Golden ball is a flower of great beauty that will decorate any garden or house territory. Bright, sunny flowers will surely cheer up and will look great in an ensemble with other plants.
Botanical description of the species
Rudbeckia dissected refers to perennial herbaceous plants, whose height can reach three meters. However, bushes are most common, the average height of which is 70 cm. They have a fibrous root system and a horizontal, highly branched rhizome. Often it promotes the formation of plant colonies.
Bright flowers of Rudbeckia look great with islands on the background of a lawn, in the background of a mixborder or along the fence as a hedge.
Important! Before planting seeds of rudbeckia, be sure to decontaminate the soil - leave it for 3 days in the cold, then return to the same time for warmth. If it's not cold outside, you can roast the earth in the oven.Stems can be simple or branched, with a round cross-section, gray-green color. The leaves have smooth or jagged edges, dissected into large lobes of oval shape. Their length is 5-25 cm. The leaves located at the bottom of the plant are much larger than at the top.
The foliage has a dark green color, there are practically no hairs on it. Its lower part is pale green in color and has moderate hairiness.
At the end of the stem there is a simple or complex umbrella. The inflorescences are represented by large baskets, the diameter of which is about 10 cm. The shape of the receptacle is convex, after a time it takes on cylindrical outlines and sharp bracts. Barren reed flower has a bright yellow or orange color.
The flowering period begins in July and ends in mid-October. The fruit is represented by an oblong seed with a crown consisting of small teeth.
The best place to plant
Before planting flowers yellow balls, it is necessary to figure out in which place the plant will feel better.
Lighting and location
Despite the fact that rudbeckia prefers open sunny areas, it can grow normally and in a not very shaded place. Ideally, if the area where you plan to plant a flower, will be illuminated by sunlight 6-7 hours a day.
Lobularia, ageratum, chrysanthemum, aster, lobelia, gelenium, chamomile can be neighbors for rudbeckia.
The soil
The flower is not particularly demanding of the soil, but it will feel much better in a nutrient, light soil. If you plan to plant in clay soil, you need to mix it with sand and compost, add ash and sawdust. It is important that the soil is rich in nutrients - if they are not enough, it is worth fertilizing it with humus, peat or compost.
Landing rules
If you decide to plant gold balls on your plot, it is important to know how to plant and care for this plant properly. Consider the ways in which you can land a rudbeckia. 
Seedling method
The reproduction of the golden ball with this method is best done in late March - early April. First, the seeds are sown in special boxes for seedlings, a little above them should be covered with earth and moistened with a sprayer.
Capacities must be covered with foil and left in a room with a temperature of 20-22 ° C. After 10-14 days you will notice the first shoots. During this time it is important to slightly moisten the ground, to conduct airing of the crops.
When the first two pairs of leaves appear on the seedlings, they are transplanted, giving them space. After they take they are hardened - carried to the balcony daily for a couple of hours.
Did you know? According to Eastern legend, a young man in love with a sultana must prove to be a moon from the sky in order to prove his love. He extended his arms to the night luminary, took it out, but could not keep himself at the height and fell. The moon slipped and floated away into the night sky, and its reflection in the form of an infinite number of golden balls transformed into beautiful yellow flowers, which even today are a symbol of love.It is better to plant a plant in the open ground at the end of May - at this time it is already possible not to be afraid of frost. The distance between seedlings should be about 30-40 cm.
If the air temperature is already quite high, the flower will take root quickly, but if the nights are still cool, it is recommended to cover the seedlings with agrospan until they are accepted. Rudbeckia can grow in one place up to 5 years, so if you do not plan to replant it - spend the mulching of the 8 cm section of the compost.
Direct seeding
Sowing seed method is usually carried out in June. The advantages of this method include the fact that the landing is made immediately into the ground, so you do not have to spend time on growing seedlings. And the cons of seed sowing is that Rudbeckia will only bloom next season.
The principle of sowing is very similar to the cultivation of seedlings. In the ground it is necessary to make small grooves, put seeds in them and lightly sprinkle with earth. After this bed neatly irrigated. The first sprouts should slip in about 10-14 days. After emergence of shoots it is necessary to properly care for the plant, and how to do it, we will tell in the next section. 
Care for perennial flower
If you want flowers golden balls to delight you with their beauty, you need to properly cultivate and care for them:
- Watering. The flower does not need frequent and abundant watering, it is quite enough and rain irrigation. However, if the weather is dry for a long time, it is still worth wetting the soil every 3-4 days. After the rain, it is necessary to ensure that there is no water left on the leaves, as the plant may break under its weight.
Important! A perennial rudbeck should be sheltered for the winter, otherwise the following year it may not bloom. As a defense, use humus, lapnik or dry grass.
- Top dressing. It is recommended to flower the flower every year. However, do not make too large doses - limit the minimum amount of organic and mineral substances. Mineral dressing should be made at the root of the plant.
- Pruning. In order to give the opportunity to develop new buds, it is necessary to periodically form a bush. In the autumn, pruning of tall stems is carried out, leaving only 15-20 cm above the ground. Also carry out mulching of the root system with compost and sawdust.
Pests and plant diseases
Flower quite rarely affected by diseases, but sometimes powdery mildew can attack it. It has the appearance of white bloom on foliage and stems. To cure a flower, it is worthwhile to carry out spraying, for which a one-percent solution of colloidal sulfur or copper sulfate solution is used. The optimal proportion is 80 g per 10 liters of water.
Did you know? In ancient times it was believed that the golden balls are a talisman against cheating. That is why many wives sewed dried petals of Rudbeckia into their husbands' clothes.
In rare cases, a leaf nematode attacks on rudbeckia, which is characterized by brown spots on the foliage, leading to their thinning and death. To cope with the scourge will help such drugs as Basamid, Nemagon and Nemaf. It should be used according to the instructions, while it is better to remove and burn the affected areas of the flower.
A variety of pests also attack the flower, one of which is aphid. To prevent damage to the plant, it is necessary to carry out preventive treatment of the bushes with the help of special preparations.
Rudbeckia dissected or golden ball is a beautiful plant that will harmoniously fit into any flower bed at the dacha. Thanks to easy care, even beginning flower growers can plant it.
