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Cottage Gardens

Too late to pinch shasta daisies?

12 years ago

I wanted some shasta daisies for my front cottage garden. My goal was to find some without buds or blooms so they wouldn't bloom now and not later. I found two "Becky"s at a local shop, quite large about 2 feet or close to it. Each has about 4-5 stems from the base, kind of floppy. I gave them some support and I looked at each one and it appears each has a tiny tiny bud under a few layers of small leaves. Maybe it isn't a bud? Is it too late to pinch these guys back since they are so leggy? When do Beckys bloom? I am in Detroit MI, zone 5 I believe. I don't want them to not bloom this year but I want them to bloom on time and well.

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Comments (7)

louisianagal
12 years ago
I have some daisies, not sure if they are Becky, maybe Alaska? I'm in zone 7b and they are blooming now. In the situation you describe, I would think they would bloom later, like June/July, and I would be comfortable cutting them back now. In fact I was recently reading, don't remember where, about cutting back perennials just to get a staggered height in the border, and to get some to bloom later for a longer season of bloom. Oh it was a book all about pruning from the library. Very good book, but don't remember the author. Anyway I don't think you will hurt them and should help with the legginess.
Laurie
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Merilia
12 years ago
Oh, I know exactly what book you're talking about!

It's called The well-tended perennial garden : planting & pruning techniques, by Tracy DiSabato-Aust, and it's an amazing reference for both planting and maintaining a garden of perennials. I'm at work now, but once I am home I'll look it up and see if the book says anything about shasta daisies in particular.

Here is a link that might be useful: Link to the book on Amazon
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My Becky Shasta Daisy is nice and erect with good full blooms, but does not bloom continuously. I get a main flush in late June that at its best lasts 3-4 weeks, followed by some scattered bloom later. I too have heard about the extraordinary long bloom of Becky, but that hasn't been the case for me. They do bloom more heavily than some old (no longer know the variety) ones that I grow on the other side of the house. Our season in Michigan is a bit short for a lot of rebloom, so maybe you'll do better. My plants need no support and as you can see in the picture get to the windowsills on the house.
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I agree. Daisies love sun and the more the better. In fact I just moved a bunch of "Becky" to another part of my garden over the weekend. I always move plants in the summer - if I waited until fall I'd never make room for anything else. That goes against most gardening advice, and it's a little more work, but I have pretty good success as long as it's not going to be obscenely hot or dry for a long period of time. Keep your eye on the weather forecasts and try to time it just before a rainy period. When you dig your new hole and put in the plant, fill it with water before you pile more dirt on top. That helps keep the roots moist. You have to be sure to keep them well watered (that means every day) until they start to perk up. And tie them up if they start to droop. I've got so many daisies I'm willing to take the risk. But if you're not, then wait until the weather cools a bit.
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I'm thinking of cutting my "Becky" shastas back today. They got beat down by the rain a few weeks and I've bought some 32 in. fencing from K-mart to encase them in, as they have got so heavy and floppy. I had same at my former house and we got rid of them. This is exactly what I'm planning to do this Fall with these. Will WS "Alaska" variety in its place if not something else completely. Don't seem to be holding up to the high 90's temps we had earlier this week despite watering them every other day or every day.
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on_greenthumb
12 years ago
I did mine around this time last year, and they were still good......It's been so rainy and not quite hot yet that I hadn't even thoguht about it yet. Heading out to do it now :) Thanks for the heads up
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Merilia
12 years ago
Ok, here's a summary of what's in the book:

- pinching seems to work better than cutting back
- pinching 'Alaska' shastas back in late May made them grow shorter, more sturdy, and flower a week later. I believe the author is in zone 5 or 6 so your timing may vary.
- normally you'd deadhead to a lateral bud and then cut down to basal foliage afterward once the flowers are all gone, which may or may not get you some additional flowers late in the season
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cardwellave
Original Author
12 years ago
It was SO hot today (mid nineties) and full sun all day. The one plant that was in the sun all day was super droopy so I ended up pinching that one some. I think I will pinch the others tomorrow. I pinched the asters today, also one was also looking very droopy. Darn heat a day after planting. Going to pinch the sedum also and plant the cuttings. Thanks everyone!
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mosswitch
12 years ago
My shastas got cut halfway back by the resident groundhog. Too soon to tell if they are going to come back this year. Time and lots of black pepper (to keep him from doing it again) will tell. Not to late to pinch the tall asters, tho!
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pippi21
12 years ago
Two weeks ago, my "Becky" shasta daisies were beautiful, then we had a bad rainstorm and they flopped over, along with the Coreopsis "Sunray" They are about 40 in. tall and I went down to K-mart and bought 32in. wire fencing to put around the plant..if I take that fencing away, they will be laying on the ground covering up any other flowers nearby, so mine will be getting the clippers today. Had the same problem with the same variety many years ago at our former home. I gave away 5 Tall paper trash bags to friends and neighbors. These will be good give aways at the next plant swap. I will be replacing them with "Alaska" shastas or even shorter variety.
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