Pests And The Painted Daisy Plant: Painted Daisy Growing Tips And Care

Painted Daisy Flowers
daisy flowers
(Image credit: TatyanaMishchenko)

Growing painted daisies in the garden adds spring and summer color from a compact 1 ½ to 2 ½ foot (46-76 cm.) plant. Painted daisy perennials are the perfect height for those hard to fill middle spots in the garden when early spring blooms are dying back. Painted daisy care is simple when they're planted in the right soil and location. Growing painted daisies is a good way to keep harmful pests out of the garden too.

Pests and the Painted Daisy Plant

Painted daisy perennials, Tanacetum coccineum or Pyrethrum roseum, repel many bad bugs and browsing animals that are prone to munching on your valuable plants. Repellant properties are so beneficial that petals of the white variety are dried and used in the organic insecticide Pyrethrum. Growing painted daisies in select areas of the garden can deter pests from surrounding plants. Pests and the painted daisy plant don't normally exist in the same area, although young plants may occasionally be bothered by aphids or leaf miners. Treat with a soapy spray or neem oil if you see these insects.

Painted Daisy Growing Tips

Attractive, fine textured foliage and a range of colors make growing painted daisies an asset to any garden bed. Painted daisy perennials come in shades of red, yellow, pink, violet, and white with yellow centers. When planting painted daisy perennials, plan the location where they can afford protection to more vulnerable plants. For instance, you can include this multi-tasking flower in the vegetable garden, along with nasturtiums and marigolds, to diminish insect damage. Painted daisy growing tips include planting in a well-drained soil in a full sun to part shade location. Start from seeds four to six weeks before your last frost date or by division of existing plants in early spring or fall. Allow room for plants to spread from 18 to 24 inches (46-6 cm.). Painted daisy care includes pinching back in spring when stems are 6 to 8 inches (15-20 cm.) tall, promoting bushiness and a fuller plant. As summer blooms fade, cut the plant back for more blooms in autumn to help protect fall garden crops. As you become more confident with growing painted daisy perennials, you'll find yourself growing painted daisies in new areas of the garden to protect other plants as well.

Becca Badgett
Writer

Becca Badgett was a regular contributor to Gardening Know How for ten years. Co-author of the book How to Grow an EMERGENCY Garden, Becca specializes in succulent and cactus gardening.