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Plant Brief

Helenium 'Ruby Tuesday'
from Pieter Damen

Introduced 2006

NO LONGER SOLD AS A DAWIN PLANTSPOTTERS VARIETY

Small, rich-ruby-red flowers appear in their masses on exceptionally compact plants.

Height: 20”/ 50cm
Spread: 10”/ 25cm
Hardiness: US zones 4-8
Blooms: July-September

Common name:
Sneezeweed

Patent status:
USA: PPAF
Europe: PBR applied for

 
 
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All you need to know
04-11-2005 12:17 How to keep 'Ruby Tuesday' happy in your garden, so you don't have to say 'goodbye' too soon.
By Miriam Young   

Helenium is a very easy plant to grow. It has good hardiness, tolerates a wide range of conditions and has few problems from diseases or pests.

Positioning
Like other Heleniums, 'Ruby Tuesday'  likes to grow in a sunny spot, which will encourage it to flower abundantly.
Although its preference is for moist soil, it will still perform well in most conditions, except for very dry ones.
Resist the temptation of planting 'Ruby Tuesday' in a shady spot just because the soil is damper there - sunlight is important! The best solution for dry soil is to add humus to it which will ensure it retains moisture.

Staking
'Ruby Tuesday' is considerably shorter than other Heleniums so shouldn't need staking.

Pinching
If you wish to keep the plants shorter and have them flowering later, you can do this by pinching out the stems.
The best time to do this is April or May, as pinching after mid-May might prevent the flowers developing altogether!

As the plant matures
At the end of the season the plants die back, but new shoots will have grown out of the old stem, forming little rosettes. The following spring these will grow, forming a bushier plant than in the previous year.

After a few years, the plant may have grown into a large clump of rosettes and this can be divided to make a few separate plants. To do this, simply break up the clump into a few pieces, each with their own root system.
The best time to do this is in Spring, when the plants start to grow, as if it is done in the Autumn, some of the newly divided plants may not survive the winter.

 
The Breeder
Pieter Damen
By Miriam Young
Pieter Damen believes in keeping things simple - a philosophy that's paid off well for him, and now for Helenium fans too.
The Story behind the plant
Horses for courses
By Miriam Young
'Ruby Tuesday' was selected from a breeding program designed to produce new cut flower varieties. Although it's far too short for that purpose, Pieter Damen realised that this delectable dwarf would find its way into the hearts of gardeners.
Growing advice
All you need to know
By Miriam Young
How to keep 'Ruby Tuesday' happy in your garden, so you don't have to say 'goodbye' too soon.
Forum
General discussion on Helenium 'Ruby Tuesday'
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