How And When To Transplant Black-Eyed Susans

Black-eyed Susans are beautiful daisy-like flowers. To get the most out of these flowers, you should divide and transplant them. How often and when should you do this? After conducting thorough research, we can tell you all you need to know about transplanting these flowers!

You should transplant your black-eyed Susans every three to four years to keep your plants healthy and give them more room. The best time to transplant is in the spring or the fall. To move your black-eyed Susans, you should:

Deeply water the flowers you plan to move.
Prepare the area you're moving the flowers.
Dig out your black-eyed Susans.
Move the plant to the new location.
Mulch and water your plants.

Black-eyed Susans are hardy plants that should easily survive transplanting. Keep reading to learn more about moving these flowers, if they should be divided, and more important plant care information!

When to Transplant Black-Eyed Susans

Knowing when to transplant your flowers is almost as important as knowing how. You should be transplanting your black-eyed Susans when they're dormant in the spring and fall.

Fall is considered the best time because it gives the roots time to establish before winter. However, the toughness of the black-eyed Susans means that you could technically transplant them anytime through the year.

Signs You Should Transplant

Dividing and transplanting your black-eyed Susans will help your plants stay healthy and keep growing correctly. You'll know it's time to move your flowers once they start showing signs of distress.

You should start thinking about transplanting once you notice weak stems, fewer leaves, and fewer blooms.

You also need to consider transplanting if the flowers look crowded. Black-eyed Susans are self-seeding and can easily take over neighboring plants.

How To Transplant Black-Eyed Susans

Now that you've decided to move your plants, it's time to gather your supplies. You should have a shovel and garden shears. It would also help to have a bucket filled with water. This will help hydrate the roots before moving them to the next location.

Prepare Your Plants and Location

It's best to prepare everything you'll need before you dig out your plants. This will help minimize the amount of time the black-eyed Susans have to spend out of the ground.

First, you should water the plants deeply. This will help loosen the roots, making it easier for you to dig out. It will also help hydrate them and prepare them for moving.

Next, you should get the new location ready. You can test your soil to see if it lacks any nutrients or use an all-purpose fertilizer or compost.

Dig as many holes as you'll need for your plants. You'll have to ensure the holes you dig are big enough to accommodate the root systems. Dig a hole that is at least 12 inches deep and approximately 12 inches wide.

Dividing the Plant

With your new location prepared, it's time to work on the black-eyed Susans. You should cut back your plant to make it easier to move. To cut back your black-eyed Susan, you need to cut the stems approximately four inches from the ground.

Now you should take a shovel and use it to sever the roots. This is best done by first digging a circle around the plant. Then, take the shovel at an angle and carefully push it into the dirt, and lift your plant.

If you're dividing your plant, now is the time to do so. Take a small shovel and use it to break your black-eyed Susan into smaller plants. You should put your waiting plants into a bucket of water in the shade to further hydrate and protect the plant from shock. Allow the plants to soak for around an hour.

Transplanting the Black-eyed Susans

Your plants are ready to be moved when they're done soaking. Try transplanting your black-eyed Susans during the coolest part of the day. This will reduce the stress that they'll experience.

Move your plants into the waiting holes, fill them with soil, and cover them with mulch. It will take your black-eyed Susans a few weeks to recover from being moved. Adding a layer of mulch an inch thick will help the roots retain their moisture.

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Do Black-Eyed Susans Need to be Divided?

Yes! Dividing your black-eyed Susans is vital. These plants aren't considered invasive. However, black-eyed Susans will spread and take over neighboring plants if you're not careful. Dividing these plants prevents them from overtaking your garden.

Can Black-Eyed Susans Grow in the Shade?

Black-eyed Susans grow best in full sun. You should plant these flowers in a spot that gets a minimum of six to eight hours of sunlight. Remember to protect your black-eyed Susans from the afternoon light if you live in a hot area.

In general, black-eyed Susans are only partially tolerant of shade. So, a sunny location is a must. However, certain types of this plant are more tolerant of shade. The Rudbeckia subtomentosa is one example of a shade-tolerant black-eyed Susan.

How Do you Deadhead Black-Eyed Susans?

It's easy to deadhead your black-eyed Susan. All you have to do is pinch or cut off dying flowers. You should be cutting just below the base of the petals. Alternatively, you can also cut the stem all the way back to the bottom of the plant.

While deadheading isn't necessary, it can help your plants bloom for a longer time, create more blooms, and appear bushier. Not only that, deadheading black-eyed Susans can help control its spread. The flowers will turn into seeds when they die. You avoid more plants by removing the flowers before they reach that stage.

How Deep Do you Plant Black-Eyed Susans?

Black-eyed Susans have a fibrous root system. The critical feature of this root feature is that it grows close to the earth's surface. For many plants, the roots will rarely extend below 20 inches.

When transplanting black-eyed Susans, you should transfer them into a relatively shallow hole. Usually, a hole around 12 inches will work just fine. If you're moving a potted black-eyed Susan, you should dig a hole as wide and deep as the pot it started in.

If you're growing your black-eyed Susans from seeds, you don't want to bury them at all. These seeds need light to germinate. So, you need to be very careful with the amount of soil you put on them. Some gardeners even recommend leaving the seeds on top of the soil instead of covering them.

How Long Do Black-Eyed Susans live?

It's difficult to determine how long a black-eyed Susan plant will live. Depending on who you ask, these plants are classified as having an annual, biennial, and short-lived perennial life cycle.

Annual plants will flower and die in one season. Its seeds will regrow, and the plant will start a brand-new cycle. Biannual plants won't flower until their second year. At that point, it dies and begins again. Perennials are plants that will live for more than two years.

So, how long does a black-eyed Susan live? It can be anywhere from one year to more than two years. Keep in mind that even if you have a perennial black-eyed Susan, it may not live more than five years before dying and starting again.

In Conclusion

Black-eyed Susans are hardy plants that can survive being transplanted at nearly any time during the year. However, to lessen transplant shock, you should be moving your black-eyed Susans during their dormant periods, which are late fall or spring. Don't forget to divide your perennial black-eyed Susans every three to four years to keep them healthy.

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