All About Growing Daisies This Summer

What’s a more dazzling display than dozens of daisies? So, consider growing a daisy garden this summer to add vibrancy to your yard!

To help you out, we’ll walk you through some of our favorite daisy varieties, the basics of putting together a daisy garden, and some super helpful care tips to have your daisies blooming all summer!

Our Favorite Daisies

These plants are a popular garden addition known for their friendly, bright appearance. And while there’s a colorful world of daisy varieties to choose from, we’d like to highlight three perennial daisies that bloom all summer:

• English daisies
• Gerbera daisies
• Shasta daisies

English Daisy Basics

Of the three listed, English daisies are the most common. When you picture a daisy in your mind, it’s likely the English daisy you’re imagining. 

These perennials tend to grow more densely and closer to the ground than other daisy varieties. With eye-catching flowers whose petals range in color from hot pink to deep red to brilliant white surrounding sunny yellow centers, they are the perfect pop of brilliance in a garden.

We mentioned that English daisies are perennials. That’s true for most of the country; however, they are considered annuals in the northern part of the United States and biennials when you get deeper into the south.

We should also note that English daisies grow quickly. So quickly, in fact, that some localities in the northern and western U.S. have declared it an invasive species.

That means you should check local ordinances before planting them. If allowed, consider planting them in a daisy container.

How to Grow English Daisies

English daisies can be a little fussy. However, once you find the right balance of sunlight, water, and nutrients, you’ll be beautifully rewarded.

For instance, they need at least partial sunlight but can thrive in full light if it isn’t particularly scorching. If the midday heat in your area rises to sweltering levels, make sure english daisies receive welcoming afternoon shade.

These plants are not drought tolerant. They require regular watering to stay healthy; add a layer of mulch to the soil to help keep moisture levels consistent. (Potted daisies may require more frequent watering.)

If your soil is rocky or lacking nutrients, use an all-purpose, slow-release flower fertilizer in early spring. If the flowers receive too much nitrogen too early, it could hinder blooming. 

Speaking of blooms, english daisies bloom from late spring to the middle parts of summer, from around May to July. If you live in a cooler climate, you may be able to eke out a few extra weeks to last until late summer.

Some daisies require deadheading to encourage blooms. English daisies do not; however, removing dead blooms can help deter pests. 

Shasta Daisy Basics

While english daisies stay low to the ground, rarely gaining more than six inches in height, shasta daisies can soar to elevations of two to three feet. Their flowers contain almost uniformly bright white petals arranged around a yellow center.

To add to this striking display, shastas deploy dark green leaves that offer a deep contrast to the bright flowers. You’ll find that with the right conditions, Shasta blooms can last until early autumn. 

Shasta daisies are perennials that tend to grow quickly. To keep them separated from wildflowers, consider containing them in a raised garden bed.

If you plan on giving your daisies away as cut flowers, shastas are an excellent option. They can last up to a week (or more) in floral arrangements.

How to Grow Shasta Daisies

Shasta daisies grow best in full sun and well-draining, moderately fertile soil. If you find that your daisy is growing more leaves than flowers, it’s likely the soil is too rich.

While shasta blooms last all summer long, they often need a season’s worth of growth before blooming. You can avoid this if you don’t grow it from the seed.

Shasta daisies need some room to grow. Try to keep them one to two feet apart if you’re growing them in a garden bed.

To aid growth, loosen the soil to a depth of around one foot. If your soil isn’t fertile, mix in up to four inches of compost to boost the nutrient level.

During their growth period, shastas require regular watering to keep the soil moist. Once they’re established, they only need water if you’re receiving less than an inch of rain each week.

Unlike english daisies, deadheading fading flowers will help promote late-season shasta blooms. The following spring, make sure to add compost and mulch to the soil to prevent weeds and promote consistent moisture levels. 

Gerbera Daisy Basics

Gerbera daisies offer big, bold flowers that can reach widths of three to five inches. Depending on the specific cultivar you buy, you’ll be treated to a vivid flower display:

• Garvinea sweet glows have sunrise orange-red flowers with matching red and yellow centers.
• Pink whispers have hot pink petals with yellow centers.
• Sombreros have deep red blooms with purple-black centers.

Height-wise, gerberas fit in between shastas and english daisies. Their height can range from 10 to 18 inches.

Unlike their quick-growing counterparts, gerberas tend to grow at a moderate pace. You may not see a flower for four months after planting, but it will continue blooming throughout the summer.

Gerberas are perennials. However, as with english daisies, they tend to be considered perennials in areas that receive excess heat during the summer or annuals in places with frigid winters.

How to Grow Gerbera Daisies

Because gerberas grow more slowly than other daisies, they thrive in areas whose springs warm up quickly. In some colder climates, it may be close to impossible to grow them from seed. (Though you should be fine if you purchase a starter plant from your local nursery or garden center.)

Gerberas can thrive in full sun. However, they’ll need afternoon shade to serve as a respite from the heat when summer reaches its peak.

Choose a rich, well-draining soil packed with organic matter. Water-soluble fertilizers high in phosphorus and low in nitrogen can help if your soil lacks nutrients.

Gerberas prefer soil with a pH level between 5.5 and 6.5.

You’ll quickly know if the pH balance is off. Gerberas get yellow stripes if the levels are too high and black spots if the level is too low.

When growing, provide at least one inch of water per week. Only water if the soil is dry at depths of one to two inches. (During hot spells, they may require additional water.)

Deadheading will help extend the blooming period. Once you notice the bloom beginning to fade or lose petals, prune the stem down to the leaves where the flower emerges.

To keep your gerbera alive over the winter season, keep them between 45 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. If they get colder than that, they may not bloom the next season.

Over the dormant season, reduce watering to once a month. 

Our Favorite Perennial Daisies That Bloom All Summer

To keep your garden beautiful this summer, try some of our favorite daisies: english, shasta, and gerbera. They’ll make your home feel more welcoming, your yard more sunny, and your summer more colorful.