Today, I shared some of my perennials with a lady. Black-eye susans, coneflowers, and white foxglove that I had wintersowed in Jan. the BES and Coneflowers I'd had at least 2 or 3 yrs. Both the BES and Coneflower were big clumps. The BES was a large enough clump that she could have made many plants out of it. It was still blooming but had many spent pods on it. Should she go ahead and cut that down low as she plants i of should she just cut it back about 4-6 inches and see if it will rebloom this Fall? Two of the coneflowers I had cut all the way back about a month ago. Another coneflower had finished blooming and had faded blooms still on it. I suggested she cut that one back like I had when she planted it. It should come back blooming in the Spring. The white foxglove has not bloomed. I imagine it blooms the second year. Told her to plant it right away and water all of them.
Also gave her some creeping yellow sedum and told her how to divide that into several pieces and how to break off pieces and start new plants.
Hope I gave her the right instructions. Can you add anything except mulching after she planted and watered it?
Transplanting black-eye susans
How fortunate you are to find someone to take BES. I have a garbage can full waiting for collection. and probably 2 more cansful to go. Talk about invasives............Herman
I know a lot of people don't like BES...but you know what? They are easy to grow, drought tolerant, colorful, and the deer don't eat them ( usually).
You forgot shade tolerant and really spectacular when massed. Since they have taken over the flower beds maybe I should plant them in the lawn so I wouldn't have to mow but once a year.
For the first time ever I saw a goldfinch tugging at a seed head.
Herman
Salix_man...I grew up in rural NC with a field of BES, like you said when they are planted in a mass group, they are pretty. The lady did nothing to them just let Mother Nature take over.