Gerber Daisy Care
A Complete Guide to Gerber Daisy Care
Bright and cheerful, there is no better way to lift the spirits than to grow a gerber daisy; care for them is easy enough for a child to accomplish and the rewards will be long lasting blooms.
Discovered in South Africa during the late 1800’s, the gerber, or gerbera, daisy was an instant hit. Work on improving the plant’s quality even further began in England, but traveled quickly to the Netherlands where growers became enamored of the flower. Their love of the blooms was so great that much devotion was given to growing them; so much so in fact that this region remains the leading distributor of cut gerberas even today. The popularity was shared with the rest of the world, making gerbers the fifth most favored flower in the world.
The wonderful thing about gerberas is their versatility to be used as either a potted plant indoors or as part of the garden outdoors. Indoors, the plant can grow only as large as the container in which it is planted allows. It actually enjoys having a slightly smaller pot than one would think to be appropriate; a condition that will allow the gerbera to be somewhat root bound. When growing one of these colorful daisies indoors, it is possible for it bloom throughout the year. Placing the container in an area where it will receive full sun is the best method of obtaining the most blooms. As with any flowering plant, the gerbera will need regular watering to keep the soil moist, but avoid allowing the plant to sit in water. Light feedings with a weakened plant food will keep the nutrients from washing out of the soil when watering, and help to maintain a healthy, thriving plant.
Planted outdoors in the garden setting, the gerber daisy care is just about the same as keeping a potted plant. It does well in most types of soil, and will require a sunny location to prompt the maximum blossoms into appearing. Keep the plants well watered while also ensuring good drainage, and apply fertilizer in the spring each year. Climates that remain mild year long will find that these garden favorites thrive in the ground for two to three years before retiring.
Gerbera daisies can be found in a wide spectrum of colors that are often not found on any other flower. Brilliant yellows, pure whites, bright oranges, vibrant pinks and royal purples are common hues that give the gerbera their distinction as a cheery bouquet of happiness. Properly caring for the cut blossoms will ensure that they will grace your tabletop for up to 10 to 12 days. Adding a few drops of household bleach, one teaspoon of regular sugar and two teaspoons of lemon juice to a quart of tepid water provides a great medium for cut flowers. Remove any leaves that will be beneath the water line to avoid rotting foliage and swampy water. The water should be replaced after approximately 4 days, and the stems trimmed each time. Lastly, displaying the cut flowers away from direct sun, drafts and heat sources will keep them fresher and beautiful for longer periods of time.
The bold colors and long lasting tendencies of the gerber daisy flowers have made it a favorite with most people. Being easy to care for as a potted plant, garden plant as well as cut flowers simply enhances the gerbera’s already strong appeal. When just having the blooming gerbera in the room can make people feel better with its bright and happy blossoms, the plant takes on a distinctive presence of meaning and cheer.