Learn the Secret to Growing Endlessly Blooming Daisies in Your Garden
Propagating daisies for a garden is a popular activity for those wishing to add cheerful and vibrant blooms to their home landscape. While the common daisy is often not recommended for propagation due to its short-lived nature, other varieties, particularly the gerbera daisy, can be readily propagated. Whether growing from seed, stem cuttings, or crown division, propagating gerbera daisies will also produce an abundance of beautiful flowers.
Starting with seed is usually the most cost-effective way to propagate gerbera daisies. Collecting the seeds is an important first step in the process, and should be done within two months after they are collected from the parent plant. Plant the pointy end of the seed downward in well-draining, moist soil that has been exposed to sunlight. Germination should occur rapidly within 3 weeks, at which point the seedlings can be transplanted outdoors–if the perfect planting season has lapsed, the seedlings can be grown indoors in containers until the proper season arrives. For those wishing to obtain a large quantity of daisies, the seedlings can even produce their own seeds for a continuous supply.
It is also possible to propagate gerbera daisies from stem cuttings. Choose a healthy, six-inch stem, removing the flowers and buds as well as the leaves from the bottom three inches. Plant the stems in a rooting bed composed of equal parts of peat, perlite, and coarse sand for good moisture retention and drainage. Place the cutting in reflected sunlight and spray it regularly to make sure it does not dry out. Once the transplanted stem has taken root, it can be moved to its permanent location.
Crown division is yet another way of propagating gerbera daisies. When the plant becomes dormant, it is possible to divide the crown, but make sure to keep one healthy bud on each part before separating it. Crowns can be started in pots and transplanted when they have grown, or planted directly at their permanent location. Regardless of the starting point, once the new shoots emerge, it is important to water and feed the plant regularly.
Apart from the gerbera daisy, artemisia is an additional variety of daisy that can be propagated for gardening purposes. Making up part of the daisy family, artemisia consists of over 400 kinds of bushes and shrubs. These plants are characteristically drought tolerant, making them an ideal choice for home landscapes requiring less water and maintenance.
Artemisias are usually purchased from nursery stock, but for a more cost effective option, can be propagated from established plants using either division or cuttings. Division of the root system should occur every two to three years to promote healthy growth, ideally done during either the spring and winter months. To propagate from cuttings, cut a six-inch piece from an established stem, dip it in rooting compound, and place in moist soils in a pot.
Propagating daisies for the home landscape is a straightforward and rewarding process, with gerbera daisies and artemisia allowing for various propagation techniques. While some require a bit of effort and patience, the result is an abundance of vibrant and cheerful blooms, certain to brighten up any home garden.
