the full bag in the fridge without wet towel...
Hi - apologies - here is my video on how to cold stratify seeds in the fridge. Use the paper towel method for Black Eyed Susan seeds. th-cam.com/video/JIgYeduDiM4/w-d-xo.html