How to grow gerberas from seeds at home?

You can grow gerberas from seeds at home if you know a few basic rules. Gerberas should never be waterlogged. They do not tolerate heavy soil, the pH of which rises above 6.5. They cannot be fed with organic fertilizers, but only with complex fertilizers and with trace elements. 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 gerberas from seeds at home. Personal experience and mistakes

How difficult is it to grow a Jameson gerbera from seed? From personal experience and an example with photo instructions, I will show that growing a gerbera from seeds is not difficult if you “make friends” with the plant. I must say right away that I managed to "make friends" with this flower only a year after planting the first packet of seeds and after I destroyed the first seedlings 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 the choice of planting material. Plant seeds can be obtained at home by artificial pollination of the plant. However, in most cases, the beans are simply bought at the store. In this case, pay attention to plant varieties. The stores sell hybrid seeds. 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, it will be a second generation plant. The decorativeness of flowers grown from such seeds decreases.

Gerbera germination falls within 100 days. That is why, when making a purchase, you need to pay attention not only to the packaging time, but also the date of receipt of the seeds.

At the moment when I decided to grow a gerbera from seeds, I did not have an adult plant, and therefore I went to the store for planting material. 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 seed packing date is 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 from a store, you need to pay attention to the timing of packaging the seeds. Seed germination falls within 100 days after harvest.

When to plant gerbera seeds? Since the Jameson gerbera is indoors and growing from seeds is also carried out at home, there are no clear dates for planting the seeds. On thematic forums, smart people argue that when planting seeds, you need to take into account the physiological characteristics of the flower. So, gerbera blooms in October-January (when there is a decrease in daylight hours.This serves as a signal to the plants for flowering), then planting is best done between January and May. New plants, with good care, will reach a flowering period of 7 months. Under unfavorable conditions, the plant will be ready to bloom only 10-12 months after planting the seeds. Only in Crimea and other regions with a subtropical climate does gerbera from seeds bloom at 3-4 months of life. The same flowering times are observed with professional care. These should be greenhouses with the right microclimate, powerful lighting and, of course, timely feeding.

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

The choice of soil. Sow gerbera seeds 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 a framework? Based on my experience, sometimes sad, I want to say that in too dense soil, the gerbera root system will not develop. It will rot. Also, rot will hit the flower if the soil is too moisture-consuming. The soil does not dry out for a long time, the roots are constantly moist, they begin to rot. pH = 5.0-5.5 - these are slightly acidic soils. Only in such a soil are gerbera roots able to absorb moisture and nutrients from the soil. As soon as the soil alkalizes (from watering with hard, not settled water directly from the water supply), the plants stop growing and begin to hurt.

You can plant gerbera seeds in soil that you prepare yourself. Here is one of the recipes I found on a professional florist forum. But to be honest, I have not tested it in practice. Take 1 part of humus, leafy earth and coarse sand, 2 parts of sod land.

For the first time, I planted gerbera seeds in an ordinary, universal soil, the pH of which was 5.5-6.5. Gerberas rose, grew up to a certain point, but then slowed down. For the second planting, I used Eco Plus high-moor peat soil. The pH of this soil was 5.0-5.5. It is high moor peat that gives the required acidity of the soil mixture. The plants felt great in it.

It is necessary to plant gerbera seeds in light and loose soil, the pH of which lies in the range of 5.0-5.5. This is a prerequisite, otherwise the plants will not grow, they are affected by diseases.

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

Everything seems to be simple, but still there is a nuance. Looking at the front, I want to say that the root system of the gerbera 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 germinated, but thanks to the transparent walls of the greenhouse tray, I noticed how the roots of young gerberas are developing rapidly. The thickness of the soil layer of 3 cm is not enough for them and they began to creep along the bottom of the tray. Soon the roots of some gerberas began to intertwine. The plants had to be dived urgently. Gerberas need a rehabilitation period after the pick. Very poor watering, high humidity. Therefore, with the second batch, I decided to act differently.

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

You need to plant gerbera seeds in light, loose soil. During planting, the soil should not be tamped and the height of its layer in the greenhouse should be at least 10 cm. Otherwise, the root system of young shoots will develop poorly.

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

Sprinkle or not sprinkle gerbera seeds with soil? After reading a lot of information on how to plant gerbera seeds, I decided to do a little experiment. Many budding growers complained that gerbera seeds do not germinate well. In some cases, they blamed on the quality of the seed. But for the most part, gerbera seeds did not germinate if they were sprinkled with soil.

So what was the experiment about? I spread the seeds in a greenhouse tray on the surface of the soil, sprayed everything with water. Then I sprinkled some of the seeds with a very thin layer of earth (the layer thickness did not exceed 0.5 cm). Once again I sprayed everything with water, covered the greenhouse with a lid and waited for which seeds would germinate first. Gerbera seeds sprouted first, which I did not sprinkle with soil. This happened 7-10 days after landing. The seeds under the ground still showed no signs of life. Having dug up a few grains, I noticed that they hatched, but it didn't go any further. I returned the soil to its place and waited another 3 days.

For three days, the seeds, not covered with soil, sprouted and began to turn green in unison with the first leaves. The seeds did not climb under the ground. I dig each of them ... Bottom line - out of 9 seeds under the ground, 4 rotted (although they managed to hatch), 5 hatched, no sprouts could penetrate even such a thin layer of soil (remember, the height of the covering layer was only 0.5 cm). Hence the conclusion - gerbera seeds do not need to be sprinkled with earth during planting. They germinate well on the surface. In practice, I confirmed my conclusion 2 times.

You can read more about various gerbera diseases here.

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

Where to put the seedling box? In order for indoor gerbera to grow amicably, growing from seeds provides for a temperature within + 21 ... + 24 degrees. This should be a shaded area. Watering is not performed. Indeed, in a greenhouse, water evaporates more slowly and the soil remains constantly slightly moist.

Shoots appear on the 7-10th day. After that, the plastic film is removed, and the seedlings are transferred to a warm, well-lit place, but not under direct sunlight. Watering is carried out as the top layer of the soil dries up. It is better to water gerberas at the root. For this I used a regular syringe. If moisture gets into the growing point of the plant during watering, it begins to rot.

We dive gerbera seedlings

Gerberas dive when young seedlings 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 are necessarily made in their bottom. Expanded clay is laid at the bottom. The soil is used the same as for planting seeds.

I had a slightly different situation. My first shoots of gerberas from seeds did not have time to give a second rosette of real leaves, but I still made a pick. Why? Because there was very little soil in the greenhouse (let me remind you that for 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 seedling roots began to intertwine and interfere with each other.

Let me remind you that the 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 mild conditions. This is a temperature of + 19 ... + 23 degrees, moderate watering and high humidity, a proper level of illumination. So, I carried out picking of gerbera on February 26 (planting of seeds was carried out on February 2). For picking, I took 200 ml cups. The soil was poured a little less than half (the amount of soil should be commensurate with the size of the root system). Why take a large plastic cup and fill it halfway with soil? After all, you can take a small container for picking. The answer is simple. After a pick, gerberas need increased air humidity. By covering the glass with gerbera film, you can create a mini wig for the plant.

After picking, cover the cups with gerbera foil and put them on the window. I have these 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. She shone until 22.00 every day. Watering was carried out rarely, since moisture evaporates slowly in the greenhouse.

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

A month later, that is, on March 29, my gerberas grew somewhat. Some did not survive the pick, although the conditions of 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 to carry out the first pick even when the gerbera has accumulated a sufficient volume of green mass (from 4 real leaves).

The seedlings were taken care of as follows: the greenhouse was removed when the third rosette of leaves had grown enough. The temperature of the content was kept at the level of + 19 ... + 23 degrees. Watering as the soil dries up, no fertilizing was carried out.

Read the continuation of the article on growing Jameson's gerbera from seeds at home. Second planting, personal experience, growing problems and their practical solution.

Gerberas are the favorite plants of flower growers, and there are many confirmations of this. They bloom for a long time with fantastically clear and bright colors. In the palette of shades, only blue tones are missing (although it is easy to find them on sale). Beautiful large flowers with contrasting color centers rest on strong, long, bright green stems. Blooming flowers are extremely hardy and can stand in water for up to three weeks. All this makes the gerbera one of the best in the cut culture after roses, carnations, tulips and chrysanthemums. Many amateur and artistic photographs of gerberas confirm this fact.

But in recent years, this bright beauty has become popular as a houseplant.

Description of the plant

Gerbera belongs to the genus of perennial grasses from the Astrov family. Most of the species are native to Africa and tropical Asia. Its flowers are similar to a large chamomile and in the English-language literature they are called "transvaal chamomile". Elongated leaves are collected in a basal rosette. Peduncles are tall, strong, have no leaves. The flowers are a basket inflorescence. 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 time of their collection.

How to grow a gerbera in a flower bed

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

In southern Russia, gerbera blooms from spring to autumn and hibernates without shelter without any problems. In the 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 winters, gerberas are covered with leaf litter and covering material, dispensing with digging.

Gerbera planting

Planting and following garden gerbera daisies begins at the end of winter. The plant is grown in seedlings. Seeds are sown in seedling containers from January to March in a mixture of garden soil with sand and compost. The seeds are covered very shallowly, only slightly sprinkling with earth. Seedlings, as a rule, are uncooperative and appear in 10-12 days.

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

After the appearance of several true leaves, the sprouts are planted in boxes or immediately in separate pots. The lightest window sills are chosen for seedlings. Seedling care consists in regular moderate watering. When watering, water should not get into the root outlet, as the plant rots easily. Excessive watering threatens the appearance of thrips on the surface of the earth. In this case, both the plant and the soil surface are treated with Fitoverm.

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

Outdoor Gerbera Care

Gerbera seedlings are planted in open ground after the threat of frost disappears. This usually happens in the second half of May. Choose a sunny place for landing. The best soil for them is light, drained, with inorganic fertilizers applied. With an excess of organic matter in the ground, the peduncles are strongly stretched. Fading inflorescences must be removed in a timely manner. This stimulates the emergence of new ovaries. During active growth and flowering, the gerbera is watered abundantly, preventing water from entering the outlet. After flowering, the soil is moistened only after the earthen coma has dried.

In autumn, the gerbera is 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 glazed veranda at a temperature of 7-8 ° C.

In the spring, the gerbera is transferred into a pot that is suitable in size, transferred to a warmer and lighter place, and watering is increased. In late April - early May, an adult plant is planted in open ground.

Overwintered gerberas do not need to be transplanted to the flower bed. Leave them in pots to decorate seating areas, gazebos, veranda, porch. Without a transplant, plants get sick less and begin to bloom earlier. Do not forget to feed them with complex mineral fertilizers.

How to grow gerbera indoors

For growing in indoor conditions, dwarf species of Jameson's gerbera are chosen. They are sold in bouquets in flower shops. Having received an adult gerbera plant from seeds at home through seedlings, it is kept on the east and west windows. On the south side, it is shaded at noon. For better flowering, they maintain a temperature of 22-24 ° C and try to prevent its strong drops in day and night values.

At the end of flowering, the plant is transferred to a cooler place. How to properly care for a gerbera in winter? During the dormant period, the plant needs coolness and very moderate watering. 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 a bouquet all day. That is why they like to give gerbera compositions to brides - flowers will not lose their will to live for the whole day and will come to life before our eyes if you put the ends of the stems in water and support heavy heads. For such a procedure, a lattice is suitable, through the cells of which the stems are passed.

To keep the bouquet in a vase, use the following guidelines:

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

Subject to these simple conditions, a gerbera bouquet will delight you with fresh and bright flowers for up to three weeks.

Gerbera transplant after purchase - video

Gerbera, as a houseplant, looks very festive and cozy at home. Few people may not like this flower.

Of course, every florist is interested in growing a beautiful plant from scratch on his own.
Therefore, in this article we will talk about how to grow gerberas from seeds at home.

You can also see a photo of the gerbera itself, as well as its seeds. You will learn how to choose a pot for this beauty.

…

Botanical reference

Gerbera is a native of Africa, which belongs to the Aster family... The Dutch botanist Jan Gronovius discovered and described this plant in the 18th century, he also gave it a name in honor of the German botanist Traugott Gerber.

In nature, it is also found in Asian countries, Australia and Japan. Many people compare this flower with chamomile or cornflower. In my opinion, it looks like a small sunflower. The dark core is framed by many elongated oval petals. Coloring of white, yellow, orange, pink, red and purple tones. Only the blue color variation is missing.

The flower is located on a long, leafless stem. The diameter of the flower basket is from 4 to 30 (!) Cm. Leaves grow from the ground. In shape, they resemble dandelion leaves - elongated with an irregular shape, as if with torn edges. The length of the leaves reaches 35 cm.The height of the bush is up to 60 cm.

The main use of this plant is for cutting for sale., making bouquets and flower arrangements. Dwarf varieties are successfully used in indoor floriculture.

Reproduction methods

New copies of gerberas can be obtained in 3 ways:

1. Seeds... We will talk about this in more detail below. A flower grown in this way will bloom for the first time only after almost a year. For cultivation, you can use seeds collected with your own hands.
2. Cuttings... Cuttings are used to preserve the characteristics of hybrid varieties when seed propagation is not suitable. To do this, cut off a part of the stem with a knot and a leaf, and then root it in the ground.
3. By dividing the rhizome... To do this, take out an adult plant from the ground and divide the roots. This method, as well as cuttings, helps to obtain a varietal plant similar in characteristics.

Seed

Gerbera seeds are elongated with a fluffy tassel at the end. The size is small, one gram contains from 300 to 500 pieces.

Pollination of an indoor flower

Gerbera is not a self-pollinated plant, as its reproductive organs ripen at different times. Therefore, to obtain seeds, artificial cross-pollination is required during the flowering period.

Ripe pollen can be used for 100 days... You can store it in a clean, dry glass container with a lid. Both plants must be of the same species to maintain a variety. If this is not possible, you can use what is available.

In this case, the result is unpredictable, the resulting seeds can give a completely different plant in terms of characteristics. For home pollination, ripe pollen from one flower is transferred to another flower.

You can simply collect the pollen with a brush and "smear" the middle of another flower. It is better to do this several times during flowering, to be sure. Ripe pollen can be seen by the protrusion of the middle of the flower with yellowing.

When do they ripen?

Gerbera seed ripens 3-4 weeks after successful pollination... Accordingly, this happens in the fall at the end of flowering.

How to collect?

Once the middle of the flower becomes fluffy like a dandelion, you can collect the seeds by carefully disassembling the flower with your hands. Gerbera seeds quickly lose their germination, so they need to be planted within 6 months after harvest.

How much are?

Having looked through a bunch of offers on the Internet for the sale of seeds, I can voice the approximate price range for gerbera seeds from 22 to 89 rubles per package, which contains 10-25 seeds. Varieties: Jameson's gerbera, Festival, Rays, California Giant. The seeds are mostly in the form of mixtures, that is, what color palette you get is unknown.

Attention! When buying seeds, be sure to pay attention to the packing date. Gerbera seeds lose their germination significantly after 7-8 months.

Photo

Below you can see photos of the gerbera and its seeds.

How to grow?

Now let's take a closer look at the process of planting gerbera seeds.:

• Sowing dates... You can plant from autumn, after receiving the seeds, and until spring. For successful cultivation, spring planting is still more acceptable, it does not contradict the natural biorhythms of the plant.
• The soil... The soil for growing gerbera should be light, porous. It can be prepared from leaf humus, peat and sand in a 2: 2: 1 ratio. A slightly acidic or neutral soil is best suited. A couple of hours before sowing, the soil should be shed with a hot solution of potassium permanganate - this procedure is the prevention of all kinds of infections in the soil.
• Seed preparation... The seeds of this plant do not require soaking or other special preparation for sowing.
• Sowing... Seeds are spread over the surface of wet soil and lightly sprinkled with a layer of the same soil or peat. To accelerate germination, the container can be covered with glass until shoots appear, which will come in a week. As soon as the majority of seedlings have appeared, the shelter should be removed, otherwise there is a risk of losing seedlings from the "black leg".
• Temperature regime... For the emergence of sprouts, it is required to maintain the temperature in the range of 18 to 20 degrees.
• Capacity... To obtain gerbera seedlings, you can plant seeds in a container, followed by transplanting into a separate pot. Since we will not keep them in the container for a long time, it should not be very deep.

Choosing a pot

Your beauty has grown from a seedling state, she already has several real leaves. It's time to think about transplanting into a separate pot. It should not be too large, otherwise you may not wait for flowering. At the initial stage, a container with a volume of 700-800 ml is suitable.

Gerbera feels best in a clay pot. Be sure to lay a layer of drainage material on the bottom.

However, the advantage of plastic dishes is the possibility of the most optimal watering method - through the pallet.

Plant care

Consider the rules for the care and conditions of keeping the gerbera of the first shoots to an adult plant:

1. Seedlings, like an adult plant in an active phase, require maintenance at a temperature of 18 to 24 degrees. During the dormant period, which begins after the end of flowering and lasts about 3 months, the air temperature should be lower, 14-16 degrees, the limit is 12 degrees.
2. Seedlings that grow in the winter-spring period may sometimes need additional lighting. With a lack of lighting, it can stretch out and be frail.

   An adult plant has an interesting feature during the flowering period, it needs lighting for no more than 12 hours a day. That is why gerberas bloom from the end of summer, when daylight hours decrease. However, she loves sunlight, and the intensity of the light is more important to her. You can even use additional lighting in winter to prolong flowering.

   However, do not overdo it, remembering the need for rest. Most often, gerberas themselves stop blooming when needed.

3. Watering the seedlings should be moderate, but the soil should not dry out.You need to water carefully, without getting on the seedlings themselves. To do this, you can use a syringe or an old teapot.

   A mature plant requires abundant watering, except for a dormant period when watering is significantly reduced. However, it is worth remembering that it is absolutely impossible to do a swamp in a pot. Do not pour water into the center of the bush and on the shoots. That is why watering through the pan is so good, as well as the correct moisture-permeable soil.

   An important point - you need to water with water not lower than room temperature. Cold water promotes the development of fungal infections and root rot.

4. Gerbera needs high air humidity, but direct spraying on the leaves is not desirable. This can lead to fungal infections. Therefore, you need to either spray water around the flower, or pour pebbles into the pallet, pour water and place a pot with gerbera there.

   The bottom of the pot should not constantly touch the water. They kept it in water for irrigation for 10 minutes, and then set it on the stones again.

5. An adult plant requires an annual transplant with replacement of soil in a more spacious container. You should not take a pot that is too large, you need a container 2-3 cm larger in diameter. From store gerberas, a soil mixture for roses is suitable.
6. 10-14 days after planting the seedlings in a permanent place, it can be fed with complex mineral fertilizers for flowering plants. This is done every 2 weeks. Gerbera nitrogen fertilizers are not needed.

   If you have properly prepared the soil, then it already has the necessary supply of nitrogen. Every year you change the soil to a new one. And apply nitrogen fertilizers with it. Additional nitrogen fertilization will lead to the growth of green mass to the detriment of flowering.

7. It is very important to give the gerbera a dormant period after flowering. To do this, you need to reduce the temperature, reduce watering to a minimum, doing this when the topsoil dries up. Feeding the flower at this time is also not worth it.

The magnificent gerbera is loved by designers and florists. This plant is able to add a bright accent to any floral arrangement. Today, breeders have bred many varieties and hybrids of this exquisite flower, not ignoring indoor floriculture. Now indoor plant lovers can grow Jameson's gerbera from seeds.

A bit of history

For the first time, a description of the gerbera genus appeared in 1737. This was done by the botanist and researcher from Holland Jan Gronovius (1690-1762). The scientist thus immortalized the name of his colleague and friend, who is known for many works in the field of botany, Traugott Gerber, a German naturalist and physician. For some time he served as director of the Aptekarskiy Ogorod botanical garden in Moscow. In addition, Gerber has been researching the flora of the Volga region for a long time.

But in some sources, you can find another version of the origin of the name. In Latin, the word "herb" is translated as herba, which is why the flower got this name. In the UK, in the botanical literature, you can find another name for gerbera - "transvaal daisy" or "transvaal daisy". But be that as it may, today we will tell you about one of the most common representatives of this numerous genus - Jameson's gerbera.

Description

Gerbera Jameson belongs to the Astrov family. The Gerber genus comprises more than seventy species of flowering plants. This flower was first discovered in South Africa by Scottish explorer Robert Jameson. And the species was named after him. It is called the Transvaal chamomile by its place of origin - in honor of the Transvaal province in South Africa.

Gerbera Jameson laid the foundation for many varieties and hybrids that are extremely popular among flower growers today. Large, bright and very spectacular flowers resemble chamomile outwardly, however, much larger - they reach fifteen centimeters in diameter.Breeders today give us the opportunity to admire white, orange, pink, yellow, red, cream and other shades of flowers.

There are terry, simple, and needle-like varieties. In indoor floriculture, the most common varieties of Jameson's gerbera are Gerbera Ilios, Gerbera Hummingbird and others. Peduncles of these plants at home do not grow more than 30 cm in height. They practically do not differ from each other in appearance, and the care for them is the same.

Gerbera Jamson: growing from seed

When it is not possible to purchase an adult plant, you can grow it yourself. When buying Jamson Gerbera seeds from the store, pay attention to their expiration date. You need to know that the seeds of this flower remain viable only for eight months after collection.

If you have a potted specimen of this plant in your home collection, then seeds can be obtained by pollinating it. But in this case, you can get a plant of unpredictable color. At the same time, remember that self-collected seeds should be used within three months, then they will lose germination.

Experienced flower growers recommend sowing a flower in the spring, although you can do this at other times of the year. In this case, you need artificial lighting.

Soil preparation

Gerbera Jameson seed is grown in a light and loose potting mix of equal proportions of peat, perlite, sand and leafy soil. You can also use a simplified version - mix peat and sand in equal proportions. The earth must be spilled with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or frozen. Then a container with drainage holes should be prepared. Lay expanded clay on their bottom with a layer of about three centimeters and fill the container with soil mixture, slightly tamping it.

Seeds are sown superficially into moist soil without deepening. Sprinkle them on top with a thin layer of sand.

Seed greenhouse

Place the container with the planted seeds under the plastic, creating a greenhouse in which the temperature must be maintained within +20 ° C. Do not forget to air the seeds twice a day and, as necessary (when the top layer dries), moisturize it.

The first shoots will appear in twelve days. From this point on, plants can develop naturally.

Transplants

When real leaves appear, the seedlings must be dived into a large container so that the distance between the seedlings is at least eight centimeters. After the appearance of five leaves on each plant, they are seated in separate containers with a diameter of no more than ten centimeters.

When Jamson's young gerberas grow a little more and get stronger, they are transplanted into pots with a diameter of about twenty centimeters. The plant usually begins flowering after nine months.

Placement and lighting

Gerbera Jameson (you can see her photo in this article) needs good lighting, but shading from the active rays of the sun is a must. The best arrangement of flowers is a west or east window. Regular airing is also extremely important for keeping gerberas. Fresh air is vital for the plant, but drafts should not be allowed.

In summer, the flower can be taken out to the balcony. At this time, he will feel quite comfortable at temperatures from +20 to +25 ° C, and in winter, the air in the room should not cool below +12 ° C. The plant has an extremely negative attitude to sudden changes in day and night temperatures. If the gerbera Jamson grown by you at home spends the summer on the balcony, do not forget to bring it indoors at night.

How to water and feed a gerbera?

This beautiful houseplant equally dislikes drought and waterlogging of the soil. It is watered twice a week, and even more often in the summer heat.Make sure that water does not fall on the leaf rosette of the flower during watering to avoid root rot or fungus. Water the gerbera through the tray. To do this, pour water into it and after a while (about 30 minutes) pour out the remaining liquid.

For irrigation, water is used that is soft and settled, but not cold. A native of hot subtropics needs high humidity. Therefore, it is recommended to humidify the air with a sprayer over the plant, but you can also put the pot on a pallet, into which you should pour wet filler.

Three to four times a month it is necessary to apply top dressing to the soil. When leaves are forming, nitrogenous fertilizers should be used; when flowering, give preference to complete mineral complexes.

Flowering features

Gerber Jamson has an interesting feature. For a plant to bloom profusely, it needs no more than twelve hours of bright lighting per day. Therefore, it blooms from early August to mid-November, when daylight is not enough.

Remove wilted flowers from the plant during flowering as they can inhibit the development of new flower stalks. Another important nuance is that gerbera flowers are not cut, but broken. The remains of the peduncle after cutting often rot and infect the whole plant with rot.

Dormant period

After flowering, the plant enters a dormant period that lasts until February. At this time, watering of the plant is reduced, and feeding stops completely - the plant is gaining strength for the next flowering and growth. During the dormant period, the soil in the pot should not dry out. Even at this time, the plant needs moisture.

Dry air is destructive for gerbera. From mid-February, the amount of fertilizing and watering is gradually increasing. From this moment, the stage of active growth begins. Gerbera is getting ready for flowering, growing green mass. After four years, the plant is rejuvenated. Gerbera can prolong its flowering and deprive it of its dormant period by using additional lighting. But in this case, we must not forget that the plant will be depleted very quickly and will live no more than two years.

Pests and diseases

When purchasing seeds for planting Jameson's gerbera, it is necessary to take into account the varieties of this plant. Some of them are quite difficult to tolerate sudden changes in temperature and are often sick. Today, varieties have been bred that tolerate pest attacks well, but at the same time have some other weaknesses, the presence of which should also be taken into account.

If small wet spots appear on the leaves that resemble dew, remove them very carefully, and cut off the dead leaves. The death of a plant can provoke infestation by small insects, for example, ticks and whiteflies. To protect the flower, it is necessary to periodically spray it with pesticides, as well as to disinfect the soil well.

A spider mite can deliver many negative consequences to a plant. It is impossible to see it with the naked eye, therefore even experienced flower growers sometimes fail to identify the appearance of this pest in the early stages. To keep the gerbera from ticks, spray the leaves with an insecticidal solution, then cover it with gauze for half an hour.

If after such treatment it was not possible to get rid of the tick, the repeated treatment is carried out after seven to ten days.

Interesting facts about gerbera

The leaves and stem of gerbera contain coumarin derivatives. This substance is successfully used as a flavoring agent in the tobacco and perfumery industries. In medicine, it is used for the production of indirect anticoagulants. In addition, coumarin is essential in electroplating to give products a strong shine.

A bouquet of gerberas can stand in a vase for up to twenty days. But this is not the limit. If you want to keep it even longer, then pour very little water into the vase so that the stems do not rot.

There is a legend about a gerbera, which says that once upon a time there lived a nymph with that name. Her beauty did not leave indifferent either women or men. Everyone admired her, and this attention so tired the nymph that she decided to turn into a simple wild flower. This is how the gerbera arose, which some peoples call a symbol of innocence and modesty.