Florists use gerberas in the preparation of semantic compositions. The meaning of the flower is innocence and trepidation. A bouquet of gerberas means a declaration of love. A description of gerbera can be found even in classical literature. But the most interesting is that any gardener can grow these flowers.
Gerbera - what is this flower
This perennial plant belongs to the Astrov family. Gerbera is a complex species, whose homeland is considered to be South Africa and Madagascar.
Leaves of dark green color are collected in the socket. Long bare stems grow from its center, the height of which can reach 70 cm. At the end of the stem, when fully ripened, one flower blooms. Size varies from 5 to 30 cm, depending on the variety.
Gerbera close-up
Gerbera flowers look like chamomile.
Types and varieties of garden gerbera
To understand what gerbera is, you need to deal with the existing variety of varieties and species.
Gerbera is a flower that in gardening is most often represented by hybrids. They were bred by crossing the Jameson gerbera and the green leaf gerbera. What color the inflorescence of the plant will be painted depends on the selected variety.
Color variety of the species
Variety Vincent and Arendgost are representatives of the hybrid gerbera. A distinctive feature is the black core. The most decorative representative of this species. Bright gerberas of these varieties can have a wide variety of shades.
Varieties Rosalyn and Lancaster are perennials, painted pink. They have long narrow petals, flowers 6-8 cm.
Variety Rosalyn
Large red flowers grow in the following varieties: Aldebaran, Veronica, Peter, Pluto, Romeo. The stem of these species is quite long - 40-50 cm. Medium-sized flowers - 10-12 cm.
Representatives of the Romeo variety
Varieties Marlene and Polaris are represented by snow-white flowers. They have maximum resemblance to chamomile.
Variety Polaris
Varieties Alice, Orange Beauty, Zeltane, Mirage are painted in a bright orange color. Petals are similar to flames, are unevenly located - in the center are shorter, then lengthen.
The most popular type of Orange Beauty
Varieties Tamara, Helios, Elegant have yellow flowers. The stem of these species is shortened, the flower is large - 12-15 cm.
Variety Tamara
Also, gardeners have a division of gerberas according to external signs:
- flowers with narrow petals and small flowers (varieties Aldebaran, Alcor). The plant does not exceed 50 cm and flowers are formed up to 9 cm;
- Broad views. These include Delios, Saturn. Flower height - 70 cm, bud size - 15 cm;
- varieties with terry narrow petals (Sonya, Viola, Kalinka);
- the largest representatives with narrow petals - Migar, Jupiter.
There are still many types and varieties that you should pay attention to when choosing jewelry for your site.
Planting and growing gerberas in the open ground in the garden
To create favorable conditions, you need to know how gerberas grow in their natural habitat. A thermophilic plant does not tolerate any temperature changes. High humidity is detrimental to the root system of the flower.
If the plant is not timely transplanted into more suitable climatic conditions, it will become an annual.
Seeding for seedlings
Gerberas - flowers that are grown in the open field should be seedlings.
On a note! Planting seeds immediately in open ground often does not bring the proper result.
With the independent preparation of seed material, the available flowers must be artificially pollinated.
When using seeds purchased in a store, it is important to pay attention to the expiration date indicated on the package.
Attention! Gerbera germination lasts 6-10 months.
Sowing seeds for seedlings can be carried out from January to March. For further planting in the ground, the best time is March, for the indoor representatives the whole period is suitable.
How to prepare the ground
The soil for planting should be as light and nutritious as possible. For self-preparation, it is necessary to mix:
- turf soil (2 parts);
- sheet land (1 part);
- humus (1 part);
- river sand (1 part).
Gerbera planting in open ground
Timely planting of a flower on a personal plot is the key to long flowering. The most favorable time is May - June. The transplant area should be well lit. In the shade of a gerbera, even with proper care, flowers do not form.
For open ground it is necessary to choose the strongest and strongest representatives.
Gerbera Seedlings
The plot is being prepared in advance. Before landing, you must perform a number of measures:
- all weeds are removed;
- peat and sand are added to the ground;
- soil acidity should be neutral;
- the hole for planting should be significantly larger than the capacity with seedlings;
- drainage is placed in the hole and filled with a nutrient substrate;
- the seedling is carefully transferred into the recess, the root system is distributed along all the perimeter;
- when transplanting, it is important to leave the leaf outlet slightly above ground level;
- watering the seedling is carried out under the root.
How to care for the plant, the subtleties
Compliance with all the intricacies of care will allow you to easily achieve the flowering of gerbera. Due to the long-term nature of this phenomenon, a home garden will turn into a real flower garden for many months.
Gerbera - garden decoration
A flower bed with gerberas growing on it must be weeded. This procedure will not only protect the plant from pests, but also allow the plant to receive the necessary amount of useful and necessary trace elements.
Watering rules and humidity
For any flower, it is very important to follow the rules of watering. Gerberas love moderate humidity.
Watering is carried out only after the top layer of the earth has completely dried. Water for humidification is used warm, settled.
Spraying can be resorted to only with dry air. Sprinkling is carried out in the summer at elevated temperatures.
Advice! For spraying it is necessary to use a fine spray.
Top dressing and soil quality
For normal life, the flower practically does not require top dressing - only three times a year. During the formation of greenery, any nitrogen fertilizer is applied to the soil: at the end of winter and at the end of summer. Potash preparations are applied during the flowering of the gerbera.
Attention! It is forbidden to use organic fertilizers, their use can lead to the death of the plant.
All preparations must be diluted in water and water the flower under the root with the weakest solution.
Pruning and transplanting
To increase the flowering period and stimulate the formation of new peduncles, it is important to remove old inflorescences in a timely manner.
For this type, it is not recommended to trim them, experts advise twisting the stem near the base of the leaf funnel.
Experienced flower growers often combine plant transplantation with the reproduction process. The simultaneous implementation of these measures, firstly, will save time, and secondly, will allow the plant to adapt more easily to new conditions.
Only a plant that has reached 3 years can be transplanted:
- June is the most suitable for transplantation.
- The bush is dug up very carefully.
- The roots are shortened to 10 cm.
- Division is carried out with the condition that 2 growth points are maintained on each dividend.
- All damaged areas are treated with Cornevin or charcoal.
- Landing is done to the point of growth.
- In the first time after transplantation, direct sunlight should not be allowed.
It takes about 30 days for a gerbera to get used to a new place.
Features of wintering a flower
The flower negatively reacts to low temperatures. In September, to protect the plants from freezing, the garden species is transplanted into a flower pot.
Attention! A flower transplant must be carried out together with an earthen lump, in order to avoid damage to the root system.
The best temperature for wintering is + 7 ... +15 degrees.
A drainage layer of expanded clay or gravel is laid at the bottom of the pot. In winter, a gerbera can be watered once a week, fertilizer is contraindicated.
Color diversity of culture
In nature, gerbera flowers can be painted in almost any color. The exception is the blue color and all its shades. Blue gerberas have recently appeared on the flower market. Breeders have achieved this shade by staining.
Quite often you can find plants of this species with a double color. From the center to the edges, the hue changes smoothly.
Diseases, pests and ways to combat them
With overflow and high humidity, the plant becomes infected with powdery mildew. This disease leads to rotting of the roots.
On a note! The presence of a drainage layer is the key to a healthy plant.
When the first signs of the disease appear (yellowing leaves, spots on the leaf plates), it is urgent to take measures:
- Infected leaves must be removed.
- Erase signs of powdery mildew in the form of white fluffs with a damp cloth.
- Spray the plant with Fitosporin-M.
Powdery mildew causing root rot
If any signs of the disease are found on the plant, soil disinfection should be carried out.
Anabazin-sulfate and Nicotine-sulfate have proven themselves to kill aphids.
To prevent invasion of the spider mite, the plant is treated with a soap solution.
Important! Many pests are very small and not visible. Timely preventive measures will save the plant even without visible signs of damage.
To get rid of the butterfly, whiteflies of the planting are sprayed with pesticides containing the active substance permethrin.
Having figured out what kind of gerbera flower is and familiarized with the conditions for its growth, you can make a real work of art from an ordinary home garden. Gerbera grown in the garden is able to decorate any site and become an element of even the most sophisticated landscape design. Multi-colored gerberas - a beautiful accent for any composition, a symbol of good taste.
