Overview: Planting, Growing and Caring for Black-eyed Susans?

Black-eyed Susans have bright yellow, oval-shaped petals with deep, dark cores, giving them a daisy-like look. They are one of the brightest choices for your garden. Who could not love the simple yet vibrant look of Black-eyed Susan? In this article, gardenhow.net will introduce a method for planting Black-eyed Susans and the essential information about this flower.

Black-eyed Susan Overview

Information about Black-eyed Susan

Black-eyed Susan has several common names, including Rudbeckia, Yellow Ox-eye, and Gloriosa Daisy. They come from eastern and central North America and are in the Asteraceae family, along with sunflowers, asters, daisies, and coneflowers. Black-eyed Susan has upright stems with deeply lobed pubescent (hairy) leaves that alternate. The leaves are tough and might feel like sandpaper at times. Plants develop clumps and produce colonies through rhizomes (underground stems). The spectacular flowers have ray-like petals and a flat, black eye center and are about 2–3 inches in diameter.

Rudbeckia has a coarse texture and a clumping but upright habit. Black-eyed Susans reach a height of 2–3 feet and a clump width of 1–2 feet. Black-eyed Susan colonies, on the other hand, can get fairly enormous. Proper plant spacing improves air circulation between plants, which keeps leaves dry and helps avoid disease transmission. The erect growth habit and coarse texture of Rudbeckia make it perfect for mass plantings in native areas or the background of perennial beds. The colorful blossoms will attract bees and butterflies, and birds will enjoy the seeds. Hoverflies and minute pirate bugs are two other species that Rudbeckia attracts. Thrips, aphids, and whiteflies are all-natural predators of these insects in the garden.

Why should you choose Black-eyed Susan in your garden?

Black-eyed Susans are easy to grow and light up the garden with bright yellow blossoms that seem to sparkle when other flowers fade. Rudbeckia appears in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. Because of their vibrant color and robust stems, Rudbeckia, aka Black-eyed Susans make great cut flowers for bouquets. They are a fantastic addition to a water-wise landscape, rain garden, or xeriscape because of their drought resilience and little care. Moreover, they can attract not only butterflies but also hummingbirds. The plants are resistant to deer and rabbits. Therefore, planting Rudbeckia or Black-eyed Susan is an ideal choice for your garden. 

Varieties of Black-eyed Susans

If you like the way this flower looks, you might want to start planting some of these types. There are more than 40 different types of Black eye Susan. 

Indian Summer Rudbeckia

Growing in zones 3 to 7, this summer bloomer produces daisy-like flowers with huge flower heads up to 9 inches in diameter. The center disk of this type is domed and chocolate brown.

Rudbeckia hirta moreno

This plant has mahogany-red rays with yellow tips and can grow up to 2 feet tall. The central disc is either black or deep purple.

Prairie Sun Rudbeckia

This plant, which grows to be around 3-feet tall, produces 5-inch diameter daily-like flowerheads. The center disc on this one is green to yellow-green. The prairie sun’s leaves are bright green and grow straight.

Irish Eyes Rudbeckia

This flower develops 14 to 20 rays that surround a light-green central disc up to 5-inches in diameter. You can plant them in zones 5 to 9. These flowers will grow up to 24 inches tall.

Cherokee Sunset Rudbeckia

Rudbeckia Cherokee Sunset is a beautiful combination of autumn colors and late-season blooming. The double or semi-double 3 to 4-1/2 inch blossoms are long-lasting as cut flowers.

Maya Rudbeckia

Bright yellow double flowers surround a green core that becomes deeper as the season advances on this Black-eyed Susan. This flower, which thrives in zones 5 to 9, produces blooms up to 4.5 inches in diameter. They can reach a height of 24 inches and a width of 24 inches.

Cherry Brandy Rudbeckia

It will reach a height and length of about 24 inches.

Cappuccino Rudbeckia

This single-blooming variety is surrounded by warm cheerful rays in mahogany, oranges, and yellows. This hardy plant grows to be 24 inches tall and is hardy in zones 5 to 8.

Cut-leaf Coneflower

On a single stalk, each cut-leaf coneflower produces two to 25 flower heads. These practically hairless stalks, which can grow to be 10 feet long, are single at the bottom but may branch near the top.

Henry Eilers Rudbeckia

‘Henry Eilers’ is a clump-forming perennial with lovely butter-yellow quilled blooms and chocolate cones.

Little Goldstar Rudbeckia

‘Little Goldstar’ is a clump-forming perennial with toothed, hairy leaves that grows to 50cm tall and broad. From mid-summer to autumn, golden-yellow daisy-like flowers with dark brown center cones bloom on branching, erect stems. With so many sun-loving Black-eyed Susan varieties to choose from, you may landscape many sections of your home with this low-maintenance option.

Read more: Overview: Great varieties of Rudbeckia: Black-eyed Susans, Coneflowers

What is the best time and place for planting Back Eyed Susan?

As you know, Black-eyed Susan makes a great addition to vibrant flowers in your garden. Looking for the best time and place for planting Black-eyed Susans that blooms to brighten the garden.

When to plant Black-eyed Susan?

Although Black-eyed Susans are frequently available as bedding plants in the spring, they are very easy to raise from seed and come in a considerably larger variety of cultivars. You can start the seeds indoors 10 weeks before the last frost date in your area, or spread them directly in the garden in the spring or summer. This is typically March, April, or May. These are the best times for planting Black-eyed Susans. 

Where to plant Black-eyed Susan?

You can plant Black-eyed Susan in almost any sunny location with well-drained soil. Drought will be tolerated better than the damp ground. If you live in a hot, humid area, pick a location in the garden where your plants will have plenty of air circulation to prevent powdery mildew from developing. When determining where to plant flowers in a garden bed, it’s important to think about how tall they’ll grow. Black-eyed Susans grow to various levels of height according to their kinds. Some are only 18 inches tall, but others can grow to reach 4 or 6 feet tall. Check the plant tag to discover how tall yours will grow so you can decide where to plant them.

Methods for planting Black-eyed Susans 

To get a head start on a successful growing season, you should find out how to plant Black-eyed Susan properly. Continue reading to learn about methods for planting Black-eyed Susans. 

How to prepare the soil for planting Black-eyed Susans?

Apart from continuously damp soil, Black-eyed Susan may grow in practically any type of garden soil; nevertheless, better soil will result in better plants. Preparing the soil is one of the most significant steps in planting Black-eyed Susans that make sure these flowers will grow and bloom. You can blend 3 inches of this nutrient-rich garden soil with the top 6 inches of existing soil, or mix 50:50 for individual planting holes. In addition, for maximum beautiful blooms, you should combine rich soil with the power of just the right plant food. 

How to plant Black-eyed Susan from seeds? 

You may grow Black-eyed Susan from seed with proper care and preparation. If kept in warm, moist circumstances, Black-eyed Susan seeds sprout easily indoors or outdoors. In this part, gardenhow.net will show you how to germinate Black-eyed Susan seeds steps by step.

Indoors

• Step 1: Refrigerate seeds before planting

Five months before the last spring frost, prepare Black-eyed Susan seeds for indoor sowing. In a plastic bag packed with mildly moist sphagnum moss, store them in the refrigerator. As needed, moisten the moss.

• Step 2: Prepare potting mix for planting Black-eyed Susans

Before the last spring frost is about 6 to 8 weeks, you should prepare the plant in containers. Then, you can mix 4 parts potting soil, 1 part medium-grit sand, and 1 part perlite in 3-inch starter pots.

• Step 3: Sow Black-eyed Susan in the pot

Another step in the planting Black-eyed Susans process is sowing. In each starter pot, sow two Black-eyed Susan seeds. With your fingertips, roughen the soil. Place the seeds on top of the soil and gently press them down.

• Step 4: Moisten and heat soil

To settle the soil, you should spray each starter pot liberally with a spray bottle. Place the pots near a window that gets at least six hours of light every day. Moreover, with a propagation mat, apply bottom heat of 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Step 5: Cover

Cover the pots with a sheet of clear plastic wrap to prevent the soil from drying up too rapidly. Allow excess moisture to escape by leaving the edges free.

• Step 6: Maintain soil moisture

The essential step for planting Black-eyed Susans is maintaining soil moisture. When the surface soil is nearly dry, water the seeds. To avoid dislodging the Black-eyed Susan seeds, mist them with a spray bottle rather than putting water into the pots.

• Step 7: Germination of Black-eyed Susan

One week after sowing, keep an eye out for germination. After they have sprouted, remove the plastic covering. From each starter pot, remove the weaker of the two Black-eyed Susan seedlings.

In the garden

• Step 1: Seed cold stratification 

First of all, it is worth considering the cold stratification of Black-eyed Susan seeds. In the fall, you should sow them outside. Because seeds need cold stratification, which occurs naturally during the cold winter months. Seeds can also be planted in the early to mid-spring, but they must be refrigerated for three months at 40 degrees F.

• Step 2: Prepare the location for planting Black-eyed Susans

Create a planting area in a sunny, well-drained area. Clear the soil of all weeds and debris. Using a cultivating fork, work a 3-inch layer of compost into the top 8 inches of soil.

• Step 3: Sow seeds

With a hoe, even out the soil. Then, with a rake, make shallow furrows one-eighth inch deep throughout the surface. Fill the furrows equally with Black-eyed Susan seeds. Cover the seeds with a one-eighth-inch layer of compost.

• Step 4: Water

To settle the compost onto the Black-eyed Susan seeds, water the bed thoroughly. Continue to water until the top 4 inches of soil are completely saturated. Because it is less disruptive to the seeds, you should use a garden hose with a mist nozzle.

• Step 5: Check soil

During the germination phase, keep the top 2 inches of soil moist at all times. To keep the bed from drying out, check the soil moisture at least twice a day and apply water as needed.

• Step 6: Germination

In about a week, you should see germination. Once the Black-eyed Susan seedlings reach 2 inches in height, thin them to one every 1 1/2 to 2 feet. The weakest seedlings should be removed, leaving only the strongest.

• Step 7: Mulch new plants

When the plants reach a height of 4 inches, spread a 2-inch layer of mulch between them. For the first month, water 2 inches weekly, then 1 inch weekly after that. During periods of excessive heat, provide more water. 

Planting Black-eyed Susans from seedlings

Set your new plants out as soon as possible after receiving them, assuming all threat of frost has gone in your area. If more frost is expected, keep your plants in a sunny window and water them well until it is safe to plant them outside. Keep your seedlings in a cold frame or another covered area for a week before putting them outdoors to adapt them to outdoor conditions.

• Step 1: Prepare the location for planting Black-eyed Susans

You should remove any existing weeds and loosen the soil on the location.

• Step 2: Make a hole

Create a hole that is a few inches larger than your young plant.

• Step 3: Planting Black-eyed Susans

Backfill with soil, tamp lightly, and water thoroughly after placing your Rudbeckia in the hole (disturb the roots with your fingers if they’re coming in thick).

• Step 4: Mulch lightly

Mulch lightly (a 2-inch layer is ideal) to help keep the soil moist and to keep weeds at bay, but keep the mulch away from the plant stems.

Read more: When, Where and How to plant Black-eyed Susan seedlings?

What are the best conditions for growing Black-eyed Susan?

Black-eyed Susans are low-maintenance plants that are easy to grow. You can see them growing wild in fallow fields, along the sides of interstates, and in meadows. Therefore, the conditions for growing them are quite simple. Here are some essential conditions you need to know when planting Black-eyed Susans. 

Sunlight

Plants can handle as much light as they can and prefer to be in full sun. Give them a place to live in your flowerbed or garden where they will get at least 6 to 8 hours of sun per day. They will thrive in regions that are too hot for other plants due to their heat tolerance.

Soil

Soil is one of the most important factors when planting Black-eyed Susans. Black-eyed Susan likes slightly acidic to slightly alkaline conditions within the soil structure, preferring a pH range of 6.8 to 7.7.These blooms thrive in a variety of soils, from loam to sand, but the key is to make them well-draining. Because if they have standing water induces, this causes root diseases and drought.  

Watering 

During the hotter summer months, they require 1 inch of water per week, which can be obtained from rainfall, irrigation, or hand watering.

Temperature and Humidity

This plant thrives in temperatures of 60 degrees Fahrenheit and higher during the summer. It can withstand both drought and humidity.

Fertilizer

Because Black-eyed Susan plants don’t care about soil quality or fertility, they thrive along roadsides and ditch banks. Apply a low dose of slow-release fertilizer at the start of the season to give them a boost. Besides, you can apply a low dose of slow-release fertilizer at the start of the season to give them a boost.

How to take care of Black-eyed Susan?

Black-eyed Susans have the advantage of not requiring much maintenance. Here are some tips to maintain a healthy Black-eyed Susans:

• You should stake Black-eyed Susan: Many Black-eyed Susans do not grow taller than 2 feet and do not require staking. You may need to provide some support if you’re growing taller types. Simply place a stake near (but not through) the middle of each plant and connect individual stems to the stake with twine. Another method is to use two or three posts and weave a little lattice around the plant stems, allowing them to bend gracefully at various angles.

• To keep your Black-eyed Susans healthy, divide them every four years in the fall.
• Use pruning shears to remove the blossoms as they dry and wither, whether at the end of summer or throughout the season.
• You should feed Black-eyed Susan properly: This ultra-effective fertilizer contains natural components like earthworm castings, bone meal, and kelp, which will foster an abundance of brilliant blooms.
• Early in the summer, prune down some Black-eyed Susan stems by a third to extend the blooming season. The ones you trimmed back will bloom after the ones you didn’t, giving you more time to enjoy the blooms.

Many people said that taking care of Black-eyed Susan is not necessary, but this stage plays an important role in their growth. If you care for Black-eyed Susan carefully, you will create a unique and vivid flower garden. 

Read more: What are the methods for caring for Black-eyed Susans?

Saving and Harvesting Black-eyed Susan seeds

Most people believe that saving Black-eyed Susan seeds is a simple and cost-effective approach to keeping these colorful and beautiful flowers year after year. Let’s check the process to harvest and save their seeds:

Find some plants

Locating and Identifying your Black-eyed Susan is the most essential in the process. If you’ve identified certain plants in the wild, they’re almost certainly real native species or cultivars.

Collect seed heads

The top of the disc will have tiny perforations or holes when the seed head is fully mature. The developed seeds inside the pod can escape and scatter into the environment through these openings. Rudbeckia Seed Heads can be harvested when the seed head begins to turn brown or dry out. The seed head should be clipped off a couple of inches (5 cm) below the seed head. Alternatively, grasp the seed head in your hand and cut just below it. Fill a paper bag with these items. Moreover, you leave the seed heads to completely dry before harvesting, or allow the seeds to dry for a week after separation. 

Note:Make sure to collect the seeds on a dry day if at all possible. Unless there has been a lot of recent rainy weather, the seed pods should be dry on a dry day.

Remove chaff from the seed heads

Picking all the black material from the seed head by hand would take a long time. Furthermore, the black substance that emerges is around 50% chaff and 50% seed. Therefore, you can use a container with a diameter of at least 6″ and a height of at least 6″, such as an old plastic coffee can. Fill the container with seed heads to a depth of 25-50 percent. Then shake it! Most of the chaff and part of the seed will be liberated after around 10-20 seconds of shaking. There will be a mixture of chaff and seed on the tray. Approximately 70-80% chaff and 20% seed. Then, you remove the seed heads from the strainer and reserve them for later use.

Remove seed from seed heads

Place the seed heads that have previously been shaken back into the plastic container. Then fill the plastic container with small, heavy, and hard things such as nuts, bolts, washers, or rocks. Once the seed heads have been shaken up, returning them to the plastic container with these hard objects will result in the pure seed!Shake the contents once again, being careful to keep the light in place. Dump the contents through the kitchen strainer onto a clean paper plate after 30 seconds of vigorous, variable shaking. The end product should be 95% pure living seed!

Store the seeds

Dry the seeds for several days after taking them from the pod and separating them from the chaff. It’s always a good idea to dry seeds before storing them to avoid moisture, which can lead to mold growth. Rudbeckia or Black-eyed Susan seeds can be stored in paper envelopes or bags. Paper will help to wick moisture away from the seeds and keep them dry. Make a note of the seed kind and variety, as well as the harvest date and year, on the envelope or bag. Store Black-eyed Susan seeds in a cool, dark, and dry location until ready to plant. The various types and varieties of rudbeckia bring a splash of color to the garden. Because of this, you should enjoy saving Black-eyed Susan seeds from year to year.

Read more: When, Where and How to plant Black-eyed Susan seedlings?

How to propagate Black-eyed Susan?

Based on the types of Black-eyed Susan, you can choose the method to propagate such as by seed or division. Read on to learn about propagating these flowers in your garden.

From Seeds

Rudbeckias are one of those plants that require a cold, wet season to develop their seeds. If you’ve previously sown your seeds in a pot or tray, place them in a warm spot to start “waking up” the seeds. You can sow these seeds indoors or directly in the garden. 

Propagation by Division

Because many Rudbeckia species and variants are short-lived perennials, you can divide them to reproduce them. Fall or early spring is the finest time to divide. If you choose to divide your elder plantings, they will appreciate you because they can get overcrowded after 3 to 4 years.It’s time to divide your Rudbeckia plant after you’ve dug it up. Split the plant and its roots into two or three portions using a sharp spade or soil knife. At this point, discard any plant portions that appear to be unhealthy or damaged. Plant your divisions in their new spots, making sure to firmly pack the soil around your new plant to eliminate any air spaces. Propagation of Black-eyed Susan is one of the most significant pieces of knowledge for planting Black-eyed Susans in your garden.

Common pests & plant diseases

While planting Black-eyed Susans, you can confront some challenges such as pests, diseases,… Rudbeckias are sensitive to a range of aster-related diseases, including powdery mildew, numerous forms of leaf spot, aphids, and sawfly.

Powdery mildew

This is the most common disease of Black-eyed Susan. Powdery Mildew is caused by high humidity or overwatering. Powdery mildew appears as soft white spots on leaves and stems and is easy to spot. Stems and leaves begin to yellow if not treated, and damaged plants finally become defoliated.

Leaf spot

The three most frequent fungal spot diseases of the plant are septoria, cylindrosporium, and ramularia leaf spot. Because most outbreaks are caused by inappropriate overhead watering and plant crowding, most outbreaks can be avoided totally by maintaining adequate plant spacing and watering from the bottom rather than the top.

Insect pests

Aphids are the major insect pest of Black-eyed Susan, as they are of many other species of garden plants and flowering perennials. They contribute to mold infections indirectly by feeding on plant sap and excreting honeydew, which promotes the growth of black sooty mold. A more dangerous pest is the golden glow sawfly, whose striped gray larvae can totally remove leaves from plants. If you Identify the pest and disease of Black-eyed Susan early, you can have a suitable strategy to protect these flowers. 

Read more: Diseases on Black-eyed Susan leaves and Solutions

Companion plants for Black-eyed Susan

Finding the perfect flower combination to go with your Black-eyed Susan bushes is thankfully simple. Many plants thrive in it and look great as a result. To ensure a consistent show of flowers, companion plants for Black-eyed Susans should have similar growing conditions, complementary colors and forms, and an overlapping bloom time.

Daisy

Daisies make excellent partners for Black-eyed Susan, which is no surprise given that they belong to the same plant family. Shasta daisies, in particular, look great with Black-eyed Susans. These two flowers are almost mirrored images of each other, with white petals and a yellow center that reflects the golden-yellow petals of Black-eyed Susan.

Echinacea

Echinacea, often known as purple coneflower, is a heat-loving, daisy-like flower with a form similar to Black-eyed Susan. Because both echinacea and Black-eyed Susan blooms spread fast through root growth and self-sowing, you’ll end up with enormous swaths of plants if you plant them together. This makes the combination ideal for situations where low-maintenance, self-sustaining plantings are desired.

Yarrow

Umbrella-shaped blooms of yarrow are clusters of smaller flowers. Black-eyed Susan’s fern-like foliage provides diversity to the smooth margins of the oblong leaves, and there are plenty of colors to select from.

Cosmos

Cosmos is the fantastic companion to Black-eyed Susan. 

Zinnia

Zinnias, like cosmos, are a powerful companion plant for Black-eyed Susans. They come in almost every color of the rainbow, so whatever color scheme you desire for your garden, you’ll be able to find a shade that matches.

Feverfew

Feverfew is a less common flower in the home garden, but it deserves to be included, especially when combined with Black-eyed Susan.

Gomphrena

Gomphrena thrives in full sun, well-draining soil, and consistent watering, as do other companion plants to Black-eyed Susan. As long as the plant is established, it will perform well even with sporadic watering. On long stems, the plant produces blooms that are good for cutting.

Salvia

Try salvia for a different form than Black-eyed Susan while still complementing the color. This plant has spiked with little flowers on them. They create a stunning visual contrast in the yard, particularly when grown in thick flower swaths. Choosing a range of flowers from this list will provide your flower garden with a variety of shapes and colors, which will assist attract pollinators and beneficial insects.

Read more: Lists of Black-eyed Susan companion plants and How to keep animals from eating your Black-eyed Susans?

Values of Black-eyed Susan

Planting Black-eyed Susans has some advantages in your life, not only creating a stunning garden but also bringing values such as medicine, food and drink and ornamental purposes. 

Medicine

• Recent research suggests that Black-eyed Susan root extracts may help the immune system. 
• Another study discovered that Black-eyed Susan had antibacterial properties against the tuberculosis-causing bacterium.
• The antioxidant content of Black-eyed Susan is one among its many health advantages. As a result, this flower is a great immunity booster.
• The effectiveness of Black-eyed Susan as a cold remedy has been scientifically established in various research.
• Many people are suffering from the symptoms of high blood pressure without realizing that controlling it is not as difficult as they believe. The active components in the stem of Black-eyed Susan could help manage high blood pressure and avoid deadly illnesses like stroke and heart attack.
• This flowering plant is an effective cure for snakebite, which is one of its many health benefits.

Food and Drink

The only widely consumed Black-eyed Susan product is the Black-eyed Susan cocktail, which has a tint similar to the blooms. Nonetheless, it is devoid of any of the blossoms themselves. Farmers, on the other hand, frequently produce Black-eyed Susans to feed and sustain wildlife. Flowers attract animals like bees and butterflies, but you can also attract deer and rabbits who devour flowers.

Ornamental purposes

Black-eyed Susans are commonly used for decoration. They’ll make terrific garden border flowers and are also great for filling in gaps between plants with complementary colors. Most people think of Black-eyed Susans as simply a nice bloom, and while they are, we hope we’ve helped to change your mind about this common perennial.

Q & A

Are Black-eyed Susans deer-resistant?

Young tender growth may be chewed. Black-eyed Susan become deer-resistant as they develop and their leaves become coarse and hairy.

What are the steps to long-lasting cut flowers?

After planting Black-eyed Susans process, you can harvest their bloom. To prevent leaves from rotting in the water, remove any foliage from stems that will be submerged in your display vase once inside. Halfway up the stems, place in a vase with lukewarm water. Then, every two days, totally change the water. Although frequent water changes are the most crucial component in maintaining a long-lasting arrangement, professional florist preservatives can also be used to enhance the life of your bouquet. Keep the vase away from fruit and out of direct sunlight.

Final Thoughts about planting Black-eyed Susans

Are you looking for a gorgeous plant that is both useful and attractive? Black-eyed Susan is among the most cheerful flowers you’ll ever see. gardenhow.net hopes that this article has provided you with additional information about planting Black-eyed Susans, so you can create a distinctive Black-eyed Susan flower bouquet.