Gerbera - Gerbera

Article date: 12/18/2008

Family: Compositae (Asteraceae).

Homeland: Africa.

Bloom: annually from August to November.

Growth: average.

Light: bright scattered, the plant is able to tolerate direct sunlight, but in the summer it is advisable to shade from the midday sun.

Temperature:in the period of active vegetation is about 20 ° C, during the dormant period it is desirable to reduce the temperature of the content to 14 ° C.

Watering: moderate, cautious during dormancy.

Air humidity: increased, plants can not be sprayed.

Top dressing: during the active growing season.

rest period: after flowering, lasts about two months.

Transfer: as needed, in the spring

Reproduction: seeds, dividing the bush.

Genus Gerbera ( Gerbera L.) includes about 70 species of plants of the Compositae family. The homeland of the species is tropical and subtropical regions of Africa.

Representatives of the genus are perennial herbaceous plants. The gerbera peduncle is leafless, reaches a height of 60 cm. The plants have elongated leaves, up to 35 cm long, collected in a rosette. Flower baskets are beautiful, of various colors, large, single, depending on the variety, simple or semi-double, up to 15 cm in diameter. The fruit of the plant is a seed.

In indoor floriculture, there are mainly varieties of the species (Gerbera jamesoni).

Kinds:

(Gerbera jamesoni H. bolus). Ancestral species of all indoor cultivated gerberas. Perennial herbaceous plant, with a thick stem, collected in a rosette, only slightly raised above the soil, pinnate, large (up to 20 cm long), sometimes pubescent leaves, at the base of which axillary buds can often be seen. The inflorescence is like that of a chamomile, to which the gerbera is generally quite similar, a basket about 10 cm in diameter, arising at the end of the peduncle, which is often taken by non-specialists for one flower due to the false corolla formed by the marginal flowers. In fact, the "petals" are independent reed flowers of bright color (yellow, white, pink, red, etc.), there are about 30 of them, they can be arranged in one, two or three rows, be narrow or wide. The "core" of tubular flowers can also have a different color.

Plant care:

Gerbera is a photophilous plant, able to tolerate a certain amount of direct sunlight. It grows well at the western and eastern windows, at the windows of the southern direction in the summer the plant should be provided with shading from direct midday sunlight. At the windows of the northern direction, the plant may not have enough light.
In summer, the plant can be taken out into the fresh air, to a place protected from the direct midday sun. The plant should be accustomed to a new level of lighting gradually, in order to avoid sunburn.
In the autumn-winter period, it is desirable to arrange additional illumination with fluorescent lamps.

Gerbera is a heat-loving plant, in spring and summer the optimum temperature is 22-24°C, not lower than 20°C. In winter, when the gerbera has faded, it is kept in a room with a temperature of about 14°C, not lower than 12°C.
During the flowering period, it is important that there are no large differences between night and day temperatures, as temperature changes affect the decorativeness of the inflorescences.

During the growing season, gerberas are watered moderately with warm water. When watering, there should not be a sharp difference between the temperature of the water and the substrate, this can make the plant sick. Watering is done when the top layer of the substrate is dry. Water for irrigation is used soft and settled.
During the dormant period, the plant is watered carefully, avoiding prolonged drying of the substrate.
It is important that when watering water does not fall into the rosette of leaves, this can cause the plant to rot. Excessive moisture leads to plant disease.

Gerbera prefers high humidity. It is not recommended to spray the gerbera, only spraying with a fine dispersion around the plant is allowed in order to avoid getting moisture on the gerbera. To increase the humidity of the air, you can put the plants on a pallet with wet expanded clay or pebbles.

A feature of the plant is the dependence of flowering on the length of daylight hours. The plant begins to bloom during the period of its reduction, respectively, blooms in the period from August to September.

Gerbera is fertilized during the active growing season with a complex mineral fertilizer. Additional fertilizing with magnesium sulfate is desirable, and phosphorus is added at low temperatures. In December-January, it is better to stop feeding.

Transplanted gerbera in the spring, as needed. You can use various substrates with a light mechanical composition, with strict adherence to the acidity necessary for gerbera: pH - 5-6 (and raising and lowering it can damage the plant). Make sure there is drainage at the bottom of the pot. When planting, it is necessary to ensure that no substrate gets into the socket, and also that the socket is not buried.

The plant is propagated by seeds and division of the bush.

Division allows you to save the characteristics of the mother plant. Divide the gerbera in the spring, the plant must be at least 3-4 years old. When dividing, at least 2-3 points of growth are left on each division. In this case, new plants can begin to bloom in a year.

With seed reproduction, a large scatter of characters is obtained. Seeds are sown in the spring. The substrate is taken loose, nutritious. A mixture of leaf, sod and humus soil in a ratio of 1:2:1 is suitable. Sand should be added to the resulting mixture. The first picking of plants is carried out in the phase of two or three true leaves, and the second - already in individual pots in the phase of 5 true leaves. A month after planting the plants in individual containers, the first top dressing is carried out with a complex mineral fertilizer.

Possible difficulties:

Gerbera is losing foliage.
The reason is too much light. The plant needs shading from direct sun during the midday hours from spring to autumn.

Fungal diseases appear on gerberas due to poor ventilation, coupled with high air humidity values.

If the plant began to turn pale, stretch and lose the appearance that it had when it was purchased, this may indicate that the gerbera does not have enough light, but also that the process of adaptation to room conditions is underway.

Keep in mind - in greenhouses, plants for sale are grown with the help of certain substances that contribute to the bright color of the foliage.

Waterlogging is very dangerous for gerberas, so watering should be done carefully, especially during the dormant period when kept cool.

Luxurious flowers in bright colors create a cozy atmosphere even in the most modest interior of a house or apartment. It is the indoor gerbera, home care for which requires certain knowledge, that belongs to this type of plant. Often it is grown on the street or in a greenhouse. However, good lighting and a warm microclimate in the apartment allow households to enjoy its flowering for a long time. There are some secrets of planting, feeding, breeding and caring for this Astrov representative.

Landing features

Gerbera room belongs to the family of herbaceous perennial plants. Its flowers in structure resemble a large chamomile with a center in the form of a daisy. Densely planted petals make it 5 times more spectacular.

This Astrov variety is undersized. Five or seven flowers in one pot will give your home a chic look. You can achieve this result if you choose the right pot. It must be clay. Due to the porosity of the material, the roots will be able to breathe. Moreover, it helps to maintain the required temperature in the soil.

Transplantation of purchased specimens should be carried out 14-20 days after purchase. During this period, the plant adapts to new conditions. The stems and leaves will become more elastic, raised. When transplanting, consider the following:

• the size of the pot is twice the previous one;
• treat the container with boiling water for disinfection;
• completely replace the entire soil, carefully shaking off the temporary soil from the roots;
• young sprouts need top dressing, the frequency of fertilization: the first time every 4-8 days.

As shown in the photo, home care for room gerbera includes creating favorable conditions for it to flourish. Both in the garden and at home, she does not require special attention.

Prolonged illumination leads to the degeneration of the variety. The plant is depleted and disappears in just 2 years.

Planting soil (transplantation)

The soil should be light, which means slightly acidic. Experts do not recommend using compost as well as humus. You can make your own nutrient soil. To do this, mix the following components:

The condition of paramount importance is that the root rosette should protrude from the ground 1.5-2 cm higher. Transplantation should be carried out during the dormant period, when it does not bloom. Otherwise, you can disrupt its natural biorhythm.
If such a charm was presented to the hostess of a blooming one, then there is no need to rush to transplant it. In a small pot, it can grow well for a long period.

It is advised to transplant gerberas in early spring or late winter. To do this, you can take a clay pot, the diameter of which is 2-3 cm larger than the previous one. This will allow her to bloom faster.

Lighting Requirements

The most optimal period of daylight is 12 hours. Therefore, it is better to choose a place where enough bright sunlight penetrates. Otherwise, it is allowed to be scattered. The duration and quality of flowering depends on how you care for indoor gerberas. For example, during the summer period, it is necessary to take out the flowerpot to the balcony. If this is not possible, then the room should be regularly ventilated. Currents of fresh warm air improve the process of transporting nutrients to the leaves, as well as flowers.

From mid-summer until the end of August, this amazing chamomile "throws" all its strength into building greenery. Since the daylight hours are more than 12 hours, the kidneys simply do not have time to tie. By the end of August, a stormy period of its flowering begins, which lasts until November.

Temperature and humidity

Competent care for indoor gerbera also includes compliance with temperature restrictions. Although this is a fairly hardy plant, it is still not necessary to abuse it. Having entered a dormant period, the Transvaal chamomile (another name for a flowerpot) may stop blooming altogether. The optimal growing conditions are:

• in winter not less than 11-14°С;
• in the warm season from 20 to 25 ° C;
• limit the possibility of frequent temperature changes;
• provide relatively high humidity.

The birthplace of this flower is Africa (Madagascar), as well as Asia. In this regard, it is important to consider that there is a tropical climate in those parts. Therefore, it is best for indoor gerbera flower to create natural living conditions.

Watering

Some flower growers advise to increase watering in such two cases: during the heating season (the air is too dry) and at the end of February. After all, the beginning of March is a period of active growth of the stem and buds.

For watering flowers, you need to use settled water. To do this, they collect liquid in a bottle and leave it for a day in the kitchen, because it is warm there. Then the water temperature will be at least 20 degrees.

top dressing

Preference should be given to mineral fertilizers. Gerbera indoor, shown in the photo, has a very delicate root system, so it absolutely does not tolerate organic matter. Humus or compost simply burns its graceful roots. It should also be borne in mind that for different natural cycles of its development, a certain composition of top dressing is needed. In the original it looks like this:

Top dressing can not be carried out with highly concentrated solutions. Dilute the drug is 2 times the volume of liquid specified in the instructions.

Unfortunately, opinions on the frequency of fertilization differ. Some say that this should be done in 1-2 weeks, while others claim that one feeding per decade is enough. In connection with such a difference in opinion, each housewife must decide for herself how to care for a room gerbera. Observation, as well as simple female intuition, will help her in this. As far as possible, it is necessary to loosen the ground once a week, giving the roots a sufficient dose of oxygen.

Home varieties of plants do not need pruning. It is enough just to carefully remove the dried flowers or leaves.

Diseases and pests

Although this exotic aster is of tropical origin, excessive humidity can still harm it. Therefore, when caring for room gerbera at home, special attention should be paid to the procedure for watering and spraying. The result is rich and gorgeous Transvaal daisy flowers.

Features of the maintenance of room gerbera - video

Video about transplanting and breeding gerbera

The homeland of the gerbera is South Africa: here it grows in the wild. The name of the African flower was given by the 18th century Dutch botanist Jan Frederik Gronovius in honor of the German "colleague" Traugott Gerber.

In Russia, gerbera grows in the open field, without fear of a sharp change in climate, only in the south. Therefore, growers have learned to grow gerbera indoors, where it is easier to create the necessary microclimate.

Characteristics of indoor gerbera

Gerbera (Gerbera L) is a perennial ornamental flowering plant from the Asteraceae family. An adult well-formed plant has a rhizome with roots deeply penetrating the soil, basal leathery deeply divided leaves and straight bare peduncles with flowers (one on each). Flower stalks of potted gerberas grow up to 25-30 cm in height. Gerbera buds have a "double" or "non-double" shape.

By selection, about 70 varieties of gerberas of different colors have been bred. Compact species are suitable for growing indoor gerbera:

• Sweet Surprise- light crimson petals, the middle of the flower is green with a yellow halo;
• "Pam"- dark brown center of the flower with a beige halo surrounded by bright pink petals;
• "Sweet Caroline"- bright orange petals with yellowish tips and a lemon-colored center;
• Sweet Honey- pale yellow petals and a snow-white center;
• Rachel-bright red petals with a light green center and long stamens;
• Sophie- fuchsia petals with a yellow-white center and long stamens;
• "Valerie"- outside the petals are painted white-pink, on the reverse side - lilac; the middle of the bud is bicolor - yellow-brown;
• "Catherine"- white needle-shaped petals and a yellow center of the flower.

Caring for indoor gerbera

To grow a beautiful and healthy gerbera, care should be taken at home.

Gerbera loves light and warmth, but hot sunlight and hot dry air can kill her. Therefore, do not leave the plant in direct sunlight - create diffused daylight (using a curtain, mat or net). Gerberas also like fresh air, so ventilate the room where the flower stands. The optimum air temperature in summer is 18-20 ºС, in winter ‒ 14-16 ºС.

How to care for a gerbera in winter depends on the possibilities. When daylight is short or the plant is located at the north window, it is recommended to additionally highlight (with a lamp) the gerbera in the afternoon. If you keep your gerbera on a windowsill in winter, place a piece of wood or styrofoam (styrofoam) under the pot to keep the soil and roots from freezing.

Watering and humidity

Gerbera responds positively to regular watering, but does not tolerate drying out of an earthen clod or stagnation of moisture in the soil. In summer you need to water more often, and in winter - less often. Water the gerbera through a tray or soil in a pot. To reduce the likelihood of rot, the water that has drained after watering is poured into the pan. For watering room gerbera, use only warm filtered or settled water. You can determine the need for watering by the substrate: if the topsoil has dried out 3-4 cm deep, it's time to water. Another way is to look at the condition of the gerbera leaves: if they are slightly wrinkled, this is a sure sign that the plant needs watering.

reproduction

Gerberas are propagated by seeds, cuttings or dividing the bush.

In the first case, in an adult (having several growth points) non-flowering plant, a part of the bush with a separate growth point and several roots is cut off and planted in another pot with a similar substrate.

In the case of propagation by cuttings, separate the cutting with leaves and root from the mother plant and plant in peat-sandy soil. To increase the chances of survival, place the young plant in a mini greenhouse or cover with a translucent bag, then place in a warm, bright spot. Do not forget to ventilate and water the stalk. And when he grows up, transplant him into ordinary soil.

In the latter case, it will take time and patience to grow an indoor gerbera from seed. Plant the seeds in moistened peat soil in seedling cassettes, sprinkle with sand on top, spray with water and place in mini-greenhouses (sold in specialized stores or made independently). The first shoots should "hatch" in a week. When 3-4 true leaves appear, you need to pick. Remember that in plants grown from seeds, flower stalks can reach 60 cm in height. The first flowers of such a gerbera will appear in a year.

Diseases of room gerbera

The main pests for gerberas are spider mites, whiteflies, aphids, thrips, and nematodes.

Frequent diseases that threaten the life of a gerbera:

• fusarium (white hairy mold),
• late blight (brown spots),
• powdery mildew (white bloom),
• gray rot (fluffy gray mold),
• chlorosis (the interveinal space of the leaf turns yellow, but the veins remain green).

Gerbera (Gerbera) - a perennial plant whose birthplace is South Africa, belongs to the aster family. Flowers on pubescent peduncles growing from a basal rosette with deeply divided light green leaves. The length of the peduncles reaches 60 cm, in miniature varieties - 30 cm. Flowers, with yellow centers, form basket inflorescences. Gerbera fruit is a seed pod. The plant is grown in pots and used for landscaping loggias and balconies.

In room conditions, predominantly low forms of the Jameson gerbera are grown. The length of the peduncles does not exceed 25-30 cm, the plant blooms in culture from early spring to late autumn. Flowers reach 15 cm in diameter, there are various shades: white, cream, pink, orange, yellow, red and others.

Gerbera care tips

Gerbera is a photophilous plant, it needs bright light. The plant can be kept on any windows, except for the northern ones, where it may not be light enough. On the southern windows in the summer, shading from direct sunlight is necessary. It is best to take out the gerbera in the summer to fresh air.

Gerbera requires regular abundant watering with settled water at room temperature, and water should be poured from the edge of the pot so as not to get into the rosette of leaves. It is impossible to allow overdrying of an earthen coma, as well as excessive watering. After watering, you need to drain the water from the pan. The plant needs to provide high humidity, this can be done by placing the pot on a pallet with moist or pebbles. Rooms containing gerberas must be regularly ventilated.

The optimum temperature for gerberas is 20-24 °C, in winter it is slightly cooler, but not lower than 12 °C. When creating favorable conditions: optimal temperature, watering, the required length of daylight hours (using backlighting), gerbera can also bloom in winter. If such conditions are not provided, the plant will begin a dormant period until spring. Such a period is necessary in order to gain strength for subsequent flowering. After the end of the dormant period, usually in early spring, the gerbera begins to be fed with mineral fertilizers 2 times a month during the entire period of growth and flowering. It is better if it is a fertilizer for flowering plants, for example, "Uniflor-bud" or "Uniflor-flower".

Pests

Gerbera is amazed, and. Spider mite breeds especially quickly in a warm and dry environment. To prevent the appearance of spider mites, you need to regularly spray and wash the leaves with water. When a tick appears, you need to treat the leaves with soapy water. It is also possible to carry out processing (, inta-vir, fitoverm, etc.). Processing is carried out three times with a weekly interval.

Aphids multiply very quickly, forming entire colonies on plants. To combat it, you can use preparations of anabasin sulfate or nicotine sulfate (1 g per 1 liter of water), and other insecticidal agents (actellik, inta-vir, fitoverm).

Insecticides are also effective against whiteflies.

Diseases

In case of excessive watering and humidification of the air, gerbera can be affected by gray and white rot. When planting plants in contaminated soil, infection with fungal diseases is possible: fusarium and late blight.

A sharp change in temperature in a room with a gerbera can provoke another dangerous fungal disease - powdery mildew.

To prevent all these diseases, you should follow a few simple rules:

• Carefully inspect the plant when buying;
• Transplant the plant into disinfected (steamed) soil;
• Care for gerberas appropriately.

When the first signs of diseases appear, it is necessary to remove the affected parts of the plant and treat it with a fungicide (foundazol, topaz, phytosporin-M, etc.). Sick plants should be isolated from healthy ones.

reproduction

Gerbera is propagated by cuttings and seeds. Seeds lose their germination very quickly (after 6-8 months). They can be sown at any time of the year, more often this is done in the spring. To do this, prepare a soil mixture consisting of leafy soil, peat, sand and perlite in equal parts. Seeds are sown from above, lightly sprinkled with soil (layer 0.5 cm or less). At room temperature, seedlings will appear in 7-10 days. When they grow real leaves (after 2-3 weeks), they need to dive into separate pots. It is very important not to deepen the root neck of plants. Seed-grown gerberas bloom within 6 months.

By dividing the bush, the gerbera is propagated during transplantation; for this, the bush is divided into several parts. On each of them, 2-3 points of growth are left, the flowers are removed, the roots are slightly shortened, and the sections are disinfected. Plant each part in a separate pot, leaving a growth point on the surface of the earth.

As cuttings from the mother plant, take part of the rhizome with one or two leaves, which are shortened by a third of the length. Cuttings are planted in separate pots, put them in a room with a temperature of 20-25 ° C, maintain high soil moisture.

Transfer

Transplant gerberas as needed in early spring. To do this, take a soil mixture consisting of peat and sand in equal parts, add 2 parts of leafy soil. You can not add compost and humus, because the gerbera does not tolerate them. It is necessary to transplant the plant into a larger pot, always with a wide top. At the bottom of the pot you need to put drainage.

When transplanting, you can cut off the flowers so that the plant takes root better and blooms profusely in the future. A transplanted gerbera can bloom as early as August, if it gains the necessary green mass.

All types and possible colors of gerberas are shown.

Gerbera - a flower from the shores of South Africa simply cannot be faded or invisible! And here she is - one of the first beauties of the aster family - gerbera. Motherland gave her endurance, stamina and all the shades of the African sun.

This plant is beautiful for its flowering and pleases flower growers with productivity, which makes it very popular in the modern world of beauty and business. Gerberas are grown both at home in pots, and in the garden, and in greenhouses on an industrial scale.

Concerning the origin of the name of this beautiful plant, opinions are divided. Some attribute to her the honor of the name of the German doctor Gerber, others argue that from the Latin word: “herba” (grass), and a direct resemblance to chamomile resulted even in the second name: Transvaal chamomile and Transvaal daisy.

The two most common of the nearly hundred species of the gerbera genus are Wright's Gerbera and Jamson's Gerbera. This representative of the flora is very much loved in Asia, where, due to its similarity with the sun, the gerbera is considered a symbol of love and perfection.

Gerbera in the family "aster" or "composite" has up to 70-80 species of perennial herbaceous ornamental plants with large flowers, similar to a giant chamomile with basal leaves. Gerbera flowers, of simply unreal beauty, growing on a tall, often pubescent, leafless peduncle, give the impression of an artificial craft. Gerbera leaves are oval elongated in shape, pointed towards the end and pinnately dissected, reaching a length of up to 35 centimeters. Grow rosette, collected at the rhizome. In some species of gerbera, the leaf bases and petioles are significantly pubescent.

Depending on the variety, gerberas also differ in the height of the bush, in some cases reaching up to 60 centimeters. The more common compact types of gerbera are 20-25 centimeters. Gerberas and flowers differ, which can be double, semi-double and simple, surprising in size - in diameter from 12 to 16 centimeters (there are varieties up to 30 centimeters). Under natural conditions, gerbera is able to bloom from early spring to late autumn.

Gerbera is a very attractive flower for breeding and cultivation. It grows fast, blooms early and profusely, has a long period of active flowering and good cut quality. Gerbera flowers can stand in a vase for 20 days, subject to a minimum water level in it, but it needs to be monitored and maintained - the beauty loves worship.

Gerbera - cultivation and care

With all the deep and aesthetic interest in growing gerberas, flower growers can only get this opportunity from the southern regions, where there are long hot summers and mild autumns. And even in fairly warm southern regions there are periods of frost up to 20 degrees, in case of which even in the south it is necessary to warm the gerbera with a dry leaf or straw, covering it with non-woven material on top.

In the northern and temperate regions, gerberas can only be grown in greenhouses; or as an annual, or transshipment into large pots for wintering until spring in a bright, cool and periodically ventilated room, with an air temperature of 7-8 plus degrees C. In regions with such opportunities, breeding and cultivation of compact indoor varieties of the most beautiful gerbera prevails.

Favorable conditions for growing gerberas in open ground are fertile soil, equipped with mineral complete fertilizer, and sufficient illumination for at least half a day. Otherwise, when growing any variety of this ornamental plant, you will experience deformation of the branches, flowers - their color and size, reduction and shift in the flowering period, reduced immunity, gerbera diseases and amateur disappointment.

The rules for watering gerberas are simple, but mandatory: during the active growing season - watering is plentiful, but without stagnant moisture or drying out of the roots. During dormancy - moderate, without drying out. It is important to water with soft, non-cold water and under the root, without the risk of allowing water to drain over the leaf plates into the outlet. Otherwise, the latter may rot, which will lead to the loss of the entire plant. Spraying a gerbera is possible, but troublesome: you should avoid getting dew on the flowers; dew should be like a mist and irrigation should be brief so that drops do not form on the leaves that can roll into the center of the outlet and cause it to rot.

During the growth and flowering in the summer season in the open field, the gerbera needs regular top dressing with a complete mineral fertilizer at the rate of 10-15 grams per 10 liters of water or according to the instructions for its use.

If your choice fell on the cultivation of a room gerbera, then based on the general rules for caring for it, you need to consider that the daylight hours for this plant should not be longer than 12 hours. For all its light-loving nature, with an excess of lighting, the intensity of flowering of the gerbera decreases over time.

The limitation on the time of daylight hours for a room gerbera does not mean a decrease in its brightness. On a hot and bright summer day, gerbera pots can be “walked” on an open balcony or with its windows open, because this plant loves ventilation and fresh air, but without its through flow.

In winter, which coincides with the natural rest period for the gerbera, it should not bloom. In this state, she works on the vegetation of green mass and the formation of peduncles.

Watching the flowering of the gerbera, please note: the break in its flowering should not exceed three months. If the non-flowering period is prolonged, an analysis of the reasons for such a failure and ways to eliminate them is necessary.

The gerbera can stop flowering due to an exaggeration in terms of the volume of the pot, where its roots will begin to fatten, leaving no strength for flowering.

Be careful when fertilizing gerberas, there is a danger of an overdose of nitrogen fertilizers, which can lead to a complete cessation of flowering of the plant.

Although the gerbera, a native of tropical zones, prefers heat to cold, in winter it can stay on a cool balcony for a short time even at 12-14 plus degrees. But such a sharp change in temperature threatens the gerbera with a decrease in immunity against diseases. For a room version of gerbera, regular feeding is important only with mineral fertilizers - no organic matter: the roots will disappear. During the period of active vegetation and flowering, it is necessary to feed the gerbera weekly once a week with a special complex mineral fertilizer according to the instructions attached to such fertilizers; and at rest - once a month.

The indoor gerbera is capricious about the temperature regime: at the time of flowering, it needs heat from 16 to 24 warm degrees. In winter, in a state of natural dormancy, it is preferable to provide a non-flowering gerbera with only 14 plus degrees, which is quite cool.

Reproduction and transplantation of gerbera

Ground gerbera in the fall should be transplanted into a pot corresponding to the size of the rhizome: at least 20 centimeters in diameter. Prepare the soil for adding to the pot at the rate of: 2 parts from the growing soil, directly from the hole, with the addition of 1 part of unsalted river sand. To prevent root rotting, start transplanting gerberas from a drainage layer in a pot of clay shards, it is better to refuse expanded clay and prefer eggshells or soft foam rubber packaging containers broken into pieces after mushrooms, chilled and other. When planting a gerbera directly in a pot, the plant should remain with an unburied neck of the rosette in order to avoid fungal rot.

All types of gerberas are propagated in three ways: by seeds, cuttings and division of bushes, the last of the listed ones is the simplest and gives good results: all the maternal qualities of the seedling are preserved. When dividing the root of indoor gerberas, special care is required so as not to completely damage it. It is important to recall that indoor gerberas are transplanted only during the dormant period. Outdoor gerberas are more hardy in this regard, but caution is also needed here - do no harm.

By dividing the bush, the ground gerbera is propagated in the spring (April-May). Only two-three-year-old bushes are suitable for such an operation, with possible pruning of roots up to 10-15 centimeters. The gerbera bush is dug up, the planting soil is gently shaken off, and the bush is divided into 5-7 parts along the rhizome, each of which should contain at least 2-3 young healthy leaves.

Gerbera roots separated from the mother bush are planted in wells prepared in advance in an optimally suitable place, subject to the mandatory requirement: when the seedling is deepened, the neck of the outlet must be at least 1-1.5 cm from the soil level, which is necessary for successful rooting, vegetation and flowering gerbera. Even successfully rooted and well-developed gerbera bushes will most likely bloom only next season.

Reproduction by seeds for indoor and ground gerberas is no fundamentally different, but it is possible to grow seedlings from seeds only in greenhouse conditions. It is better to sow gerbera seeds from January to March in certified seedling soil or in a mixture of peat and leafy soil, with the addition of unsalted river sand, in a seedling container or box.

Before sowing, the soil is sufficiently moistened, the seeds are distributed as evenly as possible and sprinkled on top with soil 2-3 mm thick. The seed box can be covered with glass or placed in a larger than it is in size, transparent plastic bag, which is either tucked up or tied to prevent air from entering. Such a box should be placed in a room where the air temperature is not lower than 18 plus degrees. Periodically, such a "greenhouse" is ventilated and moistened by spraying the soil.

As soon as sprouts appear (after 1-2 weeks), remove the glass or “greenhouse-package” and when 4-5 leaves appear, you can and should dive seedlings into pots with soil mixture, 8-10 centimeters in diameter. Take care of seedlings according to the general rules of watering, lighting and top dressing. Decide their further fate yourself: in open ground or leave for indoor breeding. But it will take almost a year to bloom, and the quality of the flowers may not match the picture on the bag for seeds that do not retain maternal genetics.

Propagation of gerberas by cuttings is difficult, but not hopeless. Purposeful flower growers do it. First of all, a gerbera bush is dug up, the soil is shaken off, the rhizome is carefully washed and the leaves are cut off from the outlet. The rhizome itself should be planted in a greenhouse, and after two weeks, shoots from the axillary buds, which are the cuttings, will appear from the updated rhizome. As soon as these cuttings grow up, they can be rooted in the ground.

Diseases and pests of gerbera

Gerberas are known to need protection from fungal diseases and garden pests. When planting and transplanting gerberas, the soil is pre-treated with a solution of potassium permanganate to protect the plant from pathogenic fungi that are dangerous for its root system and can lead to decay of the root neck. Water stagnation as a result of waterlogging can also contribute to this dangerous disease. It turns out that for the health of the gerbera, it is necessary to follow the basic rules for caring for it, especially the correct normalized watering and drainage capacity of the place where it grows in open ground.

With an excess of moisture, an equally dangerous disease can appear: gray rot. It will not be superfluous to periodically preventive treatment of gerbera with a fungicide solution against gray rot, excluding the solution from getting on the flowers, which will leave unpleasant spots. Incorrect collection of gerbera flowers, in which they are cut off, leaving part of the stem, can lead to decay of the entire rosette through decay of the remainder of the stem. Gerbera flowers should be broken out, not cut.

In the summer heat, when the temperature drops or watering with too cold water, the gerbera is in danger of powdery mildew, against which a targeted fungicide can also be used, the aqueous solution of which should also not fall on the flowers due to the remaining spots. Gerberas should not be planted next to roses, more than other flowers prone to powdery mildew.

Gerbera is susceptible to attack by all garden pests: whiteflies, aphids, thrips and spider mites. For this reason, the gerbera must be closely monitored. Otherwise, the leaves will turn yellow, wither and the whole plant will die. Timely treatment of plants with targeted insecticides will protect these beautiful flowers and preserve the freshness of their greenery and the brightness of magnificent flowers.

From all of the above, it becomes obvious that the beauty of an incomparable gerbera requires considerable sacrifice. If you are capable of them, feel free to start a gerbera.