Garden gerbera: planting and care. Proper planting and care of garden gerbera
Gerbera is a South African plant, therefore it is very thermophilic. But, nevertheless, you can find many areas that adorn flowering gerberas. Planting and care in the garden of the southern regions and in the middle lane have a number of significant differences.
In the south, the gerbera winters well outdoors and blooms profusely from April to October. And in the northern regions, it is often grown in greenhouses, on balconies, loggias or in room conditions. When grown in the garden, bushes are dug up annually and up to spring planting stored under suitable conditions.
Such chores are fully justified, since gerbera inflorescences are very beautiful. They have a variety of colors. They can be simple or double, with a diameter of 4 to 15 cm. They are located on peduncles from 20 to 60 cm high, depending on the variety.
Undersized forms are grown as ornamental, pot or container crops, tall ones are used for cutting.
Gerbera is propagated most often by seeds or by dividing bushes, less often by cuttings.
Reproduction by seeds
Seeds for planting can be purchased at the store or obtained from your own plants. Under optimal conditions, the seeds ripen 3-4 months after pollination. Germination is maintained for 6-10 months. But it must be borne in mind that gerberas grown from them do not inherit varietal characteristics and can differ greatly from the original forms.
Sowing is carried out from January to March.
Can be sown with dry seeds or carry out a small pre-sowing treatment:
- The napkin is moistened with a solution of epin;
- Spread the seeds;
- Placed in a bag or plastic container;
- Leave warm for a day.
For sowing, a loose substrate is needed. Riding peat or its mixture with sand is well suited. You can also prepare a mixture of leaf, humus and sod land with the addition of sand.
Seeds are sown to a depth of no more than 2-3 mm. The boxes are covered with a transparent cap and placed in a warm room. The first shoots appear after 2 weeks. Immediately after this, the shelter is removed, and the containers are transferred to the lightest windowsill. Depending on the timing of sowing, the plants are illuminated for 1-3 months, bringing the daylight hours to 12-14 hours.
Dive twice:
- In the phase of two or three true leaves.
- And when the fourth or fifth leaf appears.
Plants from seeds bloom after 10-11 months.
Reproduction by dividing the bush
- Within two weeks, allow the plants to get used to the new conditions.
- Then they take a new, more spacious pot, and pebbles or expanded clay are poured onto the bottom.
- Transfer the plant, keeping a clod of earth. Add fresh substrate.
- The socket is not buried.
- Flowers must be pruned when transplanting.
Water the gerbera only in the pan or along the edge of the pot. Spray the leaves once every two weeks.
rest period
In winter, when additional lighting(October to April) and air and soil temperatures of 20-24˚C, the gerbera continues to bloom. But if you grow it without rest for more than two years, flowering weakens.
Therefore, in December, the gerbera is taken out in bright room, the temperature is reduced to 10-12˚C, watering is limited. In such conditions, a period of rest begins, which lasts until the end of February.
Divide the plants in early spring. Bushes at the age of 3-4 years are cut into pieces so that 2-3 sprouts remain on each of them. Delenki are planted 1-2 cm above the soil level. A month later, the plants take root.
Planting gerbera in the garden
Gerbera blooms profusely only with sufficient light and heat. Prefers bright but diffused light, with little sun rays.
This plant is moisture-loving, but does not tolerate excess moisture, both in the soil and in the air, so the garden area should not be damp. The soil for the prevention of fungal diseases is treated with phytosporin.
Gerberas are planted in the ground only after the soil and air warm up well.
Care
During active growth, gerbera needs a lot of moisture. As soon as the top layer of the soil dries out, the plants are watered. room temperature. In this case, the liquid should not get inside the outlet or on the leaves.
Gerberas are fed from March to September once every two weeks. Use complex mineral fertilizer. Organic fertilizers cause the appearance of fungal diseases, so they are usually not used.
Fading baskets break out at the base, leaving no stumps. This stimulates the emergence of new buds.
When caring for a gerbera, it is important to know that it is susceptible to various fungal diseases. Increased humidity of air and soil, low temperature or its sudden changes, watering cold water can cause rot, spots on the leaves. If this happens, all affected leaves are removed, and the plants are treated with a fungicide.
With proper planting and regular care, even in a garden located in a temperate climate, gerberas will delight owners with their bright bloom within 3-4 months.
Gerbera garden (lat. Gerbera) - perennial herbaceous plant family Compositae (Asteraceae). The plant is very popular in home and garden floriculture.
The bushes are compact, the leaf plates are neatly assembled into a basal rosette. The leaves are pinnately dissected with pointed tips, the length is about 35 cm, the surface is leathery, iridescent. In some leaves, the base of the leaflets and petioles may be strongly pubescent.
The flower-bearing stalk is extended by 30-60 cm, and large basket inflorescences bloom at the top. The flowers themselves look like daisies, reach a diameter of 12-16 cm, can be simple, semi-double or double.
The shy gerbera captivates with hypnotic beauty, and planting and caring for the plant is not difficult.
Originally from hot Africa and Madagascar, some species can be found in the tropics of Asia. By the way, other beautiful daisies were also brought from Africa - garden flowers similar to gerberas - .
When does the gerbera bloom?
Gerbera flowers bloom from early spring and end their beauty parade with the onset of severe autumn cold.
Cut gerbera: how to do it right
gerbera flowers for a long time retain freshness after cutting. But they should be cut correctly, or rather, the flower-bearing stem is carefully twisted out of the nest. If you cut off or leave part of the peduncle on the bush, this threatens with complete decay of the plant left like that.
Growing garden gerbera from seeds for seedlings
When to plant
To get strong flowering bushes in the current season, it is necessary to grow gerbera seedlings since autumn. It is necessary to sow gerbera for seedlings in October-November, so that those planted in open ground gerberas bloom in July-August.
If you sow gerberas in January-March, you will not see flowering this season. Do not be upset: plant the finished seedlings in the garden, and in the fall transfer them to pots and keep them until next spring (more on this below).
How to plant
- We take seedling cassettes, fill them with loose nutrient soil mixture (there is special formulations for growing seedlings), we lay out the seeds one by one in a cell, helping ourselves with a toothpick, we deepen no more than 3 mm.
- Spray with a fine mist sprayer.
- The optimum air temperature for seed germination is at least 18 ° C, in order to maintain the required level of humidity and temperature, cover the crops with glass or film on top.
- The germination process takes about 2 weeks, then grow without film cover.
- Keep scattered bright lighting at least 12 hours (be sure to arrange additional illumination with fitolamps), do not forget to ventilate, spray the crops if necessary.
- We transfer the grown plants to more spacious pots.
- When real warmth sets in with nighttime temperatures above 12°C, transplant your gerbera outdoors.
Keep in mind that flowering will come in 10-11 months, so do not be surprised that flower stalks do not appear in the first year if you are late with sowing seedlings. Also, during seed propagation, varietal characteristics may be lost if cross-pollination has occurred.
Site selection and planting garden gerbera
Light and soil
For a heat-loving gerbera, be sure to select an open sunny area without drafts, flooding and stagnant moisture are contraindicated, with close occurrence ground water you need to make the bed elevated.
Regarding the soil: it should be loose and nutritious, good drainage is important.
Transplanting
We transplant into open ground when the soil warms up enough and real heat is established. Dig up the site, make planting holes according to the size of the root system and transfer the bushes along with the earthen clod, the root neck should be 1.5-2 cm above the soil surface. Keep a distance of about 20 cm between individual plants.
Gerbera is susceptible to fungal diseases, so it is advisable to treat the soil with special preparations before planting.
How to care for garden gerbera
Cute appearance and bright long flowering are not the only advantages of the plant, the gerbera grows and develops rapidly, it is notable for its unpretentiousness in care.
How to water
During the period of active growth, regular and plentiful watering is necessary, during the dormant period (when transplanting into a pot), water moderately. In watering, keep a balance, drying out of the soil negatively affects the condition of the plant, as well as waterlogging. Use water at room temperature, bring it in carefully, trying not to get on the leaves, the leaf socket should in no case be blocked.
Loosening and weeding
Pull out weeds, periodically loosen the soil.
To maintain growth and flowering, apply complex mineral fertilizers in liquid form every two weeks.
Gerbera garden in autumn
IN natural environment Gerbera grows in mild warm climates with long and hot summers. In central Russia, it is grown seasonally, i.e. planted in open ground for the warm season, can be grown as an annual. In regions with warm winters(air temperature not lower than + 10 ° C) the plant is left to winter in the open ground, covered with straw or dry leaves.
Garden gerbera: how to save in winter
If you want to save the plant for the winter, dig up a bush in the fall and plant it in a spacious container (its size is commensurate with the dimensions of the plant). Lay at the bottom drainage layer, consisting of expanded clay, for example, ordinary small pebbles, clay shards will also be used. For winter maintenance, the following soil mixture is perfect: two parts of leafy soil and peat and one part of sand. When transplanting root collar place a few centimeters above the soil surface.
Winter gerbera care is as follows:
- Keep the gerbera container in a cool (7-8°C) and well-ventilated area.
- It is not necessary to feed, occasionally spray the surface of the soil, provide diffused lighting.
Diseases and pests
Unfortunately, the bright garden gerbera is quite often exposed to diseases and pests, but the root cause lies in improper care. The culture is affected by a fungal infection, leading to rotting of the root system. This is caused by prolonged waterlogging of the soil, perhaps the soil was already infected. Water moderately, lay drainage, and for prevention, treat the soil with an appropriate preparation before planting.
From high humidity powdery mildew occurs. Treat the plant with a fungicide, but keep in mind that if the solution gets on the leaves, ugly spots will remain.
If the humidity is high and the bushes are poorly ventilated - ideal conditions for the development of powdery mildew. It will require treatment with a preparation containing sulfur.
Dangerous pests of gerbera are spider mites, aphids, thrips. The plant will have a depressed appearance, the leaves will begin to turn yellow, whitish cobwebs (traces of the life of the spider mite), various punctures and dark dots (these are the “tricks” of sap-sucking insects) can be found on their surface, aphids can be seen with the naked eye. Treat the bushes first soapy water, in extreme cases, resort to treatment with an insecticidal preparation (anabasin sulfate, nicotine sulfate and others are effective against aphids).
How to propagate garden gerbera
Vegetative propagation of gerberas is the most common method, which involves dividing the bush. Wait until the bushes reach the age of 2-3 years, the division procedure should be carried out in April-May.
- We carefully divide the bush into several parts, each of which should contain a part of the rhizome with growth buds and 2-3 leaves, the roots should be cut to a length of 10 cm.
- We plant them in the holes at a distance of 25-30 cm and grow them all summer in open ground.
Of course, growing gerbera under conditions middle lane Russia involves some troubles, but in return we get neat bushes, blooming whole season. These large, multi-colored flowers, reminiscent of daisies, will decorate not only the garden, but also the windowsill.
Gerbera in landscape design
Compact gerbera bushes are used to frame garden paths, in border plantings, you can use plain color scheme or play with shades.
When grown in containers or garden pots gerbera becomes mobile (portable decoration): place on the balcony, veranda, in any corner of the garden.
Gerbera is so pretty she doesn't need neighbors. It goes well with, calendula,.
If desired, combine with ornamental leafy plants (for example, geyhera, geyherella, cereals and conifers.
Garden perennial gerberas: varieties with photos and names
The view was discovered by Carl Linnaeus, and varietal diversity added to the Dutch botanist-breeder Reman.
There are more than 100 varieties, which allows you to fill the garden with the brightest colors to your liking. The most popular red shades are Robin Hood, Ruby Amsterdam, Saskia and others. Yellow, white, cream, pink gerberas are in great demand, and purple ones are no less charming.
Large-flowered varieties with narrow petals:
- Migar - pleasant pink shade inflorescences;
- Vega - inflorescences of a sunny orange hue;
- Algol is a rich cherry shade of inflorescences.
Gerbera variety mix Gerbera ‘Sweet Collection’ photo
Large flowers of medium petal type:
Mars - flowers of a rich red hue;
Gerbera cultivar Gerbera ‘Sweet Dreams’ flower photo
Large flowers with wide petals:
Vera, Peter, Almak, Romeo, Saturn, Delios.
Gerbera garden variety Sweet Surprise photo
Small-flowered with narrow petals:
- Aldebaran - inflorescences of a rich pink hue;
- Alcor - inflorescences of a dense cherry shade.
Double and semi-double flowers with narrow petals:
Kalinka, Viola, Sonya; the same type, but with wide petals: variety Iskra - the shade of flowers is dark deep red.
Separately, I would like to note the Wright variety, which is the best suited for landscape design and bouquet arrangements.
Gerbera is a beautiful, chamomile-shaped flower that strikes with the splendor of colors. Every day it enjoys more and more popularity. This is evidenced by statistics - in 2008, she took the honorable fifth place in the world in terms of the number of copies sold. And this is absolutely deserved, because a cheerful bouquet of flowers, similar to large, multi-colored daisies, is able to bring a lot of positive emotions, decorate your home with its simple and at the same time elegant, aesthetic appearance. A gerbera flower can charge positive emotions for a long time - cut giant daisies will stand in a vase for up to 20 days.
The first description of a gerbera was given in the 18th century by a botanist from the Netherlands, Jan Gronvius. He also gave a scientific name to the flower, naming it in honor of his colleague Traugott Gerber.
Gerbera flower - basket
The inflorescence is a basket composed of two types of small flowers. The central part is composed of small tubular flowers, and the edge is framed by pseudolingual flowers - pistils. The stem is tall, grows up to 60-65 cm, it has one complex inflorescence-basket. The leaves are dissected, pinnate, pointed. They are quite large, their length reaches 35 cm. There are species in which the base of the foliage and petioles are pubescent.
Culture color diversity
A complete characterization of the gerbera would not be possible without mentioning the color characteristic of the flower. It can be scarlet, pink, lemon, coral, lilac, yellow, white, orange. Coloring includes almost all colors. The only exception is that you will not find blue gerberas either in nature or among breeders - this tone is not included in the color scheme of the plant.
Types and varieties of gerbera
Most often, the flower is grown for cutting into bouquets, but there are also garden gerberas that can be cultivated in open ground in the southern regions of Russia. In conditions temperate climate they are planted in greenhouses. It happens and indoor flower gerbera obtained from dwarf varieties. To date, about 80 species of "false chamomile" are known, from which about a thousand different varieties have been bred. magnificent flower. This proves once again how much he fell in love with people. The two most popular species are the Jameson gerbera and the green leaf gerbera.
Mother of all varieties
Many varieties of this genus gave life to the Jameson gerbera, a beautiful, graceful flower from the southern regions of Africa. This delightful plant was discovered in the vast latitudes of the hot continent by the Scot Robert Jemson. This amazing find was named after him. Another name was given to the variety - "Transvaal chamomile". It was in the province of Transvaal that a naturalist from Scotland found her.
This large flower, its diameter is 14-15 cm. In the course of selection, it acquired many colorings. Some varieties have become double, semi-double or needle-like.
Plant varieties by color
Most often, gerbera varieties are combined into groups according to shades.
For example, a white gerbera is represented by such excellent varieties, How The Snow Queen, Polaris, Maria, Symphony, Labilosa. Pink-colored representatives of the genus - Aldebaran, Nuance, Rosalina, Migar, Jaska, Basic, Viola, Vera. The best yellow gerberas are Malena, Kalinka, Brigitte, Helios, Tamara, Jupiter, Cabana. Marlena is considered a yellow-black exclusive. Sympathy, Entourage, Diplomat, Mirage, Clementine, Alice bloom with orange baskets. Gerberas Romeo, Veronica, Mars, Rudy Amsterdam, Saskia, Robin, Alamak will delight with bright petals.
There is another interesting variety- Gerbera Mix, which blooms flowers with a variety of shades of petals. The most famous varieties from this series are Festival and Durora.
Features of caring for garden gerbera
If the gardener decides to grow on his personal plot Transvaal chamomile, he needs to decide on the variety and purchase gerbera flower seeds for the garden. It must be remembered that the seeds of the flower remain viable for no more than 8 months. With the onset of spring, they are planted in containers. And it can be containers for seedlings or individual pots.
Planting seeds for seedlings
First, the soil is compiled, which includes components such as peat, perlite, leafy soil and river sand. All of them are mixed in equal proportions.
Then the top layer of soil is loosened, seeds are laid out on top and slightly crushed. soil mixture. Upper layer land should be small. After that, the soil is moistened from the spray gun.
Further seedling care
Containers with planted seeds are set aside in a room where they will not be exposed to burning, direct sunlight. There is no need to create a special temperature regime. Sufficiently warm, room temperature. The room with seedlings must be ventilated from time to time, and the ground in boxes or pots should be sprinkled with water. After 10 days - a maximum of two weeks, the first two leaves of seedlings will appear. Another 14 days will pass and the seedlings will have an additional 3-4 leaves. Now the seedlings can be moved to open garden soil.
Planting a gerbera in the garden - subtleties and secrets
There are a few secrets that you need to know about so that caring for a gerbera flower in the garden does not become unsuccessful. The main requirement for growing a flower is warm natural conditions with hot summer. If the nature of the region cannot boast such a mild climate, then it is preferable to plant a plant in greenhouses or purchase a gerbera flower in a pot, designed for a room.
Another important point- the flower grows best on a gentle slope, especially if placed in the center of a hill. But an ordinary flower bed with loose, well-drained and warm soil is also quite suitable.
The African flower is very fond of the sun, but too hot, direct rays throughout the day are contraindicated for him. To make him feel comfortable, it is better to place him on a site that is illuminated by sunlight for at least half a day. If you neglect this rule, then you will not be able to see all the beauty of one or another variety: the flowers are crushed, and their total number will be small. In addition, the stems without sufficient lighting can stretch.
Garden Gerbera Care
Having decided on the conditions, you need to figure out how to care for garden gerbera flowers.
Water the plant often, especially during active growth and flowering. But at the same time, stagnation of water in the soil should not be allowed, otherwise the roots may rot. Water during irrigation should not fall on the leaves, stem and flowers. They can also rot when exposed to moisture. It is undesirable to pour water into the center of the leaf outlet. It is better to water the bush around the leaves.
It is impossible to imagine growing a gerbera without fertilizing. It is best to purchase complex fertilizers garden flowers, which includes all necessary components. They are applied twice a month in the summer, in the fall the number of dressings should be reduced.
Winter care for gerbera
Garden care for gerbera in winter consists in sheltering its roots in autumn. As a "warm blanket" you can use straw, sawdust or dry leaves. If natural conditions are too cold for a southern plant, and there is a possibility that it will freeze, then the flower can be dug up and brought into the house until spring. If there is no desire to care for the winter, then you can grow a gerbera in the garden every year as an annual.
"Home gerbera" - how to grow?
With the advent of the first spring days, the indoor gerbera wakes up, the leaves grow actively, the buds begin to gradually tie. Flowering lasts throughout the spring, but with the onset of hot days, it stops for a while. When the heat subsides, the buds unfold again and delight with a riot of colors until the fall. When the flower feels that the daylight hours have become shorter, it gradually enters a state of winter dormancy.
For those who do not have a greenhouse, and the climate does not indulge in hot, sunny summers, breeders have bred a number of dwarf varieties. Such a gerbera flower grows at home not bad, but subject to certain requirements. The answer to the question: how to care for a gerbera in a room is quite simple - you need to follow simple rules, ensure comfortable conditions and transplant in time. Then gerberas and caring for them will not seem so complicated.
plant lighting
gerbera loves good illumination, but the light should be diffused. It is best to put a flower on the windowsills of windows facing west or east. Then he will receive the necessary amount of light, but the sun will not aggressively affect him throughout the day.
If the goal of the grower is to bring the plant out of winter sleep and make it bloom in the cold season, then lamps are used artificial lighting for organizing illumination. But in this case, the plant will lose all its strength in winter and will not be able to please with flowers in the spring and summer.
Air temperature, humidity and watering
Best temperature regime for a flower - + 18- + 22 ° С. In winter, this figure should be significantly reduced - to + 14 ° С - + 16 ° С.
Watering should be moderate, as the plant equally does not like both stagnant moisture in the soil and overdried soil. Therefore, the flower is watered when the upper part of the substrate dries. This should be done not in the center of the flower, but along the edge of the pot or through the tray, making sure that moisture does not get on the foliage and stems. Water should be warm and settled. Excess moisture drains from the pan, you must ensure that it is dry.
Humidity - not less than important condition for gerbera. It grows well if the humidity is around 70%. Therefore, in warm, dry weather, it needs to be sprayed. IN winter period the plant is sprayed less often or completely abandoned. It is advisable to direct the spray gun not at the center of the outlet, but to spray moisture around the leaves. This precaution will prevent the development of fungal infections.
Top dressing room gerbera
Fertilize indoor gerbera once every two weeks in summer and once a month in winter.
Although in cold period you can do without top dressing at all. Best time to feed the roots useful substances period from April to September. Best pick complex fertilizer for indoor flowering plants and apply it according to the instructions.
Reproduction of culture at home
Knowledge of some features of the plant requires a gerbera flower: planting and caring for it in the future will be successful only if all the necessary conditions are met.
Planting gerbera flowers at home is a simple matter. As a rule, it is carried out in two ways - using a part of the root or petiole. Experienced flower growers carry out the cultivation of gerbera flowers from seeds, but this is a rather complicated process that requires a lot of time and patience. It is better to breed a flower by dividing the root or cuttings.
The first method is the easiest. All that is required is to divide the rhizome of the plant into several parts and plant them in different pots. Moreover, each root share should be with a growth point, well-developed leaves and roots. It is desirable that mother plant did not bloom at the time of transplanting. If flowers are present, then they need to be cut off when transplanting a new part of the flower into an individual container.
The second way is more labor intensive. The plant is cut off the petiole with roots. Then it takes root in a temporary pot filled with sand mixed with peat (1: 1). To increase the chances that the petiole will take root, you need to place it either in a mini-greenhouse, or cover it with polyethylene and leave it in a warm, bright place. Caring for a transplanted layer consists of regular airing and watering. When the seedling grows up, it is planted in a pot filled with fresh substrate. How to prepare it, it was said above.
Prevention of cultural diseases
The main enemies of gerbera are whiteflies, aphids, spider mites, and nematodes. Common plant diseases powdery mildew, mosaic, alternariosis, sclerotinia, late blight and gray rot. The latter disease is often found on flowers with excessive watering and spraying of the flower. Excess moisture provokes the development of rot on the bushes - the gerbera wilts, and its leaves and stems become covered with a gray layer. In addition, gerbera flowers wither and fall off. If the disease is not treated, then such a wonderful flower may die. Drugs such as Fundazol or Rovral will help cure an infected plant.
- Gerber Wright.
- G. ferruginea DC.
- Green leaf.
- G. aberdarica R.E.Fr.
- Gerber Jameson.
- Gerbera Abyssinian.
Read more about the types of gerbera.
Gerbera can be found in almost every flower shop, both in the form of a bouquet and in a pot. Gerbera is popular not only because of the beauty and variety of colors. A cut plant is able to retain its original appearance. long time(we talked about ways to keep cut gerberas in a vase for as long as possible). Gerberas come in a variety of colors other than blue.
The flower is an inflorescence-basket on a vertical leafless stem about 60 cm high (there are also miniature varieties, whose height is about 25-30 cm). The flower diameter varies from 5 to 12 cm. The leaves of the gerbera are light green in color, combined into a basal rosette. This plant is not whimsical, but loves heat and light. If you follow clear care instructions, the gerbera will delight you with its beauty for a very long time.
Here is a photo of a gerbera flower.
When is the best time to grow?
Important! Gerberas only need to be watered warm water. Because of cold water the plant may die.
At first, when watering, it is necessary to use a spray bottle so that the water jet does not wash the seeds out of the soil.
Under all conditions, the gerbera will germinate in seven to ten days. Seedlings should grow up and get stronger. This will take two to three weeks. At this point, the gerbera should have three to four leaves.
During the formation of leaves and buds, gerbera needs systematic watering.
However, as soon as the first flowers appear, watering should be reduced. But it is worth constantly monitoring the condition of the soil - gerbera does not like high humidity or dryness.
Water at the edge of the pot so as not to flood the rosette. Or pour water into the pan, but after half an hour the remaining water should be drained. Never allow water to stagnate in the pan, because this can lead to fungal diseases and the formation of powdery mildew.
Gerbera loves to be sprayed with water. It is worth at least once every one or two days to spray the leaves of the gerbera with water dust, but not the flower itself.
The optimal temperature for growing gerberas is about 18-20 degrees. During this period, it is better to avoid direct sunlight.
Attention! To grow a beautiful and healthy gerbera, it should be fed with mineral fertilizers once every two to three weeks. However organic fertilizers does not like gerberas, so do not cover the soil around the stem of the plant with compost or humus!
Between June and August. It blooms only when the leaf rosette has grown enough. The number of flowers and their size directly depends on the quality of the plant, as well as on the light and air temperature. In order to prolong the flowering of gerbera, it is necessary to remove faded inflorescences. This will cause new buds to appear. Dry stems should be cut as low as possible so that the stumps do not rot.
If the gerbera was planted outdoors, it should be transplanted into a spacious pot in the fall. For the winter period, the plant should be placed in a cool, dry place, for example, in a basement (the temperature should not be lower than 12 and not higher than 14 degrees). Until spring, gerberas need to be watered only a few times.
More details about diseases and pests room gerbera read, and in consider the problem of why the leaves of the plant turn yellow.
Based on the foregoing, growing a gerbera is not as difficult as it seems. By following clear guidelines, everyone is able to grow this beautiful flower, which will decorate your flower bed or window sill. There is even a belief: gerberas attract well-being, love and joy to the house. And they say that gerberas are the flowers that can be given to men.
Gerbera Garden is one of the most popular colors amateurs flower plants. Externally, the flower itself is very similar to chamomile, but it has different colors.. You can grow gerbera both in the garden on the site and at home. If you take care of it correctly and follow all the rules for transplanting it, then the plant will bloom. long years and please everyone around you with your appearance. Let's talk in more detail about the features of planting and caring for this plant.
Not many amateur gardeners know that garden gerbera is quite whimsical flower. Without special knowledge of her care and planting, it will be difficult to grow her.
This plant belongs to the Compositae family, with bush sizes reaching 20-30 cm in height.. it has thick leaves, which by their nature are collected in a rosette, a peduncle rises between the leaves. The diameter of the flower can reach 12 cm. One flower blooms for about a month, and the bush itself all summer. During such a period of time, up to 20 flowers or more can form on a bush.
Features of growing in the garden
Gerbera flower is whimsical, she loves moisture and warmth, categorically does not tolerate temperature differences (cold). The optimal time for planting a plant is the end of spring. when the frosts end, but not later, since in this case you can significantly reduce the period of its flowering.
The soil for planting must be nutritious. For this, a mixture is used: peat, sand, leafy turf. In addition, specialized stores offer their consumers special soil for gerberas or for planting roses.
How to grow seedlings
An economical option for propagation and planting is growing seedlings. To do this, you need to purchase plant seeds in the store, with good term expiration date (seeds are valid only 7 months after they are collected, not later). It is necessary to start growing seedlings in early autumn., however, experienced gardeners practice it throughout the year.
For planting seeds, it is necessary to use light and nutritious soil based on:
- Peat;
- sand;
- Leaf humus.
Pre-prepared soil is poured into the container, after which it is loosened and seeds are scattered over it, which must be easily sprinkled with the same soil, then thoroughly moistened. After sown seeds must be covered with polyethylene or glass.
After planting, the seeds must be protected from direct sunlight, the best option becomes a scattering light. Future seedlings need to be ventilated and sprinkled with water from time to time. The soil must not dry out. The first sprouts may appear within a few weeks after planting.
In a few weeks, the first leaves will begin to appear. As soon as 3 leaves appear on the seedling, you can start planting in open ground.
Humidity and watering
If the gerbera is taken in the open field, this indicates that all the rules for transplanting it have been observed, this is one of the most difficult tasks when leaving. However, in order for the plant to give color, it must be properly watered..
- Requires good watering before the birth of buds;
- As soon as the plant begins to bloom watering should be reduced, but at the same time, not allowing it to dry out;
- Water for irrigation must be settled for at least 1 day;
- The water must be room temperature;
- When watering, care must be taken to water did not fall on the leaves or the outlet this will cause root rot.
Watering the gerbera in winter is required if, for safety, it has been transplanted into a pot for being at home. Watering should be regular, but not plentiful., you should not fill the flower, as this can significantly harm it.
Temperature and lighting
As mentioned earlier, gerbera does not tolerate frost, so optimum temperature its existence should be more than 10 degrees.
Lighting when growing seedlings from seeds should be optimally moderate (scattered). When planting in open ground or growing her at home, good lighting is necessary, because thanks to this she blooms. Gerberas need to be planted outdoors in a predominantly open area, with full access to the sun throughout the day.
Soil and fertilizer
The soil for planting the plant should be nutritious, mostly sour. This can be achieved by adding aluminum sulfate or acid fluorine to the soil.
Like any plant, garden gerbera loves top dressing, she needs them every 2 weeks. For its fertilizer, various mineral impurities are suitable, which are purchased in specialized stores for gardeners. positive quality of such mineral complexes is that in their manufacture all the proportions necessary for this plant were observed.
When purchasing fertilizers, you should be aware that gerbera does not tolerate chlorine, so it should not be part of such complex mineral fertilizers.
Diseases and pests
One of the disadvantages of this plant is its susceptibility to various types diseases. This is due to soil damage or stagnant moisture. To prevent the occurrence of decay, it is necessary:
- till the soil before planting a seedling with a special solution;
- Increase the amount of drainage before landing;
- Make watering routine, do not flood and do not allow the soil to dry out;
- When watering prevent water from getting on the leaves plants.
Gray rot is also a disease that affects gerberas, this is due to increased moisture. You can remove the rot by means of special preparations, but exclude them from falling on the inflorescences.
Aphids, spider mites and thrips are considered pests.. It is also necessary to fight them with special insecticidal preparations.
Features of care in summer and winter
Summer care, as mentioned earlier, involves regular watering, fertilizing, loosening the soil, as well as protection from diseases and pests.
Winter care will be significantly different from the summer season, since the plant "hibernates" for this period. If the climate in which the gerbera is grown is favorable, that is, its temperature regime exceeds 10 degrees, then the gerbera is simply required to wrap up for the winter.
At a temperature of less than 10 degrees, the plant can be annual, that is, it dies, or it can be saved by transplanting into indoor pot. By the end of spring, the gerbera can be planted again on the site.
Transplantation and reproduction of a flower
In order for the gerbera to bloom, all the rules for planting it must be followed.
Landing technology Garden Gerbera
Particular attention should be paid to the choice of landing site. it should be well lit, without drafts.
Consider the region when planting a flower. In order for the gerbera to remain perennial plant the optimal climate will be with hot, humid summers - warm winters, in this case the plant will just need to be covered for the winter with leaves or straw.
In order for the gerbera to bloom for many years, the soil must be saturated with: phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, manganese. If there is a lack of these elements in the soil, then the flowers will be small or not bloom at all.
When planting, drainage is required. Watering is required to be carried out exclusively under the root of the bush.
If you sow the soil with seeds, and not with seedlings, they will bloom after 10 months. The flower itself is a box with seeds, which, after flowering, can be collected and sown with them in the soil for the next year.
Step-by-step reproduction in room conditions
cuttings
For this it is necessary dig a bush, rinse it well, then cut off the outlet. Then put it in a greenhouse, after a while young shoots appear on them, which serve as cuttings for planting.
The division of the bush
To do this, dig a bush and divide it into separate components, each shoot must have at least 3 leaves. Rosettes should protrude from the soil by at least 1 cm.
seeds
Propagating a plant with seeds is quite simple, but in addition to this, you need to know some features. As soon as the flowers fade, seeds should be collected from them., after soaking them, for this you can use gauze moistened with water. As soon as they swell and shoots begin to hatch from them, you can start planting.
Step by step transplant
Transplanting is not difficult for knowledgeable gardener but not for beginners, so you need to know certain rules:
- It is worth planting seedlings only after they have appeared at least 3 sheets.
- Seedlings should be planted late spring into warm ground.
- Extract seedlings for transplantation, extreme care must be taken so as not to damage the roots.
- After disembarkation the plant requires careful watering until the first flowers appear, after watering should be moderate.
How Gerbera falls asleep and wakes up
The flowering period is 3-4 months. After the plant has faded, it is in hibernation (accumulating strength for the next stage of flowering) for about 3 months ( houseplants ). With garden flowers, the situation is a little different, if the climate allows you to keep the bush on the site without digging it up for the winter, then the plant begins to bloom the next year. Garden gerbera blooms all summer with proper care.
Gerbera is a moody, whimsical flower, so it requires special care, but not even experienced gardener, observing all the rules for care and planting, can easily grow this plant.
