African chamomile

How to care for a blooming gazania

The flowering period of the plant begins 2-3 months from the moment of planting

At the same time, it is very important to promptly trim buds that have already bloomed. Thanks to such actions, you can stimulate the formation of new flowers.

When caring for gatsaniya, do not forget that it is easier for it to withstand drought than dampness. Therefore, watering should be infrequent, but plentiful. Small autumn colds are not scary for adult plants. However, when frost occurs, it is better to move the flower indoors. By following all the rules, you can enjoy the attractive appearance of exotic African chamomile for many years. A flowerbed with gatsaniya can decorate any garden plot.

Origin and description of culture

The birthplace of the flower is the Cape region of South Africa. The name was given in honor of Theodore von Gas, a priest from Italy who translated the works of Theophrastus and Aristotle. It grows wild in Africa and coastal areas of Australia.

Gazania is called African daisy due to its external resemblance. The flower, 5-12 cm in size, is formed on a smooth, tubular stem 25 cm in height. The color depends on the variety; it can be dazzling white, bright or pale yellow, orange, pink of varying intensity, and red. The presence of dark or bright contrasting shades near the middle is characteristic. Flowering begins 3-4 months after planting the seeds, lasts a long time and depends on the environment. The seeds are linear in shape, black and white in color with a small white tuft.

Gatsania perennial has a tap root and a creeping, flexible aerial part. The leaves and stems are covered with silvery hair; a milky juice forms on the cut. The foliage is bright or dark green above, smooth, densely pubescent below, and has a silvery tint.

It is grown to decorate the landscape in flower beds, alpine hills, and flower beds.

American chamomile care and propagation

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Contents

A delightful flower - gatsaniya, will decorate any garden. Gardeners in Germany call it the flower of midday gold. At midday, under the hot rays of the sun, flowers, painted in all shades of yellow, open.

Another name for the flower is African chamomile. South Africa is the birthplace of the plant, where it grows everywhere like our field daisies. There are many species of the plant, about 40. In its homeland, these are perennial and annual plants; in Russia, it is grown only as an annual crop.

general information

This flower comes from Africa, but is already perfectly adapted to grow in our latitudes. It can withstand frost. In Europe, osteospermum is widely used to decorate balconies, loggias, and planting in gardens and parks. It is easy to grow and the aesthetic result is attractive.

Osteospermum feels good both in open ground and in pots on the balcony

African chamomile is one of the names for osteospermum. The shape of the leaves and the arrangement of the flower remind everyone of the familiar chamomile

Tricolor osteospermum streaked with orange, purple and pink

Osteospermum are flowers of the Asteraceae family. There are currently 70 varieties. It blooms for a long time and continuously, which is appreciated by landscape designers. Height – from 30 to 75 cm.

Osteospermum has adapted well to our climatic conditions. Therefore, landscape designers are increasingly decorating the courtyards of cottages with this flower.

Bright flowers of osteospermum lift the mood and are used as color accents

In terms of growth form, it is a bush that has dense leaves. It has many inflorescences that will delight with their beauty from June to September. The flowers have a diameter of about 5 cm, the inflorescences contain marginal petals that have different colors, depending on the variety. They are the ones who provide the seeds for reproduction. Those located in the center will not be a source for seeds, since they are sterile, but they will definitely delight with their unique color.

Osteospermum is easily propagated by seeds. You can plant your flower bed with flowers yourself

Note! It is better not to damage the stems and leaves of osteospermum, as they emit a pungent and rather unpleasant odor. .

Why doesn't gatsaniya bloom?

This question is asked by some gardeners whose bushes produce only foliage. There may be several reasons for the lack of flowering:

insufficient lighting;
fertilizing with fertilizers that contain a lot of nitrogen;
late sowing;
excessive watering.

If you follow all the rules for caring for and growing gazania, bright flowers will bloom in your flowerbed all summer until late autumn. Unfortunately, they do not survive the winter cold in our climate, but you can save the bush if you dig it up and replant it in a pot. In winter, keep the plant in a cool place (+8..+10 degrees) and make sure that the soil does not dry out. In spring, the shoots are cut in half and African chamomile is planted in a flowerbed in open ground.

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Application in landscape design

The reason why these plants are used to decorate the garden is because of their large flowers, which also stand out with their contrasting colors. The variety of textures and colors allows you to use osteospermum in a variety of ways.

Low-growing varieties of osteospermum are well suited for decorating alpine slides. But gatsaniya reveals its appearance in its entirety as part of flower arrangements. Gazania goes well with Ursinia, Lubelia, Dimorphothecus and Arctotis.
The small height of osteospermum bushes makes it appropriate to use it as a decoration for paths. With the help of gatsaniya, you can delimit different garden areas, thus creating borders.

With its bright colors, osteospermum can add variety to flower beds. To do this, you can combine different varieties of gazania, or plant gazania together with other flowers, which should be combined with osteospermum in height.
Another option is to create different patterns, which will be obtained if gatsaniya alternates with other plants that have voluminous green foliage, distinguished by unusual shades. In this way, you can create various patterns, circular, wavy, and perhaps even in the shape of some animals or insects.

Gatsania covers the soil well, so you can use it to camouflage unsightly areas of the ground. The dense leaves of gatsania hide black areas of the ground well.

The short stature of osteospermum makes its use in combination with tall plants inappropriate. Also, this should not be done due to the shadow that they can cast on the gatsaniya. It is preferable to use gazania in combination with plants of the same height.

Gatsania in a flowerpot goes well with lush green leaves of different shades.

Gatsania looks good next to other low-growing plants.

Gazania can be grown in hanging flower baskets.

You can see how to properly sow and grow gazania from seeds in the following video.

Features of outdoor care

Growing osteospermum includes basic agrotechnical care measures. These include:

watering;
loosening;
weeding;
fertilization;
prevention of diseases and pests.

Preparation before cultivating the soil significantly reduces subsequent maintenance. Incorrect placement or violation of feeding rules can be the reason why plants refuse to bloom. The appearance of pests or diseases is uncharacteristic of the crop when growing in favorable conditions.

In hot summers and mild climates, it is possible to obtain seed material. After the inflorescence withers and begins to dry out, tie gauze on top so that the pubescent seeds do not scatter after ripening. Collect gatsania seeds in a cloth; the collected material can be used for sowing next year. Store in a paper bag, labeling the date of collection and variety.

Plants cannot be left in the garden over the winter because they do not tolerate cold weather well. If there is a threat of the first frost, the strongest specimens should be dug up and transplanted into flower pots for the winter. In the spring, when the optimum temperature has established, transfer it again to open ground. Thus, long-term cultivation of African chamomile is carried out.

Watering mode

Gatsania flowers need to be moistened once every 1.5-2 weeks. The plants have a long root, which can protect the entire bush from a lack of liquid, but cannot help from excess water. A long drought is a reason to water more often, and cloudy, rainy weather requires a reduction in additional moisture. If the soil is heavy or loamy, you will need to loosen the rows.

Feeding

The procedure is optional, but more lush and long-lasting flowering is facilitated by 1 fertilizing every 1.5 months for fertile soil, and in the case of sandy soil poor in nutrients - 2 times in 1 month. Any complex mineral additive diluted with water can be used as fertilizers. The presence of nitrogen-containing substances in the mixture is undesirable.

Diseases and pests

Gazania flowers are disease resistant. The only threat is gray rot. The disease affects plants with a lack of sunlight and waterlogging. The risk of infection increases on heavy soils.

Affected specimens need to be dug up and burned, the rest should be treated with Fitosporin.

The main pests are snails, spider mites and aphids. The first ones can be removed by hand. If others appear, use the following treatment:

Inta-Vir;
Fitoverm;
Akarin;
Ditox;
Fufanon;
Actellik.

Caring for African Gazania Chamomile

Gatsania flower perennial planting and care in open ground photo

This flower does 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. If planted on time, 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. By providing optimal conditions, you will enjoy beautiful, numerous flowers. But if the conditions are bad, you won't get flowers.

Winter storage

It was said above: osteospermum should not overwinter in open ground! Of course, if you live in Crimea and in winter the temperature does not drop below −10°C, you can risk the health of the osteospermum and leave it under the snow for the winter, but I do not recommend this.

Typically, African chamomile bushes are dug up entirely and transferred to a basement or plant storage, and in the spring they are replanted in their old place. In storage, osteospermum bushes are watered occasionally, moistening the earthen lump. By the way, cuttings are taken from stored bushes for spring cuttings.

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Dimorphotheca - Cape marigolds: care and reproduction

Reproduction

African daisies can be propagated either by seeds or cuttings, but the first method is more often used. You can buy seeds from familiar flower growers who breed this flower, as well as in stores specializing in the sale of plants and seeds, including online stores. Each bag of seeds contains a photo of a flowering plant and a brief description of it, which allows you to make an informed choice.

Gazania seeds before soaking or directly planting in the ground.

The price of African daisy seeds varies greatly depending on the variety. For example, the most popular varieties of osteospermum and gazania can be bought at a price of 20 rubles for 15 seeds, while for rare varieties you will have to pay more than 100 rubles, and there will be 5-10 seeds in a package.

Children's kits for growing these exotic flowers are also sold: for example, the “Grow a Tree” kit, which contains a pot with a tray, gazania seeds and fertile soil. It costs an average of 200 rubles and will please even an adult who has dreamed of trying himself as a florist.

A children's set that allows you to clearly demonstrate to your child the process of plant growth.

If bright flower beds are needed at the beginning of summer, you should take care of planting African daisies in early spring. First you need to get seedlings, for which dry seeds are planted in a specially designated container. It should be planted to a depth of no more than 5 mm, and it is important to maintain the distance between the seeds: it should not be less than 3-4 cm. In order to save space and fit more seeds into the container, you can plant them in a checkerboard pattern.

To grow seedlings, it is convenient to use individual paper cups, which can simply be torn when transplanting plants into open ground.

Planted seeds should be protected from cold and drafts; the temperature should not fall below 18°C, and it is better if it is 20-22°C. The lighting should be bright, so if the spring turns out to be cloudy, then additional lighting with a lamp is necessary. Usually the first shoots of osteospermum appear within a week; gazania may linger for a couple of days.

How to choose seeds

In order to choose seeds, you just need to decide on the variety. Thanks to selection, today there are a huge number of varieties, each of which has certain characteristics. When choosing seeds, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of a particular variety, personal preferences, as well as the purpose of cultivation.

Before you start planting seeds, you must first understand their properties. Seeds that have been stored for more than two years are not suitable for growing gazania. The result in this case will most likely be unsuccessful. Even those seeds that were collected a year ago will have a much greater chance of germination.

You also need to remember that planting seeds directly into the ground is possible only in regions with a warm climate, while in others you must first germinate the seeds and grow seedlings from them.

How to collect your seeds

If hybrid varieties of gacinia grow in the garden, their seeds should not be collected for further propagation; the seed material does not carry the qualities of the mother plant. Non-hybrid varieties grown in the garden are suitable for seed collection.

High-quality, germinating seeds are obtained if the summer is hot and the autumn is long and warm. The seeds ripen for two months. Select the bushes with the most beautiful, large flowers, when they begin to bloom, wrap them in two layers of gauze and secure them with string. In this form they will ripen, will not crumble prematurely and will not fly away from the wind.

You need to know that the seeds of the flower are very small, like fluff. One range can contain more than 200 seeds. Germination persists for two years.

Hybrid plants are best propagated by cuttings. Cuttings can be cut from mid-July. Select side shoots at least 10 cm long and cut them with a sharp knife. Tear off a few of the lower leaves. For better rooting, treat the cut of the cutting with root.

For planting, prepare containers by filling them with loose, moist, fertile soil. Plant each cutting in a separate container. The room where they will grow should not be too warm and there should be no drafts.

Maintain a temperature of about 18°. Water with settled warm water. If necessary, add artificial light. After two months, the cuttings will take root. In the spring, plant the formed bushes in the ground or in a flowerpot.

Reproduction methods

Breeding gatsaniya is possible through sowing seeds or cuttings. The first method is the most popular. Purchased seed material is often used, especially for hybrid varieties. Collecting seeds from your own plot is possible only in the southern regions, where they have time to ripen. Then they are used for direct sowing in the ground (in mild climates) or forcing seedlings. It is possible to grow osteopermum from seeds at home.

African chamomile cuttings are carried out in mid-summer. From the side shoots near the stem you need to cut off cuttings with a heel. Treat the cutting area with a root formation stimulator and plant it under a jar in the shade. After rooting, transfer to the site or flower pots. Do not clear the soil from the roots, bury it along with it. Planting new plants at home will help to preserve them in the winter, and in the spring you will not have to deal with seedlings.

Reproduction of gazania

Many novice gardeners really want to grow African chamomile in their flowerbed or balcony. Such a desire is quite feasible. Gatsaniya does not require complex care, and its breeding is not problematic.

The easiest and most affordable way to breed gazania is to purchase seedlings from specialized retail establishments. All that remains is to plant the seedlings in a designated area and wait for the first buds to appear.

However, it is much more interesting to prepare seedlings from seeds and cuttings yourself. This option also allows you to save money; you do not have to bear the financial costs of planting material.

Growing by seeds

Gatsania seeds can only be collected by flower growers living in a region with a hot climate. In other regions, due to climatic conditions, the seeds simply do not have time to ripen. However, seeds can always be purchased in specialized stores.

A lot of time must pass from the moment of sowing for gazania to begin to bloom. After the first shoots appear, at least three months pass.

Growing gazania seedlings from seeds can be done:

with a pick;
without picking.

You need to decide on your preferred method right away, since this determines what kind of container needs to be prepared in advance. In particular, in the first case, you can get by with a shallow container, but in the second, it will be necessary to prepare a container with a depth of more than 10 cm. This requirement is put forward because gazania has a long tap root.

The algorithm for growing an ornamental plant from seeds involves performing the following actions:

Pour the soil mixture into the prepared container.
The soil is moistened and furrows are made (a distance of at least 3 cm must be maintained between adjacent furrows).
The seeds are immersed in the prepared grooves at a distance of 2 cm from each other.
The grooves are sprinkled with soil.
To moisten the soil, spray it with a spray bottle.
Cover the container with a plastic bag or transparent lid.
The container with seeds is transferred to a bright place.

The place should not only be light, but also warm, since gazania is a heat-loving plant. The recommended temperature for germination is 18 degrees Celsius.

Every day, gardeners should not only observe the germination of seeds, but also open the lid slightly or remove the film to eliminate the condensation that has formed. The first shoots will appear in one to two weeks.

If the seeds were placed too close to each other during planting or the container for planting the seeds was taken shallow, the seedlings must be dived. After performing such manipulations, the seedlings are transplanted into separate pots.

After transplantation, containers with plants are placed in another place, the temperature of which will be lower, approximately 12-16 degrees. If you place the seedlings in a warmer space, the seedlings will become excessively elongated.

Seedlings do not need daily watering. The soil is moistened as needed, preventing the soil from drying out.

Growing by cuttings

You can also get gazania at home by cuttings. This method of propagation is suitable for those gardeners on whose site hybrid varieties grow.

Such plants, even in hot climates, are not able to ensure complete ripening of seeds. For this reason, the only option left is to propagate gazania by cuttings.

At the end of August, the largest bush is chosen. Part of the woody stem is cut off from it. The cut is powdered with Kornevin, and then the cuttings are transferred to a warm space.

After two months you will already be able to notice the roots on them. In order for the root system to develop normally and the plant to easily endure the winter, the cuttings are planted in prepared pots. With the onset of spring, they are transplanted into open ground.

Diseases and pests

Osteospermum is almost not susceptible to diseases, however, excess moisture can lead to gray rot, the appearance of which is indicated by brown spots on the leaves, which after some time become covered with a gray coating.

To prevent the spread of rot, the infected flower should be removed and healthy plants should be treated with one of the following preparations:

phytosporin;
Bordeaux mixture;
topaz;
champion;
integral.

Other dangers that threaten Gatsania are aphids, snails and spider mites. It is necessary to inspect the bushes from time to time. If small holes appear on the leaves and they themselves turn yellow, this is a sign of spider mites. Bushes infected with it do not have to be removed: they can still be cured. You just need to cut off the affected leaves and treat the plant with phytoverm, then covering it with a plastic bag.

You can save a flower from aphids by treating it with a solution of soapy water. You can also use fitoverm for this. The treatment should be carried out in dry weather, when there is no wind, and preferably in the evening, when it is already dark.

Prevention

To prevent the appearance of diseases and pests, you should regularly inspect the plants.

It is especially important not to over-water the gatsaniya with abundant watering. However, plant diseases are not necessarily the result of improper care.

If gatsaniya grows outside, then you need to be prepared for the consequences of heavy rains. In order to protect the plant from waterlogging, it is enough to plant it where water will not accumulate, forming puddles.

Types and varieties of African daisies.

The abundance of varieties of osteospermum and gazania is a real gift for gardeners. However, not everyone uses a wide selection, giving preference to the most unpretentious types:

Osteospermum Eklona. The most common variety of osteospermum is named after the Danish botanist Christian Frederik Eklon and has inflorescences of all shades from white to purple. By the way, it was on the basis of the Eklona variety that hybrid varieties were bred that have an edging along the outer edge of the petals, as well as changing color and having the original shape of the inflorescences. The photo below shows its bush:
Osteospermum Passion. For growing on window sills, the low-growing variety Passion, which does not exceed 30 cm in height, is most often used. The photo shows that its bushes in pots are very small, but at the same time pretty:
Osteospermum Pink Lace. On balconies you can often see a miniature Pink Lace variety. It is distinguished by raised petals and a pleasant pink color of a rich, but at the same time soft pink color.

As for gazania, the most popular varieties include gazania Brilliant, Cirrus and Peacock - bright inflorescences 5-7 cm in diameter with sharp petals.

Classic natural color of gatsaniya.

Some gardeners try to choose less common varieties of African daisies for planting, which are clearly different from the usual ones.

For example, red and orange colors are atypical for osteospermum; therefore, if you grow red or orange osteospermum in a flowerbed, not every master gardener will be able to quickly determine what kind of plant it is.

Red and orange colors are present in the Cap Daisy variety, it is shown in the photo:

To surprise with a gazania, you should add volume to it. This can be done by planting gazania of the Potsi variety in the flowerbed, the inflorescences of which are one and a half to two times larger than usual. If you take good care of the plant, its basket can reach 12 cm in diameter, which in combination with the bright color looks very impressive.

Another unusual variety is Talent, which opens inflorescences even in the absence of sun, which is absolutely uncharacteristic for gazania.

Types, varieties

There are about 40 species of the Gatsania genus, some of which are grown as ornamental plants. Popular varieties:

Brilliant . It has tubular buds colored red-black or yellow. There are white spots at the base;

Potsie . Outwardly it resembles a brilliant gazania, differs only in the diameter of the flowers, which can reach up to 11 cm in diameter;

Long rifle . It is grown as an annual plant. It grows up to 20 cm, the flowers have a tubular or reed shape, and are colored yellow-brown;

Peacock . It is distinguished by decorative long leaves. The flowers are large, orange or yellow (see photo).

There are varieties of pinnate, single-flowered and hybrid gatsanias on sale. For planting in unfavorable climatic conditions, it is recommended to choose hybrids - they have increased stability and vitality. Popular hybrid varieties: Ministar, Daybreak Red Stripe, Talent.

The best varieties and species for planting

In the design of garden plots, as a rule, only three types of gazania are used: long-shooting, harsh and peacock.

Long rifle. This annual gatsaniya is distinguished by its relatively small height (up to 20 cm), as well as bright yellow buds (up to 7 cm in diameter) with a brown petal core.
Harsh (also called shiny). A tall garden crop that can grow up to 30 cm. It is characterized by oblong reed petals and buds of lemon and peach color (it also has a brown base of the petals).
Peacock gazania differs from other varieties in its large number of narrow and long leaf blades. The buds can be orange or deep yellow with dark stripes on the petals.

In the case of gazania, non-specific varieties are usually used for planting, namely mixes and mixtures of several species. They are distinguished by an unusual shade of buds, large height and extended flowering period.

Among the most popular mixes are: “Muse”, “Kiss”, “New Day”, “Triad”, “Talent”, “Daybreak” and “Potsie”.

Gazania longiscapa

Gazania Longiscapa Purple-Pink-Orange

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

Peacock gazania Gazania pavonia variety Daybreak Red Stripe

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. The hybrid species 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 red stripes, 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.

Agrotechnical requirements

Depending on the environment, gatsaniya is grown as an annual or perennial. The culture is intended for arid areas. The tap root system extracts moisture from the deep layers of the soil, the pubescent leaves on the underside protect against excessive evaporation of water. In rainy times, on heavy soils, the plant is suppressed.

For growing, you should choose an open, sunny place on a hill so that there is no stagnation of moisture. The result will be large, richly colored inflorescences and longer flowering, even without special care. The buds remain closed:

after sunset;
in rainy, cloudy weather;
with low clouds on a sunny day.

Soil requirements

The description of the seed material indicates the necessary conditions for growth and development. The crop does not tolerate heavy soil and stagnant moisture, so it requires areas with light soil that drains water well. The peculiarity of gatsaniya is that it grows and develops even on land that is completely poor in nutrients. The structure can be changed by adding river sand during preliminary digging.

Climatic conditions

In the middle zone, the Moscow region, the Urals, and Siberia, gatsaniya is cultivated as an annual plant and does not tolerate frost even when the surface is covered with film and mulched. Care is simple due to its unpretentiousness, the main thing is to create a favorable environment. It can be grown as a perennial if, when there is a threat of cold weather, you dig up strong plants and replant them in a flower pot. Some varieties grow well at home in flowerpots, as long as there is enough light.

Perennial or annual

One can get confused due to ignorance as to what type of osteospermum is exactly, but in reality everything is not that complicated. This plant is perennial, but given its hot origin, wintering options may be as follows:

Digging up for the winter and moving to a cozy place without frost, such as a basement. Moreover, this must be done before frost sets in, otherwise the plant will die. The root is dug out very carefully so as not to damage it. With this storage, abundant watering is not necessary, but the roots should not dry out. You can replant them in the flowerbed only when the threat of night frosts has passed.

The plant is frost-resistant, but it is better to play it safe and dig up osteospermum for the cold season

When growing in containers, digging is not necessary. You can simply bring the container with the flower into the room, preferably a basement or house. But you shouldn’t leave it on the windowsill above the radiator. Until mid-winter it will simply dry out, because it uses all its strength for intensive flowering.

It is better to move osteospermum in pots closer to the radiator in the winter season

Carefully insulate, cover and winter outside. But there is a risk of losing the plant, because frosts are sometimes severe.

Note! Many gardeners make it simpler - they don’t cover it for the winter and don’t dig anything up, they just sow it every year, and thus it turns out that the perennial is grown as an annual plant. .

Osteospermum can be grown as an annual plant.

Seeds

Seeds need to be collected as they ripen. But you should not waste time collecting from F1 varieties, they will not convey all the characteristics of the variety. Such plants should be propagated exclusively by cuttings.

The method of propagation of osteosperm depends entirely on the chosen variety.

Cuttings are a guaranteed method for effective propagation of osteospermum

If several varieties with different colors were planted nearby, it is likely that next season it will be possible to obtain an exotic combination of characteristics of your own production.

Osteospermum is able to preserve the features of several varieties of neighboring plants

Growing

Growing osteospermum will not be difficult, because it is a fairly unpretentious plant. But he still needs some care. Condition requirements:

Loose, fertile soil.
It is good if the site is located in the sun.
It is advisable to enrich the soil with humus, turf and leaf soil before sowing (planting).
It tolerates different temperature conditions, but, of course, it does not like severe frosts.

Choose an unshaded area of the garden for planting osteospermum

Note! Caring for osteospermum after sowing/planting involves regular watering. Moreover, this applies to both cultivation in open ground and in containers. It is important to keep the soil constantly moist for the first 14 days.

In order for flowers to please with their quantity and long flowering, African chamomile needs to be fertilized almost weekly. And in order for the bush to grow in breadth, it is advisable to pinch the flower. It is optimal to do this twice per season. Naturally, you need to regularly remove dried and wilted flowers so that they do not spoil the appearance.

Weekly fertilization is the secret to caring for osteospermum

Sowing seeds. Cuttings

Both single- and perennial osteospermum can be grown from seeds. The optimal sowing time is April-May. This will allow you to get results in mid-summer. The seeds of the plant are large, but they do not need to be sown deeply - 0.5 cm is enough. In order for seedlings to appear faster, you can cover the sowing area with glass or oilcloth. The temperature should be within +20 degrees - under such conditions, seedlings can be seen within a week.

Advice! In order for osteospermum grown by seeds to bloom earlier, it is worth doing it in seedlings. In this case, there is a higher chance of admiring them at the beginning of summer.

It is better to organize sowing of osteospermum in the spring. Then by summer you can expect bright flowers

Cuttings are also a good option. Only in this way will it be possible to fully reproduce all the characteristics and properties of the variety. In order to propagate a flower in this way, you must:

In January-February, take cuttings from the top of the plant.
They need to be placed in water for 1 month until they take root.
Next, plant in pots filled with humus, soil and sand.
Can be planted in open ground in mid-May, the distance between bushes is at least 1.2 m
In order for the flowering to be abundant, it is better to choose a sunny area.

Osteospermum loves sunlight. Abundant flowering depends entirely on the climatic conditions of cultivation.

You need to start preparing for the propagation of osteosperm from the beginning of January.

Methods for planting gazania

Gatsaniya flowers can be planted in several ways. In the first case, they are planted in flowerpots, which will allow them to bloom throughout the year. This became possible due to the fact that with the onset of cold weather, the flower pot can be moved indoors.

In the second case, the flower is planted directly in open soil. I would like to emphasize once again that gatsaniya does not like soil in lowlands where there is a lot of moisture. She feels most comfortable in rocky or sandy soils. Before planting, the soil is fertilized with humus in an amount of 3 kg per square meter. It would also be a good idea to add 10 grams of mineral fertilizer for flowers.

Planting seedlings in open soil

Seedlings can be transplanted into open soil no earlier than 12 weeks after sowing the seeds. By this time, the shoots will become stronger and the root system will be fully formed. When replanting, it is advisable to use a special scoop to make fairly deep holes. Adjacent gazania sprouts should be located no closer than 20 cm to each other.

There is no specific date for planting gatsaniya seedlings in open soil. You just need to monitor the weather forecast and wait until the temperatures become consistently warm. However, you should not delay it too much, since the growing season of the flower is quite long and it begins to bloom no earlier than after 2 months.

Direct sowing into the ground

Sowing the plant in open soil is suitable for areas with a southern climate. Sowing is carried out after the daytime temperature has been established at +14…+17°C. The soil is first dug up, fertilized and watered.

Seeds are placed at intervals of 20 cm, but experts recommend planting more frequently to ensure better germination. The top layer is sprinkled with earth, watered and covered with polyethylene. If there is a risk of frost, you can construct a greenhouse.

For the winter, the bushes are dug up and transferred to a storage room or basement, and replanted in the spring.

Growing seedlings

First of all, you need to choose suitable containers. You can use low boxes, but then you will have to pick after the formation of 2-3 true leaves. You can immediately take individual cups or peat pots with a height of 10 cm or more

It is important that holes are made in the bottom to remove excess liquid.

Ready-made universal soil is suitable. You can make suitable soil yourself from peat, compost and sand (4:1:1) or vermicompost, coco peat and perlite. The resulting mixture must be heated or steamed for disinfection.

Gatsania seedlings are sown as follows:

treat containers with potassium permanganate solution and dry;
fill with prepared soil, compact slightly, water thoroughly;
Sow 1 seed at a distance of 2 cm from each other;
sprinkle with loose soil or vermiculite up to 0.5 cm thick;
moisten the surface with a spray bottle;
cover with film or a transparent lid;
place in a warm (+18-20°C), well-lit place.

The first shoots can be noticed after 1-2 weeks; all this time, if necessary, you need to moisten the soil and open containers to remove condensation. After sprouts appear, remove the covering material. Plants develop slowly and require optimal conditions. Compliance with agrotechnical rules of cultivation and care will allow you to obtain strong, healthy seedlings.

Sowing time for seedlings

The time for planting gatsaniya depends on the climate and varietal variety. On average, 3-4 months pass before flowering, and in order to admire the flower bed by summer, the seeds need to be sown in late February - early March. But we must not forget that the crop has a long rhizome, which is undesirable to injure during transplantation, so sowing too early is not recommended.

At the end of March, you should sow in the absence of special phytolamps to illuminate the seedlings. In this case, flowering will begin in late June - early July.

Features of care

After the first shoots appear, the ambient temperature should be +16-18°C. Good lighting is the key to ensuring that the sprouts do not stretch out. After the seedlings grow 2-3 cm, add a little peat or loose soil. If common containers were used, pick when the seedlings grow to 5-9 cm. 2 weeks after the procedure, feed with any complex mineral or organic fertilizer.

Water as needed, avoiding overwatering. From April, it is advisable to begin gradual hardening of seedlings, since the crop does not tolerate sudden cold weather.

Planting in the garden

The transfer of seedlings to a permanent place of cultivation is carried out at the beginning or end of May. Plants that have been properly cared for, including long-term hardening, can tolerate short-term frosts down to -5°C. Planting and caring for gazania is not a labor-intensive process. Any light soil is suitable, for example, airy sandy loam or light loam. Preliminary soil preparation consists of applying fertilizers containing nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, and digging.

Seedlings are planted together with the soil in which they grew. Plant arrangement: 20x20 cm, may differ for some varieties. After transferring to the garden bed, the seedlings need to be watered well.

Growing gatsania from seeds at home

Have you decided to decorate your garden with African chamomile? You should hurry up and buy seeds. It is worth doing this in advance in January or early February. When purchasing seed material, you need to look at the packaging date. The seeds remain viable for two years after collection.

The soil

For planting you will need: soil and a container. It’s easier to buy universal or special flower soil at a flower shop; you can prepare your own by collecting garden soil and adding a little sand and humus to it. The main condition is that the soil should be light, loose, and not crusty after watering.

Sowing

Starting from mid-February, you can sow gazania. Fill the container for sowing with soil and pour warm water. Arrange the seeds in rows. The distance in the row is 2 cm, between the rows 3 cm. Do not cover the seeds with soil, you can sprinkle them a little with washed river sand, but this is not at all necessary. Cover the container tightly with cling film. Moisture evaporates less, and optimal conditions for germination are maintained.

Seedling care

Caring for the seedlings will be long-term, taking at least 80 days. Until the shoots appear, periodically open the container for ventilation. If this is not done, mold may appear and destroy the seeds and newly hatched plants.

Spray the dried top layer of soil with warm water from a spray bottle. By the end of the second week, all plants should hatch. The film will need to be removed. In cloudy weather, illuminate with fluorescent lamps or LED lamps. There is no need to water the seedlings; the soil should be moderately moist.

Three weeks after pipping, the plants are picked into separate cups. The volume of the cup must be at least 0.5 liters. The plant does not really like replanting, so dig it out with a small lump of earth so that the root is not damaged. Water well.

Water every two weeks followed by fertilizing with complex flower fertilizer. Seedlings turn out stronger if during the day they are well lit by the sun or a lamp, the air temperature is 25°, and at night it is not higher than 15°.

A week before planting in a permanent place, take the plants out onto the balcony or outside. This will harden the seedlings and make them more resilient.

Growing gatsaniya and how to care for it.

Gatsaniya is easy to care for and drought-resistant. In hot weather, the flowers become smaller and the intensity of flowering decreases, so during this period gatsaniya requires mandatory watering.

This elegant and spectacular beauty - African chamomile blooms fully all summer until the coldest weather. In order for the bush to look decorative throughout the summer period, you need to pluck faded inflorescences all the time, this will speed up the process of forming new buds.

In general, care involves moderate watering, loosening and mulching the soil, and removing faded inflorescences. It requires fertilizing only at the beginning of summer, which promotes the growth of more new inflorescences. Prefers loose soil with good drainage and rich in humus.

Botanical description

Gazania belongs to the Asteraceae family, which includes about 40 species. The plant received its name in honor of the Greek scientist Theodore Gaza.

The correct spelling is Gazania, although in Russian-language descriptions the culture is often found under the name Gazania.

This herbaceous perennial plant is a bush of squat “daisies” about 30 cm high, with weakly branching tubular stems and a long taproot. The leaves are oblong in shape, with a sharp top and base, do not have petioles, and are attached with the lower part directly to the stem. The reverse side of the leaves is covered with thick silvery fluff. Large bright buds up to 10 cm in size are located on a long smooth stem-peduncle; the bush can have up to 35 flowers with a monochrome color or with contrasting stripes diverging from the center. Gatsania blooms at the beginning of summer, and the buds open only during the day, in bright light.

Rules for planting dahlias

After the end of the growing season, small black and white “airplane” seeds are formed in place of the inflorescences, surrounded on all sides by light fluffs, thanks to which they easily fly away over long distances.

Osteospermum photo varieties

There are many varieties, but not all have found distribution and their fans. Osteospermum flowers are the most popular, and they are the ones most often grown, with the varietal name eklona. This is a shrub that is distinguished by strong branching, it is perennial, with a massive stem. It will not grow in too cold a climate; moderate latitudes are optimal for it.

Despite the fact that an adult eklona has many branches and looks massive, a young plant can be grown in a pot

This species has captivated many with its beauty.

Eklona was taken as a basis and new, no less original varieties were developed. Among the popular ones:

Buttermilk - it is characterized by pale yellow flowers and bright green leaves. Silver sparkler is a white inflorescence, and the leaves are green with white spots. Congo - pink-purple inflorescences. Zulu - will decorate the flower garden with light yellow. Sky and ice - this variety has an original combination of white and blue petals. Volta - changes its color depending on the growth phase: from lilac-pink to completely white. Bambe are initially white, but as they grow they acquire a purple hue. Sandy pink - has a soft pink color and unusual spoon-shaped petals.

Buttermilk has yellow-white flowers with a gradient transition

Silver Sparkler is the variety that most closely resembles the familiar chamomile. White large flowers will delight you from July to September

The pink-purple flowers of the Congo variety are very popular among gardeners.

Sky and Ice has white and blue petals and a purple flower core.

Advice! If there is no space in the flowerbed, you can plant low-growing osteospermum in containers, buckets, or boxes. The following varieties are distinguished by their excellent compactness and unpretentiousness: gnome, ice cream, aquila, pink lace, salmon.

An osteospermum variety with spoon-shaped petals can be grown in any garden.

Biological description

Osteospermum grows in bushes and grows up to 1 meter in height. The growth of the osteospermum bush depends on the variety. For example, the popular variety “Sky and Ice” grows delightfully from June to October.

The stems of osteospermum branch and bush, and are rich in dense foliage. The leaves look like ovoid blades, with jagged edges. The color of osteospermum leaves depends on the variety; leaves are gray, green and variegated.

Close-up of an Eklon osteospermum leaf. Photo: Greg/Lemis

Osteospermum inflorescences with a diameter bloom from June to late September - early October. The basket inflorescences produce seeds, and the central flowers are sterile, but beautiful. The color of osteospermum flowers depends on the variety or characteristics of the hybrid.

The color of osteospermum inflorescences depends on the variety

Osteospermum flowers live on average, but are continuously replaced by new flowers, so the osteospermum bush blooms continuously. By the way, the flowers close at night and in rainy weather.

Growing, planting and care

To get seedlings, you need to sow the germinated seeds in boxes with substrate (from February to April). Soaking seeds is not recommended, as the plant does not like moisture.

Sowing seedlings

It is necessary to choose the time for sowing seeds depending on the region and its climatic conditions. If spring is cold and comes late, then you should not plant the seeds too early, as in this case additional lighting will be required for the seedlings to grow. However, if you plant gatsaniya late, you will have to wait much longer for flowering.

Thus, the earliest date for planting seeds is mid-March.

Gatsania must be planted in deep boxes so that nothing interferes with the growth of its long root. You need to sow the seeds at a fairly large distance (2-3 cm) and it is advisable to do this in a checkerboard pattern. You can fill them with a little soil on top and cover them with film. The room temperature should be approximately 18-20C.

At room temperature, shoots will appear after 7-14 days. After the same amount of time, the seedlings need to be picked. The plant should be planted in the flower garden in mid-May. Osteospermum loves sunlight, so using artificial light can significantly speed up flowering.

Seedling care

You need to care for seedlings in this way:

Place the seedlings in a cool place with good lighting.
Water regularly, but do not overwater.
When the leaves begin to appear, the seedlings should be planted in different containers.
To make pulling plants less intense, you can use clothespins.
Hardening of seedlings should begin in May.

If the container in which the seedlings are grown is deep enough, then it is not necessary to pick (replant) them. However, if the depth of the box is small, then after the first leaves appear, it is necessary to transplant the seedlings into pots. After which the seedlings should be moved to a place with a cooler temperature. At the same time, you can begin hardening the seedlings by opening the window for a short period of time.

In regions with hotter climatic conditions, seeds are planted in March or April directly into the soil and cold greenhouses.

How to properly perform hardening?

Hardening must be carried out in order to gradually accustom the seedlings to external conditions before they are directly planted in the ground.

Hardening should begin with a short exposure to fresh air; 2-3 hours will be enough. Gradually you need to increase this time so that at the end of hardening the plants can already be in the fresh air all the time. It is also necessary to gradually accustom the seedlings to sunlight, increasing the time the plants spend in the sun every day.

If the weather outside is still cold, you first need to open the window during the day, for a short time (1-2 hours is enough to start), and be sure to close it at night. After a few days, the window can be left open also at night.

Hardened gatsaniya will tolerate temperature changes much better, will bloom faster, and the flowering itself will last longer.

How to grow healthy and beautiful gazania

In order for gatsania to fully develop, it is necessary to provide it with quality care. The flower is considered very heat-loving. But it tolerates frosts well down to -5-7 degrees.

Watering

This plant requires moderate watering. After the procedure, the soil should be loosened and weeds should be removed. To make flowering longer and more abundant, it is enough to get rid of inflorescences that begin to fade in time.

It is advisable to mulch the surface of the earth. This will significantly reduce the amount of watering and weeding. When planting gatsaniya in soil with useful elements, it needs to be fed at intervals of 4-6 weeks. For this purpose, mineral preparations are used. For every square meter, 20-25 g of substance is required.

When planting a crop in poor soil, the plant should be fed more often. This is done every 15-30 days.

Bloom

The plant blooms from June to October. The inflorescence wilts after 20 days. In cloudy weather and at night, the reed inflorescences curl up. At the same time, they cover the core, which includes tubular flowers.

Some gardeners complain about the lack of flowering. Common causes of the problem include lack of light, too much watering, or untimely planting of seedlings in open ground. With proper care for gatsaniya, it will bloom magnificently and for a long time.

This plant is disease resistant. However, when a crop is grown in unfavorable conditions, it becomes weaker, which provokes gray rot. In such a situation, damaged bushes should be dug up and destroyed. It is recommended to treat the remaining plants with a phytosporin solution.

Pests that can infect gazania include aphids, spider mites, and snails. To deal with snails, it is enough to collect them from the bushes with your hands. To eliminate spider mites, it is worth using special preparations. These include Fufanon, Ditox. To eliminate aphids, you should use Fitoverm or Akarin.

Collecting seeds

In the middle zone, seeds often do not ripen. This occurs during hot and dry summers. It is worth considering that most often gardeners grow hybrid crops. Their fruits do not retain the characteristics of the mother plant.

The ripened inflorescences of the crop resemble dandelion. In windy weather, the seeds scatter quickly. To avoid this, the flowering baskets should be wrapped in gauze. It is fixed on the peduncle. This helps keep the seeds in place.

Wintering

When growing an annual crop, after the flowering period ends, its remains must be removed and burned. But some gardeners save the plant for next year. To do this, you need to choose the strongest bushes that can bloom.

The bushes need to be dug up and transplanted into pots. It is recommended to place them in a cool and well-lit room. Seedlings should be watered rarely and not abundantly. However, it is prohibited to allow the soil to dry out. In spring, the crop should be transplanted into open ground. The stem should be shortened by half.