How to Propagate Gerbera Daisy?
There are two ways to propagate a gerbera daisy—seeds and root division. If you’ve got an already established plant, multiply that by division. If not, germinate new ones with seeds.
Sow the seeds 1/4 inch deep in individual pots or seed trays, and transplant them after a few days, once the seedlings grow two sets of true leaves.
The main benefit of growing gerbera daisy from seeds is you can grow any variety you want, and it’ll be the cheapest way to have many plants. However, it’s always a better option to A healthy individual gerbera daisy transplants from the garden center if you’re not growing them in large numbers.
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Best Pot Size for Gerbera Daisy
Gerbera daisies usually grow between 6-18 inches tall, depending on the cultivar. All the varieties can be grown in pots, which can be between 6-10 inches deep and wide. Avoid growing this plant in a too big pot because gerbera daisies bloom more in a slightly root-bound state.
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Indoor Gerbera Daisy Care
Lighting
Light is crucial for the Gerberas to bloom, so placing your plant at a location that receives as much sunlight indoors as possible makes sense. A sunny south or west-facing window is an ideal spot.
If summers are hot and the temperature touches 100 F (38 C) in your area, always protect the plant from the afternoon sun. During gloomy winters, when the sun is weak, in the absence of natural daylight, artificial lights will aid in Gerbera’s survival.
Adequate Drainage
Root rot, powdery mildew, and crown rot may affect gerbera daisy if it stands in water and soggy soil. To prevent this, make sure to provide adequate drainage holes at the bottom of the pot.
Ideally, picking a container with drainage is better, but you can also drill holes by yourself if you’re using any DIY planter.
Potting Mix
The potting medium should be sandy, light, crumbly in texture, and free from contamination and hard soil. Plus, it should be rich in organic matter to enhance drainage.
Watering
Gerbera daisy prefers a slightly moist growing medium all the time when growing outdoors. But be extra careful with watering while growing indoors.
Water it when the topsoil is a bit dry without wetting the foliage. Don’t water too frequently, or it’ll lead to root rot.
Fertilizing
Using a fertilizer specifically for blooming or a balanced fertilizer will help the plant in the flowering season.
You can start feeding the plant in the spring and continue doing so until early to mid-fall. The feeding instructions are available on the package; follow them.
Feed the plant once every 2-3 weeks in half of the recommended strength by the manufacturer. If you live in a frost-free climate, don’t stop fertilizing in winter.
Note: Don’t go for low to no phosphorus fertilizers; it can result in slow growth and inferior plants. Check out this article to learn more!
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Deadheading Gerbera Daisy
If you are unfamiliar with this term, it’s the process of removing fading flowers. It is one of the crucial points in Gerbera Daisy Care. You can pinch off the stem at the base of the flower or use any sharp tool to cut it off.
The energy that was previously wasted on the dying and wilted blooms will now be redirected towards making new blooms and growth. It’ll also signal plants not to produce seeds and continue producing flowers.
Also, the dead and wilting flowers are not aesthetic and provide shelter to bugs.
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Repotting Gerbera Daisy
While following the Gerbera Daisy Care instructions, you must take care of the re-potting schedule. Transplant it in a new pot when it outgrows the old one; you’ll know when the plant will start to look too big for its old pot. Any pot that’s 2-3 inches larger in diameter than the current one will do.
Ensure sufficient drainage holes at the bottom of the new pot too. Provide a base of three inches thick potting mix before placing the plant in the container and filling it up again. The roots should be below the surface of the topsoil.
NOTE: Cut back the rotten or diseased roots before re-potting Gerbera and remove some soil around the root ball to free the roots.
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Outdoor Gerbera Daisy Care
Location
Morning sun is ideal for this plant, but prolonged exposure to hot afternoon sun is not recommended. Especially in the scorching summer heat, protecting from the sun in the mid-hours of the day is very crucial. This article at the Florida University Extension suggests the same.
Planting Time
The plant won’t tolerate frost, so move outdoors only when there is no trace of freezing weather and frost left. Dig a hole about 6-8 inches deep and plant the Gerbera. Just remember, the planting depth should be the same as the way it was when the transplant was growing in the pot.
Watering
Keep the soil slightly moist but wait before watering again until the top 1 inch of soil is dry. Water thoroughly until it starts to seep out from the bottom holes.
Temperature Tolerance
Gerbera daisy is perennial in frost-free climates and blooms intermittently at any time of the year in such zones. In cold climates, they can bloom from spring to autumn.
You can treat it as an annual or overwinter it indoors as it can’t tolerate freezing temperatures below 30 F (-1).
Mulching and Composting
Add a layer of mulch and compost to gerberas growing outdoors, either on the ground or in the pots. Spring and early summer are the best time to do that.
It’ll help the soil to retain moisture and keep it cool during hot weather.
Pests
Spider mites, aphids, and typical household pests can trouble the plant. Apart from that, it’s mostly pest free. You can handpick these pests easily or wash the plant with water jets.
Spraying an insecticidal soap solution over the plant is also effective. The early you act, the more chance you have of saving the plant from severe damage. So, always be on the lookout for such pests.
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Gerbera Daisy Benefits
Apart from being one of the most popular cut flowers, its flowers can last up to 10-14 days in vases.
