Greetings, caretaker. We are the Osteospermum, often called the African Daisy or Cape Daisy. To truly thrive and blanket your garden in our vibrant, sun-seeking blooms, we require specific nourishment. Understanding our needs from our perspective will ensure a long and spectacular display of color. Here is what you need to know about feeding us.
Our primary desire is to produce a prolific number of strong, cheerful flowers over a very long season. To achieve this, we require a balanced diet. While we need the standard trio of Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K), the ratios are crucial. Excessive nitrogen will encourage an overabundance of soft, leafy green growth at the expense of our flowers, making us leggy and vulnerable. We prefer a fertilizer that promotes strong root development and prolific blooming. Therefore, a formula where the phosphorus (the middle number) is higher or equal to the nitrogen is ideal. Look for labels such as 5-10-5, 7-9-5, or a balanced 10-10-10 used judiciously. The potassium ensures our overall vigor and helps us withstand environmental stresses.
Our feeding schedule is directly tied to our growth cycle and your local climate.
At Planting: When you first introduce us to our new home in the garden bed or container, please incorporate a slow-release, granular fertilizer into the soil around our roots. This provides a gentle, steady supply of nutrients as we establish ourselves without overwhelming our sensitive young roots.
During Active Growth: Once we are established and begin our main flowering period, we benefit from consistent support. For most of us, a bi-weekly (every two weeks) feeding with a water-soluble, bloom-boosting fertilizer is perfect. This regular, light feeding mimics a constant nutrient supply, fueling our endless flower production. In containers, where nutrients are quickly washed away, this consistent schedule is even more critical.
As Seasons Change: As the days shorten and temperatures cool, our growth will naturally slow. You should cease fertilization about 6-8 weeks before your first expected frost. This allows us to harden off and prepare for dormancy rather than producing tender new growth that will be damaged by the cold.
How you feed us is almost as important as what you feed us. We despise having fertilizer piled against our stems, as it can cause stem rot and burn our delicate tissues.
For granular, slow-release fertilizers, sprinkle the recommended amount evenly on the soil surface around our base, then water it in thoroughly. This helps move the nutrients down to our root zone.
For water-soluble fertilizers, always mix the solution according to the package directions. It is far better to use a slightly weaker solution than to risk overfeeding us. Apply the solution directly to the soil, not over our leaves and flowers, unless the product label specifies it as a foliar feed. A good, deep watering with the fertilizer solution ensures our entire root system has access to the nutrients.
Please, be cautious. More food is not better for us. Over-fertilization leads to a dangerous buildup of soluble salts in the soil, which can actually pull water out of our roots, causing fertilizer burn. The signs of this are wilted, brown, or scorched-looking leaf margins, stunted growth, and a shocking lack of flowers. If you see these signs, leach the soil by watering deeply and repeatedly to help flush out the excess salts. Remember, it is always safer to under-feed than to over-feed us.
