Dimorphotheca White Seeds

Dimorphotheca White is the crisp, luminous form of the Cape Marigold, native to the winter-rainfall daisy fields of South Africa and Namibia. Its large daisy-like flowers, about 5-8 cm across, open in pure white petals around a deeper central disc, tracking the sun through the day and closing in the evening or on dull weather. Low, spreading and free-flowering, it brings a clean, bright carpet to borders, rockeries, sandy beds and coastal gardens, and is one of the easiest sun-loving annuals for a cool Egyptian winter display.

Planting

In Egypt, treat it as a cool-season flower and sow from mid-September through November. Scatter seed directly where it is to grow, raking lightly so the seed is barely covered (around 0.5 cm); never bury deeply. Keep the seedbed consistently moist at a soil temperature near 16-21 C and seedlings emerge in roughly 7-14 days. Thin or prick out crowded seedlings once about 5 cm tall, spacing plants 15-30 cm apart in full sun (at least 6 hours).

Fertilizing

This plant thrives in poor, sandy ground, so keep feeding light. Mix a balanced all-purpose fertilizer into the soil at planting time only. Avoid heavy or high-nitrogen feeding, which pushes leafy growth at the expense of flowers.

Care

Grow in light, very well-drained soil; heavy, wet ground causes crown rot. Keep young plants moist until about 10 cm tall, then water only moderately, letting the soil dry between waterings. Water in the morning and keep foliage dry to avoid downy mildew and gray mould. Watch for aphids, and deadhead spent blooms to extend flowering from December into early spring.