When someone mentions daisies, we probably first think of small, white, meadow daisies (lat. Bellis perennis) that you can pick and use to make small flower crowns.
However, there are many different species more suitable for growing in the garden and there is no point in discussing the cultivation of meadow daisies much. That’s why today we will talk about a more colorful version called pomponettes.
This version of daisies is a bushy plant that will decorate your garden for many years in a row.
It blooms from March to June, and the flowers are either white or red or pink, and they can be a combination of several options – they are large, have a yellow center and look a bit berry-like due to the many petals that are not flat.
Cultivation and care of daisies
These shrubs do best in sunny areas or those that are in partial shade.
They can withstand more or less all temperatures and most weather conditions, except extremes of course, and they will also tolerate the cold well. Every two weeks you should provide them with some kind of supplemental food or fertilizer.
Daisies are very self-sustaining plants and in most cases you do not need to water them except in case of drought.
When the flowers are the biggest and “juiciest”, then you have to remember that at the first signs of dry leaves and petals you have to water the flower a little, but don’t make it a daily habit.
The exception is the time of the greatest summer heat, it is advisable to water them moderately twice a day – in the morning and in the evening.
Planting daisies
Spring and autumn are the ideal time to plant these wonderful plants. That’s when the temperature conditions are the best, and the choice in garden centers is the largest.
If you want to grow daisies from seeds, you can sow them in the greenhouse already in early spring, and then, when the plants grow, in late spring or early summer, plant them in the places where you want to grow them. These can be sunny and well-drained places in the garden, but also flower pots where daisies will also bloom profusely.
You can also sow daisies outdoors in July or August, but in that case you can expect the first flowers only the following year.
If you already have daisies in your garden, you can propagate them by dividing the sod when they bloom.
This beautiful flowering plant is often planted in combination with pansies.
Daisy is edible
Young leaves and green buds can be an excellent edible decoration. So, as far as meadow daisies are concerned, but also pomponettes version in its younger version, the young leaves are sometimes used as an edible decoration, and in rarer cases as part of a salad.