How to Prune African Daisy Ground Cover

African Daisy (Osteospermum) is a common ground cover that has a spreading growth habit. As the plants get older, they become woody and may develop bare patches. It is simple to prune them back into the lush carpet of flowers they are meant to be.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Bypass Pruners
• Lawn Mowers

1. Tip-prune young plants by removing the soft new top growth down to the second set of leaves. Pinch the soft foliage with your fingernails; it will come off easily. Continuous pinching of the new growth will keep the young plants bushy and full.
2. Prune older plants with bypass pruners, removing the side growth to the second set of leaves. This means that you will leave some of the old branches on the plant, but reduce the length. New growth will sprout from the pruned branches.
3. Mow large areas of African Daisy if they become woody or leggy. Set the mower blade to a high setting. This technique is best done when the plants are growing vigorously, usually in spring or summer.

Tips & Warnings

• Pruning often will encourage a repeat bloom.
• Root the prunings by cutting them into 3 - 4" pieces. Dip the cut end into a rooting hormone and place it into damp sand until roots form - usually in about 3 months. Rooted cuttings can be used to fill in bare spots.

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