Container Daisies

Ok, I know from "hanging" around here that you all are really up on all your plant names and I'm sorry but I don't know what the true name is....

I am basically a fledgling gardener. I've always done flowers but the older I get, I begin to get more and more satisfaction so I do more and more, until my husband said I'm a full blown gardener! Well anyway. . . my question is this, I bought "lemon yellow" daisies for my window boxes this year, I had them and then "million blue bells" in the front and the daisies in the back. My boxes were the most beautiful they've ever been my entire 7 year career, but now my daisies are dead....my question is this, I planted them in April right after Easter, bought from a gardening store. They were beautiful full and lovely. I dead-headed them every other day. Gave them water soluable fertilizer every three to four days and watered them every other day. Here it is just July and I feel I should still have them. On the tag that came with them it said Lemon colored flowers all season long. Is the season over for daisies????
Today I had to pull them and replant my boxes with Zinnia.
I hope those work....this is my first year raising from seed and first year for ever using Zinnia's. They're doing gang busters in ground and I'm so proud that I'm the one who grew them!! :o) I've so many plants of them that I transplated some into my window boxes to replace my daisy fiasco...

Also I've got a second season black eyed susan bush coming back almost ready to flower and the leaves are either spotted brown or dried and brown. Am I watering them too much or was it too wet this spring or what???

Thanks for any and all help to my perplexing problems!!
2much2plant

2much2plant, Hi glad to see your post.

First of all regarding your black eyed susans, they usually only need supplemental watering if it is extremely hot and dry. I would suggest that you back off on watering and see if the new leaves look better.

And while most annuals have a long bloom season, sometimes annuals purchased from nurseries (especially if they are in bloom at the time of purchase) will die out before the summer is over. To increase the health of purchased annuals, transplant and them pinch off ALL the blooms. I know, I know - - I hate to take off all those blooms. But the plants then spend their energy on developing good roots and look much better in the long run. Also, remember: "buy early, die early". Even with the best of care, many purchased plants will only last so long. Be prepared to replace some plants. Or start some plants from seed. You will probably find that plants bloom later, but last much longer. There are many easy "starter" plants that are great grown from seed. To name just a few: zinnias, cosmos, sunflowers, poppies, snapdragons and celosia.

Best of luck, Nat

Thanks Nat!

I luckily planted two packages of Zinnias earlier in spring. They are going good and I transplanted all my boxes with them. I thank you for your post. I'll keep that in mind next year. I'm thinking on buying growing lamps and starting my own flowers next year. In the meantime, I'm learning more and more by reading up here at Dave's Garden. This was the best 15 bucks I've ever spent!!! Ha!

Thanks again!
2much2plant

2much2plant, I agree with you on the membership fee. I just wish I had joined Daves earlier! Be sure to check out the seed and plant trading forums. Many members have extra seeds and plants that they just want to find a home for - - and will do so for just the cost of shipping.

I start most of my annuals from seed, but I cannot resist buying some plants from the nurseries in the spring. I love hanging baskets and I am always looking for something different. I have found that starting plants under grow lights gives me many more options than local nurseries. And this year, it was so cool and wet here that some of my warmer weather annuals, like celosia, would just now be germinating if I didn't start them under lights.

Of course, I always have a few failures - - seeds that don't germinate or grow poorly. But the successes far outweigh the failures. I started my first petunias from seed this year and was thrilled to learn that they are super easy to grow from seed. Now I can have double petunias in unusual colors that just can't be found locally.

Plus as you are discovering, there's a real satisfaction from seeing your zinnias that you started from seed doing so well. "You go, girl!"

welcome!
Definitely the best $15 ever spent. :)
If you daisy was osteospermum 'Lemon Symphony' (has blue center) then I'm on board sista'. I had an 'Orange Symphony' that went kaput on me 2 weeks ago for no good reason. *shrug* Just replant and keep on moving. :)