Q: This year, I initially had blooms on my Gerber daisies, but once I removed the flower, they didn’t produce any other blooms.

A: This South African native is known for the bright flowers it produces in spring and fall. Gerber daisy’s slow their blooming at temperatures above 70 degrees and stop blooming when things get above 80 degrees.

Though not reliably cold-hardy, I occasionally hear from gardeners who have kept theirs alive outdoors in winter. The secret seems to be very fast soil drainage: a high percentage of pea gravel or expanded slate in the planting bed. Despite the need for dry roots in winter, Gerber daisy’s like slightly moist soil all summer.

I love the flowers but usually favor plants that aren’t so demanding in our climate.