[mrs bouquet]

I want to dig these very big plants out soon and pot up some bits for next spring.   The leaves are all covered with rust.   Can I still use them, or should I get rid and start again.  ?   Mrs Bouquet

[sunshineband]

Is it rust, or mildew?

Either way, there may well be self sown seedlings already, which move every readily. much more so than huge plants (which are annuals anyway and so would probably not overwinter successfully) Or of course you can sow fresh seed and soon have plants to flower next Spring

[mrs bouquet]

Thanks for your reply.  It was definitely rust.  They have gone now.  I have dug up four this afternoon.   Each plant was large than carving plates !.    They did flower well this year, but have been there for many years.
An old gardener from the village, said, get rid.  Rust is a spore disease, and may transfer to other plants.
  I asked him about the spores in the soil, and he said not to worry.    It wasn't easy though because there rooting system was all muddled up with the roots of my big tree fern, which run just under the surface.   Now I have a lovely clear bed.   I feel pleased with myself, and shall buy some more Echinaceas and other pretties.

Thanks for your answer.  regards  Mrs Bouquet

[sunshineband]

You can keep calendulas going for ages if you dead head them frantically but I decided a couple of years ago that they grow so easily it was better to refresh them regularly. Sowing three seeds together (or transplanting three seedlings alongside each other) give you a nice big clump if that is the look you are after

[mrs bouquet]

Yes they are lovely, and I do deadhead them every other day.  They to were looking tall and straggly and very dull at the bottoms,   so they have gone as well.   I have saved seeds, from them all, so shall start again in the spring.   Now I am going to buy some 'Puckamuck'  as it is called here, and spread it about and lightly dig in and let the worms do the rest over the winter    Thanks again for your help,  Mrs Bouquet

[sunshineband]

You can always sow some now... they overwinter well and give you really early flowers that way too  as I read Puckamuck it sounded in my head like pac-a-mac and just for a minute wondered what kind of weather you might be expecting...….