Gerbera - growing from seeds

This material is entirely devoted to the cultivation of the beautiful gerbera flower from seeds, which has already won the love of many florists. It would seem that it could be easier than sowing gerbera? But in fact there is a high probability that without proper knowledge you will fail. This plant is very "capricious", and its seeds have extremely poor germination. This set of features of this plant often confounds even experienced flower growers.

General information

This flower has an external similarity in the structure with chamomile, only, unlike her, the gerbera is of a variety of colors. This plant is not able to move winter in the conditions of our climate, so it is most often grown in the house . Gerbera is thermophilic, since her homeland is southern Africa. This flower is many years old, but if you plant it on the plot, it will bloom only for one season, and for the winter will die. For successful reproduction of gerbera with seeds it is necessary to take into account some of its needs, one of the most important is the composition of the soil. In its natural environment, this flower grows in rich and well drained soil. To make it analog at home, it is necessary to take one third of the top layer of forest soil, add a third of the large washed sand and a third of the upper peat. These components should be thoroughly mixed until a uniform substrate is obtained and loosened before sowing the seeds. Before planting gerbera seeds, care should be taken of the place where the seed will germinate and the seedlings grow. In the chosen location there should be a constant temperature within 18-20 degrees and high humidity. All is ready? Then you can proceed to the section on planting gerbera seeds and rules for caring for seedlings.

Seeding and cultivation of seedlings

The best time for sowing gerbera is the end of March - the beginning of April. For sowing seeds, it is best to use a small wooden box. In it we fall asleep the received substrate, we loosen it, for accuracy we add some handfuls of vermiculite in the top layer, we mix. Before planting gerbera seeds, we make grooves 5-10 millimeters deep in the substrate. Seeds are sown every 2-3 millimeters (it will rise a little because of poor germination), top with a thin layer of soil and sprinkle the crops with water from the sprayer. Create the effect of the bath (covered with film or glass), every day we raise the film for a short time, so that the seeds "breathe". Constantly controlling the soil, it is unacceptable for the top layer to dry up, moisten as necessary. If the planting of gerbera seeds is done correctly, then a week and a half later you will see shoots. To plant flowers in separate pots should be in a similar soil mixture, when the plant will release the third real leaflet. Please note that this plant will not suffer multiple transplants at a "young" age, so for a house plant, choose a bigger pot. If you plan to plant seedlings on the street, it is better to use peat cups. When choosing a place on a plot or a window sill for a houseplant, consider that direct sunlight is dangerous for this delicate flower. The plant is demanding for irrigation, but at the same time, if the water stagnates near the roots, it will perish from rot. This is why drainage is important. In order to get the seeds from the room gerbera, it must be pollinated with a brush from the neighboring flower, otherwise the seeds will not become tied.

As you can see, growing a gerbera from seeds is not easy, but it is possible provided that it will receive proper care. Keep it from the sun regularly watered, and you fully enjoy its beautiful flowers!