When to plant gatsania seedlings

Gatsania ... This short but very beautiful flower has several names. Gazania was named after the Greek scientist Teodoro Gaze. The name "African chamomile" and "Midday sun" the flower received in its homeland, in Africa. Indeed, Gatsania unfolds its petals with the first rays of the sun and closes them at nightfall.

Description of the plant

Gatsania (Gazania) belongs to the Asteraceae family. This thermophilic flower was introduced to Europe in the 17th century. Considering that Gazania was brought from the continent, where the sun is always hot and shining brightly, then the conditions for this plant must be created appropriate.

Gatsania fully justifies its second name. Her flowers, similar to little suns, will decorate any flower bed and give flower growers a wonderful mood. Often the African flower is planted for decorative purposes or to create compositions in landscape design.

The height of Gazania does not exceed 30 cm. These parameters depend on the variety and on the observance of the conditions for growing Gazania from seeds: when to plant, what kind of soil does the flower like, how often to water. Therefore, it is very important to approach this process with due responsibility in order to subsequently enjoy the beauty of these extraordinary flowers to the fullest.

Variety of varieties

Inflorescences of Gazania flowers are small, up to 15 cm in diameter. Their size and color depend on the variety. But for the most part, the color range of shades is represented by warm tones.

At the moment, several types of African chamomile are known:

• harsh (or it is also called shiny);
• long rifle;
• peacock;
• one-flowered;
• snow white;
• feathery.

However, thanks to the work of breeders, new, hybridized varieties of Gazania were bred, having a rich palette of bright flower baskets. Yellow, orange, red, pink - the splendor and saturation of the colors is simply amazing! In total, there are more than 40 varieties of Gatsania flowers in nature.

Despite the fact that African chamomile is considered a garden flower, you can also grow Gatsania from seeds at home. Bright, unique flowers will decorate your windowsill and cheer you up in winter frosts.

The author of the video will tell you how you can grow Gatsania on the windowsill:

You can see some of the most beautiful varieties of Gatsania flowers in the photo:

Dybrek Orange Cream

Kiss Flame F1

Sunshine

Frosty Kiss Red

Frosty Kiss White Flame

New Day Pink Shades

Kiss White

Dawn F1 Tiger Pink

Dawn F1 brindle red

Gatsania Peacock

A brief description of each type of Gazania flowers is presented in the form of a table

The first flowers bloom on the bushes in mid-June, and Gazania blooms until late autumn.

Growing conditions

The Gatsania flower, as a representative of the African flora, is a light-loving and heat-loving plant. It is unpretentious in care and calmly tolerates such phenomena as drying out of the soil, lack of watering or short-term, minor frosts. Therefore, when growing Gatsania from seeds at home, there are no particular difficulties.

Having a pivotal structure of the root system, the plant is able to absorb life-giving moisture from the lower layers of the soil. And the villi on the underside of the leaf allow you to preserve it during a drought.

In South Africa and Mozambique, the Gazania flower is perennial. But the Russian winter frosts do not allow growing Gazania all year round, and therefore the plant is considered an annual.

But flower growers found a way out and transplanted Gatsania in deep boxes in the fall, store it in a warm room at a temperature not lower than + 5˚C + 10˚C, and in the spring they plant it again in a flowerbed.

You can avoid unnecessary hassle and grow the Gatsania flower right away in large pots or flowerpots, and with the onset of autumn, simply transfer the containers to the house. In spring, without much effort, you can again admire the unique colorful flowers.

The author of the video will tell you how you can save Gatsania until spring:

Reproduction methods

Despite the fact that Gazania is a perennial, in Russia it is mainly grown as an annual. You can grow Gatsania from seeds, or you can propagate it by cuttings.

Seed collection

Seeds for growing Gatsania flowers at home can be purchased in online stores, or you can prepare yourself. But not in all regions the seed pods have time to ripen due to early autumn.

Flower seeds ripen in 1.5-2 months after the flower baskets have faded. The peculiarity of Gatsania seeds is that they are very similar to dandelion seeds, and as soon as they ripen, they can be carried away by the first gusts of wind.

Therefore, as soon as Gazania fades, put thin cotton or gauze bags on the withered flowers. This way, when the seeds are ripe, you can harvest them.

Cuttings

Reproduction of Gazania flowers using rosette cuttings will help you preserve the varietal characteristics of the plant. Unlike growing Gatsania from seeds at home, in this case you will save precious time needed for the plant to form and grow the root system.

You can combine the breeding process with autumn gardening. You need to dig up the roots for long-term storage in late September - early October.

You need to dig out Gatsania with a pitchfork so as not to damage the root system. Examine the plant and roots carefully. Only healthy, powerful shoots are suitable for vegetative propagation. There should be a slight bump at the base of the outlet.

Carefully remove the bottom two sheets, separate the healthy rosettes with clean scissors or a knife. Treat all sections with Kornevin solution to stimulate active root growth. Plant the separated cuttings of Gatsania flowers in pots, the diameter of which is at least 10-12 cm. Water the flowers.

Place the containers with Gazania in a warm, bright place. But keep in mind that direct sunlight should not hit the planting. It will take at least 1-1.5 months to root Gatsania.So be patient. Water the plants as the soil dries up.

Gazania can be planted on a flower bed in spring, in mid-late May.

The author of the video will tell you how to grow Gatsania without crops, as well as how to properly propagate a flower by cuttings:

Agrotechnical cultivation

Growing Gatsania from seeds at home is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. The main thing is to comply with the planting dates and recommendations for plant care.

Landing dates

Considering that Gatsania is gaining color in 2.5-3.5 months after the first green shoots appear, then you need to prepare for planting seeds in advance. Therefore, when determining the time when it is time to plant Gatsania for seedlings, you need to focus on the climatic conditions of the region.

It is undesirable to grow Gazania in a seedless way, since the plant simply does not have time to grow and please you with a variety of bright colors. Moreover, young sprouts are not resistant to low temperatures. Grown in open ground, during the spring return frosts, Gazania may not bloom, or it will freeze altogether.

At the same time, you should not plant Gatsania seeds for seedlings too early, or later than the recommended dates.

Early planting will require additional hassle in the form of daily supplementary lighting with phyto-lamps or fluorescent lamps. With a belated planting of seeds, Gatsania may not bloom at all.

For residents of the southern regions, the optimal time for sowing Gatsania for seedlings comes in mid-late February. But in the Central zone of Russia and Siberia, seeds can be sown only in early to mid-March.

Preparing for landing

Before growing Gatsania seedlings from seeds, you need to prepare suitable containers and soil. Seedlings can be grown both in a shallow container with a subsequent pick, and in a bulk container. It is important to remember that the root of Gatsania is pivotal. This means that the planting containers should be spacious so that the root does not bend, but grows straight.

The soil for growing Gatsania from seeds at home should be loose and fertile, with acidity values ​​in the range of 5.5-6 Ph. You can use for this purpose and ready-made soil, balanced in the composition of mineral and nutrients.

Do not forget to lay a drainage layer on the bottom of the planting containers before planting to drain excess water.

Sowing technology

Before planting, the seeds of Gatsania flowers do not need pretreatment. But if you want, you can soak them in water or a growth stimulant for several hours.

The algorithm of actions for planting Gatsania seedlings will look like this:

• pour 2/3 of the total volume into the prepared containers;
• carefully arrange the Gatsania seeds in a checkerboard pattern at a distance of 2-2.5 cm from each other;
• pour soil no more than 1 cm high on top;
• water the plantings, cover with transparent plastic, and put in partial shade.

And now, before the first green shoots appear, 2-3 times a week, open the plantings for aeration and promptly remove excess moisture that accumulates in the form of condensation on the polyethylene.

Gatsania should be watered no more than 2-3 times a week. Do not overmoisten the soil, otherwise the seeds may rot. But you should not allow it to dry either, otherwise it will be difficult for the weak sprouts of Gatsania to break through the dry crust of the earth. Keep the soil moist.

When growing Gatsania from seeds, create a suitable microclimate for the flowers. The optimum air temperature in the room with seedlings should not be lower than + 18˚C + 20˚C. Do not create drafts and avoid direct sunlight on the boxes with future flowers.

Gatsania flower seeds germinate in 1.5-2 weeks. Further care of the seedlings consists in regular watering.

The secrets of growing Gatsania from seeds will be shared with you by the author of the video:

Picking

You can start picking Gatsania in the phase of appearance of 3-4 leaves. It is best to dive the seedlings into separate containers in order to avoid injury to the root system of each seedling during subsequent transplantation.

When planting seedlings of Gatsania, adhere to the following recommendations:

• Fill prepared containers (plastic, peat glasses, cut bottles, flower pots, boxes, flowerpots) with soil 2/3. Vases or boxes must be 3/4 filled with soil.
• Make small holes 10-15 cm deep, pour well with warm water.
• Using a spoon or spatula, carefully remove the sprout along with a lump of earth, taking care not to damage the roots, and transfer to the prepared planting holes.
• Level the hole and compact a little soil around the plant.

Place the Gatsania flowers in partial shade. It is undesirable for direct sunlight to fall on it for 1.5-2 weeks. After this period, you can rearrange the plants to a lighter place.

Before transplanting Gatsania into open ground, you will have to take standard procedures for caring for seedlings: watering and gently loosening the topsoil. Gatsania will not demand more from you.

The author of the video will show you how to dive the seedlings of Gatsania correctly:

Open ground transplant

You can transplant Gatsania into open ground no earlier than mid-May. Adult flowers are not afraid of a temperature drop to –5˚C –7˚C, however, young bushes will invariably die under these conditions, since they do not have sufficient resistance to spring frosts. Therefore, you should not rush to the transfer.

Hardening

Delicate seedlings of Gatsania flowers must be hardened before transplanting to a flower bed or flower garden. Hardening begins 2-3 weeks before transplanting with daily airing of the room in which there are boxes with seedlings.

After a few days, the seedlings need to be taken outside for a short time, provided that the weather is good. The first hardening procedure is no more than 20-30 minutes. Gradually, the "walk" time should be increased.

Only after the plants get stronger can they be transplanted to a permanent place.

Choosing a suitable place

Gatsania is the flower of the sun. Therefore, a sunny area with loose and fertile soil would be a suitable place for growing African chamomile.

It is undesirable to plant Gazania in a wind-blown place.

The area intended for flowers must be carefully dug up and, if necessary, fertilized.

In the area prepared for Gatsania flowers, make holes 15-20 cm deep at a distance of 20-25 cm from each other. Transplanting seedlings is carried out in several stages:

• Water the seedlings at least a day or two before transplanting. Do not overmoisten the soil. and it is also not worth starting transplanting if the soil is dry. And in fact, and in another case, you run the risk of causing irreparable harm to plants.
  25
• It is necessary to get the seedlings out of the container together with the ground so as not to damage the roots.
• Place Gatsania in the planting hole, gradually filling the voids with soil.
• Compact the soil at the base of the flower and water well.

As you can see, special skills and abilities are not required when growing Gatsania flowers. And when, in a few weeks, these bright, unusual and beautiful flowers bloom in your flower garden, you will get real pleasure.

Further care

Gatsania is unpretentious, and further care of flowers will consist in observing the usual activities familiar to every florist:

• weeding;
• loosening;
• top dressing;
• watering.

If there is a threat of frost, cover the plantings with lutrasil or plastic wrap. You need to feed Gatsania flowers no more than 1-2 times a month.

For abundant flowering, it is recommended to remove wilted inflorescences every 2 weeks.

If desired, you can mulch the flower garden to avoid the hassle of weeding and frequent watering. You need to water the flower beds as the top layer of the soil dries up.

What problems may arise

When growing Gatsania, problems may arise, the reasons and methods of dealing with which are indicated in the table.

In general, Gatsania flowers are highly resistant to common diseases and most pests. As can be seen from the data presented in the table, most problems arise when the recommendations of experienced florists are not followed.

To avoid difficulties and fully enjoy the beauty and grace of flowers, adhere to the rules for the care and cultivation of Gatsania.

Conclusion

As you have probably seen, growing Gatsania from seeds at home is not such a difficult process. And when Gazanias bloom, a truly enchanting sight awaits you. At first, the first flowers appear on the flowerbed, but as they develop, more and more inflorescences bloom on the bushes, painting the flower garden with bright, unique colors.

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