How to plant, care and reproduce daisies

With the word “daisy” we do not refer to a single type of flower, but it is a generic term. It comprises a total of 42 different varieties which are often given local names.

The botanical name of daisy (leucanthemum) comes from the Greek and means “white flower,” but daisies don’t necessarily have to display white petalsThey can also be yellow, pink or purple, among others.

General characteristics of the daisy

In nature, daisies often grow in small groups. With a height of between 50 centimeters to one meter, they are among the largest wildflowers. Bloom time varies depending on the type of daisy, but is generally from May to August.

Most daisies have simple flowers and they provide food for bees, butterflies and other insects in the summer months.

But there are also varieties with complex flowers. If you want to create a garden that is friendly to insects (with butterflies and especially with bees), you must choose a variety with simple flowers, where pollen is most accessible.

This is how daisies are planted

The daisies they are very hardy and get along well with most soil conditions. A neutral or slightly acid soil is ideal for most species.

It is advisable to buy early young plants in specialized garden centers

You can also grow the young plants yourself in seed trays or yogurt cups, on the windowsill or sow directly outdoors from May.

You can plant daisies in a bed or in a pot. They will be prettier if you plant them in small groups. They prefer a sunny and protected place, but even a partially shaded spot is not a problem for them.

Most daisies are light sprouters, so You just have to cover the seeds with a little fine earth, both in the seed tray and in the soil.

You should not place young daisy plants outdoors until May, as soon as night frosts are no longer expected. This is how you should plant them:

The potting soil Conventional is suitable as a substrate. If possible, use soil without peat. Dig holes for the plants. about ten centimeters away with 20 cm depth. Maintaining planting distance is important because daisies grow very bushy later and require a lot of space.Put the young plants in the holes. Press the soil against the edge of the planting holes to close the space between the soil and the root ball.Finally, water the plants well. You can have the daisies in the pot on the terrace or balcony.

The important thing when caring for daisies

Daisies need a lot of water in summer. In hot and dry periods, you should water them up to twice a day. Especially when the flowers look droopy, that’s a sign of lack of water. Still, keep in mind that they do not tolerate waterlogging.

Although they are self-sufficient, daisies they benefit from an occasional fertilizer. About every two to three weeks in the summer, you can give them an organic liquid fertilizer.

Dried and dead flowers do not fall off on their own. Thereforeyou should clean and trim them regularly so that new flowers can form again.

Most types of daisies are perennial, some are annual. However, not all perennial species are winter hardy. Resistant varieties include, for example, the meadow daisy and the aster or autumn daisy.

They survive the winter in their location without any problems and do not need any additional protection. Only in very strong frosts can it make sense to cover them with a little brushwood.

The daisies in a pot you should leave them indoors during the winter. Leave them in a cool but bright place at five or ten degrees.

before frost it is convenient to prune them and reduce them to two thirds. For some varieties, the best time for pruning is before spring. You can ask your nursery expert what the needs of the daisies you acquire are.

Three options to reproduce daisies

1. Reproduce daisies by cuttings

In late summer you have the option of propagating your daisies by cuttings. For it, cut the shoots about 15 cm long from the mother plant and place them in pots with soil.Cover the pots with aluminum foil and keep the soil constantly moist. This creates a high level of humidity, which helps the cuttings grow.Check the pots regularly to check for mold growth. In May, you can plant the young plants outdoors or in pots.

2. Play daisies by division

You can also reproduce daisies by dividing the plants. For it:

Remove the plant completely from the ground and cut the root ball in half with a sharp shovel. You can then go back to plant the two parts of the plant separately in two pots.This method is good for the development of the bushes, dividing them and changing the pot every three years.

3. Propagate Daisies Using Seeds

In autumn daisies bloom and seed pods form. The seeds it contains can be collected and dried so that they can be re-sown in the spring. Store them in a dry, dark place during the winter.