Why Are My Daisy Leaves Curling? (Causes+How To Fix)

Daisies (Bellis Perennis) are sturdy plants but to thrive and grow, they need favorable conditions. If they are not provided with favorable conditions, they can experience various problems, and the curling of leaves is one.

But why do daisy leaves curl? Let’s find out.

Pest infestation and improper watering are the primary reasons behind the curling of daisy leaves. Some other reasons that lead to curling daisies are lack of sunlight and overfertilization. Regulate the water supply and keep pests at bay to prevent curly leaves in your daisy plant.

The daisies need overall care to prevent curling. You need to give them sufficient light, fertilize only when required, follow a proper watering routine, and spray neem oil solution on them every month.

This article will dive into all the possible reasons that can make the leaves of your daisies curl, and we will discuss how to treat and revive them.

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Why are my daisies curling?

The daisies are sturdy and capable of surviving unfavorable conditions, and due to this, most of the gardeners have daisies in their garden. 

But being a sturdy plant, daisy will also need minimum care. Otherwise, the plant can struggle to grow and flourish due to various problems, and it might be difficult for you to understand why your daisies are not thriving.

Let us now discuss the causes for the curly leaves of your daisies: 

  • Inadequate sunlight 
  • Improper watering  
  • Overfertilization 
  • Moist and humid conditions 
  • Pest infestation 

Now we will understand each of these points in detail.

Inadequate sunlight

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Sunlight is an essential factor for the growth of daisies. Daisies thrive in direct bright sunlight. To have showy, colorful flowers, they need a maximum amount of sunlight along with water and other nutrients.

If your daisies are not planted in a spot in your garden where the sunlight is in abundance, the plant will struggle to thrive.

Your plant can show many signs if it is unhealthy and is not being nourished well. Lack of sunlight causes the leaves of your daisies to curl. Along with this, they can also lose their natural color and turn yellow or brown.

Therefore, you need to plant your daisies in a spot where they can receive direct sunlight from the start of the day till the end.

If you notice that your daisies are not getting enough sunlight and growing in the shade of another plant or tree, you will need to transplant them in a spot where the sunlight is sufficient for them.

Also read: How Much Light Do Daisies Need? (Daisy Light Requirements)

Improper watering

For proper nutrition and growth of your daisies, adequate watering is required. Due to this reason, you will need to stick to a routine for watering your plants.

Since daisies like to stay in the sun all day, they require enough moisture to sustain their health. But excess water can also be a problem for your daisies, so water them as per their requirement.

If the leaves of your daisies are curling, then both underwatering and overwatering can be the cause so let us discuss both reasons in detail.


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Underwatering 

If all other conditions are favorable and daisies receive enough sunlight, you will need to water them once a week to provide optimum nutrition.

The daisies are sturdy, and they can survive a week or two without water. However, if the soil becomes dry and flaky, then the leaves of your daisies will start drooping and become curly so, if the soil is brittle and dry, water them immediately.

Do not forget to check the soil before you water. Dip your finger into the soil up to two inches and see whether you feel the moistness of the soil.

If you find the soil dry and flaky, it means your daisies are thirsty and require some water.

But if the soil feels a little sticky and moist on your fingers, it means the plant does not require any water as it can still feed on the moisture present in the soil, and you will not need to water it for some days.

If your plant is underwatered and the leaves droopy and curly, it is not that difficult to revive it. You can just water it slowly, and you will see it reviving in one or two days.

But overwatering conditions are more harmful to your daisies.

Also read: How Much Water Do Daisies Need? (Daisy Water Requirements)

Overwatering

Daisies don’t like sitting on the water for a long time, and if you are a gardener with daisies in your garden, you need to understand this to avoid overwatering your daisies. 

To understand if your daisies are overwatered, you will need to check the soil first. If you touch the soil and feel that it is moist and damp and the leaves look curly with discoloration, it is an overwatering condition. 

Daisies do require water for proper growth, but it should not be too much. Consider checking the drainage of the soil where the daisies are planted. 

If the soil does not support proper drainage, you will need to consider transplanting your daisies where the soil is well-draining. 

To avoid overwatering, always feel the soil before you water your daisies.

The plant tends to retain moisture longer during winters and does not require as much water as in summer. You can increase the water cycle from one week to two weeks during the winters. 

You can follow the below-mentioned steps to avoid overwatering your daisies: 

  • Remember to check the soil before watering your daisies. 
  • Maintain a watering schedule. 
  • Check if the soil is well-draining enough. 
  • Never water your plant that is sitting in moist soil. 
  • If required, transplant your daisies to a different spot.

When to water if my daisies are curling?

Until and unless the soil feels dry up to two inches from the surface, you should not water your daisies.

However, you can water your daisies if the soil is very little moist, although it is not recommended if you are yet to understand your plant completely.

For reviving your plant from underwatering or overwatering, you will need to check your watering schedule and adjust it accordingly.

Overfertilization

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After planting your daisies, fertilize them in 15 to 30 days. 

You will need to fertilize them with an all-purpose fertilizer. You can use a 10-10-10 fertilizer for your daisies. The frequency depends on which fertilizer you are using. If it is granular, you can use it every five to six months, but if you use a liquid fertilizer, you can use it every one to two months. 

Don’t fertilize your daisies during the dormant winters. It can cause stress to your plant because they tend to retain moisture and nutrients during the winter season and don’t grow during that time. 

Curly leaves are also caused due to over-fertilizing in the daisies. Overfertilization can have other adverse effects as well, like brown tips. It can also drive stunted and leggy growth in your daisies. 

How can we avoid overfertilization?

  • Check if there is too much mineral and salt buildup on the surface of the soil. 
  • If, by any chance, you pour too much fertilizer into the soil, you might need to transplant your daisies. 
  • If the soil is well-draining, you can try to wash away the excess fertilizer by watering it. But if it is not possible, you will have to transplant. 
  • Prepare a well-draining soil in the spot where you need to plant your daisies. 
  • Pack the soil gently after planting your daisies, and do not fertilize it for at least a month.

Also read: Do Daisies Need Fertilizer?

Moist and humid conditions

You might see the leaves falling or curling if you have recently planted the daisies in your garden. This is because the roots have not settled down yet. The plants can also sense the change in the environment and therefore take some time to settle down. 

The daisies need humidity levels up to 60% to 65% to thrive. During winters, they might not get favorable humid conditions as the weather becomes dry and humidity drops. 

If you see your plants curling in such conditions, you can mist them with water to provide some humidity. Surrounding your daisies with other plants can also maintain the moisture around your daisies. 

Pest infestation

A pest infestation can be the most common reason for the leaves of your daisies to curl. Pests like aphids, whiteflies, and thrips are commonly known for feeding on the daisies.  

Powdery mildew is also a common disease that affects the daisies. It is a kind of fungus that can cause the leaves to curl. It can spread fast and cover the entire leaf surface.  

The pests feed on the sap of the daisies and can damage the leaves to make them wilt and curl. They attack the younger leaves, due to which the plant shows stunted growth with curly leaves.  

If you wish to eliminate the pests that kill your daisies and make their leaves curl, you will need to spray your plant thoroughly with a neem oil solution. 

After washing away the pests, you will need to disinfect the entire area around your plant. 

You can also use pesticides available in the market, but please read the label and instructions before applying them. 

Use the neem oil spray regularly for at least two weeks to remove the pests and eggs from your plant altogether.  

Also read: How To Get Rid Of Bugs On Daisies? (Common Bugs+Solution)

How to take care of a curling daisy plant?

Now that we know the reason behind the curling of the daisies, we will be able to deal with the problem. Let us now discuss the steps to cure curling daisies.

Situation 1: When your daisies are curling without any sign.

If your daisies are curling without any sign and you cannot find out the correct reason for it, try to keep it in full sun and check if the moisture in the soil is present.

If you can see that everything is alright and yet the plant looks curly, it is possibly due to the change of atmosphere if you have planted disease recently. 

You will need to water it adequately and let it settle down. The daisies will need some time to adapt to the new conditions if their surroundings are changed recently.

Environmental changes can undoubtedly bring about some stress to your plant, and your plant will need time to get acclimatized to the situation. 

Situation 2: When the plant is suffering from overwatering or overfertilization issues.

If your plant is curling due to overwatering, you will need to leave it in the sun for a few days and keep checking the soil’s moisture levels for it to recover. 

If it does not work and you don’t see your plant reviving itself, you will need to transplant it and plant it in a dry spot in your garden where the conditions are favorable for it to settle down and recover. 

If overfertilization is the issue, you will need to dilute the excess fertilizer by watering the plants and washing away the fertilizer.

Ensure that the soil is well-draining so that the excess fertilizer seeps through the soil with draining water. If this does not work, you need to transplant your daisies. 

How to transplant the daisies?

  • We need to dig the ground 10 to 8 inches deep with a shovel around the daisies. 
  • After digging all around the daisies, loosen the roots with the help of the shovel. 
  • Gently take the clump out of the ground, but before taking it out, you will need to dig up a 10 inches hole at the spot where you need to plant them again. 
  • Place the clump in the hole where you want to plant it and fill the gaps with soil. 
  • Gently tap the surface of the soil but don’t press too hard. 
  • Pruning your plant will be a good idea before you transplant it to remove the deadheads. 

Final words

Mist your daisies with neem oil solution to prevent pest infestation. And if pests have infested them already, the neem oil will kill them. 

Use disinfectants to clean the area around the plant after removing the pests. 

Make sure that you do not overwater or underwater your daisies and stick to a watering schedule. 

Fertilize your daisies before the blooming season but don’t overdo it.


Ref: WikipediaBritannicaUniversity Of Florida, Ucanr.edu

Richa

Hello everyone, My name is Richa and I am here to make you a better gardener by creating an in-depth and helpful resource for all the fellow gardeners out there. If I could help even a few people understand their plants better then I call it a success for my efforts.

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