Gerbera is a flowering plant that many grow in outdoor flower gardens, but it also feels great indoors. The plant, under favorable conditions, can bloom in a flower pot twice a year. Gerbera has a large number of varieties, species and hybrids, and the most popular is Jamson's gerbera. Gerbera flowers can have a regular shape, but there are also terry varieties. The color of the flowers is very varied and attractive. In this article, we will dwell in more detail on the home or room gerbera.
Gerbera: home care
Location and lighting
The place for the plant must be chosen in accordance with its preferences. This flower loves well-lit places, but does not tolerate the scorching sun and heat. A flower pot with a gerbera is best placed on the east or west side of an apartment or house. This light-loving plant is not afraid of nighttime cold snaps and sudden changes in temperature, and drafts cannot harm it. Therefore, in the summertime, the plant can be taken out onto the balcony without fear for the state of its "health".
Temperature
The temperature conditions in the room where the gerbera grows should be moderate. A stuffy and hot room is not suitable for this plant. Even outdoors, gerbera will not bloom during the hottest periods of the summer season. The ideal temperature for gerbera in room conditions will be 20-22 degrees Celsius. In winter, the flower is dormant and needs cooler conditions (approximately 14-16 degrees Celsius).
Watering
Watering the plant should be moderate but regular. The soil should always be moist, but overdrying and waterlogging should not be allowed. A large amount of water when irrigated can cause various infectious diseases in the plant. It is necessary to water the gerbera only with water at room temperature or a little warmer, but in no case with cold water. Low water temperatures will cause the plant to die.
Air humidity
The air humidity in the room where the gerbera grows is not of fundamental importance. But, like all indoor plants, it will not be superfluous to moisten the leaves by spraying. Such a "shower" will only benefit the gerbera.
Top dressing
Nitrogen-containing top dressing will be needed for this indoor plant during the period when it begins to come out of dormancy and when the green mass is actively growing. This happens around the end of February - beginning of March. As soon as the plant has gained the necessary vitality, you can switch to special fertilizers for flowering indoor plants. Fertilizers are applied once a week. Experienced flower growers recommend applying only half of the dose indicated on the package.
Transfer
If the gerbera was purchased in a flowerpot (in a store), then the plant should not be transplanted for two weeks. It must undergo acclimatization, get used to the new conditions of detention, that is, spend some time in quarantine conditions.But after that, the transplant is simply vital, since usually the flowers in the store are sold in a special soil that is not suitable for the growth and development of the plant at home. The composition of such a soil was specially invented by flower growers to improve the presentation and to stimulate abundant and prolonged flowering.
The soil for a room gerbera should consist of two parts of leafy soil and one part each of sand and peat. You can add balls to such a simple composition. hydrogelthat will keep the soil moist and prevent it from drying out.
It is necessary to transplant the plant when the plant has noticeably increased in growth, and the root system has increased. The flower becomes cramped in a small pot. The most optimal volume of a new pot should not exceed one and a half liters.
Gerbera propagation
Gerbera reproduces in three ways: by seeds, dividing the bush into shoots and cuttings. Even in the most favorable indoor conditions, this flower will not be able to look attractive all the time. The time will come when the plant will need rebirth and renewal. This is not difficult to do, especially when there is a desire to keep the flower you like.
The seed method of reproduction seems to be simple, but the result may not be pleasing. Gerbera seeds have an extremely low germination rate. They should not be stored for more than six months. By purchasing them in the store, no one gives a guarantee when these seeds are harvested. Special attention should be paid to this fact.
Propagation by cuttings is used very rarely due to its low efficiency. Sometimes this breeding method is chosen at experimental stations.
But one of the most common and frequently used methods is reproduction by dividing the bush into parts. This method allows a large number of young plants to be made from one adult plant. An adult gerbera, after such a procedure, seems to acquire a second youth and continues to grow and develop.
This breeding method cannot be carried out during the flowering period. As soon as the plant has bloomed (preferably in the summer), you need to very carefully pull it out of the flower pot, lightly shake off the ground and divide it with a knife into as many parts as possible.
There is another option that allows you to leave the gerbera in a pot. The top layer of earth must be removed before the trunk of the plant appears. Then carefully divide it into two parts with a knife and sprinkle the cuts with soil. After a short time, both parts will take root, this will be a signal of readiness to plant them in different containers.
Diseases and pests
Pests and various infectious diseases with proper care and favorable conditions for keeping room gerbera are not terrible. Moderate watering and adequate lighting, a stable room temperature and a fertilized soil are the keys to plant health.
Fungal diseases (for example, powdery mildew) at home gerbera can appear only as a result of excessive soil moisture. The plant does not need to be flooded with water too much, it may die. Such waterlogging can, among other things, attract insect pests (such as aphid and spider mite).
