Latest / The Beanstalk : A Podcast for Gardeners / Episode 41 – Utah Daisy - Resilient, Wild and Friendly

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Episode 41 – Utah Daisy - Resilient, Wild and Friendly · The Beanstalk : A Podcast for Gardeners

• 0:28
  Welcome back to the Beanstalk, fellow beans.
• 0:31
  My name is John, your neighborhood garden buddy.
• 0:35
  And today we're kicking off a brand new stretch of episodes
• 0:39
  that I'm really excited about. From episodes 41 through 49,
• 0:44
  we're going to be focusing on flowers that just keep on
• 0:47
  giving, the kind that blooms steadily through the warm season
• 0:52
  and do some real heavy lifting for pollinators and wildlife.
• 0:58
  And today's plant is a perfect way to start that run because
• 1:02
  it's tough, cheerful and right at home in our landscape.
• 1:07
  We're talking about the Utah Daisy, a native wildflower that
• 1:11
  doesn't ask for much but gives a whole lot back.
• 1:15
  Whether you're gardening in the high desert, a suburban yard, or
• 1:19
  just want to support the bees and butterflies with less
• 1:21
  effort, this one deserves a spot in the conversation.
• 1:28
  Utah Daisy is one of those plants that quietly proves that
• 1:31
  native doesn't mean boring. This flower evolved right here
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  in the Intermountain W, which means it understands our hot
• 1:40
  summers, dry spells, and sometimes unpredictable weather
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  better than most store bought ornamentals ever will.
• 1:50
  Growing Utah Daisy is a way to work with your environment
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  instead of fighting it, and that alone makes it worth
• 1:56
  considering. On top of that, it flowers over
• 2:00
  a long stretch of the warm season, which is exactly what
• 2:04
  pollinators need when other blooms start to fade in the
• 2:07
  summer. Bees, butterflies, and even
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  beneficial predatory insects rely on consistent nectar
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  sources, and Utah Daisy shows up day after day like it's punching
• 2:21
  a time clock. For gardeners, that means less
• 2:24
  replanting, less watering, and a landscape that still feels alive
• 2:29
  and active when everything else starts looking a little crispy.
• 2:34
  Growing Utah Daisy is refreshingly straightforward,
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  especially if you're used to fussier flowers.
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  It prefers full sun, and when I say full sun, I really mean it
• 2:47
  wants those long, bright summer days to thrive.
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  It can tolerate some light shade, but the more sun it gets,
• 2:55
  the better and more consistent the flowering will be.
• 2:59
  Soil wise, this plant shines on well drained ground, even soil
• 3:04
  that's rocky, sandy OR low in organic matter.
• 3:09
  In fact, overly rich soil can sometimes lead to leggy growth
• 3:13
  and fewer flowers, which feels backwards if you're coming from
• 3:16
  vegetable gardening. Once established, Utah Daisy is
• 3:22
  remarkably drought tolerant, though young plants appreciate
• 3:26
  regular watering until their roots settle in.
• 3:31
  You can start it from seed in early spring or fall, letting
• 3:34
  natural temperature shifts help with germination, or transplant
• 3:39
  nursery starts if you want quicker results.
• 3:42
  Space plants so air can move freely around them, which helps
• 3:46
  keep foliage healthy and flowering strong throughout the
• 3:49
  season. Harvesting Utah Daisy isn't
• 3:54
  about food, but it still has its place in the garden routine.
• 3:59
  Most gardeners harvest blooms for fresh bouquets or simple
• 4:03
  dried arrangements, and the best time to do that is early in the
• 4:07
  morning, once the dew has dried but before the heat of the day
• 4:11
  kicks in. Snip the flower stems cleanly
• 4:15
  with sharp scissors, taking no more than 1/3 of the blooms from
• 4:19
  anyone plant at a time, so pollinators still have plenty to
• 4:23
  work with. Regular cutting actually
• 4:26
  encourages more blooms, which is a nice bonus if you like having
• 4:31
  flowers indoors and outside at the same time.
• 4:35
  If you're not harvesting for arrangements, dead heading spent
• 4:38
  flowers can help extend the blooming period, though Utah
• 4:43
  Daisy will still flower reliably even if you leave it alone and
• 4:46
  let it do its thing. One of the nicest things about
• 4:51
  Utah Daisy is that serious pest issues are rare, but that
• 4:55
  doesn't mean problems never show up.
• 4:58
  Aphids can occasionally cluster on new growth, especially during
• 5:03
  periods of rapid spring growth. These tiny insects feed by
• 5:08
  sucking set from stems and leaves, which can cause curling,
• 5:12
  yellowing, and overall weakened plants if left unchecked.
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  Aphids tend to show up when plants are stressed or when
• 5:20
  there's an imbalance in beneficial insects, and a strong
• 5:25
  spray of water every few days often knocks them back enough
• 5:28
  for ladybugs and lace wings to take over if they persist.
• 5:33
  Insecticidal soap applied in the evening works well without
• 5:37
  harming pollinators. When used carefully.
• 5:43
  Powder and mildew can appear during periods of warm days and
• 5:46
  cool nights, especially if plants are crowded or airflow is
• 5:50
  poor. This fungal issue shows up as a
• 5:54
  white, dusty coating on leaves and can reduce photosynthesis
• 5:58
  over time. It usually happens when moisture
• 6:02
  lingers on foliage, so proper spacing and watering at the soil
• 6:06
  level rather than overhead go a long way towards prevention.
• 6:12
  If mildew appears, removing affected leaves and improving
• 6:16
  air flow is the first step, followed by an organic fungicide
• 6:20
  like a baking soda base spray if needed.
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  Root raw is another potential issue, though it's almost always
• 6:30
  tied to over watering or poorly drained soil.
• 6:34
  Plants affected by root rot may wilt even when the soil is wet,
• 6:38
  and growth will slow dramatically.
• 6:41
  This happens because the roots can't get oxygen in waterlogged
• 6:45
  conditions, leading to decay. The solution here is prevention
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  above all else, making sure soil drains well and watering only
• 6:55
  when necessary. Once root rot sets in, it's
• 6:59
  difficult to reverse, so correcting soil conditions is
• 7:02
  key. Utah Daisy plays very nicely
• 7:08
  with other plants, especially those that share its love of sun
• 7:12
  and lean soil. It works beautifully alongside
• 7:16
  other native wildflowers, ornamental grasses and drought
• 7:20
  tolerant perennials, creating a naturalistic planting that feels
• 7:25
  intentional but not overworked in vegetable gardens.
• 7:31
  Planting Utah Daisy nearby can help draw pollinators into the
• 7:35
  area, which benefits crops like squash, cucumbers and tomatoes
• 7:41
  that rely heavily on insect pollination.
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  It's relatively compact growth means it won't bully neighboring
• 7:49
  plants, and it's steady bloom helps keep beneficial insects
• 7:54
  around even when your vegetables aren't flowering heavily.
• 8:00
  Saving seeds from Utah Daisy is simple and rewarding, especially
• 8:05
  if you want to expand your planting or share with friends.
• 8:10
  Allow some flowers to remain on the plant until they dry fully
• 8:14
  and turn brown, which usually happens towards the end of the
• 8:18
  growing season. Once dry, gently collect the
• 8:23
  seed heads and crumble them into a paper bag or envelope.
• 8:28
  Make sure the seeds are completely dry before storing
• 8:31
  them in a cool, dark place and label them with the plant name
• 8:35
  and year because future you will absolutely forget otherwise.
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  These seeds often germinate best after experiencing a cold
• 8:44
  period, so fall selling or a short cold stratification in the
• 8:49
  fridge can improve results. One of the biggest pros of Utah
• 8:56
  Daisy is its resilience, since it handles heat, drought and
• 9:01
  poor soil with impressive ease while still flowering reliably.
• 9:07
  It's also a pollinator magnet, making it a strong choice for
• 9:10
  wildlife friendly gardens and low maintenance landscapes.
• 9:15
  On the downside, its subtle color palette may not appeal to
• 9:19
  gardeners looking for bold tropical style blooms, and in a
• 9:24
  very rich soil, it can become floppy or less floriferous.
• 9:31
  Some people may also overlook it because it doesn't scream for
• 9:34
  attention early in the season, but once it gets going, it
• 9:39
  quietly proves its value. Since Utah Daisy isn't edible, I
• 9:45
  like the idea of pairing flower episodes with a dish that fits
• 9:49
  the spirit of the plant rather than the plate.
• 9:53
  And today we're going with a pollinator Garden Picnic pasta
• 9:57
  salad that's perfect for a summer evening.
• 10:01
  Start by cooking 12 ounces of short pasta, like a rainbow
• 10:05
  rotini or farfale, in well salted water until just tender,
• 10:12
  then drain and let it cool slightly.
• 10:14
  In a large bowl, whisk together half a cup of olive oil, 3
• 10:21
  tablespoons of red wine vinegar, one teaspoon of Dijon mustard,
• 10:28
  one minced garden clove, and salt and pepper to taste.
• 10:34
  Toss the warm pasta with the dressing so it absorbs all that
• 10:38
  flavor. Then add One Cup of cherry
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  tomatoes, half a cup of sliced olives, half a cup of crumbled
• 10:47
  feta, and 1/4 cup of finely chopped fresh herbs like parsley
• 10:52
  or basil. Give it a gentle mix, taste and
• 10:57
  adjust seasoning as needed. Then let it chill for at least
• 11:02
  30 minutes before serving. This is the kind of dish you
• 11:07
  bring outside. Sit near the flowers and let the
• 11:10
  bees do their thing while you enjoy a meal that feels just as
• 11:13
  summary as the garden. And now for some fun facts about
• 11:20
  the Utah Daisy. Utah Daisy is part of a group of
• 11:27
  native daisies that have adapted to survive some surprisingly
• 11:30
  harsh environments, which is why they're often found thriving in
• 11:35
  places where other plants struggle.
• 11:39
  The simple Daisy shapes actually a clever evolutionary design,
• 11:43
  with many tiny flowers packed into one bloom to attract
• 11:48
  pollinators more efficiently. Native daisies like this one
• 11:54
  often bloom longer than ornamental hybrids because
• 11:57
  they're tuned to local day length and temperature patterns.
• 12:04
  Utah Daisy has been observed supporting not just bees and
• 12:07
  butterflies, but also beetles and flies that play important
• 12:12
  roles in pollination ecosystems. Because it's a native plant, it
• 12:19
  often requires fewer inputs like fertilizer and water, making it
• 12:24
  a quiet sustainability champion in the garden.
• 12:30
  In Natural Landscapes Utah, Daisy helps stabilize soil and
• 12:34
  reduce erosion, especially in open, sunny areas with sparse
• 12:39
  vegetation. Welcome to the garden nerd
• 12:45
  corner, fellow beans. Botanically speaking, what we
• 12:51
  call a Daisy flower is actually a composite flower, meaning each
• 12:55
  bloom is made-up of dozens or even hundreds of individual
• 12:59
  florets working together. This family, Astoraceae, is one
• 13:06
  of the largest plant families on Earth and Utah Daisy is a small
• 13:10
  but important part of that lineage.
• 13:14
  The central disk florets mature at different times than the
• 13:18
  outer ray florets, which extends the window for pollination and
• 13:22
  increases seed set. Native daisies also tend to form
• 13:28
  relationships with specific local insects, making them
• 13:32
  especially valuable in restoration and conservation
• 13:35
  plantings. From an ecological perspective,
• 13:40
  planting Utah Daisy and less about decoration and more about
• 13:43
  rebuilding small pieces of functional habitat right in your
• 13:47
  yard. Thanks again for hanging out
• 13:54
  with me today on the Beanstalk, Fellow Beans.
• 13:58
  If you want to keep the conversation going, we've got a
• 14:01
  growing community over at the Beanstalk Garden Club on
• 14:04
  Facebook. Come join us, share your garden
• 14:08
  photos, swap ideas, and dig a little deeper into all things
• 14:13
  that grow together. If you're enjoying the podcast,
• 14:18
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• 14:21
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• 14:25
  feedback or questions for future shows.
• 14:29
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• 14:32
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• 14:35
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• 14:39
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• 14:43
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• 14:46
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• 14:52
  Keep on client.