Gatsania growing from seeds when. How to preserve gatsaniya in winter. Best time to grow

The aster flower family has about 40 species. Gatsania or Gazania stands out for its beauty among all the asteraceae. The birthplace of the flower is Mozambique and southern African countries. Many people call the flower African daisy. Gatsania can be found on the dune-covered coast of Australia. Gatsania came to Europe in the 17th century.

People dedicated it to one Italian priest - Theodor von Gas. He did a great job, devoted his life to translating the works of Theophrastus and Aristotle. Gazania blooms in the hot sun at midday, attracting with its golden color. In Western Europe it was called “midday gold”. At night african daisy closes, sleeps.

Description of gatsaniya

Gatsania is an annual plant and the stem rarely grows more than 30 centimeters, sometimes it does not grow at all. The root leaves form a rosette. The flower is distinguished by dense leaves, rich green in color, sometimes they have a gray-green tint. The shape of the leaves may vary, depending on the variety. On the inside of the leaves there are villi that protect against cold and dehydration. Therefore, gatsaniya will tolerate drought. The hot homeland makes itself felt, the flower will pass the test of extreme heat and lack of water.

The flower basket has a diameter of 5-9 cm. The color range of flowers varies from yellow, orange to red. The base of each plant has contrasting spots. The middle is covered with many tubular flowers in yellow shades. After flowering, the hairy achene makes it possible to reproduce. The seeds can be replanted.

Growing gatsania from seeds at home and in open ground

Many novice gardeners are interested in growing African chamomile. They are interested in how to achieve marvelous flowering. The secret is simple, let's try to figure it out.

If we sow in the ground

Gatsaniya flower in the ground Photo of shoots from seeds sown before winter

• When sowing gazania seeds in spring climatic conditions are taken into account. Cool climate, late spring prevents early planting. But as soon as the soil is ripe, you can safely sow: the plants will sprout only when favorable conditions are created.
• Seeds can be sown before winter with the expectation that they will not have time to ascend. This could be late October - early November. It is better to mulch the bed with fallen leaves, which will also protect the seeds from frost. In the spring, the seeds will sprout as soon as the ground warms up.

Before sowing, carefully level the bed, make even furrows about 5 cm deep and try to sow as little as possible. Later you can thin it out if it still turns out thick. The distance between the rows is 20-25 cm, if you do not replant the plants. After thinning the bushes in the row, we also maintain a distance of 20-25 cm.

If the bed is planned as a nursery, you can make furrows every 8-10 cm and leave a distance in the row of 5-6 cm. When the seedlings rise, they are watered and pulled out with a lump of earth. You can use a garden trowel and carefully dig up the plants for replanting.

If we grow seedlings at home

Optimal time for sowing seeds for seedlings - mid-March or early April. Planting containers must be deep enough. The roots need to be given space.

• • Gatsania does not tolerate heavy soil. It is necessary to choose a light substrate that allows water to pass through well. Acidity index - 5.5-6.5.
  • Seeds are sown rarely (2-4 cm between them), the planting depth is only 0.5-1 cm, otherwise they will not germinate.
  • To make the task easier, imagine that a piece of land is Chess board. Arrange the gazania seeds like chess, keeping a distance of 2-3 centimeters between them. Just put the seeds and cover with soil.

• A spray bottle will help moisten the crops: this way there will be no excess moisture, and the water will evenly moisten the entire surface.
• The air temperature should be at least 18-20 degrees.
• It is better to cover the seeds with film, providing sufficient moisture. But the film must be opened daily. It is necessary to remove condensation that forms under the film.
• Sprouts appear after 7-14 days.
• We remove the cover and water it as the soil dries; excess moisture is not needed.
• Dense shoots can be picked into separate cups when 2-3 true leaves appear. You can help yourself with an ordinary fork or toothpick.
• A week before disembarkation, leaving them outside for a short time at first, and gradually increasing the interval to a full day.

In general, growing gazania seedlings is not a difficult matter; it is enough to simply carry out timely watering. Diligent gardeners can show extra attention and feed the seedlings 1-2 times before planting in the ground, after at least 10-12 days.

The video will tell you how to sow gazania for seedlings:

Perhaps the laziest gardener and inexperienced beginner can easily cope with such a simple task as growing gatsaniya. At the same time you will receive a magnificent planting material and a stunning perennial that can decorate any corner of the garden, making it bright and fantastically attractive.

Surprisingly, many flower growers cannot part with their favorite flower and grow it on the windowsill and decorate balconies with it in the summer. There are also annuals specifically designed for this purpose.

Caring for gazania seedlings

Gazania flower hybrid photo seedlings Growing from seeds When to plant gatsaniya in open ground

If gatsaniya seedlings are in a deep container, picking is not necessary. A shallow container will not give free space to the roots. You need to wait until the fourth leaf appears and plant the plants in separate disposable containers. Before planting seedlings in the ground, you need to support them for some time at home. Young shoots can be kept in a closed loggia at a temperature of 12-16 degrees. Start hardening off the plants by opening the window for a few minutes. Avoid drafts. Hardening has a beneficial effect, the plant becomes strong. When you plant a gazania in a garden plot or flowerbed, the seedlings will not die from the cold.

Planting gatsaniya in open ground

Wait warm weather When you are sure that the last frosts are behind you, only then plant gazan. The optimal planting time is mid-spring. These flowers love the sun's rays, it is better to plant them on open area. The soil must be sufficiently nutritious. Gatsaniya is not afraid of heat and will feel great even if there is a drought.

• A peat pot with gazania seedlings is planted directly into the ground.
• The seedlings in the box must be removed along with the roots using a scoop and planted in the ground.
• Try not to damage the root system.
• Maintain a distance between bushes of 20 cm.
• The seedlings need 3 months to grow, and they will delight you with beautiful flowers.

Caring for African Gazania Chamomile

• This flower will not require special care. The soil is nutritious, well-drained, the sun's rays will give the plant vitality.
• Cold weather is not a cause for concern; gatsaniya will withstand slight frosts of -5...-7 C.
• The soil where gazania grows needs to be loosened, weeds and dried inflorescences removed.
• To avoid problems with weeds and drought, the soil can be mulched.
• Even the most fertile soil cannot provide a flower with enough nutrients. Therefore, you will have to feed it once a month. If the soil is poor, it is necessary to feed the plant every 2-3 weeks. To feed, you need to take a mineral complex fertilizer. 25 grams is enough for 1 square meter.

Bloom

After sowing the seeds, wait for flowering after 3 months. At timely landing this will happen in June. The plant will delight with its beautiful flowers until November. The life cycle of one basket is about 3 weeks. At night, when it rains, the gate is closed. Gatsania will not bloom if there is not enough sunlight. If there is excess moisture or late transplantation, the gazania may also not open. Having provided optimal conditions, you will enjoy beautiful, numerous flowers. But if the conditions are bad, you won't get flowers.

How to propagate gazania from cuttings

Cuttings can be cut at any time convenient time: It can be summer, autumn or even winter, when the gazania is in the house for the winter.

• We cut cuttings 10-12 cm long, remove the leaves from the bottom of the trunk, dip the roots in powder and “plant” them in a nutritious soil mixture.
• We support for rooting high humidity soil.
• In about a month and a half, the cuttings will take root and begin to grow. After two to three months they will be ready to plant in the ground.

Diseases and pests

Although gatsaniya is not very susceptible to diseases, they sometimes happen. IN bad conditions the plant becomes weak and may develop gray rot. Phytosporin helps defeat the disease. Healthy areas of the plant are lubricated, diseased areas are simply removed.

Snails, spider mites, and aphids harm the gazania; the use of certain remedies will help get rid of the misfortunes. You just need to remove snails by hand, destroy aphids with phytofarm or acarin. The drugs Actellik, Fufanon, Ditoxom will get rid of spider mites.

Seed collection

Gatsania rarely survives to bear fruit, since summer in our area quickly ends. But if the summer is hot and long, then it is quite possible to wait for the seeds. Unfortunately, the seeds of hybrid plants do not retain specific characteristics. And on ours garden plots mainly only hybrid varieties.

Ripe seeds can fly away from gusts of wind, like dandelions. If you want to collect seeds from varietal plants, then protect the flower from the wind by wrapping it in gauze. When you see the light fluff appear, pick the basket and leave it to ripen for a couple of weeks in a dark, dry place. It is recommended to store seeds in a cotton bag or paper bag, always at a temperature no higher than 22-24 °C. But it’s better where it’s very cool: 15-18°C. High humidity is unacceptable.

Wintering gazanya

Usually, after flowering, the remains of gatsania are simply cut off and thrown away, and next year but they start all over again. There is no need to prepare seeds, sow, or wait for good weather. An old plant can bloom again and delight with its beauty next year. To do this, you can dig it up and transplant it into a pot.

Then the gatsaniya needs to be moved to a cool room where the temperature does not drop to 8-10. This room must have enough light so that the gazania can continue to develop. A dormant plant must be watered; the soil must not dry out. In the spring, you can plant the gazan again in the flowerbed. New, newly emerged shoots must be cut off by half.

Trimmed gazanias produce new plants; it is enough to simply immerse them in water until roots appear, or simply plant them immediately in a nutrient mixture, ensuring abundant watering. In winter, gatsaniya can be pruned and new full-fledged seedlings will be obtained by spring.

Types and varieties of gazania with photos and descriptions

Gazania longiscapa

Capable of blooming for only one year. This gazania does not grow more than 15-20 cm. Near the roots there are whole leaves of bright green color. They usually go down from the bottom. In the basket you can find many tubular and reed flowers. The flowers themselves are bright yellow, but their base is brown.

Gazania harsh Gazania rigens, or shiny - Gazania splendens

Grows up to 30 centimeters. The baskets of Gazania rigens can be up to 6 centimeters in diameter. The flowers can be tubular, blood-black or ligulate and range in color from yellow to red. At the base, as expected, there are dark spots. Leaves can be entire or pinnately divided.

Gazania pottsii

Strongly resembles a harsh one, but is larger in size. The diameter of the basket is about 12 centimeters.

Peacock Gazania Gazania pavonia

The leaves of this species are different from those of the other gatsanias listed above - they are narrow and long. The diameter of the basket is 8 centimeters. The middle consists of only tubular flowers, the base is dark, and at the edges there are reed flowers of yellow shades.

By crossing some plant species, breeders were able to obtain a snow-white, feathery, hybrid, single-flowered gazania. It can delight with its flowering even in bad weather, when there is no sun at all.

Gazania hybrid

Hybrid varieties that are popular with gardeners:
Daybreak Red Stripe - yellow flowers, distinguished by stripes of a red hue, blooming full daylight;
Talent - a mixture that produces beautiful flowers and leaves all sunny day;
Ministar - produces yellow and white flowers that are particularly beautiful.

Bright African colors will ennoble any space gatsaniya flower, which managed to easily adapt to our home conditions.

Choosing a place for gatsaniya

Gatsaniya should be placed where it can bathe in sunlight. The result will be larger flowers as a consequence of more intensive growth. African chamomile, as the flower named gazania (gazania) is also called, will “take revenge” small flowers for lack of lighting.

And you should not be nervous about unopened buds on cloudy days or at dusk - gatsania, also called midday gold, reacts in this amazing way to the absence of the sun. Another point when placing gatsaniya is that the chosen place should not be a reservoir for accumulating water, because the flower may die due to excess moisture.

Features of planting a flower

How to choose a pot for a plant

Has small sockets Gatsaniya does not need a large space around itself, and therefore does not require large dishes. When choosing a pot that is not too deep, you need to assume that a half-liter volume is sufficient for a rosette of gazania to bloom with one or two flowers.

Soil requirements

Gazania's dislike for excess moisture determined the first soil requirement for planting and further care: the soil in which the plant is located should always be loose. Soil for African chamomile can be purchased at the store. In preparation for planting, it is recommended to mix it with sand (3:1) and preheat it.

Important! An expanded clay layer is laid under the soil for drainage.

How to plant gatsaniya correctly

Sowing gazania

For sowing gatsania seeds for seedlings It is good to use soaked peat tablets from early to mid-February. The seeds can be pressed into the tablet with a simple match. It is more convenient to further water the planted seeds and emerging seedlings through a deep tray - in this case it will not be lost and the risk of pest damage will be reduced. If the crops are placed in a plastic bag with a zipper and placed in a lighted place, they will end up in greenhouse conditions. Shoots can be expected within 3-5 days.

After this, the greenhouse should be removed so as not to over-water the seedlings. About a month after sowing, tablets with sprouts can be moved into separate deep cups as external protection from awkward movements of the grower himself. If you are afraid of over-watering, then spray the seedlings with a sprayer. Having grown up for 3-4 weeks in glasses, after transplanting into a pot, gatsanias can be sent to their permanent location. This seems to be one of the options for the labor-intensive process of caring for gatsaniya seedlings at home.

How to plant a purchased sprout

To purchase a gatsania sprout in a store, you will have to work hard. And it is not a fact that the efforts spent will be crowned with success - there are not too many proposals. Seedlings of this flower are 7 cm tall at the time of sale in flowerpots that do not require urgent replanting. with a diameter of 7 or 11 cm or in smaller cassettes. In the future, the purchased gazania can be moved to a pot with a container depending on the number of sockets, and cared for in the same way as one grown from seeds at home.

If producers grew flowers in open ground, then The transplant must be done before the autumn cold. If you manage to purchase cuttings obtained from an adult gatsaniya, then before planting in a pot they need to be easily rooted in water.

Important! You need to replant before frost.

Features of caring for gazania at home

Even at the stage when you are just starting to sow the seeds, it is advisable to imagine how watering And feeding gatsanii, her pruning, soil care, in which she lives.

Watering and fertilizing the plant

The natural length of the roots provides gatsaniya with moisture from underground, and the leaves are adapted to protect the surrounding soil from drying out. These circumstances determine Regularity of infrequent watering of drought-resistant plants, which will allow you to achieve abundant flowering, after which you should water even more moderately.

The most essential condition is to prevent the soil from becoming waterlogged. It is recommended to feed gatsaniya with complex fertilizers. Once every two weeks is enough. Strict adherence to this regime will lead to the appearance of a large number of large inflorescences.

Did you know? From regular feeding The size of the inflorescences depends.

Caring for soil in a pot

Sandy loam soil (sand and clay) in a flower pot will be the most favorable habitat for gatsaniya. By adding organic matter and peat to it, you can ensure that there is a lot of humus and no excess moisture.

Pruning gatsaniya

Gatsania grown at home requires radical pruning every spring. Otherwise save abundant flowering due to the formation of new side shoots it will be impossible. This operation must be performed in early March. All shoots must be pruned without removal at a 5-centimeter distance from the surface of the soil in the pot.

Flower diseases and pests

How difficult it is to grow gazania from seeds at home becomes clear after getting acquainted with its main diseases and the pests that bring them. Although the plant is considered disease-resistant, it is still subject to considerable risks.. African daisy attackers aphids And slugs can be collected very carefully by hand - the fragility of the flower will not allow them to be washed off with water. Planting strong-smelling garlic next to the flower will help avoid an attack. The smell of onions, sage and parsley also repels pests.

Gazania, also known as African chamomile, midday gold, gazania is a beautiful plant, a leader in decorativeness, vitality, and unpretentiousness. All this sunny flower needs for a prosperous and long-term existence is warmth and sunlight. In its African homeland, gazania grows to sandy soils, on crushed stone, in dunes, does not have enough moisture all year round, but every new morning joyfully opens the petals of its beautiful flowers towards the sun.

The plant has been known to Europe since the 17th century. Named after the Italian clergyman Theodore Gaza. He was not a famous botanist, but he translated many of Aristotle’s works into his native Italian. So the Europeans decided to immortalize his name in the name of the “golden” flower. The gazania family is Asteraceae. Flower represented by magpie various types and countless hybrid varieties, each more beautiful than the other. There are gazanias that are canary yellow, sunny gold, orange-orange, bicolor, striped, variegated, and spotted. Warm colors predominate in the color of the flowers.

The height of the plant is small - only 25-30 cm. All its vitality and the resulting solar energy Gatsania invests not in the stem or even in the leaves, but in the flowers. During the flowering period, the bush is completely covered with huge brightly colored daisies. The leaves are thin, dull green. In most species, they are covered from the inside with a silvery “patina”, like fluff, which allows the plant to conserve moisture.

This is a perennial plant that develops and grows in its homeland for about twenty years. In our flowerbeds it acts as an annual, as it does not tolerate winter.

Advice! If the gatsaniya is transplanted into a pot in the fall and moved indoors (to a heated balcony, to a greenhouse), the bush can be planted back in the garden next year.

The gorgeous gazania inflorescences fully open only at noon, in the bright sun. As soon as the sun disappears behind the clouds or begins to decline, the gazania closes its petals. There is only one type of plant that leaves its flowers open all day, regardless of the presence of the sun - this is Talent.

The main types of gazania, popular in cultivated floriculture:

• shiny or harsh;

• single-flowered;

• feathery;

• long-armed;

• white;

• peacock

Type name	Characteristics
Long-rifle	Low - 15-25 cm. The flower is seven centimeters in diameter. The color is bright yellow. The bases of the reed petals are brown
Brilliant	Maximum height - 30 cm. Flowers are medium - 4-6 cm in diameter. The colors are interesting - dark red, intense orange, sunny yellow. The base of the flower (tubular petals) is black and red. At the base of the reeds there are black, brown, white spots
Peacock	Very narrow leaf shape, different from other varieties. Large flowers, more than eight centimeters in diameter. Height – 30 cm. Color – black base, reed petals towards the ends – orange-yellow. Tubular center – canary yellow
Cirrus	The bush is 25-30 cm high. It is distinguished by its splendor, multi-flowered nature and unusual color of large flowers. In the center of each reed petal there runs from the base to the edge a stripe contrasting with the main color
White	It is this species that includes a variety that can bloom without sun and closes only at night. Medium sized flowers and bush. Reed petals are snow-white, tubular petals are yellow-brown
Single-flowered	The most compact of all types. Reaches 15 cm. Flowers are no more than five centimeters in diameter. Petals – pale yellow

Agricultural technology of Gatsania

The plant reproduces mainly by seeds. But for especially valuable ones terry varieties Propagation by cuttings is possible.

Cuttings

Cuttings begin no earlier than mid-summer, when the mother bush is already sufficiently formed and has gained leaf and stem mass.

1. A side shoot is selected.
2. Cut to a length of at least 10 cm, obliquely.
3. The cut is treated with a stimulant - root.
4. The lower leaves are torn off.
5. The cuttings are planted in a suitable container (about 12 cm in diameter is sufficient).
6. The soil around the cutting is moistened.
7. For rooting, the plant is sent to the following conditions: +18°C, indirect sunlight, ventilation, humidity about 60%.
8. Watering is necessary regularly, after the top layer of soil has dried 3-4 cm.
9. It will take a long time for the cuttings to take root - 1.5 - 2 months. The bush is then kept in indoor or greenhouse conditions until spring planting in the garden.

Seed propagation

1. Shoots develop slowly.
2. Seedlings are afraid of spring colds.
3. Flowering occurs only 3-4 months after sowing the seeds.

The optimal way to grow ganaria is seedlings

Therefore, the only optimal way to get healthy blooming gazania on your site as early as possible is to grow seedlings.

Growing seedlings

Since the period from sowing to flowering for gazania is, depending on the variety, from 80 to 110 days, you can expect the first flowers from seedlings already in June, only by sowing gazania no later than February.

By the way! Gazania is a late-flowering plant, but new flowers appear on it until the end of mid-autumn, especially if September and October are sunny.

Timing for sowing seeds for seedlings

It is optimal to sow gatsania seeds at the end of February or the very beginning of March. It's rocking early varieties. Late ones, which bloom in August, can be sown closer to mid-spring - March - April.

The timing of sowing depends on the climatic conditions of your area. If spring is cold and protracted, there is no need to rush with sowing - the sprouts will stretch and overripe before planting in the garden.

Vieo - Sowing gatsania seeds

Before sowing, it is necessary to prepare the soil, boxes, seeds and lamps for artificial lighting. The sun-loving Gatsaniya needs it from the very moment she is born.

Growing seedlings

While the gatsaniya seedlings are growing, there is little hassle with them. Immediately after mass germination, the shelter is removed and the temperature is reduced by two degrees. Since this happens in March or even February, 3-4 hours of additional lighting are organized daily. Optimally, two hours in the morning and evening to extend the daylight hours of the sprouts to 12 hours. On cloudy days, additional illumination is provided around the clock. At night, lamps should be turned off.

Gatsania needs a pick. Especially if the depth of the seed box is insufficient. They dive later than other flower seedlings, with the appearance of four leaves. Transplanted into deeper personal pots. Water and reduce the temperature by another two to four degrees, leaving the amount of light the same. Pickled gatsania seedlings are best formed when kept in temperature range+12°С…+16°С.

Planting in a flowerbed

Before planting, hardening will traditionally be required. Although an adult gazania can withstand a short-term drop in temperature to -7°, young seedlings do not have such abilities. Therefore, a few weeks before taking it out into the garden, you need to start hardening it, first by opening the window, then taking it out onto the balcony or into the yard.

Planting of ready-made seedlings in the soil of the flowerbed begins in mid-May. It is important to choose a suitable place - open to the sun, otherwise the flowers of the plant will be closed most of the time, and you will not be able to admire them.

The soil should be nutritious and light. It is better if the soil is dry than wet and waterlogged.

Planting seedlings in the ground

You will have to plant it very carefully. The powerful tap root is difficult to damage, but besides it, gatsanii has many roots of the second and subsequent orders. If the main root extracts water from the depths for the plant, making it drought-resistant, then the small roots allow the gazania to breathe. Therefore, they should be minimally damaged during transplantation.

1. Wet the soil in a pot or box if you grew seedlings without picking.
2. Remove plants from pots without disturbing the plant.
3. Carefully remove each seedling from the boxes with all the soil adjacent to the roots using a long scoop.
4. Prepare holes in the loosened soil. Water it. The distance between them is 20 cm.
5. Lower the seedlings into the holes, sprinkle the voids with a mixture of peat and soil. Lightly crimp the surface near the root collar.
6. Water again. If there is a chance of frost, cover with plastic overnight.

Gatsaniya care

This culture is a real gift to the florist. She does not ask for water, showing withered leaves, does not act up, and does not get sick. If there is sun, gazania is good. But several conditions should be met to make the African guest more comfortable in our flower beds.

Care measures

Event	Description
Soil drainage	As already mentioned, gatsaniya does not like stagnant moisture
Moderate watering	Better rare, but deep. The plant will extract water from the lowest soil layers if necessary.
Weed removal	The nutritional area that we provide to the plant in the garden is already small. Why does he need to “share” food with weeds?
Loosening	After each watering, you need to loosen the soil at the roots to allow air to reach them.
Removing dried flowers	The procedure is required not only to maintain aesthetically pleasing plants, but also for the speedy formation of new flower buds
Feeding	The soil must initially be highly fertile. But twice a season the gatsaniya will have to be fed with minerals. complex fertilizer in the amount of 25 g of granules per square meter. If the soil is poor, you need to feed every two weeks.

Possible problems with tackling

Usually gardeners have the least problems with this flower. But still, some, especially beginners, complain about the following troubles.

Gazania does not bloom

This can only happen for two reasons:

• the seedlings are still too young to bloom;
• the plant does not have enough sun.

In healthy specimens, flowering is active and difficult to miss. The plant blooms according to variety - from June to September. Flowers are formed in stages. The lifespan of each flower is about three weeks.

Gazania is sick

This is also an unlikely phenomenon - it is difficult to imagine a plant more resistant to diseases and pests. However, sometimes, if care is completely neglected, gazania can be affected by:

• gray rot;
• spider mite;
• aphids;
• snails (slugs).

Snails are collected by hand, without waiting until they destroy all the leaf mass. It is not very labor intensive and quite effective. If bugs, caterpillars and other pests collect on the foliage and bush of gatsaniya, the branches need to be shaken thoroughly so that the insects fall to the ground, from where they can then be collected (lay down a film or cloth).

It is good to use beer to catch snails and slugs. A deep vessel is filled with this useful and delicious drink up to half and bury it in the soil in places where slugs accumulate. Slugs, attracted by the intoxicating smell, “dive” into the beer, but cannot get out.

Actellik, Fitoverm and other drugs help against aphids and mites.

Gray rot can be destroyed by treating plants with phytosporin.

Collection of gatsania seeds

The seeds ripen after complete flowering for about two months. Usually the time remaining before the onset of cold weather is not enough for the seeds to ripen. But if you have a great desire to get your own seed, especially from beautiful terry large-flowered varieties, you can try. You need to put a bag made of light, breathable fabric on one of the first flowers, after it dries. If you don’t do this, it’s easy to miss the moment when the seeds spill out of the box and scatter in the wind. Collected and dried seeds should be stored cool and for no more than two years.

These flowers include gazania or gatsaniya. This flower, like a bright sun, decorates the area until the onset of the first frost. Due to its diversity in the colors of inflorescences, stem height, root system, gazania can be grown in any region of Russia and the CIS countries. In any case, even under the harshest conditions, the gazania flower looks great in loggias, greenhouses, and balconies in flower pots.

In this article we will look at the features and description of gazania and describe the most basic types and varieties of this plant. We will tell you in more detail about the features of growing gazania in open ground and at home.

Features and description of gazania

Gazania is a perennial member of the Asteraceae or Asteraceae family. Many gardeners have a question about which gazania to choose: annual or perennial. This flower is exclusively perennial; in our harsh climate it is simply possible to grow gazania as an annual. If desired, you can transplant the plant into a flower pot for the winter and place it on the windowsill. And with the arrival of spring, return the gazania flower to its original place. The natural habitat of this bright plant is the territory of Mozambique and South Africa, as well as the warm coast of Australia.

Gazania appeared in Europe at the end of the 17th century and very quickly gained recognition and love in many countries. The flower received its current name in honor of the Italian priest Theodore von Gas, who at one time translated the famous works of Aristotle and Theophrastus. Gazania also has a number of other names that were given to the plant in various countries based on its external characteristics. For example, in Western European countries, gazania is called the “flower of the midday sun.” The explanation for this name is simple - gazania blooms its inflorescences only at noon, and at night and in cloudy weather the flowers do not bloom at all.

Sometimes in the literature you can find another name for gazania - “African chamomile”, which the plant received for the bright color of its petals and its natural habitat.

Description of gazania:

• Gazania is a herbaceous plant that can sometimes grow as low-growing subshrubs, forming a basal rosette from the stem and leaves.
• In nature, perennial gazanias are more common, but annual representatives of the genus are also known.
• Gazania is a low-growing plant that reaches only 20-30 cm in height.
• Various types of gazania may have a short stem, while others may not have one at all.
• The leaves create a beautiful and dense basal rosette, making this plant look great as a decoration garden paths and borders.
• The leaves are dark green or light green in color, and on the underside they are most often covered with light hairs, which protect the flower from the cold and help retain moisture.
• The shape of the leaves can be different, it all depends on the specific type and variety of gazania.
• The main decoration of the plant is its inflorescences. Outwardly, they resemble an ordinary chamomile, only the gazania flower is larger and has bright colors.
• Flowers are represented by single inflorescences-baskets, which reach 5-9 cm in diameter.
• Gazania inflorescences consist of tubular petals located in the middle and having a golden color, as well as reed petals, colored in red, orange, yellow, pinkish shades with a brown spot in the center of each petal.
• There can be about 30-35 inflorescences on one plant at a time.
• After the flowers fade, fruits appear on the plant - hairy achenes.
• Gazania can be grown in open ground and at home.

Species diversity of gazania: bright colors of popular varieties

Today there are about 40 species of gazania that have different features cultivation, flower color and leaf shape. In Russia, where the climate is more severe, it is possible to grow only one-year-old gazania. If beautiful trees grow on your site perennial species, you can easily transplant them into pots and place them in a room with a temperature comfortable for the plant. Let's consider the most popular types and varieties of gazania, which can be grown in open ground and at home in Russia and the CIS countries.

Hybrid gazania

• TO this species Gazanias include varieties obtained by crossing species representatives.
• Hybrid gazania can be grown as an annual plant.
• The plant can reach approximately 25-30 cm in height.
• The stem of the plant, at the bottom, forms a basal rosette from which leaves grow.
• The leaves of hybrid gazania varieties are palmately dissected or linear. The color can be dark green or light green, the bottom plate of which is painted silver-gray.
• Inflorescences are represented by single baskets different colors. Today, there are simple and double flowers, red, yellow, orange, pink, burgundy and other shades.
• Hybrid varieties of gazania practically do not produce seeds, so their propagation is possible only with the help of cuttings.
• Flowering begins at the end of June and lasts until frost.

Popular varieties:

• Gazania “Russian size” F1. Most popular variety to date. Bright golden or orange inflorescences are attached to strong peduncles. The diameter of the inflorescences reaches 12 cm, which ranks the variety among the largest.
• Gazania "Kiss Flame". Is different big amount inflorescences blooming at the same time.
• Gazania "Chansonnet". A plant with colorful inflorescences.

Gazania brilliant

• This type of gazania has another name - harsh gazania.
• Is perennial plant, however, in climate conditions middle zone In Russia and other CIS countries it is grown as an annual gazania.
• The plant reaches 20-25 cm in height due to its tall peduncles.
• The leaves of this type of gazania are dark green in color and have a lanceolate or pinnate shape. They are attached without roots and reach a length of 10-12 cm.
• The inflorescences are single baskets, which are attached to strong and long peduncles growing from the center of the basal rosette.
• The diameter of the inflorescences reaches an average of 6-8 cm.
• The colors of the flowers can be monochromatic or two-color with stripes and spots. The tubular central petals can also range in color from golden yellow to brown.
• During the entire flowering period, an average of up to 60 inflorescences can bloom on one plant.

Long-rifle gazania

• It is an annual herbaceous plant that reaches only 15-20 cm in height.
• Unlike many other types of gazania, the long shoot has a stem that spreads along the ground.
• The leaves are bright dark green or light green in color, the lower plate of which has slight pubescence.
• The shape of the leaves of this type of gazania is entire or slightly cut.
• The inflorescences are represented by single baskets, which can reach 7 cm in diameter.
• The reed petals of the inflorescences have a bright golden-yellow color with a small brown spot at the base, and the central tubular petals are yellow.
• The flowering period of long-arrow gazania lasts several months, beginning in early August and lasting until the first frost.

Gazania potsi

• It is also a herbaceous perennial plant of the Compositaceae family.
• This species is considered morphologically similar to Gazania lucidum.
• It can reach 25-30 cm in height.
• It is distinguished by rather large inflorescences, which can have a diameter of about 12 cm.

Gazania peacock

• This type of gazania is a perennial subshrub, which, due to our harsh climate, is grown as an annual plant.
• There is a short stem located near the surface of the earth.
• The leaves are oblong, entire or slightly cut. They can reach 20 cm in length.
• The color can be bright green on the upper side and with slight silvery pubescence on the lower plate.
• The inflorescences are represented by single baskets, which reach 8-9 cm in diameter.
• The central petals have a yellow tint, and the reed petals are bright orange with a brown spot at the base.

The above types and varieties of gazania are most widespread in Russia and other CIS countries.

Reproduction of gazania: the most common methods

Growing a gazania on your own is not easy. special labor. It’s not for nothing that this flower is easy for even beginning gardeners. There are two ways to propagate this plant: seed propagation and cuttings. It must be remembered that propagation by cuttings is suitable only for hybrid varieties of gazania. Having understood the presented methods of breeding gazania yourself, you can choose the most suitable one for yourself.

Seed propagation of gazania

• This type of reproduction is used most often. However, it must be remembered that when using it for hybrid varieties, you risk not seeing the bright and colorful inflorescences that were presented earlier.
• Seeds for propagation can be purchased in specialized stores, or you can collect them yourself if you have gazania on your site. To do this, wait until the buds have completely faded in the fall, carefully cut it off and place it in a dry place where the seeds will dry quickly. Gazania from seeds collected at the same time can be grown for 2 years, since this period is typical for normal seed germination.
• Gazania seeds can be sown directly in open ground or you can grow seedlings.
• The first days of spring or the end of February are suitable for sowing gazania seeds for seedlings. However, please note that for more early sowing, the plant may not have enough light. In this case, it is necessary to create artificial lighting.
• It is not necessary to germinate the seeds, just moisten the soil.
• In early March, prepare boxes that are spacious and deep enough so that the gazania's tap root system does not bend, but grows straight and without damage.
• Next, you need to fill the boxes with light and nutritious soil, which should consist of sand, peat, turf soil and humus.
• Gently place the gazania seeds on the surface of the soil. This can be done in a checkerboard pattern, while maintaining a distance of 2-2.5 cm between them.
• You can sprinkle the seeds on top with a thin layer of clean sand, then moisten everything with a spray bottle.
• Next, the boxes with seeds must be covered with film or glass and placed in warm room with a temperature of 18-20 degrees.
• Be sure to ventilate the seeds daily and remove condensation.
• Peat pots can be used as a container for seed germination.
• Typically, seedlings appear 1-2 weeks after sowing.

Gazania seedlings

• If you sowed gazania seeds in peat pots, then there is no need to plant them.
• Seeds planted in a common container need thinning.
• When three strong leaves appear on the seedlings, they need to be picked into separate containers. In this case, you can also use peat pots.
• Next, the seedlings need to be hardened. To do this, seedlings are placed in a room with more cool temperature- approximately 12-16 degrees. You can use a balcony or loggia; naturally, they must be insulated.
• An element of natural hardening of gazania seedlings is daily ventilation of the room. To do this, you can open the window for a while.
• Gazania is planted in open ground only in May or June.

Gazania propagation by cuttings

• This method of propagation is suitable only for hybrid varieties, which, when propagated using seeds, lose their maternal characteristics.
• It is necessary to prepare cuttings in the summer.
• On a healthy adult gazani bush, you need to choose strong and long side shoots.
• Use a sharp knife to cut cuttings. At the same time, make sure that each cut cutting has a heel, this is the only way they can take root.
• After this, free each cutting from lower leaves and treat the cut site with a root formation stimulator, for example, Kornevin. To do this, prepare this solution and place all the cuttings in it. It is enough to leave them overnight.
• You can root cuttings in prepared containers or directly in greenhouses. The soil should consist of peat, sand and turf soil with an admixture of humus.
• During rooting, it is necessary to regularly water the cuttings and ventilate them.
• The rooting process takes on average 1.5-2 months.
• Gazania is planted in open ground from cuttings in May.
• During the first days after planting, be sure to provide the seedlings with shelter from direct sunlight.

Stages of preparation before planting gazania

To obtain strong and beautiful plant, it is important to prepare thoroughly before planting it. It is necessary to carefully select plant seedlings, focusing on your climatic conditions, and also select the most suitable place for planting on your site. It is important to prepare the soil well for gazania. Let's consider all stages of preparation in more detail.

Stage 1. Selection of varieties and seedlings of gazania

• First of all, decide whether you will plant gazania in open ground or in indoor pot. It is also possible to purchase a perennial gazania, plant it in open ground, and then transplant it into a pot for the winter and keep it indoors.
• It is necessary to choose gazania varieties very carefully. Focus on plants that are adapted to the climatic conditions of your area.
• If you decide to buy gazania seedlings, it is best to do this in specialized stores or agricultural companies that professionally breed various plants.
• Before purchasing, check with the seller all the nuances of growing a plant, what kind of lighting and feeding it needs.
• Carefully examine the plant itself. There should be no visible damage, signs of disease or pests.
• If you buy seeds for propagating seedlings, give preference to less exotic varieties. Remember, the birthplace of gazania is Mozambique. And in our climate, more rare and exotic varieties may simply not survive.

Stage 2. Choosing a place to plant gazania

• Gazania can be immediately planted as seedlings in pots and placed on a glazed balcony or loggia. In this case, every summer you just need to take the pots outside, and with the onset of cold weather, bring them back into the house.
• The opposite situation is also possible. Plant gazania seedlings in open ground, and in winter dig them up and place them in indoor flower pots.
• In any case, gazania requires sunny and well-lit areas. After all, gazania flowers bloom only in the presence of sunlight.
• The chosen location should also be free from drafts and strong gusts of wind.
• Gazania does not like dampness and stagnant water, so avoid lowlands and swampy areas.
• Gazania flowers are great for flower beds and flower beds. as well as for mixborders and alpine slides.

Stage 3. Preparing the soil before planting.

• Gazania does not tolerate heavy clay soils.
• It can thrive on sandy or sandy loam soils. However, optimal for its growth soil mixture is as follows: sand, peat, turf soil, deciduous soil and humus.
• The chosen planting site should be well drained and retain moisture at the roots.
• The soil pH on the site should be between 5.5-6.5 pH.
• Before planting, the selected area must be carefully dug up, about one shovel deep. Remove all weeds from the turf, you can add a little humus as fertilizer.

Gazania planting technology

Gazania seedlings can be planted both in open ground and in flower pots.

Planting a gazania in a pot

• If you decide to grow gazania at home, first of all, select a deep and fairly loose pot or container. An outdoor flower pot is perfect, in which the gazania will feel great.
• Fill the selected pot with light and nutritious soil, which should include sand, peat, and turf soil.
• Don't forget to place small stones, gravel or broken bricks at the bottom of the pot or container. This will ensure good drainage.
• Water the soil with water and plant the gazania seedling in the pot.
• During the wintering of gazanias, do not overdo it with watering.
• It is important to place the gazania pot in a sunny place. A balcony or window is perfect.

Planting gazania in open ground

• In the prepared area, thoroughly loosen the soil and make planting holes suitable for gazania seedlings.
• Keep in mind that gazania seedlings need to be planted in open ground along with a ball of earth, so the holes should be twice as large.
• Place a small layer of drainage at the bottom of each planting hole. Use gravel, pebbles, broken bricks or expanded clay as drainage. This is necessary to prevent water stagnation at the roots.
• If you grew gazania seedlings in peat pots, spill some water and carefully place them directly into planting hole. When growing seedlings in containers, also pour water over the surface of the soil and carefully remove the seedlings individually with a long shovel or scoop. It is important not to damage the plant's tap root.
• It is also important to maintain the distance between plants. It must be at least 20 cm.
• The soil around the plants can be covered with mulch to reduce weeds and prevent the soil from drying out.

Features of caring for gazania

Further growth and flowering of gazania will depend on your attention and care. Gazania is not a demanding flower and feels great with minimal care, however, some effort is still necessary.

Watering gazania

Gazania is a fairly drought-resistant plant and can do well without water for a long time. This flower categorically does not tolerate waterlogging and stagnation of water at the roots. Moderate watering is required. The optimal regime is to water rarely, but abundantly. This is especially true during the dry season.

Loosening and mulching

Once every 2-3 weeks after watering, it is important to thoroughly loosen the soil around the plants. For this you can use special gardening Tools, or you can do it by hand. Root system The gazania has a rod, so you cannot damage it. At the same time, remove all weeds and mulch the tree trunk circle with sawdust or dry peat.

Top dressing

Gazania also needs periodic feeding to maintain growth and to form new inflorescence buds. About once a month it is necessary to fertilize your gazanias with a complete complex mineral fertilizer calculated at 20-25 grams per square meter. You can feed along with watering.

Gazania after flowering

During flowering, it is important to periodically remove all wilted buds. By doing so, you stimulate the growth of new ones, which will allow your gazania to delight others. bright colors until frost. In the fall, you need to decide whether you will save the plant for next year or, like all annuals, remove it from the garden bed. If you still decide to take the gazania indoors, carefully dig it up with a lump of earth and transplant it into a large and deep pot. Place it in a cool room with a temperature of 12-14 degrees.

Disease and pest control

Gazania is a very easy-to-care plant. This flower is very rarely affected various diseases and pests. This happens most often due to improper care.

• Gray rot. Small spots on the leaves and stems of the plant are caused by gray mold, which is destructive to plants. If found, immediately remove all damaged areas and treat the rest of the plant with fungicides. if the damage is severe, remove the entire plant and till the soil.

Pests:

• Caterpillars. These pests can be collected by hand. The same applies to slugs, which can sometimes harm gazanias.
• Aphid. This pest can destroy gazania leaves and flowers. To combat it, you can use special insecticides, for example, fitoverm.
• Spider mite. To combat this pest, you can use actellik or fufanon.

Photo of gazania in landscape design

If you want to decorate your garden or plot and make it bright until frost, be sure to plant a gazania, which will not require you to high costs and effort. And he will give great amount colors and joy.

An interesting plant - gatsaniya, planting and caring for which is not burdensome for the gardener - will delight you with its flowers until the first frost. Most varieties are perennial, but there are also annuals among these plants. The African flower has taken root well in our country, because this is the climate that is favorable for its development and growth. Despite the simple care of the gazania, it has some features.

Gazania – gazania

Resembling a large bright daisy, the flower with a small stem is striking in its variety. color shades. It does not like heavily moist soils and can withstand dry periods. A special feature of this flower is its ability to retain moisture - this is facilitated by leaves covered with fluff on the underside, which not only retains moisture inside the plant, but also protects it from frost.

Growing gatsaniya from seeds can be done in decorative containers anywhere. It can coexist with all plants without having a negative effect on them. For the winter, a flowerpot with a flower can be brought indoors - the gazania will continue to grow even at home. The variety of varieties is simply amazing: they differ not only in color, but also in some growth characteristics. For example, most flowers close their petals when the sun sets. But there are species that leave flowers open even at night.

Landing

Planting gatsaniya, as well as subsequent care, requires quite a lot of patience. First, select a site with good soil for this plant. This flower grows best in dry areas with little rainfall.

When choosing a location, it is also important to consider that:

• Gazania grows and develops well on light, fertile land;
• it is important that the soil allows moisture to pass through well without retaining it;
• on heavy soils, gazania grows poorly and most often dies;
• The flower loves the sun, so it is better to plant it in sunny places.

Two methods are used for propagation: from seeds and vegetative.

Seed method

Growing from seeds at home is done due to the long growing season of the plant. For better germination seeds, it is important to follow the following stages of sowing:

1. Prepare the soil. To do this, you need to mix the same amount of humus, fine sand, turf and leaf soil.
2. Seeds are sown in early spring. The time is selected taking into account the climatic conditions of the area, taking into account the fact that permanent place Usually two-month old seedlings are planted.
3. The seeds are placed in small grooves at a distance of 3 cm. It is better to plant them in a checkerboard pattern.
4. When the seed is lightly sprinkled with earth, water is sprayed on top with a spray bottle so as not to wash out the planted seeds.
5. Then the container is covered with transparent polyethylene and transported to a light and warm window sill with a temperature not lower than 18 degrees.
6. Before the shoots appear, you need to periodically ventilate the resulting greenhouse and remove condensation that appears on the film.

When the first seedlings appear in a couple of weeks, they need to be provided optimal lighting. Due to the short daylight hours, the sprouts need additional lighting, so next to the seedling containers you need to install lighting. It is also important to maintain the temperature at least 15 degrees, otherwise the sprouts will grow weak. You need to water the seedlings with settled water.

Important! Gazania seedlings are not subjected to diving to avoid the possibility of injury to the weak root system.

Before planting in a permanent place, you must first prepare the area where the flower will grow. Gazania is planted in a deep hole along with a lump of earth where it grew. It is important to try not to injure the main root of the plant. The distance between future bushes should be at least 20 cm. Soon after replanting, the first flowers will appear - first single, and then in groups. Growing seedling method from seeds at home is more effective than cuttings.

Advice! For longer and faster flowering, it is necessary to regularly cut off faded buds.

Vegetative method

Used for reproduction in summer. To obtain new plants using the vegetative method, perform the following steps:

• A side shoot of the main stem must be pruned with a thickened base of no more than 10 cm.
• For better survival and to prevent the shoot from drying out, the cut is treated with a root formation stimulator.
• Remove all lower leaves from the shoot.

Advice! To accelerate the growth of the shoot, it can be soaked overnight in a growth mixture, which can be derivatives of urea and other drugs.

• Plant the cuttings in a container filled with soil. It is important that the container is large enough - at least 9 cm in diameter.
• Water the shoot well.
• The conditions for growth and development are the same as when growing seedlings from seeds. It is important to exclude the influence of drafts and direct sunlight on weak shoots. It is also necessary to take into account that future bushes need good lighting.

After about a month and a half, root formation occurs, but the gazania remains in the container until spring. Only then can the perennial be planted in a permanent place.

Growing some types of gatsanias is possible only with this method, since they do not produce seeds. When choosing a shoot from which a new bush will be formed, it is necessary to give preference to elongated and healthy cuttings. To increase the likelihood of root formation, it is necessary to select shoots with a heel - a thickening near the base.

Care

Growing and caring for gatsaniya is not difficult; the main thing is to take a responsible approach to choosing the soil on which the future flower will grow. You should not plant the plant on heavy soil, including clay.

• Watering should be moderate. Otherwise, growing by any means will not make sense. After all, a flower can protect itself from a lack of moisture - its long root is able to get water from the ground, and the fluff on the leaves prevents too much water evaporation. But it cannot protect against waterlogging - it weakens and begins to rot.
• Flowers also need fertilizing. On fertile soil, plants are fed once every month and a half, and on poor soil - twice a month with a solution of complex mineral fertilizer.
• Timely removal of weeds and thorough loosening of the soil at least twice a month.
• Pest protection. To combat aphids, you can plant onions or garlic, which will repel insects with their specific smell. Treating with Bordeaux mixture will help prevent gray rot. Spider mite exterminated with special insecticides. When snails and slugs appear on the plant, they are collected by hand. Garlic, sage or parsley planted nearby will help get rid of harmful insects.

Proper cultivation allows you to get plants with large, bright inflorescences. Despite the fact that most of the gazania are perennial crop, it is quite difficult for them to winter under our harsh climatic conditions. Therefore, for the winter the perennial is simply transferred indoors, and in the spring it returns to its place. In winter, in the room where the gazania will winter, it is better to maintain a temperature of 10 to 15 degrees.

Caring for gatsaniya winter period consists of periodic watering. Growing gatsaniya in pots or cache-pots at home allows you to bring the plant indoors for the winter without much difficulty or replanting, where it will continue to delight with blooming inflorescences. When spring comes, the containers can be taken outside again so that they decorate the area with bright flowers.