Daisy Sowing Methods and Key Points of Care and Management

Daisies differ greatly in appearance from other chrysanthemum varieties, and there are also many legends about daisies, so they are deeply loved by people. Generally, in the north of China, daisies can be sown in August-September, while in the south and other regions, they can be sown in late July. So what issues need attention from sowing to later care of daisies?

Daisy

From the sowing stage of daisies, special attention must be paid to light control, even in summer. When sowing daisies, no soil covering is needed, but the light must not be too strong, and appropriate shading is required; a thin layer of vermiculite can be used to cover them. The germination temperature must be maintained at 18°C; the substrate moisture should be kept between 80% and 90%, while the relative air humidity should be 100%; the pH value should be between 5.5 and 6.2, and no fertilization is needed during this period. In July and August, the greenhouse environment is mostly in a state of high temperature and high humidity, so shade nets, fans, wet curtains and other facilities are needed for ventilation and cooling.

After the plants grow true leaves, the air humidity should be reduced to prevent the substrate from becoming overly moist, and during the intervals between watering the substrate should be allowed to dry out completely. When the seedlings have 2 to 3 pairs of true leaves and the root system has finished developing, hardening off can begin.

During the hardening-off stage, water control is especially important, otherwise the seedlings are very prone to leggy growth. Bao Qingsong said that in order to avoid leggy growth, first of all, sufficient light must be ensured; on the premise of not exceeding 50,000 lux, the stronger the better, and it must be ensured to be no less than 10,000 lux. At the same time, ventilation should be strengthened, temperature and humidity controlled, and growth regulators used to inhibit leggy growth.

After the seedlings go through the hardening-off stage, they can be transplanted into pots. For containers, 12 cm diameter nutrition pots or flower pots are mostly used; the substrate should be loose, with good drainage and air permeability, contain iron chelate and trace nutrient elements, have a clay content between 15% and 30%, a pH value of 5.5 to 6.2, and an EC value of 0.5 to 0.75. After daisies are potted, the light should be even more sufficient, ensuring at least 50,000 to 100,000 lux in winter. During the production process of finished flowers, topdressing once a week is sufficient.

Daisies are susceptible to pathogens, so when planting, avoid dense planting and keep the environment ventilated and airy. When diseases appear, 800 to 1000 times diluted chlorothalonil or 1000 to 1500 times diluted jiaxiangling can be used for control; when pests such as aphids appear, infected plants or leaves should be removed promptly.

Introduction and Care of Daisies

Daisy flowers are also known as spring chrysanthemum flowers, malantou flowers, and yanming chrysanthemum, and are plants of the genus Bellis in the Asteraceae family.

Morphological characteristics: perennial herbaceous plant with persistent roots, often cultivated as an annual or biennial. Plant height 10-20 cm. Leaves clustered at the base, spoon-shaped or obovate, with wrinkled teeth along the edges. The flower stem is drawn out from the center of the leaf cluster, and the capitulum is solitary at the top of the stem; the ligulate flowers are in one or multiple whorls, and may be white, pink, red, or purple; the tubular flowers are yellow. Achene, seeds tiny, flat, grayish-white. Flowering period is March to June.

Growth habits and key management points: Prefers a cool climate and avoids heat; under hot conditions, flowering is poor and plants are prone to dying. Relatively cold-tolerant; can overwinter outdoors when the ground surface temperature is not lower than 4 degrees. It has no strict requirements for soil, and grows well in fertile, humus-rich, moist, well-drained sandy loam, but is not tolerant of waterlogging.

Propagation method: Seed sowing is commonly used. In the south, sowing is mostly done in August to September, while in the north it is mostly done in spring, and autumn sowing is also possible. The suitable temperature for seed germination is 22-28 degrees; seedlings emerge 7-10 days after sowing, and can be transplanted when 2-3 true leaves have grown. When transplanting, pay attention to promoting lateral root development and preventing leggy growth. For some superior varieties, division propagation can also be used. Division is carried out in autumn by dividing one potted plant into several clumps and then directly potting them for care; overwintering persistent roots can also be used for division before spring sprouting.

Home ornamental use: Daisy flowers are neat and brightly colored, and can be potted to beautify courtyards and balconies.

Key Points for Caring for Daisies at Different Growth Stages

The daisy is a perennial herbaceous plant in the Asteraceae family. Depending on the sowing time, daisies can bloom in spring or in summer, and they are also regarded by Italians as the national flower. So how should daisies be cared for at different growth stages?

Daisy

Stage One: Plug seedling stage one

The radicle germination stage begins when the radicle breaks through the seed coat, the young root contacts the soil, and lasts until the cotyledons emerge as the first stage. The temperature should be maintained at 18°C. Seed germination is light-favoring, so no soil covering is needed when sowing, but the growing medium must be kept moist; do not let the medium dry out during this stage. During this stage, the pH value should be kept between 5.5 and 6.2, and the relative humidity should be 100%. Direct sunlight should be avoided, and the seeds should be shaded after sowing.

Stage Two: Cotyledon emergence and growth stage

The second stage begins with the emergence of cotyledons and lasts until true leaves grow. The temperature is still maintained at 18°C. The moisture of the growing medium should be appropriately reduced, but it still must not be too dry; the humidity should be about 70% to 80%, which allows the root system to penetrate the medium and absorb nutrients to support the expansion of the cotyledons. The first and second stages require 14 to 21 days.

Stage Three: True leaf growth and development stage

The third stage begins with the growth of true leaves and lasts until 80% of the seedlings can be sold. The temperature is lowered to about 15°C. Air humidity should also be gradually reduced, and between two waterings the substrate can be allowed to dry out completely, thereby forming a wet-dry cycle that helps promote root development.

Stage Four: Hardening-off stage

At this stage, the root system has already formed well, the seedlings can basically be sold, and they become cold-tolerant through hardening off. This stage lasts about 7 days. Temperature, humidity, and fertilizer concentration are basically the same as in the third stage. Attention should be paid to timely transplanting and potting. The third and fourth stages require 7 to 14 days.