Senetti are a beautiful spring flowering plant that is sensitive to afternoon sun. Senetti that are planted in an sunny spot that gets warm afternoon sun will quickly droop. If the weather in your area warms up quickly in spring and summer, a spot that gets afternoon shade is ideal.
This article will explore why a senetti plant droops, the best place to plant it and what I learnt about growing a beautiful senetti plant at home.
Senetti are a plant that I have just discovered. While senetti have actually existed for many years, the new hybrids with bright colors are irresistible when you see them in a nursery.
While I try to resist all impulse buys, impulse buying at garden centers are the one exception to this perfectly good rule.
This is what lead me to my first senetti purchase and the lessons I learnt in the best way to grow them.
Senetti might be one of the most beautiful plants you can have in your garden in spring. A senetti look like a bright daisy and planting it in a bright sunny spot feels like the right thing to do. If you are like me you will soon discover that in warmer regions senetti will quickly droop and look terribly sad.
Why senetti droop
Senetti are a fantastic plant but I discovered that after a week of their life in my raised garden bed they will droop in the afternoon sun.
I had planted two senetti in my raised bed and discovered that one end gets afternoon sun and one doesn’t. The senetti plant down the end that gets the afternoon sun drooped very quickly. This began within two days, but was significant by the end of the week.
By the next weekend the decision had to be made to move the plant to save it. When I dug up the plant gently, I noticed that the soil was incredibly warm from being in the sun.
The best place to plant senetti to avoid it drooping
Senetti will grow perfectly well in a position that gets morning sun and afternoon shade. This will give them the bright light to encourage over 200 flowers on one small shrub.
Once the plant has flowered you can trim it back completely, removing the top 1/3 and old flower heads and it will grow back a full coverage of flowers in as few as 3 weeks.
Afternoon shade from nearby trees will give it the protection that it needs to avoid the leaves and flowers drooping.
I had moved my senetti to a position next to some clivias that gets afternoon sun from a nearby orange tree. Overnight the plant had recovered from its days in the warm afternoon sun and was recovering from its drooping form.
I will prune of the flowers in a few days to give it the chance to grow back new leaves and flowers without drooping.
Watering the plant well when replanting is vitally important to allow the plant to recover and grow its upright leaves and flowers.
Growing senetti in raised garden beds
When growing senetti in raised garden beds it is important that the plant gets afternoon shade. More than a plant growing in the ground a raised garden bed will heat up quickly, not only the sun on the leaves but the warmth of the soil that can cause the plant to droop.
Senetti can grow well in raised beds if it is well shaded and well watered. Watering every 2-3 days when planting them out in spring for the first 2 weeks will be essential to settle them in and avoid drooping.
Growing senetti in the ground
Senetti are actually easier to grow in the ground than in raised beds or pots as it is easier to keep the roots cool.
I have chosen a spot that gets afternoon shade, with the soil improved with aged cow manure and it is mulched with bark chips.
This is the perfect place for my senetti with almost fluorescent purple flowers in contrast to the deep green of the nearby clivias.
My front garden is slowly growing into a beautifully, evolving and eclectic collection of my favorite plants. Senetti are a new plant in my collection but one I am quickly adding to the list of my favorites.
Tips for growing senetti at home
Senetti will grow well at home if you give them what they want. It has simple needs from regular water, afternoon shade and well draining soil. It will then reward you with a full display of bright flowers that can come out in early spring, can continue into summer, pop up again in fall and again in winter.
Why is my senetti drooping? | Summary
Senetti will droop if they are getting too much afternoon sun. A sunny spot can be too much for this heat sensitive plant so choose a shadier spot than you would for an African daisy or paper daisy. Senetti will thrive in spot that gets protection from harsh sun and heat.
Senetti have been bred to create new hybrids that can add the most vibrant color you can find in a plant. Bright pink, purple and red can brighten up any space and give you a ridiculous amount of color for a plant.
Give them some shade and you will have a happy home for a senetti.
Happy growing.
I am an accredited practicing dietitian, experienced gardener and a dedicated cook. I love writing and sharing my experience so you can learn from my successes and mistakes.