How to Grow Shasta Daisy 'Silver Princess' from Seed

Shasta daisies are easy to time. For blooms the first summer, start seeds indoors about 8 to 10 weeks before your last expected spring frost. If you would rather sow straight into the garden, wait until the danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed to around 65 to 70°F, usually mid to late spring. In mild-winter areas you can also sow in early fall for an earlier, stronger show the following year.

A note on region: gardeners in the upper Midwest and Northeast (zones 4 and 5) get the best results starting indoors in late winter, since the outdoor season is short. In the Pacific Northwest and across much of the North, spring direct sowing works well once the soil warms. In the Deep South and low desert (zones 8 and 9), treat 'Silver Princess' as a cooler-season performer: sow in fall and give it a little afternoon shade so summer heat does not cut the bloom short.

The seeds of 'Silver Princess' are small and need light to sprout, so sow them shallow and resist the urge to bury them. Here is the step by step:

• Fill trays or small pots with a moist, fine seed-starting mix.
• Scatter the seeds over the surface and press them in gently, or cover with no more than 1/8 inch of mix.
• Keep the mix evenly moist and warm, around 65 to 75°F. Watering from the bottom keeps the tiny seeds from washing around.
• Expect sprouts in 10 to 20 days.
• When seedlings have two or three sets of true leaves, pot them up or thin to the strongest plants.
• Harden off for a week, then transplant outside after your last frost.

Set plants in full sun (6 or more hours) in well-drained soil with a pH near 6.0 to 7.0, spacing them 12 to 15 inches apart. If you direct sow in the garden, follow the same shallow-sowing rule and thin once the seedlings are a couple of inches tall.

Once established, Shasta daisies are low-maintenance. Give them about 1 inch of water a week, a bit more in a heat wave, and let the soil surface dry between waterings. The one thing they will not forgive is soggy ground, so good drainage matters, especially heading into winter.

Feed lightly. A single spring application of balanced, all-purpose fertilizer or a scoop of compost is plenty. Rich soil tends to make plants floppy and leafy at the expense of flowers. Because 'Silver Princess' stays compact and sturdy, you can usually skip staking altogether.

Deadhead spent flowers through the season to keep new buds coming. After the main flush fades, shear the plant back by about a third to tidy it up and encourage a lighter second round. Every 2 to 3 years, dig and divide the clump in early spring or fall to keep it vigorous and blooming well.

'Silver Princess' is an easy mixer with other sun-loving plants that like the same lean, well-drained soil. A few favorites:

• Black-eyed Susan: Golden petals play off the white daisies, and the two bloom together on the same sun and water.
• Coneflower (Echinacea): A cottage-garden classic that doubles the pollinator traffic and carries color into fall.
• Salvia: Upright purple or blue spikes contrast nicely with the flat, round daisy flowers.
• Coreopsis: Airy yellow blooms soften the edges of the compact daisy clumps and share their easy care.
• Lavender: Loves the same full sun and sharp drainage, and adds fragrance along with more pollinators.

One caution: keep Shasta daisies away from spots that stay damp or heavily shaded, and from thirsty, moisture-loving neighbors, since wet feet are their biggest weakness.

'Silver Princess' blooms from early to midsummer, with crisp white petals around a golden eye, and it will often rebloom into late summer if you keep deadheading. Plants started early indoors can flower their first year, while direct-sown plants usually hit their stride the second season.

For the vase, cut stems in the cool of the morning when the flowers have just opened fully. Strip the lower leaves, set them in clean water, and they will hold for 7 to 10 days. Cutting actually helps the plant, since removing blooms before they set seed pushes it to make more.

In late fall, cut the plant back and add a light mulch in colder zones to protect the crown. You can leave a few spent flower heads standing if you want volunteer seedlings or a little food for the birds.

This is a classic cut flower first and foremost. Long, straight stems and a long vase life make 'Silver Princess' a cutting-garden staple. Its compact, foot-tall habit also suits the front of a border, edging along a path, or a sunny container where taller daisies would flop.

In the garden it earns its keep with pollinators. The open, flat flowers are easy landing pads for bees, butterflies, and hoverflies all summer. Planted in drifts, it gives a tidy, cheerful, cottage-garden look that pairs with almost anything.

• Aphids: These soft insects cluster on buds and new growth. Knock them off with a strong spray of water or treat with insecticidal soap.
• Leaf spot and fungal disease: Brown or black spots show up in humid, crowded conditions. Space plants for airflow, water at the base rather than overhead, and remove affected leaves.
• Crown or root rot: Almost always a drainage problem. Plant in well-drained soil, avoid overwatering, and never let the crown sit in winter wet.
• Fewer flowers over time: Shasta daisies can be short-lived and lose steam as clumps get crowded. Divide every 2 to 3 years to renew them.