My white daisies aren't as perky as they used to be, The nice green leaves are faded and wilty and somewhat curly. The flowers also seem to wilt really fast. Anybody have any ideas? Too much water maybe? I've also notices these little black bugs in the centers of the floweres. When you look close at them they appear to have little spikes on their back.

how often are you watering? It's pretty impossible to say if you're watering too much without that tidbit of info.

If you are and your plants are stressed then they are more likely to be attacked by pests. How much sun do they get?

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Sandi
Texas Certified Nursery Professional
Texas Master Naturalist
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The daisies face the NW so they get plenty of afternoon sun but have some good shade from a 10 yr old Arizona Ash. We have some hybiscus, moss roses and new caladiums that we try to spray every other day. I'm sure my husband sprays the daisies as well. Can I zap a digital pic to you? Ohhh the wonders of technology!
Thanks--Sherrie

In my opinion, there aren't many plants that need to be watered every other day, especially since it hasn't been that hot outside. The way you should water is infrequently and deep. It encourages deeper root growth and healthier plants. I would let you plants dry out a little between waterings then water at the ground level more deeply. Spraying the leaves with a hose so frequently doesn't do enough to give the roots a quenching thirst. It keeps all the root growth at the surface level to get to the moisture.

Also spraying the plants encourages powdery mildew and other fungal diseases which stresses the plants and encourages pests to attack.

_________________
Sandi
Texas Certified Nursery Professional
Texas Master Naturalist
Organic gardener
Tree-Hugger
Native Texan