I mistakenly plants some shasta daisy flowers in area that is too
small for them because I have totally under-estimated their sizes in
maturity. Now, I have two problems:

1. They are too tall for the small flower garden. That is not
the kind of look that I want.

2. After a couple days of rains, their branches are falling all
over the place -- very messy. They are pushing over the small
annual flowers in the garden border.

I should have chosen other daisy-like plants that are much shorter (my
wife likes daisy-like flowers). I am not planning to replace them yet
unless I have no choice. I would like to know if I can somehow keep
them short. I am under the impression that I can keep mum short and
bushy if I cut them in summer (early summer? late summer?). Can I do
the similar thing to shasta daisy to keep them short and bushy?

Is there something that I can do to keep them short this year? Is that
too late now that they have started flowering now?

Is there anything that I can do to prevent them from getting too tall
for next year?

Please help. Thanks.

Jay Chan

From: (Jay Chan)
Date: Mon, Jun 30, 2003 9:34 AM
Message-id:

I mistakenly plants some shasta daisy flowers in area that is too
small for them because I have totally under-estimated their sizes in
maturity. Now, I have two problems:

1. They are too tall for the small flower garden. That is not
the kind of look that I want.

2. After a couple days of rains, their branches are falling all
over the place -- very messy. They are pushing over the small
annual flowers in the garden border.

I should have chosen other daisy-like plants that are much shorter (my
wife likes daisy-like flowers). I am not planning to replace them yet
unless I have no choice. I would like to know if I can somehow keep
them short. I am under the impression that I can keep mum short and
bushy if I cut them in summer (early summer? late summer?). Can I do
the similar thing to shasta daisy to keep them short and bushy?

Is there something that I can do to keep them short this year? Is that
too late now that they have started flowering now?

Is there anything that I can do to prevent them from getting too tall
for next year?

Please help. Thanks.

Jay Chan

You can, within reason, treat Shastas like mums by cutting them back a couple
of times early in the season. (Cut back the bloom stalks to the second set of
leaves below....and you can probably do that now to good effect). It will help
to keep them shorter and bushier, as well as delaying bloom. You may very well
be able to keep your plants within bounds for this year. However, each variety
has its own nature and you won't be able to control them as much as you might
like. (Not to mention that they spread from the roots and need division
often.....) You'll want to look into acquiring one of the very nice compact
varieties for next year.

Best,
Tyra
nNJ usa z7

You can, within reason, treat Shastas like mums by cutting them back a couple
of times early in the season. (Cut back the bloom stalks to the second set of
leaves below....and you can probably do that now to good effect). It will help
to keep them shorter and bushier, as well as delaying bloom. You may very well
be able to keep your plants within bounds for this year.

This is great news to me! When I return home, I will cut back three of
the shasta daisy for testing: I will cut back the first one hard, the
second one moderately, the third one even more moderately than the
second one to see which one survives the cut.

However, each variety has its own nature and you won't be able to
control them as much as you might like. (Not to mention that they
spread from the roots and need division often.....) You'll want to
look into acquiring one of the very nice compact varieties for next
year.

I will tend not to get rid of a plant if I can get it under control
with moderate effort -- after all, I have spend one year to grow them.
However, if they become too out of control, I will have to follow your
advice and replace them with a compact version.

BTW, do you have any suggestion as of a very nice compact variety?

Thanks.

Jay Chan

From: (Jay Chan)
Date: Tue, Jul 1, 2003 12:28 PM
Message-id:

You can, within reason, treat Shastas like mums by cutting them back a
couple
of times early in the season. (Cut back the bloom stalks to the second
set of
leaves below....and you can probably do that now to good effect). It will
help
to keep them shorter and bushier, as well as delaying bloom. You may very
well
be able to keep your plants within bounds for this year.

This is great news to me! When I return home, I will cut back three of
the shasta daisy for testing: I will cut back the first one hard, the
second one moderately, the third one even more moderately than the
second one to see which one survives the cut.

However, each variety has its own nature and you won't be able to
control them as much as you might like. (Not to mention that they
spread from the roots and need division often.....) You'll want to
look into acquiring one of the very nice compact varieties for next
year.

I will tend not to get rid of a plant if I can get it under control
with moderate effort -- after all, I have spend one year to grow them.
However, if they become too out of control, I will have to follow your
advice and replace them with a compact version.

BTW, do you have any suggestion as of a very nice compact variety?

Thanks.

Jay Chan


Although I haven't grown it myself, you could try 'Snow Lady,' which is a
popular classic. It grows to perhaps a foot tall, as does 'Silver Princess.'
'Snowcap' is perhaps slightly taller. These would all be easy to manage and
look good in a small garden bed. There are probably quite a few more. Try a
search online for some good pix and ideas.

Best,
Tyra
nNJ usa z7

I went home yesterday, and cut off three shasta daisy as what I had
planned. Now, I just have to wait and see what will happen.

Although I haven't grown it myself, you could try 'Snow Lady,' which is a
popular classic. It grows to perhaps a foot tall, as does 'Silver Princess.'
'Snowcap' is perhaps slightly taller. These would all be easy to manage and
look good in a small garden bed. There are probably quite a few more. Try a
search online for some good pix and ideas.

I find a seeds-pack of the "dwarf" version of the shasta daisy. This
version is supposed to grow up to 1-ft or so. I will try growing some,
and see how they do next year.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Jay Chan

From: (Jay Chan)
Date: Wed, Jul 2, 2003 1:23 PM
Message-id:

I went home yesterday, and cut off three shasta daisy as what I had
planned. Now, I just have to wait and see what will happen.

Although I haven't grown it myself, you could try 'Snow Lady,' which is
a
popular classic. It grows to perhaps a foot tall, as does 'Silver
Princess.'

'Snowcap' is perhaps slightly taller. These would all be easy to manage
and
look good in a small garden bed. There are probably quite a few more.
Try a
search online for some good pix and ideas.

I find a seeds-pack of the "dwarf" version of the shasta daisy. This
version is supposed to grow up to 1-ft or so. I will try growing some,
and see how they do next year.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Jay Chan

Great! I was going to suggest that you try growing some from seed, because I
grow lots of different ones that way. Very satisfying, because they germinate
and grow quickly, and you'll have blooming plants next summer if you plant the
seeds NOW. Start them now in pots in a sunny spot and transplant them to the
garden (anywhere you have room and good growing conditions) when they're big
enough to handle. Give them some protection for the winter (a good mulch) and
you'll be able to move them in the spring to wherever you want them to
be.....they're easy to transplant. You'll have more than you need, most
likely, so plan on gifting some lucky folks.

A slight warning, though....some varieties don't come true from seed, and you
may not get exactly the plant that's pictured on the seed packet, but it'll be
nice anyway. However, if it says they'll be dwarf plants, that should be the
case.

A few years ago, I planted a packet labelled simply "Shasta Daisy" and I got at
least three very different varieties, all beautiful and prolific. I've started
more from hand-me-down seeds this year. (I haven't identified any of them by
name at this point.) The only known named variety I grow is 'Becky'....a
terrific plant but too large for your needs.

Best,
Tyra
nNJ usa z7

... if you plant the seeds NOW. Start them now in pots in a sunny
spot and transplant them to the garden ...

Done!

Give them some protection for the winter (a good mulch) ...

The tall Alaska shasta daisy that I planted last year didn't need any
protection in winter. They remained green throught out the winter (but
looked kind of weak). But I will mulch the dwarf version that I am
growing now ... just in case.

Have a happy weekend!
(or have a happy July-4th if you are in US)