How to grow English daisies from seed

 

The English daisy scientific name is Bellis perennis and the plant has cheery flowers and edible leaves.  Actually the plant serves a dual role in gardens as an ornamental plant and culinary herb. The English daisy thrives within USDA plant hardiness zones four to eight, where it will produce an abundance of cheery, yellow and white flowers in early summer. The plants grow best from seed, which can be started indoors or outdoors depending on the local climate. The English daisy seeds require no pretreatment and it only require very little hands-on care to sprout successfully; though, the plant must be kept consistently moist to ensure a positive outcome.

 

Growing English Daisies Indoors from Seeds

-         You can start the English daisy seeds indoors 8 to ten weeks before the last spring frost if you are growing them in an area where frosts are common. Pick through the English daisy seeds and then discard any with obvious signs of damage like a shriveled or blackened seed coat.

-         Then prepare a planter for each of the English daisy seeds. Fill a 2 ½ inch starter pots with standard potting soil. Leave the top ¼ inch of each pot empty, so they don't overflow when watered. Then drizzle water into each of the pot to settle the soil. Let the water soak in for about ten to fifteen minutes before sowing the English daisy seeds.

 

-         You can sow one English daisy seed in each starter pot. Place the English daisy seed on the surface of the soil. You have to press it gently onto the surface to anchor it. Don’t cover the English daisy seeds with soil since light aids the germination process. Mist the English daisy seeds with a spray bottle to moisten it.

-         Just place the starter pots on a nursery tray. You need to move the tray to a bright area with plenty of indirect sunlight, such as near an east- or west-facing window. You can cover the pots with plastic wrap. Warm the pots to between sixty-eight and seventy degree Fahrenheit using a germination mat, if indoor temperatures are below sixty-five degree Fahrenheit.

-         Make sure you always lift the plastic wrap and check the moisture level in the soil every day. You can water the English daisy seeds with a spray bottle whenever the soil feels barely damp when pressed. Also water until the top ½ inch is moderately moist, but not soggy.

-         Watch for the English daisy seeds germination in 1 to 2 weeks. You can easily remove the plastic wrap once the English daisy seedlings emerge. You can decrease irrigation so that the top ¼ inch of soil dries out between waterings. Also remove the germination mat if one was used.

-         You can easily move the English daisy plants to a sheltered area of the garden with bright, indirect sunlight after the last frost. Acclimate the English daisy plant to direct sun and normal outdoor temperatures for 2 weeks before planting them in a sunny bed with moist soil.

 

Growing English Daisies Outdoors from Seeds

-         You can start the English daisy seeds outdoors in spring or autumn if you are growing them in an area where frosts are rare or nonexistent. Pick through the English daisy seeds and then throw away any with obvious defects like a shriveled or blackened seed coat.

-         Then prepare a bed 2 weeks in advance so any emerging weeds can be eradicated before sowing. Till and weed a sunny or lightly shaded planting site with moist, draining soil. Amend the bed with a three inch layer of compost if the soil is clay or sand based.

-         You need to weed the planting site the second time on the sowing day. Make sure you remove any emerging weeds before sowing the English daisy seeds so the seedlings won't have to compete for nutrients and moisture. Also water the bed to a three inch depth after weeding to settle the soil.

-         You need to roughen up the surface of the soil using a leaf rake to create shallow planting furrows. Sprinkle the English daisy seeds across the surface of the soil so they fall into the furrows. Do not worry about exact spacing at this point because you will thin the English daisy seedlings later, and don't cover the English daisy seeds, since the English daisy seeds need light to germinate.

-         Make sure you Mist the bed twice daily to keep the English daisy seeds hydrated during the germination process. You can also increase watering slightly during the periods of heat or drought. Try and stop watering during rainy weather.

-         Watch for the English daisy seeds germination in ten to fifteen days. You can thin the English daisy seedlings to one every six inches once they grow to two inches in height. Keep the strongest and most vigorous English daisy seedlings, and then remove any weak or leggy English daisy seedlings.