I've tried various cultivars of shasta daisy over the years and usually they only last a couple of years. The longest run I've had with them was 'Alaska' that I had started from seed- those returned for 3 or 4 years. Those plants were grown in heavy clay soil that lacks organic matter. I think they benefit from frequent division, but lately I'm not having them survive long enough to divide them.

Last year I picked up a gallon pot of 'Becky' from a clearance wrack, and it formed a big, healthy mound of foliage by fall. By the end of winter it had mostly died, except for one small part (the size of a seedling). That little surviving piece has again grown into a big, healthy looking mound of foliage, and even had a couple of blooms late this summer. The spot is well drained, but the soil is rich- wondering if that could be a problem? If it survives the coming winter, should I divide it in spring?

I love the simplicity of white daisies and the light they bring to the garden, and would sure love to succeed with them! Any ideas would be appreciated...

Neal, I am sorry, I have no good info for you. I always end up thinning every kind of daisy I have grown. I've given so many away of various cultivars that now I've loaded all my plant takers up and I just have to throw them out. Mine are grown in well amended soil and for the most part well drained. My best (and least favorite) stand is in clay soil. I don't know what cultivar that stand is. They are plain old daisy that grow almost three feet tall. If you were closer I could load you up with several varieties and keep you in daisies even if they kept dying out on you

I also cannot seem to keep them. But some other similar flowers work as substitutes: Echinacea 'Pow Wow White' and 'White Swan' are some cultivars that have survived for me. I have clay also, so you might try those.

Neal, the only daisy I have ever had luck with is 'Sante'. It is not plain but fuzzy to the point where it almost looks like a mum. It grows in my clay soil and gets quite big and blooms prolifically. I have tried Becky, Alaska, and Snowy Lady and none lasted more than two years. I'm not sure how long Sante would grow...I revised my garden where I had it and gave it away in the fourth year. Then I regretted getting rid of it and planted another one last year. Just a thought.

Oh my, Pistil. I will have to get together with you and offer some shastas I've had for years. They are likely an older variety given to me by either my mother-in-law or neighbor. Can't kill them, and they increase quickly. They tend to get a bit leggy, but I find if I cut them back to 6" in early June I have better luck with them standing on their own.

Pistil, that's a good idea- Echies do well for me. Not quite as bright and clean looking as Shastas, but I may need to compromise.

Jeanie, sounds like your experience with them is similar to mine. I'll keep an eye out for 'Sante'.

Deb, yours look perfect- that's exactly what I'm wanting!

Oh Bonehead, what a nice offer-I think I might take you up on that in the spring. I will go look now if you have a "want" list. I think there are a number of perennials which have had the "perennial" bred out of them by hybridizers!
I will be up in your area quite a bit-my sister is moving soon to Camano Island. She is a gardener too, is moving from the foothills near Mt Baker so she is really excited about gardening in such a mild climate.

Perhaps we can schedule a group exchange for the PNW ATP folk - doesn't have to be huge, just a few of us with extra plants. I'd be happy to host it at my place, perhaps around tulip time. I'll post something over in the PNW forum to see if there is any interest.

I have found another lovely daisy that does return for me, Nippon Daisy. They're a nice sparkling white for October when so much is turning brown.

Well, if you get desperate, you're not far off I-75, the route I take to go visit Jennifer. I could bring you back some from one of my "plant exchange" visits.

I would happily meet you by the interstate! LOL I'm going to keep trying with them though- I think it is a matter of finding the right spot and the right variety.

Neal if you meet my mom on her way back I can send you all kinds of plants!

Ah yes, and I could bring lots of stuff for both of you too! Plants in pots or too big to ship

Is your soil getting too wet? I ask, because I have had problems with Shasta daisies dying on me before, and I think it was because the soil was too wet in those areas, due to over-irrigation. (We have clay soil, too.)

With the drought and mandatory water cutbacks, the daisies are hanging in there this year, and other plants such as Stachys have taken off and are crowding out other things.

The clump that almost died last winter- that one I had to wonder if it was due to excessive moisture from all the snow melting and the ground being frozen. Generally speaking I don't think that is the case- lilies, bearded irises, and various bulbs all prosper in the same beds. And the beds are situated on a hill, so the drainage is good most of the year. While the soil here is heavy, it is still very loamy. Water doesn't hang around long enough to puddle. I have one spot this is heavy clay where septic workers buried my topsoil and left clay subsoil exposed on top. It is full of rocks and terrible to work in, but is the spot where I had shastas last the longest- go figure...

According to this shasta daisy page from U of Illinois:

http://extension.illinois.edu/...

"Wet, poorly drained winter soils shorten the life of the plant.......Cut plants down in mid-September to stimulate vegetative growth and help to extend the plant's garden life".

I've had 'Becky' here for many years, it has spread considerably and I took several chunks off it this spring to plant elsewhere. The soil is sandy loam and they don't get watered except during a prolonged dry spell. We don't get a lot of rain here as a rule. It gets very cold and the ground stays frozen all winter. Snow cover is variable. Don't know if tbis helps any. Soil pH would be around 6.8 although it's said to tolerate a wide range so that's probably not relevant.

Cutting down in September may be a key here! Hmmm.....

I came back to this thread to mention that I found a link that said that cold wet soil kills Shasta daisies - but Sooby beat me to it. http://www.silive.com/homegard...

The takeaway line from the article:

Although they will live through the summer in clay soil they will tend to die over the winter in heavy, wet soil. Good air circulation is beneficial.

What gripes me is that the Shasta daisies that repeatedly died, are not the NOID misnamed ones sent to me by online nurseries, but my beloved 'Ice Star', which is hard to replace. (Yes, I've tried replacing it several times... and the nurseries (2 different ones, as I recall) sent me mostly misnamed single flowering plants.)

Odd thing is the best luck I've had with them was in heavy clay. It was well drained though, and water never puddled there. Perhaps the soil here is too moisture retentive? I could try amending with fine bark and sand; maybe that would be a porous enough media to overwinter them.

The big chunk of my current clump that died at the end of last winter, died during the melting of lots of snow. The soil was certainly cold and wet.

I think my shasta daisy curse may be lifted- I've got survivors! Looks like the sprig out of the clump that survived last year not only re-grew into a clump, but has lots of green pips sprouting now. There is also another I purchased late in the season last year as a small plant that has survived. I believe I will see daisies this summer!

Not sure what the key to survival is though. We didn't have as much snow this year, maybe the ton of snow that covered them for so long last year was the issue? I did't mulch last fall- perhaps that helped.