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How Do I Plant Black-Eyed Susan Seeds?

Erin J. Hill
Erin J. Hill

You should begin by planting Black-eyed Susan seeds in a small planter and placing them in the refrigerator for the first four weeks. This should be done six weeks to two months before the last anticipated frost of the season. Once you move them outdoors, they grow well in most any soil environment as long as proper drainage is available.

Black-eyed Susan seeds are typically easy to grow. The flower is extremely versatile and works well in just about any environment and weather conditions. Fully bloomed flowers have a daisy-like appearance with brown or dark-colored centers and colored petals. Yellow is the most common color, although they come in other hues as well.

Woman with a flower
Woman with a flower

When planting Black-eyed Susan seeds, only plant two or three seeds in each planter section or pot. Water them well during these first few weeks, and keep them cool as they germinate. Move them by a window after three to four weeks and wait for them to begin growing above the surface of the soil. Once the weather is warm enough, they can be moved to a flower garden, window box, or other area of your choosing.

Continue to water the plants well during the first year. This gives them a chance to fully take root and become established. After the first year they do not require as much water and can even continue to flourish during drought conditions. Do not use fertilizer when planting Black-eyed Susan seeds, but use a compost mixture instead to promote growth.

Maintenance for Black-eyed Susan seeds is relatively simple. Cut away any faded or dead leaves and petals regularly. This helps them grow quicker and more effectively. Aside from this, keep the the plants from becoming too overcrowded if needed, although they tend to grow well in most any conditions. They are also naturally repellent to animals once the petals begin to take on their hairy appearance.

These flowers are readily available and extremely common because of their easy growing requirements. They typically grow two years in a row and then more seeds will need to planted. Since they are easy to care for, they make a good starter flower for new gardeners or for those who want spring flowers but who do not have much time to tend to them.

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    • Woman with a flower
      Woman with a flower