Arctotis Flowers

Arctotis Flowers, the true 'African Daisy' from the South African Cape, light up a cool-season garden with crisp, daisy-like blooms in clean, glowing tones. The flowers track the sun, opening wide on bright days and closing at night and in cloudy weather, so a bright open spot rewards you with a vivid, ever-changing display. Trailing groundcover forms such as A. stoechadifolia spread generously and make a striking ornamental carpet in beds, borders, and edges.

Planting

Sow in autumn in Egypt (late September to November) and grow as a cool-season annual. Sow very shallow, barely covering the seed at about 0.16 cm deep. Place 2-3 seeds per station, 25-30 cm apart, allowing room since trailing types reach about 1.2 m wide. Keep at roughly 15-21 C; seedlings emerge in about 7-14 days. Avoid bottom-heat mats, as the seed dislikes excess warmth.

Fertilizing

Feed lightly, if at all. Drench with a liquid organic fertilizer once plants begin to bloom heavily. If flowering is poor, switch to a feed higher in phosphorus and potassium, such as 5-10-10, rather than a high-nitrogen feed that pushes leaves over flowers.

Care

Give full sun and sandy, well-drained soil at pH 6-7. Keep young plants evenly moist; once established they are very drought-tolerant and survive on little summer water. Avoid waterlogging, which causes root rot. Thin to the strongest seedling and transplant once frost danger passes. Generally trouble-free; watch for aphids, slugs, snails, and powdery mildew.