There is something about gerbera blooms that appeal to a lot of people, myself included.   About two years ago, I readily accepted a dozen gerbera  seedlings from a friend, although I knew I was asking for trouble,   You see, my garden is blessed with two things gerberas do not like – alkaline soil and high humidity.   The gerberas put up a valiant fight for the first six months or so but succumbed one by one to downy mildew.   But, I wasn’t ready  to give up, so recently, I attempted to prevail on her generosity once again.   Much to my surprise she had switched her wonderful collection of gerberas from beds, to pots, with gerberas literally growing in every pot!  They seem to be doing much better than before – lush, healthy, and full of blooms.   My friend was gracious enough to let me have another batch of seedlings which I too will grow in containers. Here are some useful tips.

Its easier to start from seedlings, but when starting from seeds, sow in a sterile media (e.g., half and half coir and coarse sand), cover lightly, place in a bright but protected location and keep moist.  Seeds generally germinate in 14 – 21 days.  Although gerberas bloom throughout the year, better germination is obtained from seeds collected during the first three months of the year.    Of the gerberas pictured here, only the spider type was purchased as seedlings.  The others were obtained from “own-seeds”.    

It all begins in the soil.  Gerberas demand good drainage and aeration, or else!  This means that the potting media should have a high percentage of organic matter.   My friend finds it easier to buy a prepared mix that meets the requirements for pH (around 6.0), drainage, and nutrients.  If you’re making your own mix, a good ratio would be 50% organic matter (coir, peat, compost, or vermiculite), 25% inert material for drainage (perlite, course sand), and 25% sandy loam soil.    Seedlings are ready for transplanting once they have  3 - 4 good-sized leaves and are about 10-15 cm in size.    The number of seedlings per pot varies with the size of pot, e.g.,  plant one seedling in a 6” pot, two in an 8” pot and 3 in a 10’ pot.    Grow gerberas in full sun. Do not crowd pots, as air circulation is essential if you are to reduce humidity, as well as the likelihood of pest and disease build-up.   Be prepared to re-pot every 18 – 24 months.

Whether in beds or pots, gerberas do not like wet feet for any extended period. Check the soil before watering.  Wait until the top 3 – 5 cm or so is dry before watering.  Water early in the mornings, when leaves will dry quickly, as wet leaves hasten the development of powdery mildew.  My friend uses the fungicide Amistar to keep this and other diseases in check, and reports great success with Pegasus against insects such as  whiteflies, thrips, leafminers and aphids.   To keep  gerberas growing vigorously, apply a foliar fertilizer every other week.