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Jul 31, 2017 7:15 AM CST
Thread OP
zone 5 - northern Illinois
Planted some two years ago from a small cutting. It has quadrupled in size since. I want them to spread even more, eventually covering a large empty area that is currently overrun by weeds. However, last year they all fell over by late August and it looked pretty bad. This year it's even bigger. Wondering if I can do something to prevent them from falling? Or will that prevent it from spreading? I've attached a picture so you can see how big and beautiful they are.
Thumb of 2017-07-31/ninabee/75d34e
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Jul 31, 2017 7:27 AM CST
Name: Rj
Just S of the twin cities of M (Zone 4b)
Forum moderator Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Plant Identifier Garden Ideas: Level 1
As Yogi Berra said, “It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future.”
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Jul 31, 2017 8:22 AM CST
Thread OP
zone 5 - northern Illinois
Thanks crawgarden. Unfortunately your response didn't answer my question.
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Jul 31, 2017 9:34 AM CST
Name: Daisy I
Reno, Nv (Zone 6b)
Not all who wander are lost
Garden Sages Plant Identifier
If you dig down in front of a section, you can work off pieces to transplant. I would do this in late fall/early spring.

I'm surprised you aren't getting seed that you can scatter into other areas.
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and proclaiming...."WOW What a Ride!!" -Mark Frost

President: Orchid Society of Northern Nevada
Webmaster: osnnv.org
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Jul 31, 2017 10:50 AM CST
Thread OP
zone 5 - northern Illinois
Last year they spread without any help from me. Some even ended up about 10 ft away from the original plant.

What I really want to know is if there's any way to keep them from falling over without stopping them from spreading on their own?
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Jul 31, 2017 11:44 AM CST
Name: Daisy I
Reno, Nv (Zone 6b)
Not all who wander are lost
Garden Sages Plant Identifier
Sorry I didn't understand the question. They are beautiful. When you say fall over, do they pull out of the ground? The plant bends over? The flower stalks bend over? Does it happen every year?

Do they get sun all day long? Do the plants in new areas do the same thing?
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and proclaiming...."WOW What a Ride!!" -Mark Frost

President: Orchid Society of Northern Nevada
Webmaster: osnnv.org
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Jul 31, 2017 9:42 PM CST
Name: Rj
Just S of the twin cities of M (Zone 4b)
Forum moderator Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Plant Identifier Garden Ideas: Level 1
Believe in the hyperlink, they primarily grow by rhizomes.
As Yogi Berra said, “It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future.”
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Aug 1, 2017 4:06 PM CST
Name: stone
near Macon Georgia (USA) (Zone 8a)
Garden Sages Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Plant Identifier
I can't tell which variety of blackeyed susans you have.

Some varieties of coneflowers get tall... like 6 foot plus!

You don't seem to have anything like that...

Most flowers will sprawl... when there's nothing holding them up.

Out in the natural world, they have plenty of companion plants holding them up.
If the companion plants disappeared in the wild, the flowers would sprawl there too.

When dealing with the 6 foot tall varieties, and a gardener obsessed with tidiness, a tomato cage works.

when dealing with plants that are two or three foot tall, you can either let them grow in the weeds like in nature... or try some of the plant supports that are widely available....
be aware that many of those things need to be set out early enough that the plants can grow into them.

Here's an example of what's out there:
http://www.gardeners.com/buy/g...

As far as reproduction?
Try collecting some of the seed heads after the petals drop off... and see if scattering the seeds in new areas doesn't result in more plants.
Last edited by stone Aug 1, 2017 4:08 PM Icon for preview
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