Cosmos and Rudbeckias

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Charithea

  • Hero Member
Cosmos and Rudbeckias
« on: October 02, 2017, 12:34:48 PM »
For many  years now I have been trying to grow Cosmos and Rudbeckias in addition to other seasonal flowers. I had many failures but come the cooler weather I start again. I have sown Several packets of seeds both of Cosmos and Rudbeckias last Nov.  to benefit from cooler temp and hopefully some rain and have tried different locations  in the garden and in pots. Some germinated but the majority died.  The only Cosmos we have is this small specimen in the photo. The seeds were given to me two years ago by Marcus Mariani in Vellentri when we visited his garden. He had some beautiful specimens growing.  Ours never reached that height but it is resilient. It came back again this summer and it is still in flower.  I hope it will , year by year, grow taller.  Only four Rudbeckias survived. Three are average height but not flowers yet and one over 5 foot. It flowered yesterday. You can see the top of my head in the photo.  You would ask why do I go through this charade every year. I read the RHS magazine and the photos of the Summer flowers make me want to have another try.  One lives in hope.... 
I garden in Cyprus, in a flat old farming field, alt. approx. 30 m asl.

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Charithea

  • Hero Member
Re: Cosmos and Rudbeckias
« Reply #1 on: October 15, 2017, 09:24:44 AM »
Well here is the place to correct my mistake.  After comparing the leaves, height and the flowers I have realised that my Rudbeckia is in fact a Jerusalem artichoke.  I don't know how the pot was mislabelled. Finally none of the many seeds of Rudbeckias grew!!!
I garden in Cyprus, in a flat old farming field, alt. approx. 30 m asl.

Sandra

  • Newbie
Re: Cosmos and Rudbeckias
« Reply #2 on: October 20, 2017, 12:13:19 PM »
It's worth persisting with the Rudbeckias. They can look glorious and once established will put on quite a show. I grow mine in a west facing location with just a little shade. They do need watering, especially early in the growing season if the temperatures start to soar.

The photo shows my Rudbeckia bed in 2015. We had to dig up all the plants yesterday in an attempt to irradiate a Campsis that was threatening to take over but the plants went back in fine, all divided and hopefully good for next year's display. I also took the opportunity to underplant with Alliums to extend the season of interest.
Sandra Panting
I garden in the Southern Peloponnese, Greece and will soon be creating a small garden in Northampton, England.  I'm co-head of the MGS Peloponnese group and a member of the RHS.