When to sow Shasta daisy? Detailed guide to the best sowing time
The Shasta daisy is an ornamental flower with elegant blooms, suitable for beautifying various settings, so when should Shasta daisies be sown?
1. Sowing time of Shasta daisy
The sowing time of Shasta daisy is divided into spring sowing and autumn sowing: spring sowing is from February to May; autumn sowing is from August to October.
The Shasta daisy is a perennial or biennial herbaceous plant of the genus Leucanthemum in the Asteraceae family, native to Europe. It has been introduced and cultivated in China. It likes sunlight and is not choosy about soil; garden soil, sandy loam, and slightly alkaline or slightly acidic soil can all support its growth.
The plant height is 30-70 cm, and the whole plant is smooth and hairless. The stem is erect, unbranched or sparsely branched from the base, covered with long hairs; the leaves are alternate, long oblanceolate, with basal leaves up to 30 cm long; the upper leaves gradually become shorter, lanceolate, with obtuse-rounded tips, gradually narrowed bases, and finely pointed serrated edges.
2. Cultivation techniques for Shasta daisy
1. Propagation: mostly by division, sowing, and cuttings, with division and cuttings being the main methods. Division propagation is relatively easy and has a high survival rate; a one-year-old Shasta daisy divided in the second year can have 1 clump divided into 10-15 plants. The principle for division is that it is better to divide when aboveground growth has stopped and there are signs of withering. Divide according to the principle of 1 bud per plant. Choose robust, well-developed buds for division. Do not damage the buds during division, and carry out division and planting at the same time.
2. Site selection and land preparation: choose garden soil rich in humus, loose and fertile, and well-drained; sandy loam, with neutral to slightly alkaline soil, using decomposed sheep manure as base fertilizer. Before planting, deeply plow and sun-expose the land to eliminate fungal spores and remove weeds. The base fertilizer is turned in during plowing, the soil is kept at a certain moisture level, and then raked level.
3. Timely planting: planting when temperatures are high tends to cause early sprouting, affecting the flowering period and flower quality. Plant in combination with division; before planting, remove dead branches, rotten leaves, diseased branches, and weeds. The planting depth is 7-8 cm; planting too deep affects sprouting the following spring, while too shallow can cause wind-drying in the autumn of the same year. Plant in furrows or holes, then cover and compact the soil after planting. The plant spacing is 40×60 cm, and the planting density is generally 42 plants per square meter. After planting, water once thoroughly.
4. Watering: after planting before winter, water thoroughly to set the roots and maintain soil moisture. After sprouts emerge, the amount of watering must be sufficient and balanced. When the plants form buds, the amount of watering can be appropriately increased. Keep in mind to water less when the temperature is low and more when the temperature is high, to ensure the ornamental value of the plants. Watering is best done before 9 a.m. or after 8 p.m.
5. Fertilizing: according to the growth habits of Shasta daisy, apply a dilute liquid fertilizer balanced in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium once a month during the growing season, strictly control the amount of nitrogen fertilizer to avoid delaying the flowering period, and add 0.2% monopotassium phosphate to the dilute cake fertilizer water. For plants that flower earlier and have smaller flowers, basal shoot harvesting can be carried out to promote more branching and more flowering, thereby expanding the plant and increasing tillering.
6. Light: Shasta daisy likes light. At the planting site, remove obstacles that affect light to ensure that the Shasta daisy receives sufficient light.
In addition, pest and disease control is also needed so that Shasta daisies can grow better.