Seedlings and cuttings

Potting on young plants helps them grow well, says Ruth

- Ruth Hayes

THE blasted snails made a meal of most of our Rudbeckia seedlings, but there are a few survivors to be potted on and moved to the mini greenhouse.

They are half-hardy perennials, though usually treated as half-hardy annuals, and as they are still far too small to plant out I plan to overwinter them undercover and get them into the garden next spring.

This will involve potting them on once more, at least, before winter, but that’s fine by me as their sunny, sturdy, yellow flowers that can withstand all weathers, with beady black centres make them one of my favourite summer plants.

It doesn’t hurt that they are also popular with pollinators and are extremely versatile, growing well in borders as well as containers.