Wilting African Daisies

Question

My African daisies were all blooming beautifully and all of a sudden they started wilting and their heads started pointing downwards and I have no idea why. Is it because the weather changed from very warm to cooler at night? Or is it something else? Also, I have them planted in the garden and they have started opening up, so there is a big hole in the middle. How do I prune this?

Answer 1

These plants do not like cold conditions, so it is highly possible that they are stressed due to the sudden temperature change. In fact, they are considered annuals in areas with cooler weather. By opening up, do you mean the stems with the heads of the flowers having fallen out to the sides so that there is a large bare circular area in the center? This normally happens because the plant does not get quite enough sunlight and has weak stems. If you can get them more light, that would be helpful. Additionally, you may have an animal bedding down in the flowers at night, which will create a circular pattern of flattened plants and kill the plants in the center.