Other Years

Indian Summer
2013
June 23: One volunteer.
September 23: Did fine.  
2012
September 19: A few plants are flowering.
 
2011
March 29: I started 12 cells with about 3 seeds per cell.
April 2: One sprout.
May 22: I planted them a few days ago. A couple are showing signs of iron chlorosis.
23: I gave them some iron fertilizer.
 
2010
March 14: I planted 9 cells using seed from the package and from last year.
June 17: I set about 9 plants out a couple of weeks ago, and they are doing fine.
 
2009
March 30: I obtained seeds of the Indian Summer variety from Stokes Seeds, and planted 18 seeds today in 9 cells. Their catalog says (3 ft./91 cm). Sturdy wind tolerant plants produce huge 6 -9 in./15 - 23 cm single and semi-double golden yellow blooms. Twice the size of other types! AAS Winner.
April 5: 14 sprouts this morning.
May 23: I set out 9 healthy-looking seedlings.
24: Many of them look too dry. I watered them. I hope that’s enough.
July 4: Coming along fine. Eight remain; one died.
August 3: Coming along fine. One large flower bud.
September 16: Many flowers, some now finishing.
 
Marmalade
2008
May 6: I see 2 small plants in their bed.
June 1: I found 4 plants near the compost bins and transplanted them into the garden.
December 31: I had a few nice plants, some of them double-flowered.
 
2007
May 1: None in sight.
16: I scattered all my seeds from 2002 in their bed.
June 16: A few small plants have sprouted.
 
2006
April 26:  Only 1 sprout in its bed, but there 2 larger plants near the peonies.
May 22:  I moved those 2 plants.
August 1: Only 1 plant is flowering, and it is not very large. They have done poorly in this extremely dry summer.
 

Rudbeckia, 2005

2005
April 19:  There were good green leaves when the snow melted.
May 3:  There are 6 plants.
July 8:  A couple of flowers are half-open.
October 4:  A few plants were producing double flowers this year. They were not Mayas, as Mayas are much shorter.
 
2004
June 23:  There are 2 or 3 survivors and 2 or 3 new plants.
July 31:  There are a few flowers now from medium-sized plants, and a number of small plants new this year.
 
2003
April 28:  As I don't see any volunteers or old plants in the garden, I sprinkled seeds from 1995 and 2002 into vermiculite.
May 3:  A few sprouts today.
6:  I found 3 plants outside.
8:  There were no sprouts from the 1995 seeds, so I discarded them.
28:  As there were only 2 plants in the rudbeckia plot, I dug the plot, incorporating steer manure, and then planted about 5 plants, alternating Marmalades with Chim Chiminees.
July 5:  Growing well.
August 26:  Flowering nicely.

2002
April 21: A few plants are showing leaves.
July 24:  There are 2 patches of many flowers.
September 8:  One plant is still flowering but the others have matured and died.   There a several smaller plants that should be good next year.

2001
May 1: There are a few small plants.
July 1: A first flower is opening.
December 2: There was a good display this year.

2000
April 24: New leaves appeared today on many plants.
July 5: First flower.
August 8: Still a grand display!
~September 28: William mowed them down. Almost all flowers had finished and were gone to seed.

1999
April 19: In spraying the dandelions with glyophosate today, I inadvertently sprayed a few of the rudbeckia! I poured water over them right after, and I hope they'll be alright.
May 13: They look alright. I moved a few volunteers in the garden to the planned Rudbeckia area.
June 27: First flowers. Growing well.
August 3: Flourishing nicely.
31: The same.
~September 21: I mowed them down, for the winter. They were certainly pretty most of the summer. They seem to be doing well in their new, stable, area.

1998
May 2: A few plants are in leaf.
June 3: There are some old plants, and a few young ones, which I moved about 2 weeks ago to eliminate crowding.

1997
May 27: One plant continues from last year. I moved 3 volunteers into the rudbeckia bed. The ground is hard there, it should have been dug.
~June 12: 2 more moved from 503.
August 7: Flowering magnificently.

1996
May 4: No signs of growth.
27: 3 old ones growing, and I moved a 4th one to join them.
July 6: First flower.
September 4: Still flowering beautifully.

1995
May 9: One plant is visible and growing. A closer look show 2.
June 1: 3 more from Parkview Street added.
July 7: Starting to flower. The plants at 503 are farther along.
July 29: They flowered nicely, especially at 503.

1994
April 17: Planted 12 seeds..
11: 1 up.
26: 3 seedlings.
September 4: 1 in flower, and 2 more alive.
October 20: Moved.

1993
August 5: Flowering very well.
August 18: There are many marmalade rudbeckia flowers.
September 4: There are many blossoms.
 
Chim Chiminee

Chim Chiminee Rudbeckia, 2003

2005
July 10:  One plant is in flower.
19:  There are 2 plants. I pulled one up as I don't really admire this variety and I don't want it crossing with the other kinds.
 
2004
July 31:  No plants of this type have appeared this year.
August 24:  One flowered late, and has since died away.
 
2003
April 28:  I sprinkled seeds from the original package and from 2001 into vermiculite with a little soil-based starting mix.
May 3:  A few sprouts today.
28:  As there were only 2 plants in the rudbeckia plot, I dug the plot, incorporating steer manure, and then planted about 5 plants, alternating Marmalades with Chim Chiminees.
July 5:  Growing well.
29:  First flowers, 4 at once.
August 26:  Flowering nicely.

2002
May 28: No volunteers.

2001
January 3: Seeds arrived today from Thompson and Morgan, US$2.99.
May 11: I planted 18 seeds in a 9-pak.   They are covered with vermiculite, as per instructions.
June 18: I set out 7 plants.
August 29: 3 plants are flowering nicely.   The first to open had only about 14 petals per flower, but the other 2 have more, and resemble the plants on the seed package.
 
Maya
2005
May 5: I bought a package of this double-flowered variety from T&T, $2.50, and started 9 cells. The seeds are a bright yellow!
9: 2 sprouts tonight.
13: 10 sprouts now. They have been germinating one by one since they started.
28: About 6 sprouts remain, and they are growing very slowly.
June 17:  I set out my 6 plants. They are not very large yet but I think they are large enough to survive.
July 19:  There are some plants with double flowers in the rudbeckia patch; I am not sure if they are Mayas or not.
October 4:  The Mayas eventually flowered. They are much shorter than the earlier double-flowered plants. On the whole, I think they are too short for my perennial bed.