How to grow daisy seedlings at home. How to grow daisies from seeds and when is the best time to plant them

Daisies are two-year-old flowers; they bloom in the second year of planting. The flower is unpretentious and does not cause any particular difficulties in growing. However, experienced gardeners have their own secrets on how to plant daisies so that they bloom this summer.

Growing daisies from seeds

Traditionally, daisies are propagated by seed, sowing the seeds directly into open, moist soil. Sowing begins in mid-June, and the seeds are not buried in the soil, but lightly sprinkled with sand. They need light, moisture and warmth to germinate. The bed is immediately well watered and covered with film. Under favorable conditions, seedlings appear a week after planting.

Daisies grow very quickly, so they will soon need to be picked right in the garden bed. It is most convenient to plant flowers at a distance of 20 cm from each other. With good care, a powerful rosette of leaves will grow over the summer. But this method has one drawback - the daisies will bloom only next spring. There is no need to worry about delicate plants in the cold season; daisies tolerate frost well.

Important! There is no need to allow daisies to self-sow, despite the simplicity of this method. Every year, with independent propagation, the flowers become smaller and their decorative qualities deteriorate.

How to grow daisy seedlings

Not many gardeners know that growing daisies through seedlings is the best way to see flowering this year.

Before planting, prepare individual containers in advance, since the root system of seedlings is fragile and is easily injured during picking. Seeds should be sown immediately in separate pots.

Planting of daisies begins at the end of February or beginning of March. To do this, prepare a loose substrate that absorbs moisture well. A regular soil mixture from flower shops will do. The principle of cultivation is the same as when sowing in open ground. The seeds are not buried in the soil, but distributed on its surface. The main task of a gardener is to create suitable conditions.

1. Bright light. To germinate, seeds need good lighting; on cloudy days, additional lighting will be needed. The duration of daylight should be at least 12-14 hours a day.

2. Comfortable temperature. Immediately after planting, the room temperature is maintained at 20-22 degrees. After emergence of seedlings, it is lowered to 16 C.

Water the seedlings carefully, trying not to moisten the soil too much.

This is a simple way to grow strong seedlings daisies, which will tolerate transplantation into open ground well.

When to plant daisy seedlings in open ground

Daisies - no capricious plants, but before planting it is still worth preparing the site in advance.

To grow a flower, take a bright and warm place. The composition of the soil is not particularly important, but it is better if it is loose and nutritious. When growing daisies in heavy soil, frequent weeding and loosening will be required, so it is better to add sand and humus to the soil. This will not only improve the composition of the soil, but also make caring for daisies easier.

Advice! You should not plant daisies in lowlands, as the stagnation of thawed and groundwater leads to problems with the plant's root system.

The timing of planting seedlings depends on the region of residence and weather conditions. Usually the plant is transferred to open ground in late May or early June.

Scheme for planting daisies in the garden with photos

Planting of daisies is carried out by transshipment, trying not to destroy the earthen lump. If the seedlings were grown in peat tablets or pots, they are not removed.

Planting holes are placed according to a 20x20 cm pattern so that the plants have enough space to develop. Each hole is watered abundantly, and the planted flowers are pressed tightly with earth.

Caring for daisies in a flower bed

One of important rules– timely watering. The root system of plants lies shallow, so it dries out quickly. As a result, the inflorescences become smaller, dry out, and double forms lose their quality.

Daisies are watered every other day, but in hot summers they will need daily watering. If this is not possible, then the soil around the flowers is mulched with humus. This method not only retains moisture, but also maintains the soil in a loose state. In addition, in hot weather, mulch protects the roots from overheating.

When caring for daisies, do not forget about feeding. They prolong flowering and make it brighter. Plants need to be fertilized at least twice a season. Use complex mineral fertilizers for flowering plants.

How to propagate daisies

Despite good care for daisies, over time they lose their decorative effect. Experienced gardeners breed flowers not only as seeds, but also vegetative way. Dividing the bush and cuttings allows you to preserve the varietal qualities of the plant.

The division of the bush is carried out in early autumn. mother bush They dig up and divide into several parts, while all the formed buds are removed, the roots of the plant are cut by 5 cm. This will allow the plots to take root well in the new place. Young plants quickly take root and continue to grow.

Important! If the plot is left without roots, then plant it directly, new roots will grow from the base of the cutting.

You need to take cuttings from daisies at the end of summer. Using a sharp knife, separate the side shoots from the plant and root them in moist soil. As a rule, this takes up to two weeks. The resulting plants bloom the next season.

Diseases and pests

Miniature daisies are rarely affected by diseases and pests. Growing them is a pleasure. However, during viral epidemics the plant may become sick. This can be determined by appearance.

1. Pedicels elongate at the beginning of summer.

2. Inflorescences become smaller.

3. The leaf cover changes color and becomes pale.

Unfortunately, viral diseases cannot be treated, so at the first sign the plants are uprooted and burned. The planting site is thoroughly disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Caring for daisies after flowering

Flowering of daisies ends gradually, so their seeds are collected once a week. Withered baskets are cut off, the seeds are shaken out and stored in a paper bag. If there is no such need, then the baskets are simply thrown away.

Daisies tolerate frost well, but in snowless winters their root system may be damaged by low temperatures. For this purpose, in late autumn, the soil around the flowers is mulched with a thick layer of humus, sawdust or peat. The mulch layer should be at least 8 cm, which will protect the roots from freezing.

Important! If the roots of the plant are exposed and appear on the surface of the soil, then mulching is carried out in any case.

Growing garden daisies is an easy and fun activity. Even a beginner in gardening can cope with it. It is enough to understand the timing of planting, properly organize care, and promptly cover the plants for the winter.

Perennial daisies are considered one of the most delicate and unpretentious plants that reveal their beauty with the sunrise; planting them is not at all difficult. This is why the flower is valued among gardeners. The plant is used both for cutting and as a delicate accent for floral ensembles.

Translated, the name of the flower means “pearl”. The plant often reaches 20 cm in height, and the inflorescences can be various sizes both simple and more fluffy, terry.

Lawn of daisies

The color palette is quite varied and includes shades from white to bright red. The first buds appear quite early - in April. At the same time, the optimal temperature for the flowering period is considered to be +15–18°C, so the onset of hot summer days leads to a sharp reduction of flowers and the cessation of the abundant appearance of new baskets until August-September. After which the renewed flowering does not stop until the first frosts appear.

What varieties do gardeners value?

There are about 14 species of daisies found in nature, and varieties can be either annual or perennial. The former mainly grow on window sills, while the latter are actively used in landscape design for decoration. summer cottages and gardens. Although the garden daisy is considered a perennial crop, it is most often grown as a biennial, since overexposure in one place for more than 2 years leads to crushing of the buds and their subsequent degeneration. Muscari, forget-me-nots, calendula and other low-growing plants will look great next to such flowers.

Among the numerous varieties of daisies, several popular crops can be distinguished:

1. Habanera is a variety characterized by large inflorescences of white, red, and pink shades.
2. Pomponette is a plant with small buds reaching no more than 2 cm in diameter, and their number on one bush can reach up to 40 pieces.
3. RoggliRossa is valued for its red or white inflorescences no larger than 3 cm in size.

Planting work: from seedlings to planting in the ground

Regarding how to grow daisies, we can say that the flowers, which are delicate at first glance, are quite hardy representatives of the world of flora. The maintenance process is not difficult even for an inexperienced gardener. First, you need to decide on the place of cultivation. This can be a sunny or semi-shaded area, and the soil for planting must be well drained to allow water to pass through well. In the fall, when digging, the selected area will need to be fertilized with compost or manure. A similar rule should be followed when transplanting roses.

Learn more about daisies in the video.

Most often, when breeding daisies, planting occurs by sowing in open ground. Many gardeners prefer growing seedlings from seeds and then planting them on the site.

Perennial daisies: specifics of planting and growing

The seedling method makes it possible to grow a crop that is more resistant to adverse weather and the appearance of various pests. Daisies are grown from seeds for seedlings in order to get the opportunity to admire the blossoming of delicate and bright buds this year.

The whole process can be divided into the following stages:

1. Any soil rich in nutrients is suitable for sowing seedlings; you can purchase it in specialized stores.
2. Sowing of seeds is carried out in March in separate containers with moist soil. In this case, the seeds only need to be sprinkled with a little sand or humus.
3. For successful germination, the seeds should be provided with a temperature of +20°C and bright sunlight. In this case, the daylight hours should be at least 12 hours, but since the days are quite short at this time of year, it is important to be prepared to install additional lighting.
4. After emergence of seedlings, the temperature of the habitat must be lowered for several days to +15°C in order to stop the growth of green mass and allow the roots to strengthen.
5. At the end of May, seedlings are planted in open ground using the transshipment method to avoid injury to young roots. The distance between the holes should be at least 20 cm. After planting, the soil around the seedling should be compacted tightly and watered abundantly.

The procedure for growing daisies from seeds directly in open ground is similar to the seedling method. The only difference is that a daisy planted in this way will bloom only next spring.

If the question of when to plant daisies with seeds in open space is being decided, it should be noted that sowing is carried out in June in moist and thoroughly loosened soil. The prepared holes should be at least 10 cm apart from each other, and the seeds themselves should be sprinkled with humus or sand. Seedling is not recommended, since in this case access to sunlight will be limited to the seeds. When sowing, remember that the air temperature must be at least +20°C. After germination, you should wait 2 weeks and then pick the plants.

Replanting daisies and care

Grown daisies

It is important to remember that in the 3rd year of life, these flowers most often die or stop flowering. Therefore, in order to preserve the variety, the plant is propagated by division, and the place of cultivation is also changed. Transplantation is carried out in August or early September. First of all, you will need to dig up the overgrown bush, and then divide it into 5-7 rosettes with roots. In this case, the roots of the petioles must be cut to 5–8 cm, all leaves should be removed, and only then the cuttings should be planted at a distance of at least 15 cm from each other.

The unpretentiousness of daisies is appreciated by many beginners. For the most optimal growth and flowering, you need to take fairly careful care of your daisies and follow simple rules:

1. The rather shallow root system requires a lot of moisture, so watering should be plentiful, especially during dry periods.
2. After each watering, the soil around the bushes of the plant must be thoroughly, but very carefully loosened.
3. It is important to carry out timely removal of weeds.
4. Regular cutting of wilted inflorescences - important factor to extend the flowering period.
5. To maintain moisture in the soil, as well as to protect against weeds, the ground around can be mulched with leaves or straw.
6. Fertilize the soil at least 2 times per season. At the beginning of the season, it is necessary to scatter nitrogen fertilizer over the area chosen for planting. The second feeding is carried out with any mineral fertilizer at the beginning of the formation of buds. In the middle of flowering, you can feed the soil with phosphorus and potassium.

The daisy is considered one of the most suitable plants for growing in the garden. Indeed, planting and caring for an unpretentious crop does not cause any difficulties, and the delicate beauty of the plant can delight the eye both in flower beds and as part of bouquets and other flower arrangements.

Translated from Greek, margarites means “pearl.” And they really bear a vague resemblance to these jewels scattered across the clearing among the dense greenery.

Daisies are perennial or annual flowers. They grow in the form of dense bushes with inflorescences. The color is red, white and pink. In some places on Earth this flower is called the “eye of the day,” which has to do with its awakening. Daisies are one of the first to open their petals towards the rising sun.

Description of the daisy

These are gentle, but unpretentious flowers It is considered to be a symbol of youth and innocence. In ancient times they were even used in the treatment of the mentally ill. They have a rosette of spade-shaped leaves; at the base of long leafless peduncles, the tops are crowned with single inflorescences in the form of baskets.

It is noteworthy that the size of wild ones is 3-4 times smaller than that of garden ones. The edges of the flower are framed by reed petals, and in the center - small, tubular. Flowering occurs in April - May.

Varieties

All daisies cultivated in floriculture are divided into varieties, depending on the type and size of inflorescences and petals. Here are the most common ones.

• Rosa gigantea - has large flowers pink shade. Flowering May - June.
• Schneebel - has large white flowers. It has a large number of inflorescences. Peak flowering occurs at the end of spring - beginning of summer.
• Snowball - has more than 25 large inflorescences. It looks fluffy, hence the name.
• Etna - has deep burgundy flowers with an orange center. May have more than 20 inflorescences.
• Pompon daisies are the smallest flowers, but the number of inflorescences can reach 40 pieces.

  Flowering April - June.

• Perennial daisy - blooms for several years, gaining full strength in 2 years. The height can be up to 30 cm. It has elongated leaves in the shape of an egg, forming a basal rosette. The stem is smooth and erect. Inflorescences are collected in single baskets. The flowers are tubular with a yellow center. Color: red, white, pink. Flowering time is from late spring to early autumn.
• Garden daisy - just like the one above, is perennial. It has a white or red color and a delicate terry texture. The flower is actively used both in covering flower beds and as a balcony house plant.
• Terry daisy - have a color from white to red. They reach a height of 20 cm. They have large flowers up to 4 cm. Frost-resistant. Actively used in landscape design.

Accommodation in the garden

Daisies are quite frost-resistant, so they can be grown in northern regions. Requires a sunny location for planting. Any soil will do, except if it is too acidic or alkaline.

It is important to ensure sufficient drainage so that soil moisture is retained and sufficient respiration of the root system occurs. Some species can even be grown on the balcony, as already described above. These flowers are perfect for flower beds and alpine slides.

Growing daisies from seeds

Thanks to their unpretentiousness, growing daisies from seeds will not be difficult for any summer resident. The easiest way is to plant directly in open ground. However, they usually use purchased or self-created seedlings. This allows you to grow plants that are more resistant to pests and climate fluctuations.

Soil preparation and seed treatment

Before sowing seeds, the soil is cleared of weeds using herbicides. Loosen the soil to a sufficient depth to provide enough air for plant growth. Remove small debris. This general recommendations, applicable for all types of plants. What is required directly for daisies is a moist substrate, with a pH of 5.5-6.2, with a minimum amount of salts.

Planting seeds

Both coated and regular seeds are used. 3-4 pieces are sown in special cassettes. regular ones in each cell. Until the stage when the seeds germinate and the cotyledons develop, it is necessary to maintain high humidity soil and air.

Daisy growing from seeds

Typically this takes up to 21 days. Until the end of this period, the seedlings should be kept cool.

After the cotyledons open, the humidity is reduced to such an extent as to prevent drying. Watering is carried out exclusively in the morning. The first fertilizing is carried out with nitrogen-potassium fertilizers, in a weak concentration, which is gradually increased as the leaves grow and the plant develops.

After about 5 weeks, the seedlings are transplanted into pots and fed with iron chelate. It is important throughout this period to maintain a fairly low temperature and monitor the root system. Excessive growth or accretion will weaken the ability of the flower to adapt in the future. In the winter months, the temperature is reduced even more, and at the beginning of spring they begin to gradually increase.

Planting seedlings in open ground

Seedlings are planted in open ground in August, at a distance of 20 cm from each other. After a successful winter, the daisies begin to bloom in the spring. For planting, it is best to choose an open sunny place, loamy, loose soil with a moderate organic content. In dry and windy times, careful watering is required.

It should be fed at the beginning of flowering. Before wintering, they need to be covered with dry leaves.

Caring for Daisies

Watering

Daisies require regular watering. Especially in dry, hot weather. Without this measure, the flowers begin to shrink and gradually die. It is important that before watering good drainage soil. Without this, it will not be possible to retain moisture for the required amount of time, and the respiration of the lower parts of the plant will be insufficient.

Lighting

The flower requires a lot of sunlight, at least 6 hours a day. This means that it is best to plant on the south or east side of the property or house, as these places receive the most light. Of course, you should take into account the specific features of your home, due to the possibility of trees and other elements blocking the light.

Fertilizing the soil

The daisy is a delicate flower. Therefore, feeding must be competent and in compliance with all the rules, otherwise it can cause harm. Flowers already planted in open ground are fed in May. For example, using this liquid fertilizer: 2 tbsp. Nitrophoska + 2 tbsp. Dilute Agricola-Fantasia with 10 liters of water and pour 1 liter under each bush. During the season, several fertilizing should be done with fertilizers of similar composition.

More examples of suitable fertilizers:

• mullein infusion;
• 8 g of potassium sulfate + 25-30 g of superphosphate + 15 g of ammonium nitrate per 1 sq.m.

Wintering of perennial daisies

Daisies tolerate winter well due to their frost resistance. These plants are able to preserve even flowers and leaves under the snow, without requiring any special shelter. But there is one nuance - the roots of young plants are very vulnerable and require care. It is customary to add peat under them.

Reproduction of daisies

Daisies are propagated by dividing bushes, seeds and cuttings. Most selectively is cuttings. It allows you to preserve the most valuable varieties of flowers.

Daisies give abundant self-seeding, which is not very good, due to the deterioration of the varietal qualities of the seeds. This phenomenon needs to be fought. It is noteworthy that the flowers withstand transplantation well. This will help not to lose the frequency of the variety and get rid of ugly brothers.

Collection of seed material

You can not only buy the seeds of these flowers, but also collect them yourself from flowering plants. If you decide to acquire seeds without resorting to the monetary system, then you need to do the following. Collect sufficient quantity fading inflorescences. After this, you need to dry them in the sun, spreading them in a thin layer. This can be done throughout the entire flowering period.

After harvesting, they are sown as seedlings in March and throughout the summer. Flowering, however, will only be observed after a year.

Dividing the bush

This is done as follows:

1. At the end of summer, almost all the leaves are cut off from a healthy bush. A petiole of about 8 cm in size remains. The roots are also shortened.
2. The bush is divided into 3-5 parts.
3. Each part should be rooted, after which they will continue to grow.

Cuttings

When propagated by cuttings, side shoots are separated using a sharp knife and planted in moist soil. They need to be covered with lutrasil on top. They will take root in two weeks, but will produce flowers only after a year. This procedure is usually carried out in May - June.

Yulia Petrichenko, expert

Daisies can be found in almost any garden. They are a wonderful decoration for flower lovers and do not require too much care. You can find them everywhere! In city parks, in flower beds, in greenhouses and even on the balconies of amateur gardeners.

Have you already tried to decorate your property with these fluffy beauties? What types have been used and for how long? What impressions did your proximity to these beautiful flowers leave you with?

Yulia Petrichenko

Amateur gardener, 18 years of experience

About Me: I will share the secrets of a rich harvest and teach you how to create garden compositions.

Daisies: planting and care, growing from seeds, photo - print version

Basic rules for planting and caring for daisies in the open ground

Daisies - planting and care

“Pearls” - this is translated from Greek name daisies. Planting and caring for these wonderful perennials is within the capabilities of every gardener. Today, many magnificent varieties have been developed that have gained popularity all over the world. Their flowers can come in a variety of shades and sizes, but double specimens are especially beautiful. A suitable option can be selected for any landscape design.

According to scientific classification, daisy is classified as a perennial crop. However, it is more often grown as a biennial. After planting, compact rosettes are formed on short petioles; in the second year of life the plant will delight abundant flowering, but then the inflorescences will gradually begin to lose their decorative effect, becoming smaller. However, the area decorated with bright “pearls” looks bright and festive, so the graceful beauty definitely deserves attention.

Preparing daisies for planting

To grow daisies, you can safely choose open areas. The plant tolerates sunny days well, but will not suffer in mild conditions shading. sandy soil If it doesn’t work, the plantings will freeze. Loams are also not recommended; the bushes will rot. Heavy soil is improved by adding humus, sand and peat. It is worth taking care of the drainage layer. Before planting daisies, dig up the soil. If you follow all the recommendations, the miniature perennial will reward you with abundant flowering.

Reproduction

It is better to propagate daisies by seeds in June (second half of the month) or July. The seeds are very small, so they are simply distributed over the surface of the area and sprinkled with a little soil. Shoots will appear in a week or two. Then the seedlings dive and control the soil moisture so that the sprouts do not wither. Then you will have to wait about 30 more days, the bushes should get stronger. They are planted in a permanent place in September, the distance between plants is at least 20 cm.

Daisies grown from seeds will bloom next year, around the end of April. If you hurry with planting, flowering will begin by autumn, but almost all the plants will die in the winter, as they will be very weak.

In March-April, young plants can be planted in a greenhouse; the air temperature should be as close as possible to +18°C, then by the end of May they are transplanted to an open area and flowering can be expected closer to September. According to a similar principle, daisies are planted as container plantings, with the difference that after picking they are moved to pots.

Reproduction by division and cuttings

Plants reproduce excellently by self-seeding, but there is a risk of losing varietal properties. To avoid this, use cuttings or dividing the bush, and it is important to wait until flowering has finished. The bush is dug up, the buds, inflorescences and leaves are cut off (down to the petioles), the roots are washed, shortened to 8 centimeters to rejuvenate the plant, and the remainder is divided into 2-4 segments. The divisions are planted at a distance of approximately 20 centimeters from each other. If the days are hot, it is advisable to shade the plantings and water them abundantly.

Cuttings (side shoots with leaves) are separated in early June using a sharp garden knife. They will take root well in partial shade, especially if treated with a stimulating drug, for example, Kornevin. On average, the rooting process will take up to 3 weeks.

Daisies tolerate regular replanting from spring to autumn just fine, and this can be done even while they are blooming.

Caring for Daisies

Perhaps one of the main requirements in caring for daisies is to prevent the soil from drying out. If there is a lack of moisture, the flowers will begin to shrink or stop appearing altogether, so regular watering is extremely important. It is advisable to loosen the soil around the bushes and fertilize at least three times during the season using mineral fertilizers. For example, you can do this in April, July and September.

If you remove drying inflorescences, new ones will form more actively, which will make it possible to prolong flowering. In order for the plants to survive the winter well, they are covered with peat or spruce branches, a layer of about 8 centimeters.

These beauties are quite resistant to ailments and various pests.

Planting daisies in open ground and caring for them

But if the flower stalks begin to noticeably stretch out, and the buds become too small, it means that the bush has been infected by a virus. It is recommended to immediately remove such specimens along with the root system and a lump of soil. Powdery mildew can appear as a gray coating on the foliage; severely damaged bushes are also dug up, and those just starting to get sick can be treated with a fungicide.

If you follow all the rules of planting and care, the daisies will bloom until late autumn.

Application in landscape design

It’s hard to say where you shouldn’t plant daisies - they are good everywhere: in flower beds, in ridges and mixborders, as well as on alpine hills. Forget-me-nots of various shades, tulips, daffodils, primrose, and viola can become wonderful neighbors in compositions.

These delicate flowers are also placed in pots and containers to decorate terraces, verandas, windows and balconies, and sown on Moorish lawns. In addition, you can create charming borders, for example, along the paths to the gazebo. Don’t forget that the plant makes wonderful miniature bouquets.

Daisy - growing from seeds

Daisies are very pretty and cute flowers that can decorate any area. Their beauty is simple, like that of daisies, but at the same time so familiar and sweet that it is impossible to take your eyes off them. These flowers feel great in flower beds next to other plants. In addition, it is worth noting that daisies do not require special care, and therefore are very convenient - plant them and enjoy the flowering. In addition, you need to pay attention to the fact that daisies are very easy to plant - with seeds. Let's take a closer look at the process of growing daisies from seeds, as well as the process of caring for these beautiful and delicate flowers.

How to grow daisies from seeds?

As mentioned earlier, growing daisies is a fairly simple process, so even those who are not yet particularly strong in gardening and are just beginning to master their basics can take on growing these flowers.

Perennial daisies: planting methods

Daisies are most often grown from seeds, although dividing the bush can also be used. But the second method is more complex, so it is much easier and more effective to resort to the first option.

1. Time. Daisies are planted with seeds from the beginning of May to the end of June. The deadline for sowing is early July.
2. Place. So, daisies love good lighting, so the place for planting them should be sunny, maximum light partial shade. In general, daisies bloom more profusely in the sun, and in partial shade they are taller, although they do not bloom so luxuriantly. You can sow daisy seeds directly in a special bed or in greenhouses, and you can also sow daisies for seedlings in boxes, since anyway, when the first leaf appears, the plant will need to be pruned.
3. The soil. The soil for planting daisies should contain a sufficient amount of organic matter, as well as good drainage. In general, daisies can grow on any cultivated soil, but they still prefer loam.

In principle, we have decided on the main criteria for choosing a place to plant daisies. Now you can go directly to the description of the landing process itself.

How to plant daisies with seeds?

It would seem that everything is very simple - put the seeds in the ground and that’s it, wait for the shoots. But every process has its own secrets, knowing which you can achieve greater success in the enterprise. Growing a perennial daisy from seeds also has some of its own characteristics, so let's get to know them.

Before planting, the bed must be moistened, the soil leveled, and lightly compacted so that the seeds do not fall too deeply. The holes for sowing daisies should not be deep - you can simply walk lightly on the ground with a hoe, or you can simply scatter the seeds on the surface of the ground and compact them a little with your hands. The distance between the rows of daisies should be about five centimeters. After sowing, it is necessary to water the seeds, but carefully so as not to wash away the soil from the seeds, leaving them lying on surfaces. In addition, since the seeds are not very deep underground, it is necessary to constantly maintain a good level of moisture in the garden bed so that the daisy seeds do not dry out under the rays of the summer sun.

Picking is done with the appearance of the first leaf. They plant the plant with a distance between the rows of twenty centimeters, and between the plants themselves - five.

Further care for daisies is very simple - good watering and fertilizing, and these flowers don’t need anything else. But in the spring, your beds will be decorated with their delicate pink flowers.

Among many people's favorite flowers to plant in the garden are daisies. They are not only cute, but also unpretentious and easy to care for, and they can be replanted even in a blooming state. Growing daisies from seeds allows you to get flowering plants in the second year, and annual division of rosettes extends their life on the site for several years. Today our story is about these touching flowers and how to grow daisies from seeds yourself and properly care for them in the garden.

LEGEND OF THE ORIGIN OF DASIES

The name of this flower once adorned the coats of arms of royalty; it was embossed on the shields of knights during the Crusades. The name of the daisy is associated with many legends, one of which tells that modest daisy flowers arose where the foot stepped Holy Virgin Maria. Having received the good news from the Archangel Gabriel, she set off on a long journey to tell it to her relative. Wherever the saint's foot touched the ground, small white flowers appeared, forming a path. Fragile daisies with their petals personified the glory of God, and with their golden center they spoke of the sacred fire burning in the heart of Mary.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the genus Daisies (Bellis) are mostly perennial and belong to the Asteraceae family, which is confirmed by the characteristic shape of the flower and inflorescence - a basket. Total known species according to various sources from 14 to 30, but numerous garden hybrids the beginning was given by the perennial daisy (Ellis perennis), cultivated as a biennial in the climatic conditions of our country.

It is a herbaceous plant, reaching a height of 10 to 30 cm, with a short rhizome. The leaves are ovate-oblong with jagged edges and form a dense rosette of rosettes; their special feature is pubescence. The stem is leafless. Daisies have a basket inflorescence characteristic of the entire Aster family, consisting of tubular or false-ligulate flowers collected together. The outer flowers can be red, white or pink, while the tubular flowers in the center are most often yellow. The diameter of the inflorescence is from 3 to 8 cm. It opens at the beginning of the day, for which in England they are called by a name translated as “eye of the day.” Flowering is most intense in spring and early summer, and numerous seeds begin to ripen in June.

GROWING DASIES FROM SEEDS

Daisies bloom, as a rule, in the second year after sowing the seeds, so they are classified as biennial crops . This rather long period of development is explained by the fact that plants need to go through a cooling phase, that is, winter, in order to bloom. If you start growing daisies from seeds in the fall and provide the seedlings with the necessary temperature and other conditions, flowering will occur in the year of sowing. Currently, there are varieties of annual forms of daisies that allow you to get flowering plants in the first year. In this case, cultivation from seeds begins in January.

1. GROWING DASIES IN A TWO-YEAR CULTURE BY SOWING SEEDS INTO THE SOIL

Growing daisies from seeds is a simple process, and even a novice gardener can cope with it. Both store-bought and self-collected seed material is suitable. But you should not collect the seeds of hybrid daisies, like other hybrid flowers. Plants in the second generation will show a split in characteristics, as a result of which they will only vaguely resemble the original hybrid in appearance, and will lose their bright varietal characteristics.

Growing daisies from seeds by sowing in open ground is possible after the earth has warmed up. Typically, seeds are sown in June; the optimal air temperature for germination is about 20°C. The first shoots appear after two weeks. Two methods are used to choose from: the seeds are sown in a permanent place and then pulled up, or they are sown in growing beds and then transplanted seedlings for growing. For better results, it is advisable to start growing daisies from seeds in separate containers, using a special nutrient soil that guarantees the absence of weeds that can damage young seedlings, and then plant the seedlings in the ground. In this case, you won’t have to rip anything apart and throw it away.

Sowing is carried out in a moistened substrate. Until the seedlings appear, the containers are kept under film, ventilated daily and, if necessary, moistened with a sprayer. In hot weather, it is better to keep crops in light shade or partial shade. Planting the seeds should be shallow; it is enough to distribute them evenly over the surface of the soil and only lightly sprinkle sand or light humus on top. For seeds, especially purchased seeds covered with a special shell, access to light is important for germination, and if they are deeply buried, the hope that they will sprout is very small.

After the shoots emerge, the film is removed and care is taken to ensure that the substrate does not dry out. Water the seedlings in the first half of the day, if possible at the root. Once every 10 days, fertilize with a weakly concentrated complex fertilizer for seedlings. Grown seedlings are planted or planted on growing beds at a distance of 10 cm. Plants are transplanted to a permanent place in the second half of summer, keeping a distance of 20 cm.
Famous series of daisy varieties Habanera, Tasso, Robella.

PLACE ON THE SITE AND CARE OF DASIES

In order for daisies to bloom actively and for a long time, give them a sunny place or light partial shade in your garden. In hot climates and full sun, daisies are not so spectacular and very soon degenerate. They are not so picky about the soil, but adding compost and humus won’t hurt. Plants prefer light and structured slightly acidic and neutral loams that drain water well. The daisy loves sufficient moisture, but does not tolerate stagnant moisture and waterlogging of the soil.

Caring for flowers, like growing daisies from seeds, is a simple task and does not require much effort. Flowers even tolerate drought without much damage. The main stages of growing in a flowerbed are weeding, loosening and timely watering, as well as pruning faded inflorescences to maintain decorativeness (plants spend energy not on producing seeds, but on the next flowering). With proper care and comfortable conditions, daisies can bloom all summer, although not as actively as in spring and early summer. Feeding the flowers three times during the season also contributes to this. The nitrogen component should be less than 1/3 of the total number of elements, otherwise the plants will produce many leaves, but few inflorescences.

For the winter, open areas with double daisies should be covered with fallen leaves or spruce branches. This will keep them from freezing. In other cases, daisies show high winter hardiness and do not require winter protection.

To get early flowering plants, in the spring the bed with daisies is covered with arcs and film, or the plants emerging from the ground are transplanted into pots and brought into a warm and bright place (veranda, loggia, window sill).

At the end of summer, in spring or after flowering, divide the daisy bushes into 3-6 parts and plant them again, this way you will not lose their quality and keep them on the site. For better survival, shorten the roots a little and cut off the leaves, leaving only the petioles, and pinch off the buds.

Very rarely, a gray or whitish coating caused by powdery mildew can be observed on the leaves of daisies. Such bushes should be dug up and destroyed, and the remaining plantings of daisies should be treated with Fitosporin or garlic infusion.

2. GROWING TWO-YEAR-OLD DASIES THROUGH SEEDLINGS IN ONE YEAR

This method of growing daisies from seeds is more labor intensive and is more suitable for commercial production of early flowering seedlings. In conditions ordinary apartment Providing the necessary conditions can be quite problematic and here’s why.

Optimal time sowing daisies for seedlings - late September - early October, and it is recommended to provide young plants with additional lighting. The plants are illuminated based on the fact that the daylight hours for them should be 12-14 hours.

Growing seedlings of biennial daisies in closed ground requires compliance with a certain temperature regime:
seed germination occurs at +18°C;
the temperature throughout the growing period should not exceed +10-12°C;
the temperature from the end of October to the beginning of January should be reduced to 3-5 °C.

To bloom in the first year, daisies must be planted in open ground with an untouched clod of soil and as intact a root system as possible. Therefore, it makes sense to initially plant them separately, or first in a box, and at the stage of a pair of true leaves, plant them in separate cups. It is recommended to use special mini-heifers or greenhouses before seed germination, which will help maintain the necessary soil and air humidity. For sowing, prepare well-structured, nutritious soil. Distribute it into separate pots or into a shallow box. Plant 2-5 seeds in each pot.

Immediately before planting in the ground, home seedlings should be hardened to outdoors for 5-7 days, gradually increasing the time spent in the natural environment.

3. GROWING ANNUAL DAISY FROM SEEDS

Annual forms of biennial daisy are also grown through seedlings. Plants are sown in January or February, and they bloom in May-June. Well-known series of varieties and hybrids that do not require cold wintering are Speedstar, Galaxy, Bellissima. For successful germination, their seeds need heat+20°C, but as soon as the cotyledon leaves unfold, it must be lowered to 12-15°C so that the seedlings do not stretch. If you sow annual daisies in the ground in June, flowering will occur in late summer or early autumn. When growing in summer, there is no need to lower the temperature; +20°C will be comfortable.

There is also a natural species of annual daisy (Bellis annua). This is a low plant with medium-sized simple flowers Cultivated mainly in small rocky gardens or as a potted crop.

CUTTING DASIES

In addition to growing from seeds and dividing the bush, they resort to cuttings of daisies. This is a rare, but valuable, method of propagating daisies, in which flowering occurs in the second year. The starting material is a side shoot with leaves. It is cut in May or June with a sharp knife and planted in a loose, moist substrate under a transparent cover (mini-greenhouse). After rooting, usually after a couple of weeks, the cover is removed and the plants are provided with proper care.

USING DASIES IN GARDENING

Modern gardeners love daisies for their unpretentiousness, simplicity and at the same time sophistication. They, like stars, emphasize the emerald green of the lawn and shade the flower beds, while remaining decorative with early spring and until autumn. Landscape designers note that daisies look best against the backdrop of a green lawn. In the company of cereals, they feel great and look like precious scatterings of gems.
In addition, daisies perfectly complement flower beds with bulbous primroses: crocuses, daffodils, tulips and allow you to keep the space decorative even after they bloom and only green foliage remains. Container and pot plantings daisies. They can be placed in any corner of the garden, patio, balcony and terrace.

PROPERTIES OF DASIES

Not many people know that in addition to aesthetic pleasure, daisies can provide practical benefits. The simplest thing is to crumble their leaves into a spring salad and decorate it with their petals. Everything is edible and healthy, contains many vitamins. If you follow folk recipes, then with the help of daisies you can treat diseases of the respiratory system, digestion, urinary system, bones, skin, and insomnia. It is also believed that the juice of these flowers strengthens and heals the body, so herbalists often recommended adding it to the food of infants.

Today, daisies are popular among gardeners; they are planted in garden plots, cottages, balconies and loggias. This is all thanks to the fact that caring for flowers is simple, and the flowering is colorful and varied, because many varieties of this crop differ significantly in size, flower shape, level of terry, type of flowering and color. Growing daisies from seeds at home is not difficult.

The best varieties

Daisies are perennial and annual flowers from the Asteraceae family, having bright green elongated leaves and a large number of inflorescences; depending on the species, they have different shapes and flower colors.

The plant grows in the form of bushes, the height of which does not exceed 25 cm. The root of daisies is short, and the stem is almost leafless. Wild species differ from garden species in that the size of their inflorescences is several times smaller.

Daisies that are cultivated in floriculture are divided into varieties according to the following characteristics:

• flower size (small-flowered - up to 4 cm, medium-flowered - up to 6 cm, large-flowered - up to 8 cm);
• shape of inflorescences (pink, reed, pompom, tubular, spherical);
• type of flower (simple, semi-double, double).

The most popular varieties of daisies are:

• Pompons - have small flowers, but the inflorescences can grow up to 40 pieces, bloom from April to June;
• Schneebel - flowers are large and white, there are many inflorescences, begins to bloom in late spring;
  
  
• Monstrosa is a double daisy with pink inflorescences, the diameter of the inflorescences is about 5 cm;
  
  
• Snowball - named after the shape of the flowers; they are quite fluffy, the inflorescences are large, there are about 25 of them;
  
  
• Red carpet - has double red inflorescences, ball-shaped baskets up to 6 cm in diameter;
  
  
• Etna - flowers of a rich burgundy color, can have about 20 inflorescences;
  
  
• Tasso - from a series of pompom daisies with large baskets, tubular flowers, about 20 of them;
  
  
• Rominette - has densely double flowers with a diameter of about 2 cm;
  
  
• Cape daisy - has numerous inflorescences of various colors, the diameter of the flowers varies from 4 to 10 cm;
  
  
• Rosa gigantea - the flowers of the plant are large and have a pink tint, blooming from May to June;
  
  
• Spring Dream - winter-hardy daisies with flowers of red, white and pink flowers, flowering lasts from April to July;
  
  
• Red ball - semi-double tongue-type flowers are red in color and can reach 6 cm in diameter;
  
  
• Confetti - baskets are quite large, up to 8 cm in diameter, in red and white colors.
  
  

Daisies can be grown either by purchased seeds or by collecting them yourself. It is not recommended to plant seeds collected from hybrid varieties, because they do not retain varietal characteristics in the future and do not bring the desired result if they are replanted.

Experienced gardeners recommend irradiation planting material red light, the wavelength of which should be approximately 657 nm, and the duration of this procedure is just over two hours. After this treatment, the seeds can be planted at any depth and not worry that they will not sprout.

You can also carry out pelleting of seeds, during which they are covered with a protective coating consisting of nutrients, which, in turn, will protect the seeds from fungal diseases and insects.

Almost any soil is suitable for daisies, with the exception of too acidic and alkaline soil. The planting soil is heated and treated with herbicides to eliminate weeds. It must be loosened to the depth of sowing the seeds, the substrate must be moist and have high-quality drainage, it is necessary that moisture can be retained in the soil, but the root system of the flowers must also breathe. It is better to sow the seeds in separate containers that will be located in the room, because the optimal temperature for seedlings to germinate is 20-21 degrees Celsius.

Daisies delight the eye with magnificent blooms from spring to late summer, but, as a rule, perennial varieties bloom only in the second year after planting, because they have a long development period. In order for flowers to bloom in the first year, gardeners sow seeds for seedlings and it is recommended to do this in late February - early March, in this case, by June you can get ready-made seedlings for planting in a permanent place of growth. Additional lighting is indispensable; daylight hours should be 12 hours.

After planting the seeds, cover the container with film to create a mini-greenhouse; after two days it must be removed. The soil should not be allowed to dry out. If optimal conditions are met, the first shoots will appear in two weeks. At this time, you need to pick the seedlings. Seedlings need to be watered with water with the addition of mineral fertilizers. When the cotyledons open, the temperature should be reduced to 15 degrees so that the plants do not have time to stretch out; the daylight hours cannot be shortened, so you will have to illuminate until it is necessary. The soil in containers must be loosened periodically to provide the roots with access to fresh air.

You can plant daisy seedlings in a permanent place as early as June in warm soil. This must be done carefully, together with the lump of soil in which they grew, so that root system do not damage, the soil must be sufficiently drained. The distance between plantings should be kept within 20 cm. It is recommended to plant seedlings in well-lit areas. In the fall, the site needs to be prepared by adding rotted manure for digging.

The root system of daisies does not go deep, so it is necessary to water frequently, in dry weather - in the morning and evening. It is advisable to loosen the soil in the area where flowers grow, regularly, to saturate it with oxygen. Mulching the soil will help retain moisture if watering is often not possible. If the inflorescences begin to become smaller, it means there is not enough moisture.

For the first feeding of seedlings, weakly concentrated fertilizers containing nitrogen and potassium are used. The second feeding is applied at the beginning of flowering; for this, ammonium nitrate, superphosphate, a mixture of potassium sulphate or mullein infusion are used. To extend the flowering period, faded baskets are removed from flowers.

Daisies are popular among gardeners because they are quite resistant to various pests and diseases. But sometimes they are affected by diseases such as cercospora blight, septoria blight or root rot. They can be controlled by spraying with fungicides. Acaricides will help against ticks; against caterpillars and slugs, apply metaldehyde in the amount of 30 grams per 1 square meter. If flowers are affected by powdery mildew, they are removed or sprayed with garlic infusion. If a daisy is infected with rust, the diseased plant should be removed immediately, since even the use of chemicals is not effective against this disease.

Daisies usually survive wintering well under the snow; there is no need to cut off the above-ground part of the flower. But, in order to be completely calm about your flowerbed, you can cover them with a layer of sawdust, dry leaves or spruce branches. These procedures are necessary to ensure the safety of the roots, which can rise from the soil due to sudden temperature changes. If before wintering the root system is exposed, it should be sprinkled with soil.

Daisy is a perennial ornamental plant, characterized by double inflorescences and elongated green leaves. You can find it in red, white or pink. The peculiarity of the daisy is that it can reproduce both by cutting bushes and by cuttings or seeds. Its bright appearance and unpretentiousness have made this plant a real treasure for landscape designers and gardeners. More details about daisies - growing from seeds will be discussed in this article.

Daisies - growing from seeds

General description of the plant

Most often this plant can be found in the Mediterranean countries and western Europe. There are more than 15 types of daisies, but only 2 of them are used by gardeners: perennials and annuals. The former are used for growing in gardens, the latter - in pots. Many have heard about the incredible meteorological abilities of daisies - the flowers of the plant, having closed, are pressed to the ground before the rain.

Daisies

The height of the plant is no more than 20 cm; its appearance slightly resembles a small bush. The daisy has a bare, leafless stem, although in its lower part, at the very base, long, blunt-pointed leaves grow. The root system is branched, but small. The plant is distinguished by a large number of inflorescences, reminiscent of baskets with their unusual shape. Inflorescences are reed and tubular.

Perennial pink daisies

On a note! It is advisable to grow daisies as a biennial plant. This will allow gardeners to enjoy its shape and size of inflorescences for a long time. Flowering occurs at the end of April - the first half of May.

Daisy flowers - description

Most common varieties

Cute daisies can decorate any corner in your home or area. Despite their simplicity, the sweet beauty of these plants will always attract people's views. If you decide to grow daisies at home, then first you will need to decide on the variety, because there are many of them. Below are the most common varieties of this plant that are grown in Russia.

Table. Popular varieties of daisies.

	An early plant, distinguished by bright red or pink inflorescences, the diameter of each of them is 2.4 cm. From the moment of sowing the seeds until the first flowering, 110-125 days pass. The stems are small, about 10 cm in height.
	Another variety of daisy that has large flowers up to 5 cm in diameter, colored white, red or pink. Already in the first year of plant growth, flowering begins. Stems can grow up to 12 cm.
	Small two-centimeter flowers are the calling card of this variety of daisies. The inflorescences are red, pink or carmine. Despite the small size of the flowers, the plant can reach 15 cm in height.
	A very beautiful plant with bright salmon pink inflorescences. The flowers grow up to 4-5 cm in diameter, and the stem grows up to 18 cm in height. Due to its decorative qualities, some gardeners prefer to grow this particular variety.
	The unusual shape of the petals combined with lush double inflorescences made the plant very popular. This is not strange, because the well-known organization “Floroselect” gave this variety a prize because of its good decorative qualities. The plant grows up to 15 cm in height.
	Flowering of this variety occurs already in the first year after sowing. The daisy grows up to 14 cm.
	Another popular daisy variety, characterized by large double inflorescences up to 8 cm in diameter. Pink or red inflorescences combined with sparse petals decorated with a light openwork pattern create an incredible picture. The height of the stem can reach 16 cm.

Optimal sowing time

It is advisable to sow daisies in the second half of June - early July, that is, in the middle of summer. But if you plan to plant ready-made seedlings in open ground, then it is recommended to do this in the fall. In this case, you do not need to bury the seeds too deep into the soil - just press them lightly with your finger and roll them a little.

Growing daisies

This is a simple process that even people who are not good at gardening can do. Therefore, if you want to start your “creative” life by growing a flower, perhaps start with daisies. People often grow this plant from seeds, but more experienced gardeners They use another method - dividing the bush.

Reproduction of daisies by division

If in the first case everything is banally simple, then in the second you will have to work a little. Of course, before sowing you need to take care of the seeds and soil.

Blooming daisies

Preparing soil and seed

Any well-drained and cultivated soil is suitable for growing daisies. Loams are often used because of their properties (they retain moisture well). When preparing a bed for daisies, it is advisable to fertilize the soil with rotted manure in the fall. This should be enough for the plant to last almost a whole year.

Despite the light-loving plant, it also does well in light shading. Of course, when growing in partial shade, they will not bloom so luxuriantly, although the leaves will become more delicate and the flower stalks will become taller. When grown on the sunny side, the growth of daisies will be more active and abundant, but the height of the plants will be correspondingly lower. Optimal place for cultivation - this is an area that is not exposed to midday sun rays.

Soil for growing daisies

To grow daisies, you can use not only purchased seeds, but also those collected with your own hands - in both cases they will grow well. But if you decide to collect the seed yourself, under no circumstances use hybrid plants for collection. Otherwise, plants may lose their varietal characteristics over time. We are talking about the diameter of the inflorescences, the color of the leaves, flowers, and so on. Before planting daisies, you do not need to carry out any seed preparation - this is the ease of growing them.

Daisy seeds

Planting seeds

Having decided on the variety, you can begin growing. Often they sow seed directly into the beds - this is also correct. But we will look at the method of planting seeds in containers.

Table. Planting daisy seeds.

Step one	Having chosen a suitable container for growing (in this case it is a tray), fill it with soil mixture. Often people don’t bother preparing it, so they buy soil in specialized stores. After this, shake the soil a little so that it is distributed throughout the entire container.
Step two	Using a ruler, make special grooves in the soil for seeds. The distance between them is 1.5-2 cm.
Step three	Open the seeds and start sowing them. Daisy seeds are small, so sow them as if you were salting a dish. At the same time, try not to cover the seeds with soil.
Step four	Moisten the soil with a spray bottle. The soil should be moderately moist. It is not recommended to water it with a watering can or glass, as this may wash the daisy seeds out of the grooves.
Step five	Cover the container with a plastic lid and do not forget to write the name of the daisy variety on it with a marker, as well as indicate the date of planting. Do not place the container on the window. Optimal temperature for germinating daisies – +25-28°C.
Step six	After the first shoots appear, remove the lid from the container. You can also lower the temperature slightly, to about +18°C.

Daisy shoots

Aftercare

As noted earlier, daisies are considered unpretentious plants, capable of surviving not only drought, but also other, more unfavorable conditions. IN spring period You need to fertilize the daisies with special store-bought fertilizers for flowers. When flowering, try to regularly pinch off the heads that begin to fade, thus preventing the daisies from setting seeds. Such actions prolong the flowering period, since the plant believes that the attempt to leave offspring was unsuccessful, therefore, it must be repeated.

Daisy seedlings

On a note! If you grow perennial daisies in the garden, then you definitely need to divide and replant the plant (at least once a year). This is a troublesome procedure, but only in this way can you achieve annual full flowering of daisies without losing their decorative qualities. If we talk about watering, it should be moderate. The plant can easily survive drought, but waterlogged soil can become a problem for it. It is enough to water twice a week.

Using daisies in landscape design.

Disease and pest control

Daisies are quite resistant to various diseases and pests, but there is still some possibility of infection with a virus. In rare cases, the leaves of the plant begin to turn pale and decrease in size, the inflorescences become smaller, and the stems begin to elongate. As a rule, this happens in the first half of summer. If you suddenly notice such deviations in development, then the diseased plants should be burned, and they should be destroyed by the roots. And immediately treat the place where the affected daisies grew with a solution of potassium permanganate.

The plant may also develop powdery mildew, which is accompanied by the appearance of a gray coating on the surface of flowers and leaves. The resulting fungus can be eliminated using Bordeaux mixture or colloidal sulfur. One of these products needs to be used to treat all the flowers in the garden bed. And you already know what to do with affected daisies.

Damage to daisies by powdery mildew

Sometimes daisies need to be saved from ticks. To do this, treat the plants with Actellik or Karbofos. If you find mice on your site, which, by the way, can also damage plants, then you need to lay out special baits with poison. There are problems that can happen to your daisies, but they are very few. In addition, in the end, a pleasant surprise awaits you - a reward for your efforts and time spent in the form of beautiful and long-lasting flowering.

Decorative Ways to Use Daisies

Most often, daisies are used for decorative purposes as a small portable garden. To create a stylish and beautiful landscape, you must initially consider all the options for placing plants in pots. Vases, exquisite stone containers, or pots made of wood or ceramic can be used. Most economical solution are considered plastic molds. To decorate your home, daisies are best placed in relaxation areas (on the porch, near ponds, in secluded corners, and so on). Thanks to this arrangement, you can achieve the desired calm and tranquility.

Perennial daisy

Daisies in a flowerbed

Daisies in the garden

This plant is also often used to create decorative plant rugs. To do this, you need to choose large semi-shaded areas. In such conditions, the daisy will bloom long and brightly, and thanks to a well-chosen location, its leaves will remain until the end of autumn. In terms of choosing a composition, your hands are completely free, because when creating a carpet of plants, you can choose not only monotonous varieties and types of plants. For example, along the edges you can plant taller and dark flowers, and in the center are large and bright inflorescences of the Bellissima variety.

Video - Planting and caring for daisies

The daisy is a beautiful double flower that pleases with lush blooms for a long time. It can become a real decoration of your site.

Large, double, low-growing, with different colors - any variety of flowers has its own unique appearance and beauty. Flowers can be grown not only in the garden, but also at home.

Daisies are propagated by seeds or by dividing bushes. Flowers grown from seeds are popular because they can be used to realize any ideas.

Growing from seeds at home begins 2 months before flowering, usually March-April. The temperature during germination should be at least 21°C. After 2 weeks, the first shoots appear. After the leaves appear, the seedlings need to be picked and after some time planted in a permanent place.

For daisy flowers, cultivation must be carried out in compliance with certain rules.

They are not planted deep, but sprinkled lightly with soil or river sand. Planted in loose, well-fertilized, moist soil. The soil should not be damp or muddy. The soil should contain clay or sand. It is better to plant them where there is good light.

At the time of planting, you need to use compost and humus. A good option- add ammonium nitrate and potassium chloride during the growth process, with the help of which the flower will grow much faster.

In the second year, the flowers begin to bloom in May, continuing to delight with lush blooms all summer long. They bloom again in September. The height of the plant is about 20 cm. In the first season, a leaf rosette grows, and next year the flower will bloom profusely. He tolerates transplantation well.

The first fertilizing is done immediately after the soil thaws. In early June, it is good to feed the flowers with easily soluble fertilizer - nitroammophos. It is desirable that the fertilizer used contains phosphorus, which will improve plant growth in the first season.

You can feed with a solution of agricola and nitrophoska. These preparations are diluted in 10 liters of water, and then poured at least 1 liter under each plant.

Water daisies sparingly but regularly. On hot days, watering needs to be increased, but usually it is done about 3-4 times a week. Due to lack of moisture, flowers may become smaller and turn yellow.

Conveniently, daisies require almost no protection from disease. If the plant has damage, it is simply removed along with the soil. In rare cases, it may appear powdery mildew, caterpillars or slugs.

You can treat the flowers with Topaz solution or another similar product. It is necessary to remove wilted inflorescences in a timely manner so that the plant does not waste nutrients on dead areas.

For propagation, you can divide the flower bushes at the end of summer and plant them separately. This is a faster process than planting from seeds. The distance between the bushes should be approximately 20 cm. You can do this even during flowering. The plant is constantly renewed and produces young shoots.

Mulching the soil with sawdust, humus, and peat will help better preserve flowers in winter. In autumn, it is advisable to cover the daisy with spruce branches, straw or leaves.

The plant goes well with many flowers. It can be used as a carpet plant or used to frame a pond along with tulips, forget-me-nots or ferns. Daisies are well suited for decorating flower beds, borders, and lawns.

Unpretentiousness, beauty and long flowering - these qualities of daisies are valued by many gardeners. Well-groomed plants will delight you with their brightness, beauty and create a special festive mood.

The perennial daisy (bellis perennis) belongs to the Asteraceae family, genus Asteraceae. The homeland of the plant is considered to be Southern and Central Europe. But because of its attractive appearance and unpretentiousness, it has become widespread throughout the world. Africa, North America, Australia, Europe - this flower crop is cultivated everywhere.

And a wild form of the flower, the annual daisy (bellis annua), affectionately called the “pearl,” can be found in the wild. She prefers to grow in forest clearings, along roadsides. Small flower with small flowers white or pinkish tint.

Daisy is a perennial or perennial crop, grown as a biennial, with a compact rosette of oval elongated leaves. The height of the bush is 15-30 cm. The shoots end in inflorescences with a diameter of 4-8 cm of white, soft pink or dark red color. The structure of the flowers can be reed or tubular in the form of daisies, buttons, buboes. The flower is used in landscape design for group plantings and as a greenhouse or balcony plant.

Planting daisies in open ground

Daisies planting seeds Daisy in the garden photo

Since the daisy is a biennial plant, if it is grown using seeds or cuttings, lush flowering You can wait only for the second year. To flower this year, gardeners use methods: seedlings or division.

It is more correct to grow daisies as a biennial crop. But growing a flower by dividing the bush rejuvenates the plant, while maintaining varietal characteristics and decorativeness. So, let us once again list the methods of plant propagation: using seedlings, cuttings, dividing and sowing seeds in open ground. And now more details about each method.

Growing daisies from seeds When to plant seedlings

Growing daisies from seeds photo seedlings

When to sow daisy seedlings? If you want the flower to bloom earlier, you need to sow the seeds in February-March. It is better to plant seeds in separate containers. Pots made of paper, plastic or peat are suitable. In this case, if one or two plants have sprouted in a pot, you don’t have to pick them. If you use a large container for planting seeds, the grown plants will dive.

Seedlings grow well and do not get sick if the soil does not dry out and daylight hours last up to 14 hours. That is, it is necessary to ensure that the “young animals” are illuminated. Two weeks after the sprouts appear, reduce the temperature at the location of the plants to +15ºC. And the middle or end of May (7 days before planting seedlings in the ground) is the time to harden the plant.

• You need to sow in a common container on top of moistened soil as little as possible, lightly sprinkle sand or soil on top. Don't forget to do it on the day drainage holes so that the plants do not get sick.
• The container is covered with a transparent lid or plastic bag for creating greenhouse effect, ventilate daily.
• After the shoots appear, the cover is removed.
• Continue care with moderate watering and provide good lighting.
• Seedlings are planted when a pair of true leaves appear in separate cups.
• They begin to harden off a week before planting, leaving the seedlings outside for a short time at first, then more, up to a full day in the last days.

You can plant daisies in April-May, when there are no night frosts.

The video will tell you how to sow daisies for seedlings:

Propagation of daisies by cuttings

Daisies from cuttings will bloom only next year. Reproduction in this way is carried out in the middle and end of May. A young shoot with an axillary bud is separated from the mother specimen with a sharp knife.

Shoots treated with Kornevin are planted in the ground to a depth of 1 cm. The place for planting is a cold greenhouse. After half a month, the young plants take root. But they can be planted in a permanent place of growth only in early autumn, when the temperature is cool.

Cuttings of daisies photo

You can plant the cuttings on the windowsill, in separate cups, and simply monitor the moisture content of the substrate. It is best to plant in special soil for flowering plants so that the soil is nutritious and breathable. Rooted plants are planted in a permanent place in early September, not forgetting to cover them for the winter.

Reproduction of daisies by dividing the bush

This procedure is carried out in early spring or after flowering. For division, take healthy two- or three-year-old bushes. They are carefully dug up, trying not to damage the root system, and divided into 5-10 parts. Of course, each part must have a root. Flowers and buds on new plants are removed, the roots are shortened to 10 cm.

Dividing a daisy flower bush makes it possible to rejuvenate plants, obtain new specimens, while maintaining varietal characteristics and decorativeness.

Sowing daisy seeds in open ground

How to sow daisies in open ground

When sown in a garden bed, daisies will bloom only next year. Seeds are sown in open ground when the soil is ripe, at the end of March - April and until the end of summer.. They use the method of sowing on the soil surface, i.e. the seeds are not buried in the soil, but scattered over the area and mulched on top with humus or prepared sifted soil. If you do not immediately cover the seeds with soil, but first cover them with dark film and leave them for two days, their germination will speed up.

The soil with the planted seeds is regularly and carefully watered, avoiding drying out. To create greenhouse conditions, you can cover the area with the seeds with agrofibre. It will protect tender shoots from the bright spring sun and protect against nighttime drops in temperature.

Sprouts appear in two weeks, and after another two weeks they are planted in a garden bed or nursery. Daisies are planted densely. The distance between them should be no more than 5 cm.

Grown plants are planted in a prepared area at the end of summer. And next year in early spring they will delight us with abundant flowering.

Young plants that have sprouted as a result of the so-called “self-seeding” are weeded, removing weak and damaged ones. Plants grown in this way lose their decorative properties and characteristics of the variety: brightness of color, flower size, doubleness.

Planting daisy seedlings in open ground

Daisies long-term photos planting and care

In order for the flower to grow and not get sick, it is necessary to choose the right site and soil composition. Daisy loves bright lighting. An area near the trunk of a tree, in partial shade, is also suitable for her. Only the Cape daisy prefers bright sunlight, but in the shade it fades and loses its colors.

The plant prefers soil that is light, drained, and moisture-permeable. Loam with neutral acidity is best suited. If the soil on the site is sandy, then it is mixed with manure, leaf soil, humus, ash, and peat.

Perennial daisies grown from seeds are planted in a prepared area 30 days after picking. Transplantation is performed with a clod of earth to preserve the root system of the seedling. The distance between young daisy bushes is up to 20 cm.

It is not worth planting less often, as the effect of group planting will be disrupted. Also, flowers planted strictly in a line will not look interesting. After planting, you need to water the plants with plenty of water.

Interesting fact. Perennial daisy loves transplants. They activate the growth and development of the plant even at the stage of flowering and bud formation.

Caring for daisies in the open ground

Daisy growing from seeds when to plant photo

Daisies planted densely do not need to be weeded. But regular watering is a must: in hot weather - every day, at other times up to three times a week. Excess moisture is detrimental to the flower. Its roots may rot. To reduce the frequency and volume of watering, mulch the soil between plants.

In spring, during the period of snowmelt and after heavy rains, the soil is loosened to improve aeration.

Interesting fact. During growth, the perennial daisy choke out almost all weeds. This property of the plant is highly valued by gardeners. After all, there are almost no weed seeds in the soil after daisies.

The flower responds well to feeding. There are several of them per season:

• 1 time in spring (complex flower fertilizer);
• in summer 3-4 times with an interval of at least 10 days (potassium chloride, Amofoska).

To add decorative value to the flower and lengthen the flowering time, faded inflorescences are cut off.

Diseases and pests of daisies

The daisy is unpretentious and many diseases are not scary for it. But it is susceptible to diseases such as gray rot, rust, powdery mildew. The plant can also be damaged by rodents and insects.

1. Gray rot

The cause of the disease is damp, cold weather.
The appearance of the bush is watery leaves with a gray coating.
Prevention - reducing humidity.
Preparations for treatment - “Skor”, “Chistotsvet”.

2. Rust

The cause of the disease is fungal infection.
Appearance of the bush - leaves with rusty red or brown spots.
Disinfection is the removal of the infected part of the plant.
Preparations for treatment - 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture.

3. Powdery mildew

The cause of the disease is oversaturation of the soil with nitrogen fertilizers and lack of moisture.
Appearance of the bush - the leaves darken, appearing above and below white coating.
Prevention - destruction of plant residues, thinning.
Preparations for treatment - “Chistotsvet”, “Fitosporin”, “Trichodermin”.

4. Brown spot

The cause of the disease is damage to the plant by bacteria.
Appearance of the bush - the leaves are covered with light spots with a border.
Disinfection - removal of the infected part of the plant or destruction of the entire bush.
Prevention - destruction of plant residues, loosening.
Preparations for treating plants - “Kuprotox”, “Hom”
Preparations for soil treatment - solution of iron sulfate, 3% solution of Bordeaux mixture.

To protect flowers from animals- rodents: mice, shrews, moles - poisoned bait is left on the site. Make sure that pets are not poisoned by it.

Insects that can harm daisy plantings (spider mite and thrips) are destroyed by repeated spraying of the plant and soil. Solutions are used for spraying laundry soap, celandine, “Aktary”, “Iskra”.

How to collect daisy seeds

How to collect daisy seeds photo

Since when proper storage The germination of daisy seeds lasts up to three years, so it makes sense to collect and save the seed material. One condition is that the seeds are collected from non-hybrid plant varieties.

The rules for collecting seeds are as follows:

• seeds are collected only from faded inflorescences;
• the flowers, laid out in 1 layer, are dried on a paper mat;
• dried until the seeds fall out easily from the inflorescences;
• They store the seeds in paper or fabric bags, which indicate the year of collection, the name and variety of the flower.

Preparing daisies for winter

This important stage which should not be neglected. Failure to comply with wintering conditions can lead to partial rotting of the roots or to the complete death of the plant.

In order for the plant to overwinter well, remove dried leaves and flowers around the bush, cover the roots that are on the surface of the soil with soil.

Then mulch the ground around the bush. Suitable mulch is: humus, rotted sawdust, pine needles, peat. The mulch layer should be at least 5-10 cm. It is not advisable to use fallen leaves as mulch and covering material.

They can serve as a breeding ground for fungal spores or shelter for insect pests. That being said, fallen leaves placed in a compost heap are an excellent component for compost.
Plants overwinter best under a snow “blanket,” but if your winters are not snowy, you should cover your daisy bushes with spruce branches or other covering material.

Daisies in landscape design What to combine with

Daisies planting and care photo mixborder

The perennial daisy is a crop in demand by gardeners, designers and florists.
This is facilitated by such perennial qualities as:

• unpretentiousness;
• long flowering period;
• variety of flower shapes and a wide range of colors;
• good compatibility with other plants.

When planted alone, daisies are not very interesting, so they are best used as a companion crop for lining taller plants, such as spring flowering bulbs: daffodil tulips. Or in combination with primroses, lilies of the valley, hyacinths.

Daisies and tulips photo flower beds

There are a number garden compositions, which will lose greatly without daisies.
Daisies are planted:

1. Near natural ponds and streams, artificial reservoirs, thanks to the love of moist soil.
2. On lawns that are not cut (urban, Moorish, meadow) as a ground cover crop.
3. In group plantings (up to 10 bushes at a time). Here you can show your imagination and use both plants of the same color and variety, or completely different ones.
4. Daisies with small flowers are suitable for borders and on alpine hills.
   Here you should pay attention to the regularity of watering.
5. Cape daisies, which reach a meter in height, are used for the “back wall” of ferns, hostas, brungers, and bodans.

Perennial daisy is also used in group plantings in flower beds, ridges, balconies, in separate containers, as well as for cutting and forcing.

Daisies in garden design photo

Florists love this versatile culture. Low compact bushes of the plant look beautiful in ceramic vases, pots and containers. Such flower arrangements can decorate your favorite corner of the garden, greenhouse, terrace, balcony, patio, garden gazebo.

A small round bouquet of white or soft pink daisies can even be used as a wedding bouquet. A pot with bright button flowers against a background of green leaves will be a pleasant gift.

Types and varieties of perennial daisies with descriptions and photos

There are about a hundred species perennial daisies. They differ in the following ways:

• according to the height of the crop. Height varies from 2 to 30 cm;
• according to the structure of the flower. It can be reed or tubular;
• according to the shape of a flower. It comes in the form of a ball, daisy, pompom, rose;
• by the type of petal color. There are single-colored ones, with varying degrees of color on the upper and lower sides, with stripes, with spots. The color varies from snow-white to bright red;
• by the appearance of terry. There are plants with simple, double and semi-double flowers;
• according to the size of the inflorescence. Flowers are small from 1.5 cm in diameter, medium from 4 cm in diameter and large from 6 cm.

In addition, varietal daisies differ in the time they begin to bloom: early and late flowering.

Among the abundance of varieties and types of flower crops, we can still identify the most popular among gardeners. Thus, double and semi-double varieties and hybrids of perennials are mainly cultivated.

The most beautiful varieties of daisies with names and photos:

Daisies variety White ball photo and description

“White ball” - plant height 15 cm, double flowers, pure white.

Daisies variety Pink ball photo and description

“Pink ball” - plant height 15-20 cm, double flowers, carmine pink.

Daisies variety Red carpet photo Growing and care

“Red carpet” - plant height up to 20 cm, double dark red flowers.

Daisy variety Etna photo in the garden

“Etna” - color of flower petals: orange middle and dark purple edges.

Robella daisies photo in the garden

“Robella” - color of flower petals: coral combined with red.
Balcony varieties with abundant and long flowering. "Early Etna", "Dresden China", "The Pearl" are compact plants suitable for forcing in winter and early spring.

African daisy or Cape daisy Osteospermum ecklonis

African daisy or Cape daisy Osteospermum ecklonis photo in the garden

The so-called Cape daisies or African daisies (osteospermum) also belong to the Astrov genus. These are evergreen perennial shrubs or subshrubs. They grow up to a meter in height and have flowers similar in appearance to daisies or daisies.