Gazania or Gazania - This is one of the brightest representatives of the Astrov family. This "native" of Africa has successfully taken root in our climate and has become the darling of many gardeners. Gazania is also called African chamomile.
Did you know? Flowers ghazania fully disclosed only on sunny days.
Gazania: description of the plant
This perennial low-growing shrub grows mainly on rubbly, loose soils in arid areas. The shape of the leaves collected in the basal rosette is finger-dissected, linear, elongate-lanceolate or pinnate. To retain moisture, they have a special pubescence.
A root form helps the plant to get water from the depths of the soil. Inflorescences reach from 5 to 10 cm in diameter. There may be different shades, depending on the type and variety of plants (red, orange, yellow, white). In the center of a large basket are placed small tubular flowers, where seeds are formed.
Planting gazanii how to grow gazania from seed
Gatsania, according to expert flower growers, is the plant is quite capricioustherefore, planting and caring for it in the open field has a number of features that you need to know.
When to sow ghazania
February-March is considered to be the optimal time for planting a gazania, since it is at this time that the daylight hours significantly increase. Dates are calculated based on the fact that from the appearance of the first shoots to the flowering of the plant takes 2.5-4 months. In the case of earlier planting, shoots may be weak due to the lack of natural light.
Did you know? In specialized enterprises, they also practice winter planting of grass, highlighting sprouts with powerful lamps.
Where to sow gatsanyu
Gatsania requires careful cultivation and care at all stages, starting with the preparation of the soil for planting seeds.
The soil should be light, well-drained, with a pH of 5.8-6.2 and an EC of 0.5-0.75, especially if the plant is first planted in cassettes.
After 5-7 weeks after planting seeds in 25 ml cassettes and after 5-6 weeks, if the volume of the cassettes was smaller, the plants should be transplanted into pots. It is necessary to place the seeds one by one. They survive their germination for 2 years.
Important! As an option, plant an African chamomile in special peat pots or pills.
How to sow ghazania
Before planting, the soil is slightly compacted and moistened. Seeds are placed at a distance of 2-3 cm from each other in a checkerboard pattern, covered with a thin layer of earth and copiously sprayed with water. Then the tapes are covered with foil and neatly wrapped in transparent polyethylene, leaving some air. It is necessary to put a design in the light, warm room.
Thus, the main conditions for the earliest emergence of shoots will be provided - high humidity, sufficient lighting and air temperature of 21-24 ° C. Periodically, the soil with seeds must be sprayed, and the mini-greenhouse must be aired. Seeds will germinate on day 6-14.
How to care for seedlings gazanii
After the appearance of friendly shoots, the temperature in the greenhouse is reduced to 15-18 ° C. Also reduce watering. A few days after the mass shoots, when the first leaves had not yet appeared, you need swoop down gazania. To do this, use both plastic and peat pots. At the same time should pinch the largest root.
If there is no time or desire to engage in diving seedlings, sow the seeds should be away from each other and in large containers. 7-10 days after picking feed gazania complex mineral fertilizer. If necessary, repeat the procedure.
Before landing in open ground seedlings hardenby regularly taking out the fresh air.
Planting gazania in open ground
Experienced experts recommend planting a plant in the second half of May - the first half of June. Bushes should be placed at a distance of at least 20 cm from each other. Then African daisy very soon will delight with flowers. But the first of them must be removed so that the plant gains strength and strengthens the root system.
Gatsania: plant care rules
Grown flowers require some care. Only then can we expect that the plant will please with lush forms and abundant flowering.
How to water gazania
Gazania is a guest from hot countries in our flower beds, so it tolerates drought well. Much more harm to the plant will cause excessive watering, in which the roots begin to rot.
There is a risk of developing diseases, including gray mold. African chamomile needs only additional dry summer days without rain. It will save from chopping flowers.
Top dressing and care of the soil
10-15 days after planting the plant in open ground, it is necessary to feed it with complex mineral fertilizers. Add 20-25 g of fertilizer per 1 square. m of soil.
In the future, this procedure is repeated once a month until flowering. The frequency of feeding can be increased in the case of growing plants in poor soil and in containers. Before and after fertilizing the land must be watered.
Caring for the soil is a periodic (once every 2-3 weeks) removal of weeds and loosening the soil.
Trimming gazanii
Pruning gazanii is to regularly harvest dried flowers, so that the plant does not spend on them power. And although the seeds develop here, bushes do not multiply by self-sowing.
How to keep ghazania in winter
Caring for gatzania in the winter is not difficult. Since this is a heat-loving plant, it is impossible to leave it in the ground for the winter, it will surely die. It is better to transplant bushes in boxes or large pots and leave in a cool place until spring.
Important! The temperature in the room where gazania is located in winter should not fall below zero degrees.
Another option for preserving African chamomile in the winter - grow it in vases. When the onset of the first frost, you just need to pick up the plant in the house. If you want it to bloom longer, you should provide additional illumination.In winter, the plant needs watering only to the extent that the soil does not dry out, but no more.
Flower propagation by cutting
Gatsanii cuttings are carried out in the middle of summer. To do this, at the base of the stem carefully cut off the healthy side shoots. They are placed before the roots appear in a solution of a growth stimulator, for example, 0.5% indolyl-butyric (IMC) or 0.1% naphthylacetic acid (NAA).
Cuttings protect from drafts and direct sunlight, grow in good light and at a temperature of 15-18 ° C. Watering requires moderate.
Experts advise, first of all, to remember that the gazania flower is a drought-resistant, heat and light-loving plant, and then there will be no problems in planting and caring for it.
