" Gazania rigens is a perennial that occurs naturally in Australia and South Africa. In our conditions, it is grown as an annual. It belongs to the Asteraceae family. It is popularly known as the gold of the South or African chamomile. With many varieties, gardeners can choose from a wide variety of colors and shades. "
Glossy Gazania - what does it look like?
On average, gazania grows up to 20-30 cm in height. The plant forms a rosette of smooth, dark green glossy leaves.Among them, a raised inflorescence shoot topped with an inflorescence in the form of a basket emerges. The flowers come in various shades of white, pink, lilac, yellow, orange, red and light brown. You can also meet two-color varieties. Sensitive flowers, they close in rainy and cloudy weather. The flowering period is from early June until October. In order for the plants to bloom as long as possible, it is necessary to regularly remove faded inflorescences.
Shining Gazania - position
Sparkling Gazania grows best in full sun. It prefers warm places, but despite its tropical origin, it also tolerates short-term temperature fluctuations. Sudden frost will not adversely affect its development or flowering. Light, well-drained, fertile soil is the key to an abundant flowering of gazania.
Sparkling Gazania - watering and fertilizing
Gazania is quite resistant to short-term droughts. Weekly watering is only necessary in the absence of rainfall. Under different conditions, plants can be watered 2-3 times a month.
The amount and frequency of fertilization depends on the fertility of the substrate. Plants on poor, stony soils should be fertilized regularly every 2-3 weeks. Those on rich soils can be fed once a month. The best multi-component mineral fertilizers for flowering plants.
Sparkling Gazania: care
The basic care treatment in gazania cultivation is careful weeding. By mulching the soil, we will suppress the growth of weeds and reduce water evaporation from the ground. Regular pruning of wilted inflorescences is also important, which is conducive to the formation of many new buds.
shiny gazania - wintering
Gazania, due to its thermal requirements, is grown in our country as an annual. However, we can try to store the strongest specimens over the winter. For this purpose, in the fall, we dig out the plants, place them in boxes and move them to a cool (8-10oC), bright room.At the end of winter, we divide the plants in half and replant them to fresh soil. We move them to a room with a temperature higher by 5-8oC. When spring comes and the risk of frost is over, we plant gazans permanently.
Gazania in a pot
Gazania is perfect as a balcony or terrace decoration, grown in containers and pots. At the bottom of the pot, pour a layer of drainage, e.g. expanded clay, and then fill it with a substrate. Universal garden soil is sufficient for gazania. During the growing season, the plants are regularly watered and fed every 2 weeks with fertilizers for flowering plants. With the onset of winter, we move the pots to a cool and bright room.
How to breed gazania?
Seeds are sown in early spring and put on a sunny windowsill. When the seedlings have 2-4 leaves, pick them into single pots. The production of seedlings takes about 6 weeks. The seedlings should be planted into the ground after May 15, when the risk of frost has passed.The distance between plants should be 20-25 cm.
