Gerbera in a pot care. Gerbera care at home. Optimal landing time

At home, you can grow more than one hundred flowers that we are accustomed to seeing in personal plots. The gerbera, the favorite of many gardeners, was no exception. This plant originates in the tropical forests of Asia, and gerbera can also be found in the nature of South Africa.

In botanical reference books, you will definitely get acquainted with a different name for gerbera: Transvaal chamomile. The flower of a perennial herbaceous plant has a great visual resemblance to chamomile. That's why it's such an unusual name!

Gerbera belongs to medium-sized plants. The largest varieties are able to reach 60 centimeters in height, and miniature - no more than 25 centimeters. The inflorescence-basket is located on a single erect peduncle. The light green leaves of the flower grow on short stems. They are united by a root rosette. Transvaal chamomile is very fond of light and warmth. But this does not at all make her too picky about home growing conditions.

A favorite of many gardeners, homemade gerbera does not require much effort to care for. Compliance with some simple rules will allow you to grow a healthy and beautiful plant.

The most popular among domestic species of Transvaal chamomile is considered gerbera jamson. This is a very large variety, which includes various interspecific hybrids.

The first thing to do is to choose a suitable place for growing a flower. As we noted above, the gerbera simply loves to bask in the warm rays of sunlight. Therefore, when choosing a place, the grower should take this factor into account.

On a note! Most the best place for gerbera - well lit. You can even place an indoor flower on the windowsill on the south side.

But even here you should be careful. If the weather is especially hot in the yard, then it would be best to choose window sills for the gerbera from the west or east side. Too high a temperature can have a detrimental effect on the development of the plant. In addition, the gerbera is not afraid of drafts or temperature changes during the day. Therefore, the Transvaal chamomile can, with a clear conscience, be put on a balcony or a ventilated loggia, and all summer in the daytime it will feel just fine. And at night, the plant is best brought into the house.

Transfer. The choice of nutrient substrate for room gerbera

So, you have chosen the best place for your Transvalian chamomile. It's time to start transplanting.

Remember! The first gerbera transplant is performed immediately after purchase. houseplant. But only after the quarantine period has passed.

I would like to dwell on the concept of a quarantine or adaptation period for a plant. This is the time during which the gerbera will take root in new conditions. environment, namely - to your home environment. For a flower, this is a big stress, so the transplant (which is also a real "shock" for the plant) should be postponed for a while until the plant simply gets used to the new conditions.

It is interesting! Many people ask: why should a plant be transplanted after purchase? It would seem that the pot is suitable, and the land is excellent? The fact is that in order to preserve the notorious "commodity" appearance in the composition of the earth in a store in without fail include growth promoters. It is they who allow indoor flowers to maintain a beautiful appearance for a long period of waiting for their new owners. But such land is not suitable for the subsequent cultivation of the plant.

Video recipe for the occasion:

For Transvaal chamomile, a ceramic pot with drainage holes is ideal. It is he who will save the houseplant from even more overheating on especially hot days.
Gerbera will be immensely "grateful" to you if you choose a light and breathable substrate for its cultivation. The soil for growing Transvaal chamomile can be purchased at a flower shop. It is worth noting that today in supermarkets you can buy real high-quality soil in which gerbera will grow and bloom without any problems.

But some gardeners still prefer to prepare the soil for indoor plants on their own. For Transvaal chamomile, you can choose various ways preparing land for cultivation, we will give an example of just a few of them:

You can take one part peat and one part sand and mix the ingredients with two parts leafy earth.
Some indoor plant lovers simply take pure high-moor peat. This option is also possible.
Other growers mix high-moor peat with soaked coconut bark in a ratio of 2:1.
Some florists prepare the soil for Transvaal chamomile in a very, very interesting way. They mix equal proportions of high-moor peat and fine peat.

Remember: Gerberas prefer acidic soil. Optimally - from 5.5 to 6.

Attention! Whichever way you choose to prepare your soil for your Transvaal chamomile, never forget a good layer of drainage.

Gerbera transplantation is carried out approximately 1 time per year, in the spring. The optimal pot size for an adult plant is a 1.5 liter pot. Pick up capacity bigger size Not recommended. In the future, if the plant is healthy and nothing threatens its growth, then you can simply renew the top layer of soil.

We select the optimal temperature regime for home gerbera

Transvaal chamomile absolutely does not accept high temperature. Despite its unpretentiousness, domestic gerbera is very sensitive to ambient temperature and reacts to the slightest fluctuation by stopping growth or stopping flowering.

Remember:

In summer, the optimal temperature for gerbera is between +20 to +22 degrees.
In winter, after the end of flowering and until the beginning or middle of February (during the dormant period of the plant), the temperature should range from +14 to +16 degrees.

It is important! When switching from summer to winter growing regime (from flowering to dormant state), the temperature in the room where the gerbera grows should be lowered gradually and very carefully. A sharp decrease can have a detrimental effect on the condition of the flower.

Proper watering of gerberas. spraying

Transvaal chamomile is a moisture-loving plant. But this does not mean that watering should be excessively plentiful and very frequent.

You can not water the gerbera with cold water. There is one very simple rule that will allow you not to make a mistake with the watering temperature. Water should always be at ambient temperature or a few degrees higher.
Water should always be settled.
Gerberas should only be watered when the soil dries out. Excessive irrigation of an indoor flower will certainly lead to the development of diseases, for example, it will easily provoke a fungal disease.
During the dormant period, watering should be only nominal.

Gerbera is not too picky about the humidity of the surrounding air. But during the flowering period, it is recommended from time to time to spray the plant exclusively with warm water.

Reproduction of room gerbera

At home, gerbera can be propagated in two ways: by dividing the bush and by seeds.

The most optimal- this is the reproduction of gerbera by dividing the bush. An adult plant, which by the time of reproduction must have already formed several bushes, is planted in several containers in the spring.

laborious way- This is the reproduction of gerbera seeds. You will have to tinker with growing seedlings, diving young seedlings and caring for plants. The above procedures are not always successful.

Top dressing room gerbera

Gerbera is very responsive to the addition of nutrients to the soil. Each stage of development has its own type of feeding.

For the active growth of gerberas during the period of growing green mass, complex fertilizers with a N content are needed. They must be applied from February to April with a regularity of once every two weeks. The solution should be weakly concentrated.
For the flowering phase, potash fertilizers are perfect.
During the dormant period, fertilizing the home gerbera is not required.

Diseases and pests

Domestic gerbera is very resistant to various types diseases. Most often, it is affected by a fungus as a result of improper care and too frequent watering. Among fungal diseases, gray rot and powdery mildew are the most dangerous. In this case, insecticides should be used. Get ready to say goodbye to the plant.

The greatest danger among pests for domestic gerbera is the spider mite. You can fight this insidious pest with the help of fungicides. An aphid-infested plant should be treated with insecticides.

As you can see, caring for a homemade gerbera is not that difficult. Give your "green pet" just a few minutes of attention a day, and the flower will surely please you with excellent growth and no problems when growing.

Outdoors, gerberas can only grow in warm climates. She does not like cold and sudden changes in temperature, so the flower beloved by many was adapted for keeping in an apartment. If you love flowering houseplants, then the houseplant gerbera is the best choice. Care at home has features that you will learn about in this article.

Herbaceous perennial of the Asteraceae family. It grows wild in Madagascar and South Africa. As a houseplant, gerbera is grown for its beautiful and long flowering. By appearance very similar to chamomile. It differs from it in large flowers and bright colors. Gerbera names such as Transvaal chamomile or daisy are found.

The plant is small and neat - indoor gerbera rarely grows above 30 cm. The leaves are pinnately dissected, oblong, with slight pubescence. The leaves are folded into a rosette. Long peduncles are rare. Inflorescences - large, bright. Flowers simple, semi-double or double. Valued for its variety of colors. There are gerberas of all colors except blue.

Flowering begins at the end of August, ends in November. Until February, the flower rests, then goes to fast growth. After 3-4 years, it is recommended to rejuvenate the flower - a mature plant does not bloom so profusely. Gerbera flowers become smaller, flowering time is shorter. Rejuvenate the bush by division.

Interesting! Experienced flower growers achieve almost year-round flowering gerbera. The result - the plant constantly pleases with beautiful flowers. Minus - after 2 years, the bush is completely depleted.

Varieties of gerbera

More than 70 species of flower grow in nature. Not all of them are suitable for home growing. The most popular and unpretentious are the Jameson gerbera and green leaf. On their basis, most modern varieties are bred. In home floriculture, low-growing varieties are used.

"Pam" - flowers are bright pink, the core is brown.
"Sweet Surprise" - light crimson flowers, the middle is green with a yellow border.
'Rachel' - bright red flowers. Distinctive feature varieties - elongated stamens.
"Valerie" - Bicolor flowers. Bottom - lilac, top - white-pink. The core is yellow-brown.
"Sophie" - flowers of an interesting fuchsia color.

Advice! When buying a gerbera in a pot, be sure to pay attention to the variety and its characteristics. Sometimes tall varieties are treated with chemicals that inhibit growth. The plant seems miniature, blooms beautifully, looks decorative. But without subsequent treatments, the plant begins to quickly stretch, lose its appearance and eventually die.

For a long and lush flowering, it is important to organize the proper care of indoor gerbera.

Lighting. The plant does not like heat and direct sun, but prefers high light conditions. Suitable windows facing east or west. In summer, it withstands small daily temperature changes. With the onset of stable heat, the gerbera is allowed to be taken out to the balcony or garden.
Temperature. Prefers a moderate temperature range of 20-22°C. In the heat and stuffiness quickly dies. In winter, a dormant period is required at 14-16 degrees Celsius.
Watering. Watering is regular, but moderate. Equally does not like drying and waterlogging of the soil. The soil is kept slightly moist. The water temperature for irrigation is slightly above room temperature. Gerbera gets sick from cold water.
Humidity. Doesn't have special significance. It grows well with dryness and slightly high humidity. Thankfully responds to spraying.
Top dressing. During active growth, complexes with a high nitrogen content are introduced. Closer to the flowering period, fertilizing with products for flowering plants begins. They are brought in no more than once a week. The recommended concentration of solutions is halved.
The soil. The best soil for indoor gerbera is a mixture of peat, sand and leafy soil (1: 1: 2). The addition of hydrogel granules helps keep moisture constant.
Transfer. Transplanted when the roots no longer fit in the pot. The new container should be slightly larger, but not more than one and a half liters. In spacious containers, gerbera stops blooming.

Advice! Within 2 weeks after purchase, the flower is not recommended to be transplanted. It should adapt to the conditions of your apartment. After acclimatization, the plant must be transplanted. The soil used in stores is a temporary substrate. The flower will not be able to grow in it for a long time.

Breeding methods

There are several ways to propagate gerberas. All of them are successfully used by flower growers.

Growing from seed. The optimal time for sowing is March. Seeds are sown in a loose substrate of sand and peat, the soil is moistened, the container is covered with glass. Conditions for rapid germination - stable humidity, temperature not less than 18 ° C, daily ventilation of the greenhouse. In the phase of 2-3 true leaves, the first pick is carried out. The second pick - in the stage of 4-5 true leaves. Varietal plants are obtained from store seeds. Seeds collected from a home plant lose the bright characteristics of the variety.
Cuttings. Cut off part of the stem with a leaf and a node. Place cut in wet sand. Maintain the temperature at 25°C. Roots appear quickly - in 1-2 weeks. Preservation of varietal characteristics is not guaranteed.
The division of the bush. It is considered the most reliable way. The bush is divided at the age of 3-4 years, seated in separate pots. In the first days, they provide enhanced care for the gerbera. The pot should maintain stable humidity. Varietal characteristics do not disappear.

Gerbera diseases

The plant is resistant to diseases and pests. Violation of the rules of care leads to various problems in the growing process.

Disease	Description	Cause	Solution
Alternariosis	The appearance of brown spots on the leaves. The spots brighten in the center, a black coating appears. Leaves turn yellow and dry out.	High humidity and temperature. Nutrient deficiencies.	Treated with fungicides. For example, Ridomid Gold.
Mosaic	Small spots of yellow or light green color. Deformation of the sheet plate.	The causative agent is cucumber virus. Provoking factors - low temperature, humid air.	Spraying with insecticides.
powdery mildew	The appearance of a gray-white coating. Spreads quickly. Leads to the death of the plant.	Fungal disease. Provoking factors - lack of calcium in the soil, humidity above normal, heat.	Spraying with fungicides - "Topaz", "Fundazol".
Gray rot	The plant fades, covered with a grayish bloom.	Fungal disease. Provoking factors are dense planting, waterlogging of the soil, high humidity.	Treatment with drugs "Fundazol", "Rovral".
Sclerotinia	Withering of the plant, the formation of depressed spots on the petioles, peduncles.	An excess of organic matter in the soil, waterlogging, heat.	Stop watering, add dry soil. Treatment with systemic fungicidal preparations - "Vitaros", "Fundazol".
Phytophthora	Drying of leaves, flowers.	Failure to comply with agricultural practices.	Processing means "Ridomil", "Previkur".

At proper care the probability of damage to the plant by the described diseases is minimal.

Do gerberas only grow in gardens and greenhouses? No, beautiful orange or red inflorescences can also decorate the windows of a city apartment if you buy indoor varieties of a flower. Mini versions of the plant reach a height of 25–30 cm and produce one or more buds annually. Caring for an exotic gerbera is no more difficult than caring for an anthurium or orchid, and sometimes much easier.

Getting to know your new home

An adult plant is sold in specialized stores and even large supermarkets. I want to immediately drink the purchased gerbera with warm water and put it in the most prominent place so that it becomes the main decoration of the house, but the flower must first adapt to the new place of residence.

The first 3-4 days should refrain from watering. The plant takes the necessary moisture from the soil, and an excess of water can cause rotting of the lower leaves or the appearance of a fungus. Gerbera is transplanted only in two cases:

when the soil is infested with pests;
if the pot is too small and the root system is peeking out of the ground.

You can transfer the flower to a new container 1.5–2 weeks after adaptation, when the plant gets used and gets stronger. Do not forget that a gerbera brought from a nursery or a supermarket sometimes has spider mites or other insects. Pests are dangerous for other indoor flowers, so the new tenant is carefully examined and isolated for about a week.

Light and temperature conditions

Gerbera throws out buds in the last days of August and pleases bright colors until mid to late November. During this period, the room should be warm, within + 25-20 degrees. If the thermometer shows from + 18–16, the plant goes into rest mode, and the inflorescences crumble. At + 14–12, the gerbera hibernates. The flower cannot stay in a cool room for a long time. Low temperatures exhaust the gerbera, and it begins to hurt and wither. At the end of January, an exotic guest is transferred from a warm room so that she has time to wake up and gain strength before the arrival of spring.

On which window sill to put a pot of bright flowers? In summer, the east or west side is suitable. The plant will receive enough soft light and heat. In winter, gerberas are transferred to sunny southern windows, but northern ones are not suitable for growing an exotic beauty. They are too cold and shaded, so you will have to install phytolamps or ordinary table lamps to compensate for the lack of natural light.

In summer, gerberas need to be shaded from the midday sun:

move to a table next to the window;
close the blinds so that diffused light falls on the windowsill;
put under a tall spreading tree if the plant is outdoors.

The sun from May to September is hot enough to burn the delicate leaves of the plant, leaving ugly yellow spots on the green surface. Daily contact with ultraviolet light is stressful for an exotic beauty who can become seriously ill or completely wither.

At the same time, the gerbera needs the sun, because without it it is not able to form buds and bloom. The plant feels comfortable when the day length is from 10 to 12 hours. Therefore, in winter, an exotic beauty goes into hibernation mode, and in the spring it activates and begins to build up a green mass.

The homeland of a bright flower is considered to be the subtropics, where it is constantly warm and rainy. The plant loves water, but in moderation. In summer, gerberas are watered three times a week, in spring and autumn they are reduced to 2 times.

In winter, a tropical beauty can do without water for a long time. When the room is +12, moisture becomes a dangerous enemy of the gerbera, because the risk of infection with a fungus increases. In winter, the flower is watered as needed when the upper and middle layers of the soil dry out.

It is impossible for the irrigation liquid to fall into the leaf outlet or on the inflorescences. Water droplets accumulate and create conditions for the development of fungus and root rot. It is difficult to get rid of diseases, gardeners have to change the soil and pot, or throw away the gerbera if it is not treatable.

Water intended for watering an exotic beauty is defended for 2-3 days in glass jars or plastic buckets. The liquid must be heated to + 32–37 degrees. Carefully poured into the ground or into a pallet, from which the flower will take as much moisture as it needs. It is impossible for water to stagnate at the bottom of the pot. Gerbera absorbs moisture in 30-40 minutes. The remaining liquid, which turned out to be superfluous, must be carefully drained. If this is not done, a fungus will start in the pan, which will destroy the root system.

In summer, it is useful to spray the green top with a spray bottle. In a similar way, the top layer of the earth with the root system is also moistened. Gerbera does not like dry air, because of which its leaves and inflorescences become pale and inexpressive. To maintain an optimal level of humidity, it is recommended to place bowls or large mugs filled with water next to the pot.

Tip: If the lower leaves of the gerbera begin to rot, reduce watering and stop spraying the plant. The ground is dry, but the problem has not disappeared? Either the flower was struck by rot or pests, or you need to carefully filter the water for irrigation.

Mineral complexes

Gerbera does not tolerate organic matter. Fertilizers made from cow dung bird droppings or humus, only harm the flower. Slaked lime, compost or wood ash will not work. Only mineral complexes. Recommended universal varieties designed for any indoor flowers, or special options exclusively for exotic gerberas.

During the period of bud formation, the plant is fed with nitrogenous compounds, which include:

ammonium sulfate;
urea;
ammonium nitrate.

The classic version of nitrogenous fertilizer is urea. Mineral top dressing is applied 3-4 times a month, but after opening the inflorescences, you should switch to complex options for indoor flowers. Such fertilizers are used in a similar way.

Crystals or powder should be dissolved in water for irrigation. The soil is pre-moistened so that the fertilizer does not burn the root system. Use only a weak solution, a concentrated one can poison the gerbera.

Soil for an exotic plant

The tropical flower is constantly growing, and one day the pot becomes too small for its dense root system. We have to look for a new home for the gerbera and prepare a nutrient substrate. What should it be?

The main thing is that the soil:

passed air;
was permeable;
sterile;
with a pH level of 5.5 to 6.

Gerbera, which is in too acidic soil, does not absorb useful elements and dies.

There are several substrate options for growing an exotic flower:

Horse peat without additives. It is quite acidic and contains many useful components.
Leafy ground with sand or moss, which is called sphagnum. Be sure to mix with peat or technical phosphoric acid to raise the pH of the substrate.
Suitable for growing gerberas and fine perlite, which allows the root system to breathe. High-moor peat is added to the synthetic base as a source of nutrients.
Needles or coconut substrate can improve water permeability. Do not add compost or humus to the soil for gerbera.

If the soil has become too acidic due to peat, a little chalk should be added to it. Soddy or leafy soil must be steamed to disinfect and destroy weed seeds. An alternative to heat treatment is pesticides. Solutions of formalin (5%) or carbation (2%) are recommended. The classic option for disinfecting the earth is potassium permanganate. It is weaker than synthetic pesticides, so it is recommended to treat the soil with a concentrated solution of a dark pink or purple hue.

After disinfection, the earth is combined with peat and other components and insisted for several days. During this time, beneficial bacteria will appear in the soil and nutrients.

An exotic plant must breathe, so the pot is chosen from ceramic or clay. Gerbera transplanted into too large a container spends energy and nutrients on the development of the root system, so the plant does not throw out buds for 1–2 years. The flower feels cozy in a pot 25 cm in diameter and 30-35 cm deep. The top should be slightly wider than the bottom.

Cover the bottom of the container with a centimeter layer of drainage:

crushed clay shards;
broken brick;
pieces of foam;
fine expanded clay.

Fill the pot halfway with substrate. Remove the gerbera from the old container without separating the earthy lump from the root system. Move the flower to a new clay house. Put in the center and sprinkle with soil. Make sure that the root head remains on the surface of the earth. If a little substrate gets on the leaf socket, gently brush it off with a brush or hand.

Gerberas are transplanted in the spring before the first buds appear. You can transfer the plant to another pot even after the flowers wither in July or November.

reproduction

An exotic flower is grown from seeds. Prepare nutritious soil from soddy soil, sand and peat, fall asleep in a wooden box. Spread the seeds, sprinkle with earth, moisten the substrate from the spray gun and cover with plastic wrap. Young shoots that are more than a month old are transplanted into separate pots.

Gerberas aged 4-5 years and older can be divided into several bushes.

Remove the plant from the pot, do not clean it from the ground.
Carefully divide into 2-3 parts. Each should have its own point of growth.
Shorten the roots a little, cut off the flowers. Treat open "wounds" with charcoal.
Plant new bushes in pots with a substrate.

It remains to water and fertilize the gerberas so that they quickly take root and take root.

Diseases

Spider mite appears due to insufficient watering and dry air. The flower must be sprayed from a spray bottle, adding any fungicide to the water.
Aphids can attack gerbera if it grows in the garden or stands on the balcony during the warm season. The insect is destroyed by insecticides that treat the stems and leaves.
White-winged flies start up in the summer due to the heat and dry air. The insecticide "Aktellik" will cope with pests.
Gerbera, affected by white or gray mold, is isolated from other indoor flowers and treated with a solution of copper sulphate. Remove damaged leaves and be sure to reduce watering.

Gerbera loves sunlight and warm water, humid climate and can die from drafts. The flower is not whimsical, but needs constant care and attention. If you protect the plant from insects and mold, fertilize and remove dry leaves in a timely manner, the exotic beauty will become one of the main decorations of the apartment and a reason for pride.

Video: how to care for room gerbera

indoor gerbera- not a very common phrase. Usually this representative of the kingdom of Flora can be found only in the flowerbeds of southern cities, on outdoors or in spectacular bouquets. Recently, however, potted gerberas have also been sold, which are not inferior in beauty to their free counterparts. People buy flowering gerberas in pots, captivated by their brightness and beauty, but is it possible to keep this flower at home or is it just another marketing ploy?

It turns out that it is possible, because science, including botany, does not stand still, and now many varieties of a magnificent flower have been bred that can grow indoors. However, growing indoor varieties is not an easy task, requiring efforts from the grower. However, if the shop gerbera survives and continues to bloom, it will become a real decoration of any corner of the apartment.

Let's get to know this blooming beauty closer and learn how to care for her, achieving lush and long flowering.

Gerbera (lat. Gerbera) is a plant, according to its classification, belonging to a large and diverse family of aster (lat. Asteraceae). Its natural habitat is the south of the African continent, Madagascar, Southeast Asia. The genus includes more than a dozen species that differ in size, shape, as well as the color of flowers and leaves.

[!] Thanks to the efforts of breeders, the variety of colors of gerbera flowers is countless. There is no only blue and blue gerberas.

These composite plants have an interesting, almost two-century history of transportation from their native shores to the blessed European land. As a garden and home flower, gerbera began to be cultivated only in the 19th century in the fertile French lands, where it received its second name - Transvaal chamomile.

The plant was first described by the botanist Jan Gronovius and named after another German botanist, Traugott Gerber. According to another theory, gerbera is consonant with the Latin word "herba", which translates as "grass".

Gerbera species suitable for home growing

The progenitors of all indoor, garden and greenhouse gerberas were two natural plant species - the Jameson gerbera (lat. Gerbera jamesonii) and the green-leaved gerbera (lat. Gerbera viridifolia).

As for the varieties, there are countless of them, although far from all are suitable for home maintenance - first of all, indoor gerberas should be miniature and compact, no more than 30 cm in height. However, the beauty of flowers also plays an important role. Small varieties of a flower sold as a pot culture are called mini-gerberas.

The number of African beauty varieties grown indoors is no less large than its garden form. Conventionally, they can be divided according to the color of the flowers.

Pink gerberas:

"Sweet Surprise" - Intense pink petals with lighter tips, the middle of the flower is orange-yellow.
'Jasmina' - pale pink flowers with white strokes and a yellow center.
'Pam' has a red-brown flower center surrounded by bright pink petals.

"Sweet Surprise", "Jasmina", "Pam"

Orange gerberas:

'Sweet Caroline' - bright orange petals with yellow tips and center of the flower.
'Orangina' is a sunny yellow-orange shade of flowers.
"Sweet Honey" - the center of the flower and the petals are painted in the same blurry yellow color.

"Sweet Caroline", "Orangina", "Sweet Honey"

Red gerberas:

"Sweet Glow" - red-orange petals with a greenish center.
'Sophie' - red-pink flowers with a light center and long stamens.
"Rachel" - unusually bright red petals with a light green center.

"Sweet Glow", "Sophie", "Rachel"

White and cream gerberas:

"Sylvana" - the flowers of this variety are very reminiscent of chamomile.
"Valerie" - the petals are creamy pink on top, darker mauve on the bottom.
"Catherine" - white needle-shaped petals and a yellow center of the flower.

"Sylvana", "Valerie", "Catherine"

Of course, not all varieties of mini-gerberas are listed here. In fact, there are many more of them, there are both terry and two-color varieties, and more and more new ones appear every year.

Caring for indoor gerbera

As mentioned above, growing gerberas at home, in the form of a pot culture, is not an easy task, especially since almost all specimens sold in stores are grown in Holland using powerful hormones, which means they are not designed for a long life.

And yet, you want to keep a bought or donated flower. And it's possible. Let's find out how.

Growing features

There are several points that a florist growing indoor gerbera should pay attention to:

Gerbera lifespan. There is an opinion that domestic gerberas are annual plants and after flowering they die. This is not entirely true. If the Dutch gerbera brought from the store is not transplanted and cared for in time, the flower will really die. If you create all the conditions (replace the purchased soil, water and feed on time), the gerbera will live for several more years. In the future, the old bush can be rejuvenated.
Rest period. Gerbera belongs to those indoor representatives of the kingdom of Flora, for which it is necessary to arrange a cool wintering. If this rule is not followed, flowers are unlikely to reappear.
The delicate leaves and stems of the gerbera are often covered with a white bloom. This is powdery mildew, a fungal disease that provokes excess moisture. That is why watering and spraying gerberas should be given special attention.
Special pruning or shaping the plant is not required. All care comes down to cleaning dry leaves and putting things in order in the pot.

What to do after buying a gerbera

For the first week and a half, do not touch it. Let the gerbera adapt and get used to the new atmosphere, move away from the stress. Then you need to wait until the end of flowering or simply pick all the flowers and buds: this process takes a lot of energy from the plant, and flowering, combined with the stress of changing the place of residence, can completely destroy the southern beauty. After that, the gerbera can be transplanted.

[!] All the old store soil, the so-called transport soil, should be as carefully as possible, trying not to damage the delicate roots, shake off or wash off.

If the plant does not adapt well, you can put it in a bag, creating a mini-greenhouse. From time to time, the package needs to be removed and the flower ventilated.

Air temperature and lighting

Since this flower comes from southern countries, the temperature for successful growth and flowering should correspond to natural conditions: 18-20 ° C in summer and 14-16 ° C in winter. It is quite difficult to create such conditions in an apartment: both in winter and in summer it is much warmer in our apartments. Therefore, on especially hot days, you should shade the flower, and in winter, during the heating season, place it in a cool room.

[!] In late spring and summer, you can take a pot of gerbera to the loggia, balcony or household plot. Fresh air has a beneficial effect on the plant.

Almost all flowers love good lighting, including gerbera, but direct sun on hot days can damage delicate leaves. The best location will be windows east or west. If the plant is located on the southern windowsill, it should be shaded from direct sunlight, and if it is on the northern one, it should be additionally illuminated with a phytolamp.

Watering and humidity

How to water a gerbera? - a question often heard on the forums of home plant lovers. The answer is quite simple - in moderation. Both the drying of the earthy coma and excessive stagnation of moisture are equally harmful to the Transvaal chamomile.

In general, in summer, on hot days, watering should be more frequent, and in autumn and winter, the amount of moisture should be reduced. You can determine the need for watering by the substrate - its top layer should dry by about 3-4 cm. To reduce the likelihood of rot, it is better to remove the water that has accumulated in the pan after watering.

[!] According to experienced flower growers, it is better to underfill a gerbera than overfill it. And slightly withered flower leaves are a sure sign that the plant is thirsty.

[!] Use only settled or filtered water room temperature. Moisture must not get inside the sheet socket.

Gerbera refers to plants that prefer high humidity. In the warm season, it can and should be sprayed abundantly. But, as soon as it gets colder, spraying should be significantly reduced or stopped altogether. High humidity combined with low temperatures can cause tender leaves to rot.

Some flower growers believe that drops that fall on tender leaves leave ugly spots. This is not entirely true. You can spray the leaves, but you need to do it right:

Use only a fine mist sprayer.
If in doubt, do not spray the plant itself, but the air around it.
Water for spraying, as well as for irrigation, should be warm.
If it is cool and damp outside, you do not need to spray the gerbera.
In addition, you can not spray a gerbera standing in direct sun. Drops dried by rays cause burns on gerbera leaves.

transplant, soil, top dressing

Transplantation, or rather transshipment, is done every year. As soon as spring comes, the gerbera with the old earthy clod is transferred to a new pot, the volume of which should be slightly larger than the previous capacity. Too large dishes, “for growth”, should not be used - the excess, free from roots, the substrate is acidified, which provokes rotting of the roots, and flowering in such a bowl may not begin.

There are several requirements for the soil for planting homemade gerberas - friability, water and breathability, neutral acidity, low organic content. Can be used:

universal purchased soil with the addition of vermiculite and crushed charcoal,
ready-made mixture for roses with the addition of vermiculite and crushed charcoal,
leaf soil, sand and peat in a ratio of 2:1:1.

You can try as a primer and pure, without impurities, perlite. In this case, root rotting will not develop, but the plant will have to be constantly fed with fertilizers, since there are no necessary minerals in such soil.

Regardless of the chosen soil mixture, a high (1/4 of the total volume) layer of drainage must be poured into the bottom of the pot in which the gerbera grows. It can be expanded clay, small pebbles, pieces of shells and the like.

[!] When transferring the plant to a new pot, do not damage the roots and do not deepen the root neck.

You can fertilize homemade gerbera with minerals containing all the microelements necessary for the plant. The frequency of top dressing is once every two weeks in spring and summer and no more than once a month in the cold season. Do not feed indoor gerberas with organic matter in the form of liquid manure fertilizers; southern flowers cannot tolerate such top dressing.

Gerbera breeding

There are only three ways to propagate this beautiful indoor plant: cuttings, seeds, dividing the bush.

cuttings

This method is perhaps the simplest. It is enough to carefully separate the cutting with several leaves and a small root from the mother plant and plant it in a small pot in a peat-sand mixture. In order for the cutting to take root better, you can build a mini-greenhouse by covering it with a bag and placing it in a bright, warm place. From time to time, the planted process needs to be watered and ventilated by removing the bag. When the stalk gets stronger, you can transplant it into ordinary soil.

planting seeds

This is a more time-consuming method that requires patience from the grower. However, it is always interesting to watch the growth of a seed, and the first blooming flower compensates for all efforts. This process can be described step by step as follows:

We prepare plastic containers in advance (preferably with a lid), fill them with peat soil, moisten them with a spray bottle and sow seeds on the surface.
Sprinkle dry sand on top and moisten again with plenty of spray.
We cover the box with a lid or, if it is not there, with glass, imitating a mini-greenhouse.
The first shoots should appear in about a week.
After the appearance of three or four true leaves, we dive young gerberas, and then, after a couple more leaves grow, we plant them in permanent places.

As a rule, gerberas grown from seeds bloom in about a year.

The division of the bush

Reproduction by dividing the bush is best used during the annual gerbera transplant.

[!] Only an adult, four-year-old, bush with several growth points can be divided. A flowering gerbera cannot be divided.

We take the plant out of the pot, shake off the ground and cut it with sharp knives into the required number of parts so that each part contains a growth point and a certain number of roots. To avoid the occurrence of rot, we sprinkle the slices with crushed coal and plant each part in a separate bowl with a standard substrate.

Pests and diseases of gerbera

Many insect pests attack the gerbera - whitefly, aphids, mealybugs. But the flower has a special attraction for spider mite. Small colonies of insects can be removed with a soapy solution. When their numbers grow, only modern insecticides will help. They need to be used twice a week apart.

Gerbera, like all capricious flowering plants, gets sick quite often. The slightest mistake in care, and now the leaves have sadly fallen, but there are still no buds. Main advice- take care of the gerbera in accordance with all the rules, do not flood the flower, feed and replant it in time.

Especially often the gerbera suffers from various rots. Sometimes, with a lack of minerals, chlorosis develops. What exactly got sick green pet can be determined by the symptoms.

Gerbera leaves are covered with white bloom and dry out. Most likely, the plant fell ill with powdery mildew. This disease can be controlled with systemic fungicides and growth stimulants. In addition, mistakes in care should be excluded (too frequent watering, spraying with cold water, lack of lighting).

The color of flowers and leaves turns pale, the stems are stretched. Probable causes are lack of nutrition and poor lighting.

The edges of the leaf turn yellow and dry, and then the entire leaf completely. Such symptoms indicate a flood or overfeeding of the plant.

The interveinal space of the leaf turns yellow, the veins themselves remain green- This is chlorosis, a disease arising from a lack of iron in the soil. It is necessary to feed the gerbera with a special fertilizer - iron chelate.

The lower leaves of the gerbera dry out, the upper ones look healthy and develop normally. It's okay, so the plant is updated. To help him a little, old dried leaves can be removed.

Of course, it is not easy to grow a gerbera at home, it is capricious, often sick, and flowers from Holland are not at all designed for a long life. But, do our flower growers give in to difficulties? Of course not. Therefore, indoor gerberas, in spite of everything, decorate the windowsills of houses and apartments, delighting with their bright beauty and originality.

Indoor gerbera is a colorful representative of the Aster family (Composite). There are more than twenty subspecies of the plant. On an industrial scale, gerbera is grown for cutting. The plant retains its decorative effect and freshness well after separation of the roots. The home representative of a herbaceous culture is distinguished by long, pointed leaves. A group of vegetative organs forms a rosette at the base of the plant. The long peduncle can reach over 50 cm in height. One bud is formed on the stem. The size of a houseplant does not exceed 30 centimeters. Varieties intended for cultivation in open ground, bloom from the beginning of the summer season until August. Gerbera at home can bloom inflorescences all year round with minor interruptions. After flowering, the fruits appear on the plant in the form of seed pods.

Representatives of the Aster family must be protected from drafts.

Microclimatic conditions

The location of the plant must be protected from drafts. For the time of airing, the flowerpot should be taken out of the room. The flower needs good air circulation. Therefore, for the summer period, you can take the culture to fresh air.

Temperature regime

Gerbera is native to South Africa. An exotic representative prefers warm rooms. Ideal Temperature for Breeding decorative flower- from + 20 to + 25 degrees.

Excessive heat is also detrimental to the flower. Prolonged exposure to the scorching sun can damage the foliage and cause premature wilting of the inflorescences.

Air humidity

The subtropical plant develops well in conditions of high humidity. It is enough to water the culture twice a week. During the summer - as needed. It is not advisable to allow the top layer of the substrate to dry out. Stagnation of water can damage the delicate roots of indoor gerbera.

The flower prefers high humidity.

If water gets into the gerbera rosette, the plant can develop fungus or root rot. The safest way to water is through a tray. After half an hour, remove all residual liquid. Otherwise, the roots of the gerbera may suffer from excess moisture. It is not recommended to water the plant with cold water.

To create a sufficient level of air humidity, you can spray the liquid on the plant. Droplets of water should fall exclusively on the leaves. For the safety of the culture, the space next to the flowerpot should be sprayed.

You can leave a container of water next to the flower or turn on a humidifier.

Culture transplant

The optimal time for transplanting gerberas is the end of February. You will need to change the container and soil annually. The flower should be removed very carefully. Gerberas have brittle roots. Therefore, you can use the method of transshipment of an earthen coma.

The neck of the gerbera in the new container should remain above the surface of the substrate. Otherwise, the root system may rot.

An adult plant purchased from a garden nursery needs special care. It is not recommended to transplant and water the culture for two weeks. It is necessary to prepare a wide container of a larger diameter in advance. For transplanting, you will need to use transport soil.

The nuances of changing the container and substrate can be found in the video:

Gerbera care in winter

In winter, the plant does not have enough natural light and heat to form buds. You can use fluorescent lights to increase daylight hours. The plant will extend the decorative effect in the cold season.

In winter, it is advisable to stop feeding the plant and reduce the amount of watering. It is not recommended to allow the soil mixture to dry out.

Heaters can damage the plant. Therefore, in the cold season, spraying should be continued according to the summer scheme.

Cropping Features

Indoor culture does not need constant pruning. Withering inflorescences must be pinched off. Pruning the stems has a detrimental effect on the further formation of buds. It is not recommended to leave dried flowers on the gerbera. The plant will spend a lot of energy on the formation of fruits. As a result, the growth of the crop and the production of new buds will slow down.

You need to clean the indoor gerbera as needed.

plant outdoors

A flowerpot with a gerbera can be taken out in the summer to an open area. The place must be protected from wind, drafts, pests and the scorching sun.

Growing features

substrate

For breeding room gerbera, it is necessary to prepare loose and breathable soil. There are several options for soil mixtures:

Mix equal parts perlite and softened peat.
Pre-steamed coconut bark must be mixed with peat.
Combine leafy soil with clean river sand and peat.
You can use one component - high-moor peat.

Garden representative offices sell ready-made mixtures for indoor crops of the Astrov family. It should be borne in mind that the optimal level of soil acidity should be from 5.5 to 6.

top dressing

An exotic plant can be fertilized with complex preparations for flowering indoor crops. During the period of active vegetative development, top dressing should be applied once every 2 weeks. It is not advisable to use organic ingredients.

As a fertilizer, you can use complex preparations for indoor plants.

Container for room gerbera

An unglazed ceramic pot is ideal for growing a flower. A high degree of breathability promotes the development of culture. The volume of the container should be about one liter.

Typical diseases and pests

Indoor gerbera is a fairly resistant culture to the defeat of various pests and diseases. The main reason for the appearance of fungal spores is excessive watering of the soil and stagnation of fluid in the substrate. The main danger for gerbera is powdery mildew, fusarium, late blight and gray mold.

The defeat of room gerbera with a fungal disease.

At the initial stage, it is necessary to immediately clean the plant from damaged areas. The humidity level should be reduced. You can increase air circulation by ventilating three times a day. Copper sulphate must be sprayed onto the plant.

As preventive measures, you need:

Carefully follow the rules for caring for the plant.
Provide drainage in the container.
Stop fertilizing with nitrogen components.
Regularly monitor the moisture level of the substrate and the medium.
Once every two months, treat the flower with Fitosporin.

Dry air (below 45%) promotes the appearance of aphids, spider mites, whiteflies and thrips. It is necessary to isolate the pot with a flower and treat the culture with an insecticide. For indoor gerbera, it is advisable to purchase Fitoverm.

It is necessary to regularly inspect the culture. On the early stages defeat, saving a gerbera is much easier. The soil and container should be thoroughly disinfected before planting.

Reaction to the plant

People prone to allergic reactions on asters, dahlias, daisies, chamomiles, chrysanthemums, buttercups and some varieties of sunflower, you should refuse to grow a flower at home.

The plant can cause:

Frequent sneezing.
Itching of the skin.
Labored breathing.
Rhinitis.
Cardiopalmus.
Nausea.
Dizziness.

You need to take an antihistamine and seek help from a medical center.

Indoor gerbera can cause a severe allergic reaction.

Culture propagation methods

The plant is able to maintain decorativeness for 4 years. Then you need to update the gerbera. To do this, choose one of the methods.

Reproduction by seeds

To spread room culture, it is necessary to prepare low pots or wooden boxes in early spring. The container should be filled with soddy soil, fine-grained sand and moistened peat.

Gently spread the seeds on the surface of the substrate. With a thin layer (about 1 cm) it is necessary to cover the planting material with sand.

To evenly moisten the soil, use a spray gun. You can create greenhouse conditions using transparent glass or polyethylene. The container must be moved to a lighted room with a temperature of about + 23 degrees.

The first shoots will appear in a week. The cover needs to be removed. "Greenhouse" protection will destroy small sprouts.

After the formation of three full-fledged leaves, the gerbera should be dived into a separate container. The first buds will appear in 6 months.

The division of the bush

For breeding, you should choose a healthy indoor gerbera. During transplantation, you can divide the plant into several parts. Each segment must contain at least 3 growth points.

You will need to cut off part of the roots of the delenok. It is recommended to remove inflorescences and buds. Affected areas must be treated with crushed ash. Babies can be planted in permanent containers. The growing point should remain on the surface of the soil.

cuttings

most accessible and easy way breeding. From the mother culture, it is necessary to cut off the stalk. Part of the rhizome and two full-fledged leaves should remain on the stem.

Separation of a cutting of a room gerbera.

Before planting, the soil must be thoroughly moistened. Keep the container during rooting should be in a warm, well-lit room.

Why indoor gerbera does not bloom

Achieving abundant flowering indoor culture is very simple. The number of inflorescences depends on the sunlight of the location of the culture. Even with abundant solar radiation, buds may not form.

The main secret of gerbera is the length of daylight hours. For long lush flowering, you will need to provide the culture with access to the sun's rays for 12 hours. Flowering can become remontant if the indoor gerbera is illuminated with fluorescent lamps for the required time daily.

If the culture is not allowed to rest, prolonged flowering can weaken the gerbera. In the next growing season, the flower will grow lush green foliage and will not form buds.

How to choose an indoor gerbera

Depends on the quality of the transport substrate further development plants. You should choose a nursery that specializes in indoor crops.

A high-quality substrate is the key to the successful cultivation of room gerbera.

It is necessary to carefully examine the plant. Damaged shoots, yellow leaves and signs of decay are signs of an affected, low-quality planting material.

You can buy an adult flower 20 cm high at a price of 790 rubles. The average cost of seeds in a package is 0.04 gr. is 22 rubles.