Is it time to plant Shasta Daisy's?

Shasta Daisy's are suppossed to be planted 8-10 weeks before frost ends. Frost ends around the last week of March to Early April for me. Should I start sowing indoors? Should I start later? Should I sow outside? Any help please!

Is it time to plant Shasta Daisy's?
hi there... good question.





you can sow them outdoors directly most successfully in the fall. but since that's passed already....





you most certainly can start the plants indoors if you have the proper grow lighting and good air circulation and temperature (cold but not frozen). but you must "stratify" the seeds in your fridge for 3 weeks or so.





if you sow and start them indoors first, it will give your little plants a head start for the new season but then i would wait with transplanting them outdoors until the risk of frost as passed (mid to end of may). make sure you give them lots of light and keep them evenly and only lightly moist... not drenched.





you can also sow the plants outside during the winter in a coldframe or unheated greenhouse or in vented containers.





the seeds that successfully germinate and produce leaf sets beyond the cotyledons (the very first two leaves that all seeds produce) will produce very strong plants.





if you wish to sow directly into the chosen spot in the garden as soon as possible, wait until the risk of frost has passed. nothing will grow if the temperatures are around freezing and absolutely no protection is involved. again, storing the seeds in your fridge for a few weeks beforehand would be good.





but then, if all else fails, you can go to your local garden centre and pick up a strong and established plant in the late spring and give it the summer to get bigger and stronger. before long (1 year or so) you will have a fabulous and strong mother plant that can be divided down the road when it becomes a big clump.





hope this helps.
Reply:wait they tend to do better if you wait a little longer I love Shasta Daisy's
Reply:My personal preference is to wait and direct sow them onto the ground in the spring after the last frost. They typically germinate in about 2 weeks and seem to do quite well here in zone 5 using this method. We always have plenty of them also as they freely self-sow themselves each year.





*~ ENJOY ~*
Reply:later is better,hope this helps
Reply:If you are starting them from seed, just figure back from the date of outdoor planting. Late January or early February would be about right. You can start your seeds indoors, but if you do, don't set your seedlings out until the frost is gone, because even tho they are a hardy plant, they will not be "hardened off" and the frost could kill the tender young growth.





Keep them in a sunny place so they will not get tall and leggy, and fall over. You want them to get as much sun as possible so they are sturdy plants. After the first year, they will be winter hardy and you will not have to bring them in.





Fertilize them with a liquid plant fertilizer about half strength, every couple of weeks, after they get their second set of true leaves.





When you start them, use a seed-starter mix available at your local garden center. You can get one of those "greenhoue" seed starting trays, or just use an egg carton or paper cups. Keep the soil moist, but not wet. Do not cover the seeds as they need light to germinate, and keep them warm, about 70-75 degrees during germination, which takes 10-14 days.





I f you choose to sow them outdoors, do so from early spring through summer up to two months before frost, remembering not to cover the seeds.





They like full sun with a right, moist, well-drained garden soil. They will tolerate partial shade, and double shastas often prefer it in humid areas. Plant 12-24" apart and keep well watered.
Reply:no not yet wait till the ground hog see his tail or shadow