Daisies are prolific bloomers, providing color from late spring to the first frost of fall. Keeping the plants blooming requires regular maintenance and a fertilizing regime. Often, African Daisies will slow down and take a rest during the summer. Cutting the plants back will prepare them to grow more flowering stems when the weather cools late in the summer.
Common Reasons Why African Daisy Isn’t Blooming
African Daisies are tender perennials that are most often grown as annuals. The brightly colored blooms need a very sunny position with at least 6-8 hours of direct exposure. Shadier spots will cause the plants to produce more foliage with leggy and sparse growth. Plants planted too early in the spring, before the last frost, will grow much slower and risk freezing and dying early in the spring. African Daisies are only hardy in temperatures above 45 degrees F.
An early frost in the fall will also kill off African Daisy. Container-grown plants can be protected by temporarily moving them to a sheltered spot or unheated greenhouse if cold temperatures are expected for only a day or so. Under fertilizing or overwatering can also affect the blooming abilities of African Daisy. Over time, nutrients are leached out of the soil in pots and the ground. Overwatering can deprive the roots of oxygen and cause rotting eventually.
Pruning African Daisy To Help It Bloom
Plants grown as annuals are generally known for their profuse flowering. Regular clean-up of spent flowers helps to encourage more blooms to form. This process, known as deadheading. ]can be used on many plants, from annuals to shrubs. Leaving the spent flowers will signal to the plant that it is the end of the season and time to form seed. Regular removal will force African Daisy to keep producing flowers for later seed production. As the growing season ends, blooming may naturally diminish as African Daisy prepares for winter dormancy.
Fertilizing African Daisy To Help It Bloom
Regular fertilizing will also encourage blooming in African Daisy. The correct ratio of N-P-K is crucial for encouraging blooms over foliage production. Look for formulations that have a higher middle (Phosphorous) number, such as 4-10-6. Phosphorous encourages bud formation in plants. Diluted liquid fertilizers are best for weekly and bi-monthly feedings. They will quickly reach the roots for much quicker results.
Supplement one watering session with the liquid feed every one to two weeks. Brands such as Alaska Morbloom and Foxfarms Big Bloom are rated by the OMRI (Organic Materials Research Institute) as meeting the USDA Organic growing standards. Also, using a formulation for tomatoes will provide the correct ratio of macronutrients.
Why African Daisy Isn’t Blooming
- Too much shade
- African Daisy needs 6-8 hours of full sun a day
- Deadhead the spent flowers regularly to encourage prolonged blooming
- Fertilizer regularly with a food formulated to support blooming
- 4-10-6 NPK or similar formulation will help blooming without promoting foliage
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Author Robbin Small - Published 8-31-2022 |