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rosaalcamo

Mysterious affliction of English daisies

rosaalcamo
10 years ago

Hello!
Can anyone help me?
I bought some lovely English daisies (potted with companion balloon flowers) from Home Depot and they were happy and healthy in the windowbox of our apartment. Then within ten days they turned into the sad lot of twigs and little leaves in the picture.
Today I saw a worm on the soil and plucked it away.

Does anyone have an idea about what might have happened, and what I can do?

Thanks for any help you can render

Rosa

Comments (11)

  • susanzone5 (NY)
    10 years ago

    What kind of soil are they planted in? What kind of fertilizer? Any sprays? How wet is the soil and is there a drainage hole? Were the roots tangled up?

  • jean001a
    10 years ago

    Doubt you can do anything at this time. the plant appears to be too far gone.

  • rosaalcamo
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Hi Susanzone5 - thank you for writing. The soil is a bagged potting soil mix, said to contain the needed nutrients so no additional fertilizer has been used. The plants were transferred from the Home Depot container, and looked fine at the time. The only spray is an organic spider mite spray used on all the plants. The soil is kept moist and there are holes in the pot for drainage. The daisies have been kept outside and get good sun part of the day, but we have had quite a lot of rain in NYC since May. Thanks again

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    10 years ago

    The spray you used for mites....what was it? Some chemicals, organic or not, can cause foliage burning if applied in the heat and/or sun.

  • rosaalcamo
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Hi rhizo_1
    thanks for writing back.
    I use Green Light neem oil concentrate.
    The plant is on the west side of the house, getting good light starting
    around 1, so I tend to spray in the AM or around sunset.

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    10 years ago

    In my area, these have already gone dormant for the season - they tend to be very early bloomers and poop out once the weather warms up, much like pansies. While there are many cultivated forms, they are most often seen as lawn daisies - virtually a weed - so not an overly valuable plant if yours is lost.

  • rosaalcamo
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Hi Gardengal �"
    Thank you for writing. So, itâÂÂs possible this is all natural. ThatâÂÂs a relief. I never had daisies before. If they are dormant, will they just turn to sticks, or keep producing leaves, and should I keep watering?
    Will they come back next year, if thereâÂÂs no sickness?
    I am in Zone 7 (NYC).

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    10 years ago

    They should come back if they are just going dormant. I've never really examined their appearance throughout summer and fall - they just disappear into the lawn - but I'd suspect they keep some minimal amount of green. At least until full winter. When dormant they won't need much water - just enough to keep the soil from completely drying out.

    Do you have a space to plant in the garden? They'd be much happier in the ground.

  • rosaalcamo
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks very much for your help. Unfortunately, I don't have a garden outside, just concrete. All my plants are in pots and windowboxes.

  • calliope
    10 years ago

    Were the plants a snotty gooey mess toward the crown and look like some of the plant material dissolved? If so, it is probably botrytis or grey mold not at all uncommon in plantings where there are a lot of foliage down near the soil level. It's caused by moist conditions and if the crown remains intact and the dead material removed and air is able to reach the crown, they'll often dry out and recover. It's a very prevalent condition in long stretches of wet weather when the foliage cannot dry out well.

  • rosaalcamo
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    No, they were fine up to the end, and then it was they just switched off and became the sorry clump of twigs and green you see. I think (OK, hope!) that Gardengal's thought that they might just be going dormant is what happened. Thanks for writing!

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