Gerbera Daisy

Gerbera Daisy, Transvaal Daisy, African Daisy, Barberton Daisy, and Veldt Daisy these are a couple of names for our amazing Gerbera. These flowers are a firm favourite of many a young girl, not surprising when you see the amazing variety of colours they come in. They have a vase life of between 7 to 10 days and are available all year round. When purchasing Gerberas look for unbruised fully round heads with unblemished petals on long, straight, upright stems. They come in two sizes the normal Gerbera and a Mini Gerbera which is half the size and more than half the price. If you purchase Gerbera regularly it would be worth your while to cut a piece of chicken wire to fit the top of a bucket, the flower stems get cut under water and then suspended on the chicken wire into the water without touching the bottom of the bucket. This will ensure the stems are straight and eliminate the out dated idea of wiring the stems.  

The meaning of Gerbera flowers stem from those attributed to the general daisy family. These meanings include innocence and purity. Daisies are also a classic symbol of beauty however the Gerbera variety holds an added meaning of cheerfulness, which stems from the assortment of colours available.

Now for the hard part, growing Gerbera plants, considering they are native to Gauteng this should be easy. Your Gerbera Daisy plant flowers best when it is growing in a small container and is slightly pot bound. Repot growing Gerbera Daisies in April. Use an open, free draining soil mix. When re potting ensure that the crown of the plant is above the level of the soil. Rot will occur if the crowns are buried or the drainage is poor. After repotting keep them in a shaded location until they're established. The best position for growing Gerbera Daisies is in full sunlight to ensure maximum flower production. Keep your plant slightly moist at all times, especially when in bloom, but don't let the pot sit in water. In summer feed regularly every 2 weeks with a weak liquid fertilizer, and regularly pick off the dead flowers to promote further flowering. Indoor growing Gerbera Daisies can flower all year round. Also remove old leaves regularly to prevent fungus infections developing. I feel it only fair to mention I’ve tried all of the above and failed no Gerbera green fingers for me.

Have a happy flower week and remember “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.”

Written by Jackie West-Evans owner of Country Flowers “living my dream”