Germination temperature
About 21 °C (70 °F).
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Swan River daisy is a low, airy Australian annual covered in small daisies, ideal for edging, pots and hanging baskets. The seed germinates quickly in mild warmth; this guide covers sowing, pinching for bushy plants and keeping mildew away.
About 21 °C (70 °F).
Cover lightly with fine compost or vermiculite.
2-12 days; often only 2-4 days.
Light covering is fine; do not bury the small seed deeply.
None needed.
Usually started in trays or small pots and planted out; it also self-seeds.
The seed is small and slender. Sow it thinly on a level, firmed seed compost so the seedlings do not crowd each other.
Not needed. Commercial seed germinates readily without treatment.
Not needed. Swan River daisy is a mild-climate annual with no cold requirement.
Not needed. Sow dry seed into moist compost.
About 21 °C (70 °F) in the compost. Frost and cold soil hold germination back, so outdoors wait until frosts have passed.
Cover the seed with a thin layer of fine compost or vermiculite, just enough to hide it.
A free-draining seed compost in trays, peat pots or plug cells. Outdoors it grows in clay or sandy soil as long as water does not stand.
Keep the compost evenly moist but not soggy. Water from below or with a fine spray so the small seed stays in place.
A light covering suits this seed. Move the tray into bright light as soon as seedlings appear so they do not stretch.
Australian sources report 2-12 days, often only 2-4 days; a university seed chart gives about 10 days at 21 °C.
When seedlings are large enough to handle, move them into small pots of about 7.5 cm (3 in). Harden them off gradually and plant out once the weather is mild and frost-free.
Space plants about 20 cm (8 in) apart. In baskets and containers, several plants together make a full, trailing mound.
Pinch out the growing tips while plants are small, and repeat once or twice, to make compact, well-branched plants with more flowers.
Cause: powdery mildew, the main problem of this plant. Fix: give plants space and sun, water the soil rather than the foliage, and remove affected growth.
Cause: too little light or no pinching. Fix: grow in full sun and pinch young plants; cut back straggly plants to encourage fresh growth.
Cause: cold, wet compost. Fix: sow in a free-draining mix at about 21 °C, water sparingly, and give seedlings good airflow.
Cause: waterlogged soil. Fix: plant in well-drained beds or containers and avoid low spots where water collects.
Swan River daisy is moderately frost-hardy and dislikes extremes. In the Indian plains sow after the monsoon for flowers through winter and spring; in the hills sow in spring once frosts have passed. Spring sowing can extend flowering into summer and autumn in mild climates.
A single liquid feed after planting is usually enough. It grows happily in fairly poor, well-drained soil in full sun, and tolerates some shade.
The plant grows 25-40 cm tall and spreads gently, so it suits pots, window boxes, hanging baskets and the front of a border.
Plants self-seed readily, even in containers. To save seed, collect it in dry weather after the ray petals have fallen and the seed heads are mature.
Sow white Swan River daisy for a soft, long-flowering edge to beds, pots and hanging baskets.
Quickly. At about 21 °C (70 °F) seedlings often appear in 2-4 days, and most within 12 days.
Yes. Brachycome is a variant spelling still used by many seed catalogues; the accepted botanical name is Brachyscome iberidifolia.
They need full sun and pinching. Pinch the tips of young plants a couple of times and trim back long stems later to keep plants compact and flowering.
Yes. It is low and spreading, drought resistant once established, and well suited to baskets and containers in a sunny spot.