Help- wilty rudbeckia

Help!
Not sure if this is the right forum, but I figure that y'all know our region best.

Just starting this garden. Having trouble with this Rudbeckia hirta Moreno. I have 2, they are planted next to each other, one is all wilting while the other seems to be doing okay. Put them in 10 days ago.
Soil is moist not wet (I may have been overwatering a bit up to Sunday - I finally started using my finger to check for dampness duh) and it has been super hot here (as you all know).

Do I wait? Do I move it? Is there something else going on?

I will post another picture showing the 2 together. They are planted in a small area that also has a Rudbeckia hirta 'Indian Summer" in it, which is also new (bought it huge at our local plant shop).

here is a picture of the 2 Morenos - wilty one on the right

larger shot of area
facing east, full sun starting about 11 am, then shade starting about 2:30.

Also have a catnip off screen right, a lemon balm offscreen right, and a small lantana offscreen left, with burford holly in the back on the left

I would water less, but shade them more by covering them with something. I bet their root systems are just too small to deal with the heat, but if you water them too much, they will rot (Rudbeckia is drought tolerant, but they need to be established to deal with intense heat/sun etc).

I had this same problem with a rudbeckia that I purchased in May. It drooped just as yours has and I continued to water it. It seems that once it was established (about 2 weeks) it was fine. It is now growing and full of blooms. So---don't give up on it ! Also, I lived in Columbia in the 60's and I am sure it is the hottest city on God's green earth during the summer.
Good luck with your plant.
B

I believe that the problem is three-fold - they are heat stressed (I mulched them well today and it is cooler) , I initially watered them too much (I am watching that right now by checking the soil before I water,) and I think I have leafhoppers. So I sprayed them well today and will be checking them for other bugs. This area has never been planted with flowers, and I think the bugs have just rung the dinner bell, plus the heat stress and having just been planted for 10 days is having a poor effect.,
So we will see what happens!

Thank you very much for4 the help, I will keep you posted (Oh, the second small rudbeckia is now all wilty, too, so I think that the bugs are getting them --- )

i would sugest taking the flowers off,that way it will put energy into rooting down and not trying to keep blooming

This message was edited Jun 11, 2008 9:12 PM

so how R they doing now? did you get any rain last nite...