Rudbeckia & Gaillardia

Does anyone in the North West have anyway of successfully overwintering either Rudbeckia Hirta, Autumn Colours or Gaillardia, Oranges & Lemons? They are both such stunning plants that I'm reluctant to dispense with them after flowering.
I hope I don't become a pest with all my questions and I'm sure that my "novice" gardener status will shine through :wink:

 

I'm down South Denise, but I lost Gaillardia last winter, when it was extra cold. I believe they're known for blooming themselves to 'death' as it were though. But they're dead easy to grow from seed, flowering the first (and possibly only) year.

Can't comment on Rudbeckia - is it one of the tender perennials?

 

Thank you Aaron. The Rudbeckia does sound as though it could be a tender perennial.

 

The Rudbeckias I have (Goldsturm and Goldquelle) are as tough as old boots, but there are tender and annual varieties out there. From a quick google, your Rudbeckia seems to be one of them!

If you have somewhere frost free but not too hot, you could try lifting them and over wintering them that way, but it might be easier to buy new plants next Spring.

 

My Rubeckias (for cut flowers) were sown/planted out last year and have all survived the winter.

This year I'm thinking of adding Gaillardias to the flowers I grow for cutting (clicking my sig will show all I grow). I think that I've still got time to sow them.

Any suggestions?

 

On Googling I saw that Rudbeckia hirta is described as a biennial or short lived perennial that is also grown as an annual. Well I think that's covering all options. :D

There are quite a few such short lived perennials, like Salvia sclarea and Lychnis coronaria. Its not always a matter of hardiness as both of these are very hardy in their first winter. Christopher Lloyd (Great Dixter) wrote about them. he commented that it was many years befor he discovered that removing the flowers as soon as they had finished flowering (ie preventing them from setting seed) made this sort much more perennial.

But it may just be better growing them afresh each time. I do that with both of the above. Some plants are really reliable, hardy perennials that come back year after year, like some Rudbeckia. And these I would treat as perennials. But the prima donnas that might or might not come back are best thrown away. I suspect that Rudbeckia hirta is monocarpic (ie dies after flowering and setting seed) rather than not hardy.

 

Hi
I am in Central Scotland and although we had a horrendoous winter my Gallardia survived.

 

What I was actually after was suggestions for a variety of Gaillardias suitable for use as cut flowers.

I was hoping to get them ordered ASAP as T&M seeds are P&P free this weekend + 20% off using a code.