Hello, sunshine enthusiast! We are daisies, and we're thrilled you've chosen to bring our cheerful, sun-faced blooms into your home. To help you help us thrive, here is our guide to a happy life together in a pot.
First, we need a comfortable pot to call home. Please ensure it has excellent drainage holes at the bottom; we despise having our roots sit in water, as it makes them rot. A pot that is 8-12 inches in diameter is a great start for us. As for the soil, we are not picky, but we do demand it be well-draining. A standard potting mix is perfect. You can even mix in a handful of perlite or coarse sand to make it extra airy, which our roots will thank you for by growing strong and healthy.
Our watering needs are simple: we like a consistent drink but never a soggy one. The best way to check is to stick your finger about an inch into the soil. If it feels dry, it's time for a deep, thorough watering until you see water escaping from those drainage holes. Then, please let us drain completely. If the soil is still moist, wait a day or two and check again. Overwatering is the quickest way to make us sad and unhealthy.
We are true sun-worshippers! To produce our best and brightest blooms, we need a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight each day. A south or west-facing windowsill is our ideal spot. If we don't get enough light, we will become leggy as we stretch desperately towards the sun, and we will produce very few, if any, flowers. If you notice us getting thin and weak, please find us a sunnier location immediately!
While the potting mix provides some initial nutrients, we will use them up as we grow. To support our energy-intensive flowering, please feed us with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer every two to four weeks during our main growing season (spring and summer). Follow the instructions on the package carefully. This extra nutrition gives us the strength to keep producing a vibrant display of blooms for you to enjoy.
When one of our beautiful flowers begins to fade and wilt, it's time for a little haircut. This process is called deadheading. Simply use your fingers or clean scissors to snip off the spent bloom right down to the next set of leaves. This tells us to stop putting energy into making seeds and to start producing a new flower bud instead. Regular deadheading will keep us blooming profusely throughout the season.
