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Annuals/Droopy daisies updated

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Expert: - 7/20/2008


Question
I received your reply asking for more info on the what type of daisies I was dealing with after asking this question..."My Daisies have grown so big that they have all fallen over and are laying on
the ground.  Adding to the terrible look is the fact that the flowers have now
run their course and are brown.  I need to know how to cut the flowers so that
they will bloom again  this year (if possibly) and get them standing up again.  
Thanks for any help!"
They are called Shasta Daisies and the best scientific name I could come up with was Leucanthemum. Thanks again!!  

Answer
Awesome.

If you cut them down to the bottom or next-to-bottom set of leaves on the stalk, the plant will grow better.  This problem you have is called 'legginess'.  Many plants need to be 'pruned' to keep their stocky silhouettes.  Probably almost all the perennials and annuals that I know need this treatment.

When you cut off part of a plant stem, the tip of the stem, at the point where you see a bud or leaf, gets 'turned on' and starts to grow out the side.

Turns your plants into bushes instead of one trunk Trees.

Prune, then give then lots of Sun and don't overwater.

Thanks for finding out those details.  These things happen to all kinds of Daisies.  Not your fault.

THE LONG ISLAND GARDENER

Annuals

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Long Island Gardener

Expertise

Decisions, decisions... If you can't make up your mind which Annuals to grow, you're not alone. Problem with your new flowering Annuals flats? I`ve been there, done that. Petunias, Sweet Alyssum, Larkspur, Marine Blue Lobelia -- they all grow here at my house on Garden Street on Long Island, N.Y.. Cutting and Cottage Gardens, Sun and Shade Gardens, White Gardens and Night Gardens, I`ve done them all. Annuals are the perfect summer flower, bursting with color June through fall's first frost. I can`t speak on Cactus or tender Tropical Plants -- they don`t grow outside in my Zone 7. I`m no Farmer, so I cannot guide you on Fruits and Vegetables. But whether it`s an Annual you want to start from seed, mail-order or pick up at your local garden center, I can help you grow amazing blooms this Summer. Yes, together, we can turn your neighbors green with envy.

Experience

I have a lifetime of gardening behind me here on the North Shore of Long Island. While I have degrees in related fields, there's nothing like hands-on work to build real knowledge. I stay on top of current science -- there's a boom in research, and Kingdom Plantae is filled with surprises. By the way, I really do live on Garden Street.

Publications
Gannett newspapers, The New York Times, and hundreds of others - but not on Annuals.

Education/Credentials
B.A., botany; graduate credits in European Intellectual History and Political Science; minor coursework in related fields, docent training at our local botanical gardens (required for volunteers). I'm currently working on an advanced biochemistry degree.

Awards and Honors
I could tell you, but then you'd know who I am.

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