Gerbera belongs to the Asteraceae family and comes from tropical regions of Africa and Asia. Currently, there are about eighty species of gerberas in the world, and more and more of them show significant resistance to low temperatures. Gerberas are perfect as cut flowers, and dwarf varieties - less demanding, can be a colorful accent on flowerbeds and in balcony containers. Varieties resistant to low temperatures, such as those from the Durora group, are recommended for planting in the ground.
Contents:
- Gerbera - plant characteristics
- Gerbera in the garden: position
- Gerbera - watering and fertilization
- Gerbera care
- Gerbera - wintering
- Gerbera reproduction
Gerbera - plant characteristics
Elongated, pinnate, rounded leaves covered with white fluff forming a profuse rosette. A strong, naked stalk, crowned with a basket-shaped inflorescence, emerges from among the leaves. The flower reaches a diameter of 15 cm. The petals are arranged in several rows. The flowers come in a simple, semi-double and full form and have intense shades of yellow, pink, orange and red. After cutting, they can last up to twenty days in a vase with a little water to prevent the stem from rotting.
Gerbera in the garden: position
The place where gerbera is grown should be well lit, warm and quiet. The soil should be fertile, well-drained, constantly slightly moist with a slightly acidic pH of 5.5 - 6.5. The plants are planted every 50 cm. Remember that they don't like overdoing it.
Gerbera - watering and fertilization
Gerberas have a lot of water requirements, they like to have a constantly slightly moist substrate. Regular watering of the plants is therefore essential, especially when rainfall is scarce. When watering, be careful not to let the water get on the leaves or the rosette - it can cause the plants to rot.
Gerberas respond well to fertilization, especially organic, e.g. with biohumus. However, you should be careful not to overfertilize the plants as this will cause the shoots to be pulled out. The flowers will be small, and the plant itself will become susceptible to disease. You can also use multi-component fertilizers for blooming plants for feeding, paying attention that they do not contain potassium chloride, because gerbera reacts negatively to chlorine.
Gerbera care
Gerbera care mainly involves weeding and removing faded inflorescences and withered leaves. To suppress weeds and prevent water evaporation from the substrate, it is worth mulching the soil around the plants with bark or compost.
Gerbera - wintering
Gerberas are perennial plants in the natural environment. Due to the relatively high thermal requirements, they are usually grown as annuals under our conditions. In the warmest parts of the country, you can try to leave the plants for the winter, protecting them with a thick layer of leaves, bark, straw or thick agrotextile. You can also dig out gerbera bulbs after flowering and store them over the winter, just like dahlias.
Gerbera reproduction
In amateur cultivation, the easiest way to multiply gerbera by division. Thanks to this method, new plants will have the same characteristics as the mother plant. In spring, we dig up the plant and divide it into several parts, so that each has well-developed roots and 2-3 buds. The seedlings obtained in this way are placed in boxes or pots filled with a substrate for seedling. Gerbera can also be propagated from seeds, but it must be remembered that reproduced in this way does not transmit parental characteristics.
Strong and well-rooted plants should be planted in the bed after May 15, when the risk of spring frosts has passed.
See also:
September duties - what is worth doing?
September in the orchard and vegetable garden
