When to sow black-eyed Susan? A detailed guide to planting methods
Black-eyed Susan is also known as black-eyed coneflower. Although its name says "black-eyed," it actually also has green-centered, purple-centered, red-centered and other colored centers. This is a flower completely let down by its name. It is native mainly to North America, is a perennial herbaceous plant, and is mostly grown as an annual or biennial. It is both cold-tolerant and drought-tolerant. It likes sunny, ventilated environments and has a habit of self-seeding. It can be grown in ordinary soil, and its flowering period is from May to September. When is black-eyed Susan sown? What are the specific planting methods?
1. When is black-eyed Susan sown?
There are two choices for sowing black-eyed Susan: spring sowing and autumn sowing. If you choose spring sowing, you need to sow in March. If you choose autumn sowing, you need to sow in September. The biggest difference between spring sowing and autumn sowing is the flowering period. Black-eyed Susan sown in spring will bloom in June and July, while those sown in autumn will not bloom until May of the following year. However, there are huge differences in climate between countries and regions, so the most suitable sowing time also differs.
2. Specific planting methods for black-eyed Susan
1. Soil: Black-eyed Susan has very strong vitality and good adaptability to the growing environment. The soil only needs to be well-drained, breathable, loose and fertile. Ordinary sandy loam, breathable and moisture-permeable, with ample fertility, is very suitable for growing black-eyed Susan.
2. Temperature: Black-eyed Susan likes warm, ventilated environments. The suitable temperature for its seeds to germinate is about 21 to 30 degrees, while the general suitable growing temperature is about 10 to 30 degrees. It is relatively cold-tolerant, but not very tolerant of high temperatures. The daytime growing temperature must not exceed 26 degrees, and the nighttime temperature also needs to be maintained at about 10 to 15 degrees for it to keep blooming continuously.
3. Light: Black-eyed Susan loves sufficient light. However, like many plants, black-eyed Susan is still very averse to strong sunlight in summer, so appropriate shading and cooling are needed, because long periods of sunlight and strong light will scorch the plant. In winter, the light is weaker, and insufficient light may affect plant growth, so it needs to be placed indoors in a sunny spot and carefully maintained.
4. Water and fertilizer: Black-eyed Susan has strong adaptability and is not very strict about water and fertilizer. It is also relatively drought-tolerant, so daily watering should not be excessive. Generally, water according to the principle of watering when dry and stopping when moist. Too much water is not suitable and will affect the healthy growth of the plant's root system. As for fertilizing, it is only necessary to apply some fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium at appropriate times, and appropriately, not too much.
5. Pruning: After the flowering period of black-eyed Susan, some residual branches and rotten leaves should be cut off in time to encourage it to bloom again. For black-eyed Susan grown for cut flowers, pinching can be done appropriately to extend its flowering period. For some perennial plants, forced division is needed to avoid affecting growth vigor and flowering.
6. Pests and diseases: Black-eyed Susan usually has very few pests and diseases. Generally, only common plant and flower diseases such as root rot appear, mainly caused by excessive water and poor drainage and ventilation. Therefore, during daily care, watering must be appropriate, and it should be grown indoors in a ventilated and breathable place to strictly prevent the occurrence of diseases.