Planting and caring for gazania in open ground, reproduction and cultivation

Gazania (gazania) is a beautiful ornamental plant, which is called “African daisy” for its origin and similarity to the well-known wildflower. Despite its “southern roots”, the plant grows and blooms well in temperate climates. In addition to the beautiful and varied inflorescences, the popularity of this crop is due to the fact that planting and caring for gazania in open ground does not require significant effort.

Botanical description

Externally, gazania is a plant that has the following features of the main vegetative and generative organs:

1. Stem – this small-sized plant does not have a stem; leaves and flower stalks with inflorescences are formed from buds on the root collar.
2. The leaves are lanceolate, pinnately dissected, lobed, grayish-green in color, often pubescent on the underside, collected in a compact or spreading basal rosette.
3. A flower (inflorescence) is a basket with reed petals of various colors (from white, red and yellow to two-color) and the middle part is red or yellow. The diameter of the inflorescence, depending on the variety and type of plant, can range from 5 to 12-15 centimeters. The inflorescence is located on a vertical (rigid) or slightly drooping peduncle up to 30 centimeters high.
4. The root system is taprooted, well developed, penetrating to a depth of 60-80 centimeters.
5. The fruit is a dry achene with a small white hairy tuft.

Gazania blooms from mid-summer to early autumn (July-September). The fruits ripen in mid-late September.

Types and varieties

The genus Gazania includes such species as:

1. Long-shooting gazania.
2. Gazania pinnate.
3. Gazania is snowy white.
4. Gazania single-flowered.
5. Gazania peacock.
6. Gazania is a bit harsh.
7. Gazania Potsi.
8. Gazania hybrid.

Of all these species, the hybrid is the most resistant to environmental conditions - bred by crossing various gazanias, it combines all their positive qualities, as well as a variety of flower colors.

On a note.Despite the fact that most types of gazania are perennial, in temperate climates they are advised to be grown as annuals. This is due to the low resistance of the southern plant to low temperatures - the crop is able to tolerate short-term frosts down to -7 ° C. In severe frosty winters with little snow, it can freeze even with good insulation.

The most popular varieties (series and mixtures) of this plant among gardeners are:

• Big Kiss Yellow Flame;
• hybrid mixture;
• Mystery;
• New Day Red Shades;
• Garden Star;
• Frosty Kiss Orange;
• Triad.

All these varieties are grown as an annual crop.

How to grow a plant correctly?

The success of growing even such an unpretentious plant as gazania depends on the correct choice of place and time of planting, and timely implementation of care measures.

When to plant?

This crop is grown in seedlings. To do this, in the first ten days of March, seeds are sown in shallow boxes or other containers. Seedlings are grown in such boxes at a temperature of +18, +20 0C. Seedlings emerging from seeds on days 12-15, when 2 true leaves appear, are planted in small peat pots, where they are grown to the required size.

Well-formed bushes with 3 true leaves are planted in open ground in early May. Choosing a place for planting. For planting seedlings in open ground, well-lit and elevated areas are selected. Low-lying areas and areas flooded with melt and rainwater are not suitable for this plant.

Gazania also does not tolerate shade, so it is not recommended to plant it near large trees, outbuildings, or bushes.Required soil This crop is grown both on fertile loamy and peaty soils, as well as on nutrient-poor sands and loose sandy loams. Heavy, poorly permeable clay soils and peat bogs close to the groundwater surface are not suitable for it.

Planting process

Grown and strengthened seedlings are planted in open ground. The planting process itself consists of the following stages:

1. In the selected area, at regular intervals (15-20 centimeters for short-growing varieties, up to 25-30 centimeters for tall varieties), holes with a diameter of 10-12 centimeters and a depth of 7-8 centimeters are made with a garden shovel.
2. The seedling is removed from the peat cup, placed in the planting hole, sprinkled with earth, compacting it with your fingers.
3. After planting, all plants are watered, after which the soil around them is mulched with a small layer of humus or fertile soil.

Important. In order for the seedling with a lump of earth to be better removed from the peat pot, watering is stopped the day before planting the seedlings in open ground.

Tips for caring for crops

In order for a plant to please the eye with beautiful flowers, it must be properly cared for - weeded, watered, fed, pruned in a timely manner, and when grown as a perennial crop - covered for the winter.

Weeding and loosening the soil

We weed seedlings planted in open ground after each watering or heavy rain. In addition to removing weed sprouts, loosening allows you to destroy the soil crust, thereby improving air access to the root system and reducing the evaporation of moisture through the system of tiny soil capillaries. Loosening and weeding are often replaced by mulching the soil around the plants with a 3-4 centimeter layer of humus.

Watering and fertilizing

Gazania is highly drought-resistant and requires watering only in the first 10-15 days after planting in open ground. At this time, it is watered frequently and abundantly. As soon as the seedlings take root well and begin to grow noticeably, stop abundant watering and adjust their frequency taking into account precipitation.

So, if the summer is rainy and there is enough moisture in the soil, watering is carried out at intervals no more than 3 times a week. If there is a prolonged drought, up to 4 waterings are done per week.

On fertile soils, gazania is fed with special complex fertilizers no more than once a month. In this case, fertilizing is combined with watering. On soils with low nutrient content, fertilizing is done more often - every 15-20 days.

Trimming

In order for gazania to grow and develop normally, broken and damaged leaves and wilted flower stalks with crumbling inflorescences are periodically removed. For this procedure, use a sharp and clean knife and scissors.

Wintering the plant

In most cases, gazanias are grown as annuals and are not covered for the winter. In some cases, in order to prolong the life of a plant, in the fall of 1 year it is dug up along with a lump of earth, placed in large pots, all flower stalks and wilted leaves are removed and placed in a moderately humid and cool room with a temperature during the winter season of no more than + 12, +14 0С. The soil in the container, as it dries, is carefully moistened with a hand sprayer.

Perennial species are cut off completely and covered with straw, spruce branches, and dry leaves on top.

Protection from diseases and pests

Gatsania is a very resistant crop to diseases and pests.

Of the diseases, if not properly cared for, it is most often affected by gray and white rot - with a high level of plant damage, they are sprayed with Bordeaux mixture or such a safe biological fungicide as Fitosporin-M.

Among the pests in especially wet years, snails and slugs pose a danger to gazania, which can damage its young leaves. The fight against such large pests is carried out without the use of chemicals - they are collected manually.

Breeding methods

Gazani are propagated by both generative (seeds) and vegetative (dividing the bush, cuttings) methods.

Seed method

With this method of propagation, faded inflorescences are not cut off, but covered with a plastic bag, allowing the seeds to ripen and not fall off. Subsequently, the basket is cut off and placed at home to dry in a small paper bag. Since the seeds of this crop, like dandelion, have feathery tufts, they are well dispersed by the wind. Therefore, when there is a delay in the timing of seed collection, they chaotic self-seeding occurs on the site and adjacent lands.

It is recommended to collect seeds in this way from plants that are well developed and not damaged by diseases and pests.

Dividing the bush

In addition to the seed method, gatsaniya can also reproduce vegetatively, such as dividing the bush. For this purpose, well-formed plants are used. A bush of such gazania is carefully dug up and, using a sharp knife or spatula, divided into two new bushes, each of which must have at least 4-5 healthy leaves. New plants are first placed in separate small containers, allowed to take root for some time, and only after that they are planted in open ground.

Cuttings

A small, 10-centimeter side shoot with a “heel” at the base is cut off from the bush. The resulting cutting is first placed in a liquid with water for a day; before planting, its lower cut is powdered with Kornevin. The cuttings are planted in small separate containers, to a depth of no more than 9 centimeters. You can cut gazania in this way throughout the year.

What problems do gardeners have with growing, and their solutions?

The main problems that gardeners face when growing gatsaniya from seeds or seedlings are the following:

1. Drying occurs when a soil crust forms or during a very long drought. This problem is solved by frequent watering and loosening the soil in order to destroy the soil crust.
2. Poor survival rate - this rather unpretentious crop does not take root only when it is planted on too dense, swampy and heavy soils. In order to avoid such a situation, experts advise carefully selecting a place for planting a crop, taking into account not only its illumination, but also the mechanical composition of the soil.
3. Frost damage - this problem can be caused by early planting of seedlings in open ground. Based on this, experienced gardeners do not recommend planting gazania bushes outside before the beginning of the second ten days of May.
4. Poor wintering indoors - as a rule, even a well-formed annual bush or gazania seedling, if stored in a room with low humidity and low air temperature, will quickly die from the combined effects of these two factors. To prevent such a development of the situation, dug up plants are placed for winter on glazed balconies, loggias, storage rooms and other rooms located next to living rooms.

Gazania in landscape design

In landscape design, gazania is used in compositions such as borders, mixborders, alpine slides, and flower beds. Annual species are also often planted in various flowerpots, which decorate the edges of garden paths, porches, and gazebos.

Any perennial type of gazania is grown in a permanent place for several years, both in combination with other crops and alone.