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Ring stakes for Rudbeckia

LucidLucid Posts: 385
in Plants

Hi everyone,

I've got some Rudbeckia plants that are currently a few cm tall. On the RHS website it says that the plants should be supported with ring stakes well before flowering. The plants are supposed to reach 60cm tall, although at the moment they seem to be taking their time to grow. 

I'm trying to find out which type of ring stakes would be best as there seem to be different types, so thought I'd check if anyone had any recommendations? I also can't visualise how the ring stakes end up supporting plants. Do I need to do anything other than place them over the growing position? Am I right in thinking that once they start to flower I can remove the ring stakes, or should I wait until they're fully grown?

Thanks for any help,

Lucid image

Posts

  • LynLyn Posts: 23,047

    Its usually very windy in my garden and almost everything has to be staked, but strangely enough Rudbeckia is one that i dont need to stake.

    I do only have the Goldsturm but it is much more than 60cms. Why not wait until it grows a bit more before paying out for supports.

    I make my own from sheep/pig wire fencing and bamboo canes.

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • pansyfacepansyface Posts: 22,682

    I agree. Rudbeckia are quite wiry and don't fall over very much even in the wind.

    The ring stakes that you have to get in place early are the ones with a grid on top that balances, very precariously I find, on separate legs/spikes. The plant grows theough the grid, theoretically. I don't find this type satisfactory at all.

    The other kind is made of one length of wire which is bent into a half hoop on two legs. This one comes in different sizes. I find it very useful for plants that grow near paths. You can put it in any time of year. It acts a bit like an Alice band, keeping things held back rather than up.

    Apophthegm -  a big word for a small thought.
    If you live in Derbyshire, as I do.
  • primrosecottageprimrosecottage Posts: 817

    My rudbeckia I've grown from seed are about 4-6 inches and still in pots had hoped to set them in the garden but will they survive being so small they have been hardened off for 2weeks

    I don't think they will need any supporters but I use wire and canes  too wherever I need it is so much cheaper and they disappear into the foliage

  • chickychicky Posts: 10,400

    I grow goldsturm, indian summer, cherry brandy and rustic dwarves .....have never needed a stake. 

    Primrose - i grow from seed every year, and will be putting mine out in a couple of weeks (once I have got round to clearing the forget-me-not forestimage).  The slugs like them when they are young, but apart from that they are pretty tough for me.

  • LucidLucid Posts: 385

    Thanks so much for the advice everyone. I'll leave them to it for now then.

    Lucid image

  • primrosecottageprimrosecottage Posts: 817

    Thanks Chicky just needed reassuranceimage still having a go at things and it is mostly trial and mostly errorimage

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