PERENNIALS > OSTEOSPERMUM > sow
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OSTEOSPERMUM GUIDES
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Also know as the African daisy , Osteospermums are an idealistic choice for brightening up border with their long - live on blooms right through summer and into fall .
Available in a all-encompassing miscellany of colours , sizes and petal shapes , they ’re also adept at bringing bees andbutterflies to your garden .
Plus , they ’re minimum hassle to coax into life from seed , provide you follow these simple footprint :
If you require a short more in - depth info on each of those step , we ’ve lay them out in nifty contingent for your convenience below .
When To Sow African Daisies
Although it ’s theoretically possible to plant osteospermum seeds directly into your garden , their African origins and the corking British clime means it ’s not recommended .
For expert results , allow them to establish themselves in a glasshouse or inside your home before transplanting outdoors .
Seeds sown into indoor container can be done in mid - April , which will give them plenty of prison term to germinate and grow .
They can then be transplant out of doors from recent May to early June .
1) Prepare The Seeds & Soil
To control the seed are fully hydrous , site them on a stiff newspaper towel or fabric for several hours prior to embed .
you’re able to also submerge them in a spyglass of water if you prefer as the seeds are not too small , but be careful not to result them too long or they may drown .
Meanwhile , fill your containers with germ compost , making sure the mix is not too densely pack .
2) Plant In Pots Indoors
set the seeds onto the airfoil of the seed compost and deal very lightly with vermiculite or strain ejaculate compost .
you may sow in more than one seed in a pot , but piece them aside at a late date may damage the roots and as such , individual potting is preferred .
you’re able to see in the image below that I used a propagation tray , with elbow room for 8 separate hype plants to rise :
underwrite the pots or trays with the unclouded formative cover that may have add up with the mint or tray or employ perforated clingfilm to keep warmth and wet , but allow airing .
lay in a fond localisation , ideally 15 ° C , out of direct sunlight .
Water as require , ensuring that the seedling become neither parched nor waterlogged .
3) Prepare For Transplantation
Once the seeds have sprouted and are begin to establish themselves , the clingfilm or plastic cover version should be transfer and you may gradually introduce them to lower temperatures to allow them to acclimatise accordingly .
Depending on the location in which they are set , this could take the form of open a windowpane or moving them into a cold elbow room ( or even outdoors ) for an hour at a clip .
Take care to check they are not overwhelmed by the change in the thermometer .
4) Transplant Outdoors
After at least three farewell of foliage have egress on your osteospermum , the industrial plant is ready to move completely outside .
If more than one specimen has been planted in a single pot , work out extreme caution when untangling their roots and separating the plant .
select a sunny spot with free - draining , rich dirt and at least some shelter from the elements .
“ To avoid issues such as root bunkum , it ’s beneficial to improve the soil structure by mulching around the plant as over clip , earthworms and other soil life will incorporate this into the soil and create a well - structure free - debilitate ground , ” shares Horticultural Consultant Roy Nicol .
Plant them at separation or 20 - 25 cm to allow their root to fan out out and piss extravagantly at first .
5) Osteospermum Aftercare
Several days after transplanting out of doors , you could pinch the bow to stimulate growth laterally rather than vertically .
you could also administer a layer of mulch to improve the grunge and prevent green goddess from raise in the neighborhood of the industrial plant .
determine out some of the beautiful flowers I was able-bodied to grow from germ in my outdoor bed :
Once establish , osteospermums are somewhat hardy plant ( although broadly wo n’t surviving hard frosts ) and should n’t require too much care if you ’re happy for them to die back at the terminal of Autumn .
Water them only in prolonged flow of juiceless atmospheric condition and deadhead to prolong bloom for as long as potential .
