The decorative daisies are easy to care for and make no special demands on their location. As a container plant, they can decorate the terrace, balcony and window sill, but nothing stands in the way of planting in the flowerbed. There are only a few tips to consider so that the daisy family unfolds its full bloom and multiplies without any problems.
Table of Contents
location
The daisies are versatile and thrive on the window sill at home as well as in the garden. When choosing the location, it should be taken into account that the composites need a bright, sunny and sheltered place. The daisy grows more slowly in the shade and the number of flowers is significantly lower.
Shrub daisies require a lot more space than daisies on a standard stem. This applies to planting in pots as well as to their cultivation in the field. This fact should be taken into account when choosing the right location. The size of the planter must be twice as large as the root ball of the plant.
Neighboring plants must be planted at a certain distance from the daisy so that the roots of the plants do not interfere with each other and the daisy family are undisturbed in their growth.
plant
The available flower colors are as diverse as the growth forms of the plant. Everything is represented by pink, red, white, yellow and pink. Even after the first year, the daisy’s bloom will noticeably decrease, but it is still worthwhile to bring the plants safely through the winter in a cool room.
Marguerites are very sensitive to frost. The best time to move the plant into the garden is therefore from the end of April to mid-May. They need heavy, humus-rich soil for their soil. She is also happy to accept a small proportion of peat. Normal potting soil is usually sufficient for planting the daisies. It doesn’t matter whether it is grown in flower pots or in the garden.
pour
Representatives of the Leucanthemum make little claim to their location and would theoretically also bloom in the shade, even if only poorly. For this, however, the daisies need a lot of water, on hot summer days the watering amount can even be necessary several times a day. Drooping flowers and leaves are a visible sign of a lack of water in daisies.
The pouring rhythm and the amount depend on the selected location. Plants in sunny places and in the bucket have to be watered significantly more than daisies in partial shade. As with other plants, the daisy family also do not tolerate waterlogging. If the water does not drain off sufficiently, the soil around the daisy must be loosened.
Fertilize
In the wild, daisies are often found on soils that are poor in lime. Theoretically, the composites are relatively undemanding and do not require any artificial addition of nutrients. However, if you want to enjoy the lush flowers of the daisies, this should help a little. For this reason, the plant is given a small amount of liquid fertilizer every two weeks; fertilizer sticks have also proven their worth. Compost is also very suitable as a fertilizer. The advantage: the plant does not have to starve and can use the important nutrients for the formation of buds and flowers.
To cut
Faded plant stands not only look unclean, but must also be removed immediately. Because the daisy would concentrate its energy on the formation of seeds. If it does not succeed in this, it will develop more flowers.
The flower head is completely removed with sharp scissors. If you are bothered by the bare stems, you can also remove them.
Repot
Due to their lush flowers, daisies require a lot of space. Repotting also ensures the supply of new nutrients, which the plant gratefully accepts, especially after the hibernation.
- The new container for the plant should be a few centimeters higher and wider than the one previously used.
- Gravel or potsherds on the bottom of the vessel create a drainage system so that waterlogging cannot build up.
- Cover the ground with humus-rich soil.
- Carefully lift the plant out of the old flower pot.
- Carefully free the roots as much as possible from adhering earth residues.
- Cover the roots of the marguerite with new soil in the preparatory flower pot.
- Then water well to accelerate the rooting and acclimatization of the plant.
Overwinter
In many places there is still the opinion that summer flowers cannot be overwintered. However, some types of shrub marguerites are hardy and can, for example, spend all year round in the flowerbed without special protective measures. But the same applies to other varieties of daisies: With a little effort, it is possible to bring the plants safely through the cold season in order to delight the owner with my lush splendor of white star blossoms in the following year.
The following points must be observed for successful wintering: As long as there is no danger of frost, the marguerite can linger in the garden.
The plant needs a cool place to overwinter , because it does not get heated rooms at all.
- It would be advisable to stay in the greenhouse, in the hallway or in the garage at a temperature of 5-15 ° C.
- Before the hibernation, the marguerite is cut back by 1/3.
- Water moderately so that the root ball does not dry out.
- Remove yellow leaves immediately.
- When the plant sprouts again, reduce the watering rate.
- As soon as the days get warmer again in spring, the daisy can move back into the garden. Nevertheless, caution is advised against night frosts!
Propagate daisies
Marguerites are versatile in the garden and can decoratively embellish terraces, balconies, flower beds and, as potted plants, also courtyard entrances. Understandably, if many gardeners therefore want to increase the number of conspicuous composites. Marguerites can easily be propagated from seeds or cuttings. This method is easy and you will soon be able to call young daisies your own.
Propagation by cuttings
In late summer, a cutting is taken from an existing daisy:
- Cut off a 10-12 cm long shoot from the plant with sharp scissors
- Put this in a prepared container with a mixture of humus-rich earth and clay
- A warm location in partial shade is ideal for rapid root formation
- keep soil moistured
It can take several weeks for the first roots to show up. Young daisies are sensitive to cold, which is why they usually have to take root on the window sill at home. In spring, the young plant, like the older specimens, is relocated to the garden.
Propagation by seeds:
In order to increase the percentage probability of germination, seeds from specialist shops should be used.
- the best time to sow is at the end of January
- Prepare a shallow bowl with conventional potting soil for the windowsill
- Press the seeds about 1 to 2 centimeters deep into the substrate
- If there are several seeds, keep a minimum distance of about 3 centimeters. This saves premature pricking out of the seedlings.
- Always keep the soil moist
- when the plants have reached a height of 4 to 5 centimeters, transfer them to separate flower pots
sowing
The seeds are sown in the garden in warm spring. Special plant fleece or foil, which is placed over the beds and weighed down with stones or earth, has proven to be protective measures. This protects the seeds and the young seedlings from frost and also protects the soil from drying out too quickly. Waterlogging must be avoided with regular watering.
Important to note: Pay attention to a certain minimum distance when sowing. This promotes the growth and development of the plants.
Protect the young plants from frost and water them regularly.
As soon as the young daisies have reached a certain size, they can be relocated to their final location.
Diseases and pests
Not every brown or blotchy leaf on the plant can be traced back to a care mistake. Because the popular daisy family are also sought-after host plants for fungi and parasites.
Aphidsare probably the best-known plant pests. The sucking insect feeds on the nutritious plant juices of the marguerite and thus deprives them of the possibility of being able to use the nutrients for the development of new shoots and flowers. In the event of an infestation, the underside of the leaves of the plant shows a sticky deposit from the excretion of aphids. The shoots and leaves of the daisy roll up and visibly take care of themselves. Effective methods of combating the parasites are, for example, the use of their natural predators such as ladybirds, parasitic wasp larvae and lacewings. Regular showering with a stock of nettles or a soft soap solution has also proven its worth. Anyone who has already tried every home remedy or would rather be on the safe side right away,
Root rot is due to long-term waterlogging. The plant withers, brown spots form on the leaves and the potting soil gives off a clearly musty smell. If the root rot is still in the early stages, the marguerite must be drained immediately, rotten roots must be carefully removed. However, a strong infestation can no longer be effectively counteracted, the marguerite must be disposed of. For this reason, you should always water the plant carefully and the water must be able to drain into the soil without any problems.
Yellowing leaves , which dry up after, are an indication of the whitefly , a whitefly . The white, flightable parasites are usually located on the underside of the leaf. The tropical insect likes to settle on the daisies during hot summer days. They should be removed immediately with insecticides. Of course, natural pesticides have also proven themselves here, such as spraying the plant with a soft soap solution.
If the leaves of the plant turn yellow and fine webs can be seen on the underside of the leaves, the marguerite is infested with spider mites . The approximately 0.6 mm large insects feast on the sap and are most effectively combated with insecticides.
Conclusion
The profuse flowering marguerite is a popular plant and can be found in many domestic gardens. The dazzling colors of the daisy family are enormously varied; in addition to the classic white flower variant, daisy varieties with other shades of color are also available in stores. Leucanthemum are extremely easy to care for and forgive many care mistakes. Under the right conditions, the plant can survive the cold season without damage. Daisies are particularly recommended for those who want an easy-care dash of color on their own terrace or in the garden.
