What killed my Rudbeckia?

I am not sure you can tell much by the picture. I planted 3 seed grown Rudbeckia hirta this year in this bed near my mailbox. I yanked one dead plant out of the ground a few weeks ago and it looks like another has met the same fate. It could be lack of water, but there are other newly planted plants in the bed that are doing fine. It is out by the road so I thought maybe salt, but I found a few references that said that Rudbeckia were somewhat salt tolerant. There are some purple coneflower plants in this bed that are not looking very healthy either. The coneflowers were in the bed when I moved in last year.

- Brent

I don't know Brent. I get some Black Eyed Susan's that just die off like that now and then.

Brent, was it root bound when you planted it? I have pulled out a few annuals where the roots just wrapped around into a ball. Just a thought.

Hmmm...my rudbeckias and purple coneflowers are getting eaten alive, too, by some sort of bug--holes everywhere. I bought an insecticide spray today, and plan to use it this evening. They told me not to use it while the sun's cooking everything during the afternoon.

Edit: If it ain't bambi, it's bugs...grrrr!

This message was edited Aug 10, 2007 5:57 PM

In my yard if I ever see a plant that looks like that I know it missed getting watered, usually my drippers clogged with the hard water deposits. That's my guess! The others look good though. ; )

I've been watering mine regularly, and they still got 'et'.

Hmmm...I pulled the dead Rudbeckia out of the ground today and there was pretty much no roots. Like they rotted away. I will keep a closer watch on my watering habits.

Here is a more flattering view of the bed. The lambs ear transplants are taking off, the salvia (in the middle) is doing great, the thyme (in the front) is doing well and there are some shasta daisies (on the left) that are still very small but holding in there. You can see a couple purple coneflowers that are having a hard time this year.

- Brent

Brent, were they wintersown seedlings? I must say I have had mixed success with my wintersown plants. But most of my Rudbeckia hirta are doing very well. On the other hand, I lost most of my purple coneflowers to unknown insults after I potted them up, and now something is eating the ones I planted out and which had been doing quite well until now - deer, rabbit or possible groundhog?

Bugs are eatin' mine. There are little holes in the leaves--coneflowers and the rudbeckias. grrr...

Interesting to read about your dead Ruds. Same thing happened to mine--rudbeckias hirta--seed grown planted and out by the mailbox! 2 of three withered up and died. The other seems just fine. I think it's some kind of wilt thing....

The rudbeckia were wintersown this year (along with the salvia, daises, and thyme). I have some of the same rudbeckia in other locations that are large and blooming like crazy. There is still one rudbeckia still in this bed (between the salvia and lamb ear) that looks healty but does not have any flowers.

- Brent

The joys of growing from seed...I grabbed two more plants from my "plant ghetto" and now the bed has two flowering Rudbeckias to replace the dead ones. I had heavily amended this bed with compost when I planted. I think I underestimated the water holding power of this bed and the plants got too much water.

- Brent

My guess, because of its location, is dog pee. You get one pooch marking it, and the others want the exact same plant, no others will do.

Suzy

Suzy,

I hope you are wrong. :)