Now’s the Time to Plant Rudbeckia

 

Among the stars in the late summer and fall garden, Rudbeckia is among the brightest.  Commonly called Black-eyed Susan, this classic perennial flower is valued for its vibrant yellow petals and dark centers.  

 

In addition, Black-eyed Susans produce an abundance of nectar and pollen making them a favorite among a variety of pollinators, including bumblebees, bees and butterflies. 

 

Rudbeckia is in the Asteraceae family, which also includes coneflowers and asters and chrysanthemums. In the wild, black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta) are biennial since they germinate in the spring but flower in the second year. Among the more popular cultivars are: 

 

Autumn Colors 

Denver Daisy

Goldstrum 

 Prairie Glow 

Prairie Sun 

Yellow Gold 

While Rudbeckias are resilient and can adapt to a variety of conditions, they’ll do best when planted in well-amended soils, in full sunlight. For the best results, choose a site that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight each day.  

Next, dig a hole twice as large as the container your plant came in and half again as deep. Now mix organic Sheep, Peat and Compost at a ratio of one-third to 50:50 with the existing soil. Once the hole is dug and amended, fill it with water and let the water drain. Repeat this step, this time adding three and a half tablespoons of ferti•lome Root Stimulator to a gallon of water. Slip your new plant out of its container and loosen the root ball.  Place the plant in the center of the hole and backfill with the amended soil, using enough to create a shallow basin to facilitate watering. 

Once in the ground, it’s important to keep Rudbeckia plants evenly moist. This is best done by checking each new planting daily and hand watering as necessary. Water slowly at the root zone. Avoid watering from overhead.

Fill the moat you built around each plant and let the water slowly seep in. Don’t rely on automatic irrigation for the first few weeks. Applying mulch to new plantings is an effective way to conserve water and reduce heat stress on your plants.  A 2- to 3-inch-thick layer of Mountain Magic Soil Pep mulch can reduce moisture loss from your soil due to evaporation.   

 

Deadheading, or removing faded flowers, encourages continuous blooming throughout the season and prevents self-seeding, as Black-eyed Susan's can be prolific seed producers.  

A wonderful cut flower, planting Black-eyed Susan now is a great way to add lots of bright color to late-summer and autumn gardens.