Hibernating daisies: what to watch out for with daisy stems

They are known and loved because of their white, sometimes red, filled and unfilled flower heads, the daisy. She tirelessly presents them from spring to autumn in such abundance that one can hardly count them. The marguerite is a garden classic and as a Marguerite stems particularly sought after. However, the stems are not winter hardy, but can be cultivated for several years with appropriate wintering, provided that the location and temperature meet their needs.

Marguerite stems

Leave outside as long as possible

The daisy stem goes out of the Shrub marguerite and with appropriate care and overwintering becomes more and more beautiful over the years. They are not hardy, i.e. they do not forgive even minor minus degrees and must therefore overwinter frost-free. Even if the daisy stem is not hardy, it should stay outside as long as possible, because late autumn still has a few warm days to offer.

in the late autumnif light night frosts are to be expected, you can put them out during the day and bring them back into the house in the evening. This allows the outdoor season to be extended significantly. As long as temperatures are above freezing point, daisies should definitely be outdoors. This hardens them and makes it easier for them to hibernate. By the end of October at the latest, daisies must finally move to their winter quarters.

Prepare for wintering

In order to make the daisies fit for wintering, the first preparations have to be made in late summer.

• End of August / beginning of September fertilizing completely
• so shoots can ripen until the first frost
• Cut daisies before moving into winter quarters
• cut off dead shoots, leaves and flowers
• then shorten the entire crown by about a third or a maximum of half
• only healthy shoots should be preserved
• Pruning reduces evaporation and encourages branching next spring

Suitable winter quarters

In contrast to daisies in the bed, which are usually winter hardy, a stem in the tub needs suitable quarters to overwinter. As winter quarters for this permanent bloomer, there are rooms that are both bright and frost-free but cool. Rooms with lots of daylight are ideal, e.g. B. unheated Winter gardens, slightly heated Greenhouses, flooded with light Stairwells as well as unheated rooms within the apartment such as the bedroom or bright storage rooms.

Rooms without sufficient daylight such as garages or windowless cellars are not suitable as winter quarters, nor are heated living rooms. The latter are not only too dark, but also much too warm. If the daisies are too dark in winter, thin, powerless shoots form, which can easily be recognized by their light green color. These shoots are not viable and do not produce flowers. Hence, they should be cut off.

Optimal winter conditions

The best possible conditions during the winter keep the plant healthy and protect it from diseases or pests, which can particularly affect it in winter.

• Daisies light and frost-free or winter cool
• Avoid direct sun, especially at noon
• the ideal winter temperature is between five and ten degrees
• it shouldn't be warmer than 15 degrees
• Avoid major temperature fluctuations as far as possible
• Temperatures shouldn't be too high or too low
• both extremes could cause lasting harm to the daisies
• In addition to the temperature, good ventilation must be ensured
• accordingly ventilate the winter quarters regularly
• make sure that the daisy stem does not get any drafts
• just as important is a higher level of humidity
• optimal humidity is at least 60%
• therefore spray the crown of the stem two to three times a week
• Water should preferably be soft or be lime-free
• If necessary, set up an additional room humidifier

care

Care during hibernation

Correct hibernation also requires appropriate care. Of the Water requirement of the daisy stem is significantly lower in winter than the rest of the year. The colder the winter quarters, the more sparingly it has to be watered. The substrate should be kept as dry as possible, but not completely dry out. It is best to only water enough that the plant does not dry out.

This is to prevent the daisies from growing further in winter. Depending on the room temperature, it is usually sufficient to give a little water about every two weeks. What should be avoided at all costs is waterlogging. Despite all care, it is quite normal in winter when most of the leaves turn yellow or brown and fall off. If possible, they should not be left lying on the substrate, but should be removed.

Tip: If the marguerite still looks good in early spring, you have survived the worst and can slowly prepare it for the upcoming stay in the field.

In the spring

When spring approaches

When the end of winter approaches, it will be that time Marguerite stems prepare for moving outdoors. To do this, you first have to get it used to warmer temperatures by placing it in a light and warmer place in the house from around March and watering it a little more often. The budding should slowly be stimulated again and early flowering should be encouraged.

Depending on the temperature and weather, the plant can be put in a sheltered place during the day at the end of March / beginning of April outdoors be asked. In the evening she has to go back to the house first. Before the trunk can finally go outside after the ice saints from mid-May, it should be cut into shape and repotted in fresh substrate if necessary.

Cut

In spring, when the daisies begin to sprout again, it is advisable to cut their crown into shape. To do this, the shoots are shortened accordingly without cutting into the old wood. Shoots that may be below the crown are removed. Wilted shoots and flowers should also be cut out regularly so that the daisy can sprout new flowers again.

Tip: If the tree overgrows too much in the course of the summer, it can easily be cut into shape again.

Repot

If the bucket has strong roots after overwintering, it is advisable to repot the plant before wintering. The first time you should repot them immediately after buying them, because plants offered in stores are in most cases in a substrate that is unfavorable for them.

Depending on the size and age of the plant, the new bucket have a capacity of at least 5 liters and, for older models, 10 liters. Before taking them out of the old pot, water the plant and the pot until no more air bubbles rise. Then it can be taken out of the pot and the old soil removed. Not only the above-ground parts of the plant, but also the roots should be shortened a little.

Now you put in the bucket as the bottom layer Drainage material in the form of gravel, pottery shards or expanded clay. This is followed by a breathable fleece and about a third of the fresh substrate on the fleece. A high-quality compost-containing potting soil is suitable as a substrate, which is made more permeable by adding perlite, lava granulate or quartz sand. For older specimens, additional clay should be mixed in for a better hold. Now you put in the daisy tree, fill the bucket up to 3-5 cm below the edge with substrate and water the whole thing well.