Sowing of Seed
When to sow seed of a Daisy:
Seeds can sown either in spring or autumn depending on the variety. Some can be sown in spring as well as the autumn.
How to sow seed of a Daisy:
Seeds can been sown indoors as well as outdoors, depending on the variety. Tender plants are usually sown indoors whereas hardy biennials and annuals can be sown outdoors.
Indoor Sowing
You need:
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good quality seed
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peat based seed compost or multi purpose compost
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a suitable plastic pot or tray / or: cellular trays, peat pots or Jiffy 7s
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a sheet of dark paper
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a sheet of glass or plastic bag or a propagation lid
1) Preparation
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in case the seed has a hard coating it's advisable to shake them in a jar
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filled with coarse sand and let the seeds soak overnight in some tepid water
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moisten the compost, but make sure it doesn't get too wet
2) Sowing
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place the seeds on top of the compost and cover with a layer of sieved compost which is twice the diameter of the seed
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very tiny seeds shouldn't be covered at all
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place a sheet of dark paper over the top of the pot or tray (this is needed for most varieties, although some do need light to germinate! Read the seed package for instructions on this!)
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place a sheet of glass over the paper or cover with a plastic bag or propagation lid
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keep the temperature between 65° - 70° F (= 18° - 21° C), which is ideal for most seeds
3) Germination
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some seeds germinate within days others germinate after weeks
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as soon as the seedlings appear take off the paper but leave the glass on for a few more days
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then move to a bright spot but keep out of direct sunlight
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keep the compost moist
4) Pricking Out
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when the seedlings are big enough to handle they need to be pricked out into multi purpose compost
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use trays, small pots or cellular trays depending on the size of the plants
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bigger plants should be pricked out individually into 3 inch pots
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keep the temperature between 50° - 55º F (=10° - 15º C)
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water as necessary
5) Hardening Off
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let the seedlings recover from the pricking out
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then move them to a cold frame
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keep the cold frame closed for a couple of weeks
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then start opening the cold frame during day time, but keep closed at night
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the cold frame can be left open night and day a couple of weeks later, but keep frost free
6) Planting Out
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plant out in late spring when all risk of frost is over
Outdoor Sowing
You need:
-
good quality seed
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a suitable area in the garden
1) Preparation
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in case the seed has a hard coating it's advisable to shake them in a jar filled with coarse sand and let the seeds soak overnight in some tepid water
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prepare a nursery bed by raking the soil to an even surface and add some peat or compost (no fertilizer!)
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make drills 6 - 12 inches (15 - 30 cm) apart three times the depth of the seed
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water the soil if dry
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mix small seeds with silver sand
2) Sowing
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sow the seeds thinly
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cover the seed with some of the soil and firm gently
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cover the area with wires or twigs to prevent birds from eating the seed
3) Germination
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some seeds germinate within days others germinate after weeks
4) Thinning Out
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when the seedlings are big enough to handle they need to be thinned out leaving 1 seedling every 2 inches (5 cm)
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a week later thin out again leaving the seedlings 4 inches (10 cm) apart
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bigger plants should be left 6 inches (15 cm) apart
5) Planting
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plant biennials in autumn where they are to flower the next season
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plant out hardy annuals in spring (April or May)
Problems with growing daisies from seed:
|
Symptoms |
Cause(s) |
Remedy |
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seedlings don't appear |
1) seed is not fresh |
1) store seeds in a cool place (note that some seeds don't stay viable for long) |
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2) wrong temperature |
2) keep the temperature at the level that's suggested on the package |
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the seedlings suddenly disappear after they've germinated |
the seedlings have been eaten by slugs |
keep slugs and snails under control |
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the seedlings are shriveling and wilting away |
1) too hot and dry |
1) on hot days keep doors and windows open and use shading |
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2) not enough ventilation |
2) keep the greenhouse or cold frames well ventilated | |
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the seedlings are rotting |
the seedlings have been over watered |
water sparingly |
DAISIES that can be sown by seed are:
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Achillea