Gerber Jameson, who in English books called Transvaal chamomile, it really resembles a chamomile, only large and brightly colored. The center of the flower is surrounded by satiny petals, stems rising from rich green leaves. You can find a species colored red, pink, orange, but no one has ever seen a blue gerbera. These plants come from hot countries, so they are recommended to be planted in the sun, although they tolerate partial shade.

Flowers in a bouquet do not lose freshness for up to 14 days, and until recently the plant was grown by gardeners specifically for cutting. But now they are increasingly starting to plant it as an indoor plant. For indoor cultivation, low-growing Jameson hybrids are used, the height of which does not exceed 25 centimeters:

• Gerbera Ilios,
• Gerbera Hummingbird,
• Gerbera Happipot,
• Gerbera Parade.

A bright, beautiful gerbera will look great against any background and will decorate any room. In this article we will tell you how to plant gerbera seeds.

Step 1: Sowing the Seeds

It is quite easy to grow Jameson's gerbera from seeds. This plant's seeds are not grains, but long and thin sticks, with one end sharper. The seed is sown vertically in a seedling pot, sharp end down (“fluffy” - up) and sprinkle with a thin layer of soil, 2-3 millimeters. The main requirements for soil are lightness and moisture-holding capacity, so sand is desirable in the mixture.

The pot with seeds should be kept warm, so it is placed near sunny window. If the room temperature is less than twenty degrees, cover the pot with a plastic bag. The soil should be constantly moist, but not soggy. Seeds always have low germination rates, so it would be wise to plant more of them than you need. Shoots should appear in approximately 10 days.

Step 2: dive

After the seedlings have 4 and more leaves, they are ready to be transplanted into large pots. Transvaal daisy likes well-drained soil, so make sure the bottom of each pot has good holes and a layer of expanded clay at the bottom. You can also add small stones or broken clay pot shards to the bottom. It is necessary to plant so that the root collar rises slightly above the soil level when planting.

Step 3: Provide water and sun

For abundant flowering Gerbera Jameson needs at least, six hours of direct sunlight per day. Winter, spring and autumn best place for her - the window sill of the south window; in summer it can be moved to the west or east. When the seedlings reach 10 centimeters in height, upper part the stem is pinched. This is done for better development root system and formation of lateral shoots.

Gerbera does not like drying out and needs regular watering. Water for irrigation must be warm, 18-20 degrees. The soil should dry out a little between waterings. The plant is sprayed once or twice a week. During flowering, it is better to maintain constant humidity; for this, the pot with the plant is placed on a tray with wet pebbles. In the summer, many people plant it in the garden.

Step 4: Feed

Once every two weeks the plant is fed with water-soluble mineral fertilizer. By the way, fertilizer for African violets is perfect for him. Regular application of fertilizers to the soil gives nutrients necessary for growth and flowering.

When the plant enters a dormant state and stops blooming, they stop feeding it. She has two dormant periods per year of several months - from June to early August and from late November to early February. During winter sleep, the plant is kept in a cool room with a temperature of 12-16 degrees.

Step 5: care

Indoor gerbera, grown from seeds, do not need any special care other than removing dead leaves and flowers. When old flowers are removed, it encourages new ones to appear.

Step 6: Pest Control

The main pests of indoor plants are whiteflies and aphids. You can combat them by washing with soapy water or spraying mild insecticides. The plant is susceptible to fungal diseases - which is why it could not be grown indoors for so long. Fungal diseases and powdery mildew are usually caused by excessive watering. The best prevention of these diseases is good drainage and constant ventilation during the warm period.

If growing gerbera from seeds at home seems like a hassle to you and you will be buying it in a pot, choose a plant with dark green leaves and young growing stems. You need to inspect the leaves of the plant - if you see tiny white flies under the leaves, it means it is infected with whitefly. In many cases, planting this plant yourself will be a better option.

Gerbera Jameson is a plant that is highly valued for its inflorescences, which are distinguished by their warm, amazing colors.

Gerbera: growing from seeds

One of the ways to propagate such a beautifully flowering plant is seed propagation. When using it, the seeds are sown in late winter or early summer. In this case, a soil mixture is suitable, which includes turf, leaf and humus soil, taken in a 2:1:1 ratio with a small addition of sand. After sowing, the soil is sprayed with a spray bottle and covered with glass. It will need to be removed for a short time every day to ventilate the soil. Throughout the entire period of seed germination, it is necessary to maintain constant soil humidity and air temperature at 16-18 degrees.

When the seedlings begin to appear, they are planted in new soil of the same composition. When the height of young gerberas exceeds 10 cm, they are transplanted into separate containers.

Gerbera propagation

Another way to propagate Jameson's gerbera is by dividing an adult plant. In this case, in the first half of spring, an adult gerbera is removed from flower pot, its root ball is carefully divided into several parts depending on its size. After this, each resulting fragment is planted in a separate pot with the same soil in which the mother plant grew. In this case, the size of the container directly depends on the size of the roots of the resulting gerberas: the pot should only slightly exceed the size of the root ball.

Gerbera: growth and flowering patterns

The height of the gerbera peduncle that grows at home can exceed 30 cm, while the leaves of the plant will have approximately the same length.

Jameson's gerbera blooms from late spring to early autumn. Depending on the variety, color shade inflorescences may be different.

Gerbera inflorescences are located on long peduncles; they consist of a large number of reed petals that frame a basket of tubular petals.

Gerbera: care features

Jemson's gerbera itself is an undemanding plant; the main thing is to provide it with the right temperature. The most suitable soil for growing adult gerberas is a mixture equal parts turf and leaf soil, peat, sand and humus. It is recommended to replant this plant annually, and the diameter of the pot should not exceed 20 cm.

In warm weather, gerbera needs abundant daily watering. In winter it is reduced a little, but still the soil should never dry out. During active growth, gerbera requires the addition of nutrients - once every two weeks.

In spring and summer, Jameson's gerbera should be in partial shade, as the bright sunlight at this time it is harmful for her. In winter, it can be placed in brightly lit places. For the warm season optimal temperature is 21-24 degrees, for cold - recommended temperature regime at 14 degrees.

Possible problems

Sometimes gerbera leaves may turn yellow and fall off - this may be the result of rotting roots. The reason for this is usually low temperature or excessive watering. To help the plant, first of all, the gerbera needs to be provided with proper care and treated with a fungicide. If the leaves fall off as before, the plant is destroyed.

In some cases, gerbera leaves turn yellow, but their veins remain green. This is a sign of nutrient deficiency. In this case, you need to immediately start feeding the plant with substances that contain sufficient amounts of magnesium and iron.

Gerberas are gardeners' favorite plants, and there is plenty of evidence for this. They long time They bloom with fantastically pure and bright colors. The palette of shades lacks only blue tones (although they are also easy to find on sale). Beautiful large flowers with centers of contrasting color rest on strong, long, bright green stems. Once in bloom, the flowers are exceptionally hardy and can stand in water for up to three weeks. All this makes gerbera one of the best cut crops after roses, carnations, tulips and. Many amateur and artistic photos of gerberas confirm this fact.

But in recent years this bright beauty is becoming popular and how houseplant.

Description of the plant

Gerbera belongs to the genus of perennial herbs from the Asteraceae family. Most species are native to Africa and tropical Asia. Its flowers look like large ones and in English-language literature they are called “Transvaal chamomile.” The elongated leaves are collected in a basal rosette. The peduncles are tall, strong, and have no leaves.
The flowers are an inflorescence of a basket. Their sizes in some varieties reach 30 cm. Elegant giants bloom for 3-4 months. Seeds remain viable for a very short time - about 6 months, so when buying seeds you need to monitor both the expiration date and the date of their collection.

How to grow gerbera in a flowerbed

Growing gerbera in the garden and caring for it is simple and exciting, but requires compliance with the conditions necessary for long and lush flowering.

In the south of Russia, gerbera blooms from spring to autumn and winters without shelter without any problems. IN middle lane The flowering will be more modest, and for the winter the gerbera will have to be dug up and stored with a lump of earth in a cool, dry place.

In areas with mild warm winter gerberas are covered with leaf litter and covering material, without digging.

Planting gerberas

Landing garden gerbera and subsequent care begin at the end of winter. Grow a plant seedling method. Seeds are sown in seedling containers from January to March in a mixture of garden soil with sand and compost. The seeds are planted very shallowly, only lightly sprinkled with soil. Shoots, as a rule, are unfriendly and appear after 10–12 days.

When sowing seeds for seedlings, it is necessary to take into account their low germination rate and increase the seeding rate.

After several true leaves appear, the sprouts are planted in boxes or immediately in separate pots. For seedlings, choose the lightest window sills. Caring for seedlings involves regular moderate watering.
When watering, water should not get into the root rosette, as the plant easily rots. Excessively abundant watering threatens the appearance of thrips on the surface of the soil. In this case, the watering rate is reduced and both the plant and the soil surface are treated with Fitoverm.

When propagated by seeds, gerberas may not retain the color of the parent plants.

Care for gerbera in open ground

Gerbera seedlings are planted in open ground after the threat of frost has passed. This usually happens in the second half of May. Choose a sunny place for planting. The best soil for them - light, drained, with not added organic fertilizers.
If there is an excess of organic matter in the soil, the flower stalks become very elongated. Fading inflorescences must be removed promptly. This stimulates the appearance of new ovaries. During active growth and flowering, the gerbera is watered abundantly, preventing water from entering the rosette. After flowering, the soil is moistened only after the earthen clod has dried.

In autumn, gerberas are covered or dug up with a clod of earth. The shelter is made dry and ventilated so that the flower does not rot during the thaw.

If there is a possibility of freezing, it is better to dig it up and store it in the basement or on a glassed-in veranda at a temperature of 7–8 ° C.

In the spring, the gerbera is transferred to a pot of suitable size, moved to a warmer and brighter place and watering is increased. Late April - early May mature plant planted in open ground.

Overwintered gerberas do not need to be transplanted into a flower bed. Leave them in pots to decorate seating areas, gazebos, verandas, and porches. Without replanting, plants get sick less and begin to bloom earlier. Don’t forget to feed them with complex mineral fertilizers.

How to grow gerbera indoors

For growing in room conditions choose dwarf species of Jameson's gerbera. They are the ones sold in flower shops in bouquets. Having received an adult gerbera plant from seeds at home through seedlings, it is kept on east and west windows. On the south side it is shaded at noon. For better flowering withstand temperatures of 22–24 ° C and try to avoid strong differences between day and night values.

At the end of flowering, the plant is moved to a cooler place. How to properly care for gerberas in winter? During the dormant period, the plant needs coolness and very moderate temperatures. In cold weather, the flower needs additional lighting.

How to prolong flowering in a bouquet

Having received a luxurious multi-colored bouquet as a gift, you probably wondered how to keep gerberas in a vase longer. In fact, cut gerbera is not capricious and phenomenally tenacious. Flowers can come to life, even if you had to walk with the bouquet all day.
This is why they like to give compositions of gerberas to brides - the flowers will not lose their will to live for the whole day and will come to life before your eyes if you place the tips of the stems in water and keep the heavy heads suspended. For this procedure, a lattice is suitable, through the cells of which the stems are passed.

To preserve a bouquet in a vase, use the following recommendations:

• change the water every day;
• choose a tall and narrow vase so that the flowers do not bend under their own weight;
• pour a few centimeters of water to prevent the stems from rotting;
• trim the softened ends of the stems before the next water change;
• cut the stems at an angle and make small punctures or longitudinal cuts at the bottom of the stem. This way the water will be absorbed better.

Subject to these simple conditions, a bouquet of gerberas will delight you with fresh and bright colors up to three weeks.

Gerbera transplant after purchase - video

Gerberas of this species are represented by compact bushes. They are perennial beautiful flowering plants. The Jameson flower belongs to the Asteraceae or Asteraceae family. These gerberas were specially bred so that they could be grown indoors.

The plant's homeland is South America. The root system is represented by a powerful rhizome, which branches out into adventitious roots.

The height of the plant ranges from 20 to 25 centimeters. In this case, the stem is shortened and has one strong peduncle.

Leaf color ranges from light to dark green. The edges are wavy. The basal rosette is formed lower bases leaves.

The flower forms a fruit in the form of an achene. There are from 300 to 500 seeds in one gram.

Flowers come in a variety of colors and shades:

• red and white
• yellow and orange
• pink and beige

The abundance of gerbera flowers allows you to create very beautiful compositions

Gerberas of this species reproduce using seeds, cuttings and dividing the bush.

Flowering occurs from February to June, then from mid-August to November.

Flower care at home

Humidity and watering

Gerbera requires abundant watering. During the summer months, flowers need to be watered every day. This is very important, especially when dry and hot days arrive.

IN winter months When the plant consumes less nutrients, watering must be reduced. During this period the rate of evaporation in plants decreases, so abundant watering in in this case may lead to waterlogging.

Prolonged stagnation of water causes a suffocating effect on the plant. The supply of insufficient oxygen to the root system will primarily reduce the flower’s ability to grow and develop. This will then lead to the death of cells, tissues and ultimately to rotting of the root system and death of the flower.

Watering should be done as the soil cover dries out. In addition to moistening the plant’s soil directly, it is necessary to moisten the leaf blades.

Leaves accumulate large number dust and therefore if not properly maintained lose normal ability to breathe. This will also affect the growth and formation of flowers.

Like other house flowers, jamesona can rot if overwatered.

The humidity for Jameson's gerbera should be between 70 and 75 percent. The optimal amount of watering and required quantity moisture will help the plant bloom beautifully for a long time.

Lighting and temperature

Plants of this species need intense lighting. But it should be noted that gerberas suffer greatly when exposed to direct sunlight. Leaves exposed to rays can get sunburned.

Such a burn causes additional load on the plant. The flow of nutrients will be directed towards tissue restoration. At this moment, all growth processes in the plant will be slowed down.

Burns are mainly caused by watering, when droplets of water remain on the leaf blades. A ray of light enhances its ability by passing through a drop of water and burning the surface epithelium of the plant. Therefore, for gerbera it is important to choose right place for growth and flowering.

The best option would be to place flowers on the eastern or western windowsill.

Jameson's flower loves fresh air. Therefore, regular ventilation is necessary. But protect from strong drafts. During the summer months, gerberas can put on a loggia or balcony. The flower will respond well to oxygenated fresh street air. The size of the bush will become larger, the colors of the flowers will become brighter, and the flowering period will increase.

For good care, it is necessary to observe the temperature regime. Temperature for gerbera summer period varies from 20 to 25 degrees Celsius. In winter, it is advisable not to drop the temperature below 12 degrees.

The plant does not tolerate the difference between night and day temperatures well, so the flower will be better off if it is brought into the house at night.

Soil and fertilizers

For gerberas it is necessary that the soil in the pot good air flow. Such soil will absorb moisture well and pass it to the suction root hairs. For this purpose, you can buy a ready-made soil mixture at a specialized garden center, or prepare the mixture yourself.

Possible soil mixture options:

• one part high peat and one part perlite
• two parts high peat and one part coconut bark
• one part peat, one part sand and two parts leaf soil

If garden soil was taken, then it needs to be disinfected, as the soil may be contaminated. In addition to diseases, pests may also be present. You may not notice them right away, as they may be dormant.

Unlike store soil, garden soil can be infected with pests - it is better to disinfect it

As soon as it comes for them optimal conditions, they will come to life. Therefore, it is better to spill the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate or steam it.

Suitable for indoor gerbera complex fertilizers. All elements in such fertilizers are in the ratios required for the plant. Feeding should be done in spring and summer. Also need a flower feed during active growth period and flowering.

Gerberas do not tolerate feeding in the form of organic fertilizers. Organic matter contains a large amount of nutrients. This will promote vigorous growth of the bush.

Due to the greater amount of nitrogen than other elements, the flower will begin to increase its above-ground mass. Flowering will not be as spectacular.

Diseases and pests

Gerberas are not difficult to care for. They are not picky. But with improper care, immunity may decrease. Pests and diseases can take advantage of this moment.

Poor room ventilation, frequent waterlogging and improper watering can lead to the development fungal diseases. Most common fungal diseases This gray rot And powdery mildew. Appropriate fungicides are used against diseases.

Dry air insufficient quantity moisture leads to the appearance of pests such as aphids and spider mites. Treatment of the plant with a soap solution saves from aphids, and from spider mite you can easily get rid of it, for example, with the help of the drug Fitoverm.

In addition to these pests, the flower is affected by whitefly. And from diseases one can become infected late blight and fusarium.

Prevention is appropriate here, as for all plants. Regular inspection of leaves proper watering, optimal temperature conditions and lighting.

Infected parts of plants must be removed and also cleaned healthy plants from the sick. After this, treat the plant with insecticides when pests are detected, or with fungicides against diseases.

Structural features of Jameson's gerbera

This type of gerbera is a very beautiful and spectacular plant.

In addition to the Jameson flower, scientists and breeders have bred and found approximately 70 varieties of gerberas. And the most important thing is that each type has its own characteristics.

Flower parameters and features:

• The height of this gerbera can reach sixty centimeters
• The shape of the flower resembles a large chamomile, the diameter of which reaches 10 centimeters
• The color and shades of flowers can be different, which is important for gardeners and hobbyists

All gerberas have their own characteristics, and not only external ones

• One of the features of this plant is its long flowering period. Typically, flowering begins in the first ten days of May and ends in August.
• Flower can stay awake for a long time. Therefore, gerberas of this type are often used in compositions.

How to grow in a pot from seeds

In addition to the fact that gerbera can be bought in a pot at the store, it can also be grown from seeds.

The seeds of these plants are also sold, but you can get them yourself. It is not easy to obtain seeds under indoor conditions, since the variety can easily be pollinated. Breeders are engaged in obtaining high-quality seeds. That's why best options There will be a purchase of seeds already ready for sowing in a package.

Seeds	When choosing seeds you should pay attention at the date of manufacture and shelf life of seeds. If the seeds are expired, they most likely will not sprout.
Sowing	Can be produced both in pots and any other suitable container. You can sow one at a time in pots, and several in containers, followed by picking
Soil	Should not be too loose, as moisture is important for seeds
Timing	Must be selected between January and March. The seeds are placed in shallow holes and covered with a thin layer of soil. In this case, the seeds need to be pressed down a little to improve their contact with the soil. This promotes better seed germination
Watering	Spray bottle fine spray. The water should be at room temperature. After watering, the pot must be covered with a transparent film to create the required level of moisture.

The seedlings need to be ventilated every day. The temperature for good germination should be between 18 and 20 degrees Celsius. The soil should always be kept moist.

At optimal values microclimate, seeds will begin to germinate in 1.5 - 2 weeks. The seedlings need to be immediately provided with proper lighting without direct sunlight.

After the first true leaves appear, the plant is cared for in the same way as just like an adult flower.

Outdoor care

Growing gerbera in open ground is not much different from keeping a flower at home. The basic parameters remain the same.

Feature open ground is the unpredictability of weather conditions. This causes a number of difficulties in caring for color. Therefore, when growing outdoors, the planting location is of particular importance.

When choosing a location, it is necessary to take into account that gerberas do not tolerate strong drafts or exposure to burning direct rays of the sun. Therefore, during the hottest period of a sunny summer day (approximately from 14:00 to 16:00), it is necessary to make the flower was in partial shade.

To prevent the soil from drying out, you can mulch some of the soil around the flower. Thus, the frequency of watering can be significantly reduced.

It is necessary to fertilize with fertilizers in a timely manner, especially during the flowering period. It can be applied directly to the root or along the above-ground part of the plant.

Reproduction

With proper care, gerberas should be replaced every three to four years. The plant can be propagated either vegetatively or generatively.

Seeds

The generative method involves propagating a flower using seeds. This method is the most labor-intensive. The algorithm for growing gerbera from seeds was described in detail above when growing a flower in a pot.

Propagation by seeds is considered the most in a complicated way not only regarding gerberas

The vegetative method is propagation using a certain part of the plant. This method is simpler when compared to seed propagation.

When any part of the plant takes root, the flower immediately begins to grow and develop, since there was already a sufficient accumulation of nutrients in it.

Dividing the bush

This is a more reliable method. The gerbera bush is divided into several parts. In this case, it is necessary to leave two to three growing points on each part of the plant. The peduncles and part of the roots are cut off from the separated part.

To prevent the plant from rotting the separation area must be disinfected, for example, crushed coal powder. A prerequisite for planting in the soil is correct placement growth points. It should not be buried and remain at ground level.

Rhizome division

This method of propagation can be done directly in a pot. To do this, you need to dig out part of the soil up to the rhizome and cut it into two equal parts. Peduncles are also removed. This is done to ensure that nutrients enter the rhizome and form a new root system.

To propagate by dividing the root, it is not necessary to remove the flower from the pot

When a good one is formed root system the plant can be replanted. The flower immediately adapts and will begin to grow actively and develop at home.

Growing by cuttings

Compared to other methods, the cutting method, as well as propagation using seeds, is more labor-intensive. For this purpose, you need to take a cutting with several leaf blades and a small part of the rhizome.

Leaf blades must be reduced by three times. The prepared cuttings are placed in a container of the required size and covered with transparent film or glass. This will help create an optimal microclimate. Necessary monitor air humidity and soil.

The temperature should be between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius and the humidity between 70 and 75 percent.

When the cutting begins to form the first roots, it needs to be ventilated daily. When the first true leaves appear, the glass or bag can be removed. Further care is the same as for an adult plant.

To propagate gerbera, choose cuttings with several leaves

Not only gerberas can be propagated by cuttings. Compare this technique with that.

Jameson's gerbera flower is different beautiful shape and flower size, bright color and long flowering period. This plant is one of the most beloved flowers among gardeners and amateurs.

Caring for a gerbera will not cause any trouble, and flowering will bring spiritual joy and peace of mind. Grow gerberas and enjoy long and unforgettable flowering.

You can grow gerberas from seeds at home if you know a few basic rules. Gerberas should never be over-watered. They do not tolerate heavy soil whose pH rises above 6.5. They cannot be fed with organic fertilizers, but only with complex fertilizers and always with microelements. It is better not to spray gerberas. But first things first. So, growing gerbera from seeds at home. When, how and where to plant gerbera seeds. Personal experience with step-by-step photo instructions.

Growing gerbera from seeds at home. Personal experience and mistakes

How difficult is it to grow Jameson's gerbera from seeds? Using personal experience and an example with photo instructions, I will show that growing gerbera from seeds is not difficult if you “make friends” with the plant. I’ll say right away that I managed to “make friends” with this flower only a year after planting the first bag of seeds and after I destroyed the first shoots and almost flooded the second “batch” of plants.

How to choose gerbera seeds for planting? To get a young gerbera, growing from seeds begins with choosing planting material. Plant seeds can be obtained at home by artificially pollinating the plant. However, in most cases, the beans are simply bought at the store. In this case, pay attention to the plant varieties. Hybrid seeds are sold in stores. They are designated as F1. In this case, the flower will grow with all the characteristics indicated on the package. If you collect seeds from an F1 hybrid, you will get a second generation plant. The decorative value of flowers grown from such seeds decreases.

The germination rate of gerbera decreases within 100 days. That is why, when making a purchase, you need to pay attention not only to the packaging period, but also the date of receipt of the seeds.

At the moment when I decided to grow gerbera from seeds, I did not have an adult plant, and therefore for planting material I went to the store. The choice was not rich, but, to my surprise, the seeds in the store were fresh. So, I came to the store on February 1, 2017, the date of packaging of the seeds was August 2016. I bought 3 bags at once just in case.

Gerbera flower seeds can be obtained by pollinating a flower on an adult plant. If you buy seeds in a store, you need to pay attention to the timing of packaging the seeds. Germination seed material falls within 100 days after collection.

When to plant gerbera seeds? Since Jemson's gerbera is indoors and cultivation from seeds is also carried out at home, there are no clear timing for planting grains. On thematic forums smart people argue that when planting seeds you need to take into account physiological characteristics flower. So, gerbera blooms in October-January (when daylight hours shorten. This serves as a signal for plants to flower), then it is better to plant from January to May. New plants at good care reach the flowering period at the 7th month of life. Under unfavorable conditions, the plant will be ready to bloom only 10-12 months after planting the seeds. Only in Crimea and other areas with a subtropical climate does gerbera bloom from seeds at 3-4 months of life. The same flowering periods are observed with professional care. These should be greenhouses with the necessary microclimate, powerful lighting and, of course, timely fertilizing.

Gerbera seeds are planted between January and May. At best, gerberas will bloom 7 months after planting the seed. But in most cases this happens at 11-12 months of the flower’s life.

Soil selection. Gerbera seeds should be sown in light, loose soil, the pH of which is in the range of 5.0-5.5. How important is it to adhere to such boundaries? Based on my experience, which is sometimes sad, I want to say that in too dense soil the gerbera root system will not develop. She will rot. Rot will also affect the flower if the soil is too moisture-intensive. The soil does not dry out for a long time, the roots are constantly wet, they begin to rot. pH=5.0-5.5 is slightly acidic soils. Only in such soil are gerbera roots able to absorb moisture and nutrients from the soil. As soon as the soil becomes alkalized (from watering with hard, unsettled water directly from the water supply), the plants stop growing and begin to get sick.

You can plant gerbera seeds in soil that you prepare yourself. Here is one of the recipes that I found on a forum of flower professionals. But I’ll tell you straight, I haven’t tested it in practice. Take 1 part of humus, leaf soil and coarse sand, 2 parts of turf soil.

The first time I planted gerbera seeds in ordinary, universal soil, the pH of which was 5.5-6.5. The gerberas sprouted and grew for a certain moment, but then their growth slowed down. For the second planting, I used soil based on high peat Eco Plus. The pH of such soil was 5.0-5.5. It is high-moor peat that provides the necessary acidity soil mixture. The plants felt great in it.

Gerbera seeds should be planted in light and loose soil, the pH of which is in the range of 5.0-5.5. This prerequisite, otherwise the plants will not grow, they will be affected by diseases.

Directly planting seeds. Gerbera seeds were planted on February 2, 2017, the very next day after purchase. The seeds were planted as follows: expanded clay was placed on the bottom in a prepared wide container with drainage holes. Next, soil is poured on top of it. It cannot be compacted. Experts recommend moistening the soil by spraying it before planting gerbera seeds.

Everything seems simple, but there is still a nuance. Looking ahead, I want to say that gerbera’s root system develops very quickly. But at the same time, the roots of the plant are very delicate. I planted my first seeds on top of the soil, the layer height of which was only 3 cm. The seeds sprouted, but thanks to the transparent walls of the greenhouse tray, I noticed how the roots of young gerberas were rapidly developing. A thickness of 3 cm of soil was not enough for them and they began to spread along the bottom of the tray. Soon the roots of some gerberas began to intertwine with each other. The plants needed to be plucked urgently. After picking, gerberas need a rehabilitation period. Very poor watering high humidity air. That’s why I decided to do things differently with the second batch.

Even a soil thickness of 5 cm does not suit the gerbera root system. I came across an article on the Internet that describes in detail industrial cultivation gerber from seeds. IN industrial scale gerberas are grown in very acidic soil (pH=4.0-4.5), it is neutralized with lime. But what’s most interesting is that the thickness of the layer in the pots where the gerbera seeds are sown reaches 20 cm. Of course, a pot 20 cm high won’t fit on my shelf, so I planted the second batch of seeds in pots 10 cm high.

Gerbera seeds should be planted in light, loose soil. During planting, the soil should not be compacted and the height of its layer in the greenhouse should be at least 10 cm. Otherwise, the root system of young seedlings will develop poorly.

How to plant gerbera seeds correctly? How to sow gerbera seeds? First of all, it should be correct soil(described above). Secondly, it must be a greenhouse. Thirdly, if planting is carried out in winter, then artificial lighting is required. These three simple rules I learned from personal experience.

To sprinkle or not to sprinkle gerbera seeds with soil? After reading a lot of information about how to plant gerbera seeds, I decided to conduct a small experiment. Many novice flower growers have complained that gerbera seeds do not germinate well. In some cases, the quality of the seed material was at fault. But for the most part, gerbera seeds did not germinate if they were sprinkled with soil.

So what was the experiment? I laid out the seeds in a greenhouse tray on the surface of the soil and sprayed everything with water. Then I sprinkled some of the seeds with a very thin layer of earth (the thickness of the layer did not exceed 0.5 cm). Once again I sprayed everything with water, covered the greenhouse with a lid and began to wait to see which seeds would germinate first. The first to germinate were the gerbera seeds, which I did not cover with soil. This happened 7-10 days after planting. The seeds under the ground still showed no signs of life. Having dug up a few grains, I noticed that they had hatched, but things didn’t go any further. I returned the soil to its place and waited another 3 days.

In three days, the seeds, not covered with soil, sprouted and began to turn green with their first leaves. The seeds did not penetrate under the ground. I dig up each of them... The result is that out of 9 seeds under the ground, 4 rotted (although they managed to hatch), 5 hatched, and no sprouts could break through even this thin layer soil (let me remind you that the height of the covering layer was only 0.5 cm). Hence the conclusion - gerbera seeds do not need to be sprinkled with soil during planting. They grow well on the surface. I confirmed my conclusion in practice 2 times.

You can read more about various gerbera diseases.

Frequently asked questions about gerbera- more details in the article...

Where to put the box with seedlings? In order for indoor gerbera to sprout amicably, growing from seeds requires a temperature within +21...+24 degrees. This should be a shaded place. Watering is not carried out. After all, in a greenhouse, water evaporates more slowly and the soil remains constantly slightly moist.

Shoots appear on 7-10 days. After that polyethylene film is removed, and the seedlings are transferred to a warm, well-lit place, but not under straight lines, sun rays. Watering is carried out as the top layer of soil dries. It is better to water gerberas at the root. For this I used a regular syringe. If moisture gets into the plant's growing point when watering, it begins to rot.

We pick gerbera seedlings

Gerberas peak when young shoots produce a second rosette of leaves. All professionals say this. For this, pots, plastic cups or any other containers with a volume of 100 g are used. Drainage holes must be made in their bottom. Expanded clay is laid on the bottom. The soil used is the same as for planting seeds.

I had a slightly different situation. My first gerbera shoots from seeds did not have time to produce a second rosette of true leaves, but I still carried out the picking. Why? Because there was very little soil in the greenhouse (let me remind you that the first time I poured a layer of soil 3 cm high into the greenhouse. This turned out to be not enough). As a result, the roots of the seedlings began to intertwine and interfere with each other.

Let me remind you that gerbera has a very delicate root system. Any manipulation with it has a bad effect on the health of the plant as a whole. After picking, gerbera seedlings need gentle conditions. This is a temperature of +19...+23 degrees, moderate watering and high air humidity, the proper level of illumination. So, I picked the gerbera on February 26 (seeds were planted on February 2). For picking, I took 200 ml cups. A little less than half of the soil was poured (the amount of soil should be commensurate with the size of the root system). Why take a big one? plastic cup and fill it halfway with soil? You can take a small container for picking. The answer is simple. After picking, gerberas need high humidity air. By covering a glass of gerbera with film, you can create a mini-wig for the plant.

After picking, cover the cups with gerbera with film and place them on the window. I have windows on the east side of the apartment, where the sun shines until 15.00. After sunset I turned on the artificial lighting. I have a phytolamp. It was on until 22.00 every day. I watered it rarely, since moisture evaporates slowly in the greenhouse.

After picking, gerberas need gentle care conditions. This temperature is +19...+23 degrees, high level air humidity (you need a mini-greenhouse), artificial lighting for 12-14 hours, moderate watering.

A month later, that is, March 29, my gerberas have grown somewhat. Some did not survive the picking, although the conditions of keeping the plants were the same. Based on my observations, I made a conclusion. It is necessary to disturb the roots of the gerbera as little as possible and carry out the first picking only when the gerbera has grown a sufficient amount of green mass (from 4 true leaves).

The seedlings were cared for as follows: the greenhouse was removed when the third rosette of leaves had grown sufficiently. The temperature was kept at +19...+23 degrees. Watering as the soil dries out, no fertilizing was carried out.

Read the continuation of the article. Second landing personal experience, growing problems and their practical solutions.