What an amateur flower grower does not know these bright, similar to large daisies, flowers! The birthplace of Gerbera is South Africa, and the beginning of the whole variety of currently existing varieties was given by two species that were most liked by breeders - Gerber Jameson and Gerber the Green Leaf. The plant is thermophilic, but even with us it is successfully grown both in flower farms and in indoor conditions.
Most often, lovers of home plants acquire new items in flower shops. In order for gerbera care at home to be successful, you must follow some general rules: monitor the light and temperature conditions of the flower, as well as take care of its proper nutrition and timely watering. Put the gerberas from the store in a well-lit place, preferably on the windowsill, as this is a light-loving plant. He should get used to his new habitat, so it’s better not to bother him for a while. Let it bloom calmly, occasionally watering it at room temperature. It is not necessary to moisten the soil strongly, and if water has leaked into the sump, it must be drained.
After about a month or a little earlier, you can start transplanting the flower into the "native" land. To do this, prepare a mixture of ¼ peat, ¼ sand and ½ leaf humus or garden soil. Put drainage at the bottom of the new pot, pour about two-thirds of the earthen mixture, then proceed with the transplant. And although caring for gerberas at home is not difficult, still remember that this plant does not like the abundance of organics, so do not overdo the fertilizers when transplanting! Leave the root neck of the plant above the surface of the soil. The ideal temperature for gerberas is 15-20C, so try to ventilate the room where you contain these flowers more often, gerbera drafts are easy to tolerate, and gratefully respond to fresh air with their flowering appearance.
Amateur gardeners should also remember that growing gerbera at home in the winter requires additional lighting if you want them to bloom. The minimum daylight for gerberas should be 14 hours. If you do not maintain such a light regime, then the plants in winter will fall into a state of rest and begin to awaken only with an increase in daylight hours. During this period, they should be well fed with mineral fertilizers. In general, a slightly more thorough care for gerbera at home allows you to achieve flowering twice a year - in winter and summer, or in spring and autumn.
Gerbera is propagated by seeds and vegetatively. Hybrid seeds are purchased in stores, but it should be borne in mind that they do not retain germination for very long, and they can and should be sown immediately after purchase. Light peat mixes are suitable for sowing seeds. Seeds germinate at room temperature for 7-8 days. As soon as real plants appear in young plants, they are treated with them, as with any other seedlings - they dive into separate cups and give a good root. After that, they can be transplanted into permanent pots, but you should always remember the basal neck of the gerbera, which cannot be sunk in the ground.
Do not really hope that in six months the same gerberas will bloom as on a pack with seeds. If you want to get the exact same flower as, for example, from neighbors, then it is best to ask them to divide the flower bush into parts when transplanting. This will be a vegetative method of propagation, which guarantees the receipt of a similar plant. When dividing the bush, several growth points are left on each part of it, the roots are pruned a little, the flower stalks are removed, all sections are thoroughly disinfected with a pink solution of potassium permanganate and each part is planted in a separate container, then gerbera care at home is continued, as described above. This flower loves spraying leaves from a spray bottle, especially during the heating season, when the air in the apartment is dry and the gerbera needs your care and love.
Gerberas are more or less resistant to flower diseases - you can keep gerberas at home without any problems, but you should not leave them to their own devices, since a flower, like any living organism, can get sick from a lack of attention.